A go-to spot for biking enthusiasts in downtown St. John’s, Canary Cycles has kept its wheels turning for over 50 years. What started as a small operation in a family home has expanded into a full-service bike and repair shop with a variety of bicycles for any type of cycling. Still a family business and now operated by the second generation, the shop is on the right track for a long ride.

Where the ride began

The beginning of Canary Cycles dates back to 1973 when Joe Planchat arrived in St. John’s, Newfoundland. He immediately fell in love with the province’s unique landscape and character, but as he worked to form a cycling team for the Canada Summer Games, he noticed there were no local shops where athletes could buy bikes. An experienced cyclist himself, Planchat decided to open a bike shop with his wife, Janette, from their home on Campbell Avenue. Like many business owners at the time, the couple lived upstairs and ran the store from the ground floor.

Inspiration for the name came from the couple’s fondness for canary birds. They bought a pair of canaries on their honeymoon in the Canary Islands, and the two birds moved with them to Newfoundland. Even today, the team still has a canary bird in Planchat’s office above the shop.

Shifting gears

The Planchats operated Canary Cycles from their home for about 10 years before moving to a larger space in downtown St. John’s on Water Street. The popularity of mountain biking in the ‘80s allowed it to grow, as did other developments in the sport. Innovations like hydraulic brakes and shocks, different types of tires and electric bikes naturally expanded the shop’s inventory. Eventually, Canary Cycles moved to its current location on LeMarchant Road. Its inventory includes fat bikes, mountain bikes, kids’ bikes, e-bikes and more, and the shop offers repair services and bike boxing for travel.

Like many family businesses, Joe and Janette’s three kids were involved in the business growing up. Their daughter, Flora Planchat, started full-time about a decade ago and now manages the shop with her brother. Flora says the store has a loyal customer base, with three or four generations of some families continuing to shop there.

One major change she’s witnessed over time was the effect of technology. Before adopting a digital POS system, every wheel, nut and bolt the shop carried had to be tracked manually. Their shop’s website now also allows them to offer online booking, which has been a big help in managing service appointments.

Looking towards the future, Planchat hopes to see more bike shops enter the market in the city to increase interest in the sport, plus continued City initiatives like adding shared-use paths. Bikes are a great means of transportation, though the City of St. John’s could benefit from more dedicated biking lanes. “Having a safe place to ride is important, and the more that continues, the better for the sport,” she commented.

It’s also great for sporting events, like the Canada Summer Games that were hosted in the province last year. Planchat and her brother volunteered at the event, a full circle moment since Canary Cycles was founded through their father’s involvement as the province’s first Canada Summer Games cycling coach.

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