commercial bike racks Unique custom-made, commercial bike racks promote the Queen Bee Cafe in the Seattle area

Commercial Bike Racks with a logo is an inexpensive yet highly visible way to reinforce the brand identity of a company.

And for one business, a fantastic way to generate some buzz!

Just look at the Queen Bee Cafes and their unique custom bike racks for example.

The Queen Bee cafes are non-profit restaurants located in the Seattle area and managed by Aegis Senior Communities LLC.

They serve an interesting and fun menu of crumpets, sandwiches, paninis, muffins, and salads.

For drinks, they have a wide variety of coffees, teas, lattes and in some locations, beer, wine, and even mimosas.

Their signature sandwich is actually not a sandwich, but a "crumpwich," a delectable combination of the traditional British bread made with locally sourced (and very fresh) products.

The interior design of the store itself features octagonal shaped tiles. Those tiles create a cool "bee-hive-like" appearance that makes it fun and inviting.

What's also incredible and unique about the Queen Bee is that 100% of their profits are donated to local charities. Some of those charities include the Seattle Parks Foundation and Bellevue Lifespring.

Certainly, a great asset for any community.

Commercial bike racks help promote alternative transportation

commercial bike racks

As everyone knows, Seattle is a city where bicycling is a major form of transportation. (By the way, more and more cities are investing in bicycling infrastructure to cut down on traffic and pollution).

In fact, Seattle was ranked 8th for Cities with the Most Bicyclists, according to research by the League of American Bicyclists. The report said 2.8% of Seattle residents commute by bicycle. An admirable number for sure. Adding more bicycling amenities such as protected bike lanes and bicycle parking (like the Queen Bee Cafes) will facilitate the growth of commuting by bicycle.

Plus, this does not count the large number of people who prefer to hop on a bike on weekends to get around town instead of drive.

To promote their bumblebee theme and support cyclists, Aegis Communities decided to install bike racks in the shape of their well-known logo - Queen Bees.

These custom bike racks are a colorful work of art with big yellow wings and a queen bee head complete with antennae and a prominent yellow crown.

"They turned out great," said Bryon Ziegler, Director of Development and Entitlements for Aegis. "They are very visually appealing."

Bryon said the company wanted to give the café "a little pop with something eye-catching and memorable."

They certainly achieved their goal. You can't help but notice these eye-catching bike racks.

And he added, they got a "two for one" benefit, not only as a piece of sidewalk art that promoted their brand but also as a bike rack.

Bicycle parking supports cyclists

Supporting cyclists is good business. Research has shown that bicyclists tend to spend more at a local business than the average motorist. One reason is that providing bicycle parking makes it very convenient to visit the business.

In some cities, congestion and the difficulty in finding parking (in addition to the cost) make it prohibitive or certainly unpleasant for people to drive.

Adding bike parking to a business sends a signal to cyclists that this is a bicycle-friendly establishment.

The support of bicycling as a healthy alternative to driving also adds to the overall perception of the café as a healthy place to eat.

Bryon says they like their new bike racks so much, they plan to add more.

"They are awesome. Everybody loves them," he added.

Right now, they have three cafes. But there are plans to add more.

It's certainly welcome to see businesses supporting and encouraging alternative means of transportation.

As you can see, Queen Bee Café also decided to be creative with the process as well.

Adding custom commercial bike racks is certainly a buzzworthy strategy that other business might follow.

By the way here's a list of the top 25 Cities with the Most Bicyclists. (Source: League of American Bicyclists).

  1. New York City
  2. Portland
  3. Chicago
  4. Washington DC
  5. Los Angeles
  6. Philadelphia
  7. San Francisco
  8. Seattle
  9. Minneapolis
  10. Denver
  11. Boston
  12. San Diego
  13. Austin
  14. Boulder
  15. Phoenix
  16. Madison
  17. Tucson
  18. Cambridge (MASS)
  19. New Orleans
  20. Oakland
  21. Davis (CA)
  22. Berkeley
  23. Somerville (MASS)
  24. Fort Collins
  25. Santa Cruz