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One of the founders of the extremely popular bike co-op The Urbane Cyclist has passed away. Eugene Yao helped found Urbane in the mid-1990s after a layoff from the corporate world (he had an electrical engineering degree) made him disillusioned with regular work environments.
The Urbane Cyclist is very well regarded in cycling circles in Toronto - it is generally well known as a place to get "unusual" bikes like recumbents, foldies and fixies, along with "regular" bikes too.Visitation is at Cardinal Funeral Home Bathurst Chapel (366 Bathurst Street) on Friday, February 22nd from 3pm-9pm, and the service is Saturday, February 23rd at 10:00am.
There will be a memorial gathering at Cecil Community Centre (58 Cecil Street) on Saturday, February 23rd from 4:00pm.
Donations may be made to OCAD’s Eugene Yao Urbane Cyclist Bicycle Design Award Fund.
There's a good article in Activist Magazine about Eugene and the principles behind Urbane
The difference lies in the level of customer service. Shoppers at Urbane Cyclist receive more sincere assistance than in other traditionally run bicycle shops. Yao attributes this to empowerment. “If you don’t empower people, they’re not going to put in 100 percent,” he says confidently. By taking ownership of their work, members care more about what they do and as a result tend to provide better service. Customer service is crucial to success because it consistently ranks among the most important factors driving a consumer’s purchasing decision. In this respect, Urbane Cyclist has a competitive advantage over its corporate cousins.
I will remember Eugene as a customer, employer and friend. He was a wonderful person to know and work with, even on stressful days.
My condolences to his family and his partners at Urbane.
David Woodward
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