Retail Revival

Located in Wolverhampton, in the heart of the UK, Goodstart Jones is a small, independent business that designs and produces stylish, innovative backpacks “for the sociable urban adventurer and cultural explorer.”

Their signature ‘Woodsack Collection’ is a manifestation of Goodstart’s belief in the importance of practicality, creativity and individuality, featuring a distinctive panel of eco-friendly wood for extra durability.

The business currently employs three people and operates by founder Paul Jones’s mantra: “Make a good start, Jones."

Paul hopes to expand Goodstart Jones in the future and utilize eBay's global reach to attract more international customers in Asian markets.

Graphic and fashion designers by trade, Andy and Christy use quirky t-shirts to help people everywhere convey their hometown pride. The Social Dept. offers nearly 400 t-shirts and other apparel that touch on everything from humorous local references to various cities and states to the latest pop culture and food trends. Many of their t-shirts also feature creations for design and typography lovers. Despite the company’s fast growth, The Social Dept. team still screen-prints all designs by hand in Akron, a painstaking process that lends a personal touch to each and every shirt that gives them great pride.

Once you purchase one of their tees, Andy hopes it stays with you a long time. “I like the thought that someone will grab one of our shirts, and it goes into their favorite t-shirt pile,” he said. And if you find yourself wearing one of Andy and Christy’s hyper-local designs, like their “We're under way at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario” shirt for Cleveland Indians fans, don’t be surprised if it becomes a conversation starter for those who want in on the inside joke. That’s the magic of The Social Dept.

Dirty River Bicycle Works, located in downtown Akron, Ohio, aims to encourage exploration on two wheels—whether that's a quick trip down the street or a day trip to a nearby national park.

Ryan, who spent 20 years working on bikes in some capacity, decided to take a chance on his biggest passion. He quit his day job, sought out small business training and eventually opened Dirty River. Two years later, and with the help of some good friends, Ryan has more work than he knows what to do with, and he’s not looking back. “I can just be myself. I'm putting myself out there, trying to help people by getting them the customer service I would want to have, and provide products and services that are unique and a lot of fun,” Ryan said.

Check out Dirty River Bicycle Works for your next street bike or piece of cycling gear. And if you're looking for new biking friends, join Ryan on one of his regular community bike rides.