Some pairings in life are meant to be. Hot chocolate and skiing. Peanuts and baseball. Coffee and bicycles? The latter may seem a bit odd, but for one local shop owner, it’s a perfect fit.
Since opening almost two months ago, Green Lizard Cycling has been selling not only high-speed bikes, but also high-end coffee from a side counter within the shop, dubbed Green Lizard Coffee. The shop uses Kaladi Brothers Coffee, an Alaskan company that Green Lizard owner Dave Meyer became familiar with while living in the 49th state for 15 years.
“When I put it together, I was really trying to take advantage of a the large space,” says Meyer. “I realized there wasn’t a great coffee shop in the historic area of Herndon, and I thought we could be that.”
Meyer and his wife didn’t have any prior coffee shop knowledge and trained back in Alaska for three days before opening. The two were able to “not [only] learn just what good coffee is, but what a good bean is,” says Meyer.
The coffee bar located in the bike shop overlooks the historic W&OD trail and bikers can come right off from riding and recharge with caffeine. Green Lizard also sells a variety of pastries from Baguette Republic in Sterling.
“Bikers drink a lot of coffee,” says Meyer, “and this is a place to converse and come in and talk.” While both the bike shop and coffee bar are fully open, Meyer is planning for a grand opening event later this month. /718 Lynn St., Herndon
