I reported in March that local bike shop the Recyclery had broken the law in the past and potentially sold stolen bikes and parts... Jonathan Maus over at BikePortland.org reports that the SE Madison and Ladd's Addition branches of the troubled bike shop are closed. Though the consensus is that owner Robby Fenstermasker has cleaned up his act on the legal front in recent years, eight of the nine former Recyclery employees I interviewed said they had experienced significant personality problems with Fenstermaker.

Maus asked Fenstermaker about shuttering two of his four stores and the aggrieved owner's response is telling:

Fenstermaker blamed a severe downturn in business due to coverage on BikePortland.org and in The Portland Mercury back in March about allegations that he knowingly sold stolen goods. Fenstermaker called the coverage "a bunch of bullsh***" that was written without checking the story with him first. "It totally hurt my business." When I tried to apologize for any negative consequences my stories might have caused, he said, "Sorry doesn't do me s***, have a good day," and abruptly hung up the phone.

We received a similar love note in June after a Mercury ad rep emailed Fenstermaker to see if he wanted to advertise in our Bike Issue. From his reply email:

I refuse to do any advertising with your paper. The slander piece sara (thunder thighs) mirk wrote on my business and her personal attack on my character have done the job well. I will be closing some of my locations because of the reckless use of your paper.

What can I say? He's got a talent with words.