The Rapha Cycle Club is Rapha’s store. The San Francisco shop is in the Marina DistrictChantal Jolagh/BikeRadar
Grand opening of the new “bookend” public parklet in front of Rapha Cycle Club in the Marina District of San FranciscoChantal Jolagh/BikeRadar
This is the first parklet in the Marina District of San FranciscoChantal Jolagh/BikeRadar
Parklet in front of Rapha Cycle Club on Filbert St. and Filbert St. in San FranciscoChantal Jolagh/BikeRadar
Rapha Cycle Club and design studio Rebar took apart a historic Rapha Citroen H-Van from southern France and designed it into a parkletChantal Jolagh/BikeRadar
The Rapha Cycle Club parkletChantal Jolagh/BikeRadar
Front view of the new parkletChantal Jolagh/BikeRadar
Rapha Cycle Club cycling gearChantal Jolagh/BikeRadar
Empanada truck in the back of the store for the parklet unveilingChantal Jolagh/BikeRadar
Levi Leipheimer stopped by for a little shopping at the Rapha Cycle ClubChantal Jolagh/BikeRadar
(l to r) Rapha’s Derek Lewis, store manager Dante Campanile, and Chris DiStefanoChantal Jolagh/BikeRadar
Levi Leipheimer dropped in for the eventChantal Jolagh/BikeRadar
Coffee shop and art gallery upstairs in the Rapha Cycle Club storeChantal Jolagh/BikeRadar
Rapha Cycle Club in San Francisco—the first permanent Cycle Club for RaphChantal Jolagh/BikeRadar
Currently up in the gallery is a Garrett Chow show, bicycle graphic designer for SpecializedChantal Jolagh/BikeRadar
Garrett Chow exhibit upstairs in the Cycle Club galleryChantal Jolagh/BikeRadar
Garrett Chow installation, showing bikes and artChantal Jolagh/BikeRadar
Rapha Cycle Club sells books, DVDs, performance road wear, city riding items, skin care and moreChantal Jolagh/BikeRadar
Rapha Cycle Club sells books, DVDs, performance road wear, city riding items, skin care and moreChantal Jolagh/BikeRadar
Friday night in the Marina District of San Francisco, the Rapha Cycle Club threw a party with the design firm Rebar and the ‘parklet’ outdoor installation the pair created to celebrate cycling and promote Rapha.
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Local cyclists and pro riders alike dropped in for a party at the intersection of Filbert and Filmore Streets, where the Rapha Cycle Club store and cafe is based.
So what is a parklet? As the name implies, it is a tiny, tiny park. In San Francisco, parking spaces are taken over as extensions of the sidewalk, with benches and other pieces set up to provide a small social area.
Grand opening of the new “bookend” public parklet in front of rapha cycle club in the marina district of san francisco: grand opening of the new “bookend” public parklet in front of rapha cycle club in the marina district of san franciscoChantal Jolagh/BikeRadar
Rapha’s parklet outside the store
The Rapha parklet was designed with tables, bicycle parking and a Citroen H Van deconstructed by Rebar and used to bookend the space directly in front of the store. Rapha has adopted the H Van as a symbol of its Cycle Clubs.
Besides the clothing retail space inside, the Rapha Cycle Club also hosts a cafe, a place to watch racing and a gallery of cycling photography and gear.
On Friday, there were actually two Citroens parked out front. Besides the parklet, Argentinian food company El Sur was there with its Empenada truck.
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Check out the gallery at the above right for the view inside and out.
The rapha cycle club parklet:Chantal Jolagh/BikeRadar