Vanessa Buccella

Veteran cyclists Vanessa Buccella and Annie Byrne hope to narrow Chicago’s bicycle commuting gender gap with their new shop BFF Bikes, opening this March at 2113 West Armitage in Bucktown. The city’s first truly woman-centric bike store will feature a largely female staff, a wide selection of women’s apparel, dressing rooms, and other amenities to create an inviting atmosphere for people who might feel less-than-comfortable at a traditional shop.