In Greeneville, former church and hardware store now has motorcycles

NORWICH — A Greeneville motorcycle shop has grown from one to two buildings, helping preserve some of the city's village history in the process.

Street Stuff Cycle opened a new showroom at 192 North Main St. on June 24, just feet away from its original space at 4 Central Ave. Monica Krasun-Mish, who owns the business with brother Eric Krasun and their mother Charlene Krasun, said there have been challenges getting there.

“What we thought was going to be a quick renovation, and maybe up and going in a matter of six to eight months, ended up 18 months,” Krasun-Mish said.

Krasun-Mish said her father, Richard Krasun, started the store in 1973, and moved to 4 Central Ave. in 1985. In October 2020, the family acquired 192 North Main St., a historic building which was the first St. Mary’s Church in Norwich, until the 1920s, and was most recently Savage Hardware.

Krasun-Mish also said her father grew up in Greeneville, so he always had a tie to that part of the city, and would regularly stop in at Savage Hardware. The patriarch was supposed to be personally in charge of the new location, which would sell solely Indian bikes.

LGBTQ+ tourism in CTCould Norwich take notes from Provincetown, Mass.?

Then, in January 2021, Richard Krasun died, and plans changed. Now, 192 North Main St. is for new bikes, whereas 4 Central Avenue is used for used bikes and repairs.

Krasun-Mish said the old showroom was 1,700 square feet, whereas the new building has 6,000 square feet. She also said the building is convenient, as it’s walking distance away. Eric Krasun said the original space was full with just the Triumph motorcycles they had.

“We were cramped before in the showroom,” he said. “I had to move bikes just so you could sit on one.”

Keeping small business growth in Norwich

Angela Adams, executive director of the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce, said it was important for the store to stay in Greeneville, rather than move to a singular, larger building.

“It’s great to see small businesses grow and expand when they can, using the opportunities and the resources that are literally right next door to them,” Adams said.

Norwich revitalizationEmpty storefronts plague Norwich's downtown and beyond. What is the city doing about it?

Krasun-Mish said a grant up to $263,000 from the Norwich Community Development Corporation through the Norwich Revitalization Program was helpful, as renovations had gone over budget, due to the extent of the work and cost of materials.

“We needed to do everything,” Krasun-Mish said. “It was a new roof, new siding, remodeling the inside.”

Krasun-Mish said other business owners and entrepreneurs should consider applying for grants from the city.

“With a big project like that, there’s going to be things you’re not going to expect that pop up, whether its construction or delays,” Krasun-Mish said. “ The fact that those grants were available to us helped us big time.”

CT courtsAccused shooter in fatal Preston drive-by rejected a plea deal. The case will go to trial.

Adams said the city should continue supporting established small businesses like Street Stuff, alongside new ones.

“They’re here, they’ve already invested in the community, they’ve already invested in the city, and we need to continue to support that,” Adams said.

The future of Street Stuff Cycle

While there is still some remodeling to be done, Krasun-Mish said the major work was complete about two weeks ago. With that, Street Stuff held a grand opening on June 24 and 25, with people from multiple states showing up for the event.

Looking ahead, Krasun-Mish sees big things for Street Stuff, especially as Indian and Triumph both attract different markets of motorcyclists.

Summer campPlainfield's summer camp is back this year. Why is its future never quite guaranteed?

“I see expanding our clientele and bringing people from all over the tri-state area and New York,” Krasun-Mish said.

Krasun-Mish is expecting an increase in customers, as with gas prices, motorcycles might be a cheaper option for a hobby vehicle.

"People, with what they pay in gas versus a payment on a motorcycle, they tend to go with the motorcycle because it's more fun," Krasun-Mish said.