GEORGIAN Bay cyclists have a new pitstop to rest up on their route as Summit Social House, a new cycling coffee house, has opened its doors to the public.

Despite the provincial lockdown, Summit opened in a limited takeaway capacity on April 9th. The new business, which is located on Hurontario Street in Collingwood, is split into two sections, with a modern cafe in the front and a bike workshop in the back. 

The owner of Summit Social House, Bruce Zigman, has been an avid biker for 20 years while his love for coffee originated in 2014. Zigman told Georgian Sports News that his newest venture blends his two favourite things.

“I wanted to be excited about going into work every day and not dread Monday mornings. 

“The business model of a bike cafe made sense. Collingwood was a great place for it, and it’s something which I saw myself really enjoying on a daily basis — bringing together my two passions into one project made perfect sense.”

Pandemic opening

Although the first month of business has been tough for Bruce and his team due to COVID restrictions, the new coffee hotspot has received glowing reviews from local residents.

“Our focus is on making really good coffee and providing a first-class bike service experience. The feedback we’ve gotten over the first four weeks of being open has shown that we are doing exactly what we set out to do. 

“We’ve also seen a lot of outdoor enthusiasts who don’t bike reach out and express their excitement over the new cafe. This has been great as we are trying to cater to outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds and of all seasons, not just bikers.”

Mr. Zigman continued: “Opening the new business as a ‘take-out only cafe’ brings along a lot of hurdles, especially when it wasn’t part of the plan.

“Asking people to wait outdoors so that we can serve one at a time indoors is not something we enjoy doing, but it’s just the way things are for the time being. People have been very understanding and patient, and we are doing the best to get the line moving as fast as possible!”

Giving back to the community

Mr. Zigman also stressed that Summit Social House is actively looking to support the outdoor sports in the Collingwood area following the pandemic.

“Once COVID is behind us, we are looking forward to working on the third facet of Summit Social House; community. 

“We plan to be involved in youth athlete development here in Collingwood. Being able to sponsor athletes and work with already established youth cycling programs was a huge part of our plan and has, unfortunately, had to take a back seat to coffee and bikes due to COVID restrictions.”

With a successful opening behind them, Summit Social House is looking to invite more new faces to experience their coffee, locally sourced beer and repair shop. Mr. Zigman is keen for cyclists to check out their new spot on their next journey.

“Road cyclists are always looking for ‘landmarks’ in town where they could meet up at to start a ride, cafes to stop at halfway through for a quick coffee, or fun places to meet up afterward to grab a beer and chat about the great ride we just had.

“Being able to have a coffee while watching or chatting with a bike mechanic as he repairs your bike is a great experience, and one we wanted to create here in town. 

“After a day of mountain biking or skiing, we always want to relax in a comfy atmosphere with good food and good drinks while sharing stories of the day.”

For more information on Summit Social House, visit www.summitsocialhouse.com or follow their Instagram page @summitsocialhouse