Husband and wife team Josh and Terri Schlabach are the founders of Wheelies on Mulberry, a new bike shop in downtown Wilmington at 171 S Mulberry Street that opened for business in May of this year.
Both Josh and Terri are originally from Northeast Ohio where Josh was raised in the Amish community and Terri was raised in the Mennonite community. Growing up, they both worked on farms, went to public schools, and were very involved in their churches. Their communities taught them a strong work ethic, to do things right (not half way), and to always deal with integrity and tell the truth.
As young adults, Josh and Terri traveled with different international mission organizations, but didn’t meet each other until a mutual friend introduced them in the states where they connected over their new perspectives on the world. Looking back, Josh said, “I felt like Terri was a Kent State, 4.0, brilliant student [who was] going places in the world, and I’m a construction worker... I just felt like she was out of my league, and I guess I still feel like that.”
From Terri’s perspective it was kind of the same thing. She added, “I felt like his friends really loved him, and girls loved him, and I felt like we are not in the same camp. So I think when our paths crossed and we figured out we were both interested in each other, we didn’t date very long [before getting married].”
While the couple were dating, the construction company Josh was working for offered him a 6 month position in Wilmington to help reach Dayton and Cincinnati markets, which he accepted, and so he would drive to Kent State on the weekends to visit Terri where she was finishing a degree to teach English. After 6 months, Josh’s company offered to move him back north, but Josh decided instead to buy a house and make Wilmington home.
After getting married, Terri worked at Wilmington City Schools as a substitute teacher part-time so that the couple could have more flexibility to travel, but once having children, Terri decided to be a full-time mother—which she said is “very normal in the Amish and Mennonite community” and also allows her to enjoy volunteering all over the community.
In 2008, the company Josh was working for closed their local office because of the housing crash when DHL left Wilmington. Josh was again offered to move back north, but instead decided to stay and start his own company doing exterior renovations until 2016 when he and his business partner were offered to buy Ellis Fence and merge companies to what is now Ellis Fence and Home Exteriors.
Josh and Terri presently live on North South Street with their 4 kids and are no longer part of the Amish or Mennonite communities, but instead attend Dove Church on Rombach Avenue. “I think what attracted us there was some of the same values we had growing up [which were] simply it seemed like the people there were really focused on strong community,” said Josh.
The Schlabach’s first saw the property where Wheelies is now while on a walk and later submitted an offer in 2021 when it still hadn’t sold. Their plan was to build condos in the back, but when not enough presold, they pivoted to first build a commercial building in the front.
The idea to start a bike shop and restaurant was a combination of things: 1) there is no other competition within 20 miles and the Schlabach’s got tired of driving out of town for bike repairs; 2) the property borders the Luther Warren Peace Path so they envisioned customers test driving bikes, and 3) on their family trips to Europe and Germany they noticed “nearly every bike shop has a cafe of a restaurant attached to it”, said Josh.
Ironically, neither Josh nor Terri have any experience with either running a bike shop or a restaurant, but Terri said, “I’ve learned in being married to [Josh] for 19 years that what makes him thrive in life is to bite off more than he can chew, and then to figure it out—that’s fun to him... It’s very much not my personality, but there’s something very deep down in his core that has a lot of faith that it will work out.”
An unexpected “gift” for Josh and Terri since starting Wheelies has been the opportunity for their children to work and learn life skills. “These mechanics are willing to train our children... even [in] customer service... and I love that our manager pushes them,” said Terri.
Terri is also proud of their ‘Cycling Without Ages’ program that lets seniors and those with handicaps experience the trails in a bike pedaled by someone else. Terri’s father was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when she was 9-years-old and she said, “anytime you live with a person who’s moving through the world in a wheelchair you never see the world the same... you’re always looking for how that person is going to be with you”.
Now that Wheelies is open, Josh said, “it’s really humbling on the receiving side now where people are coming and giving [us] dollars for the service [we’re] providing... It’s one of those things you can’t really explain but the right people came along and partnered with us at the right time.” Terri added, “Jen Purkey and Brad Hayes [who run the Trail Haus restaurant next to Wheelies] are geniuses at what they do... it’s a huge advantage for us to have them there.”
Listen to Josh and Terri’s full story on episode 50 of The Real Change Podcast. Wheelies is open Tue, Wed, and Fri from 11am–5pm, Thu 11am–7pm, and Sat 9am–12pm.
Learn more at wheeliesbikes.
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