Re-cycled! Lynbrook Bicycle back after blaze

Lynbrook Bicycle is open for business for the first time since a fire caused by an electrical wire tore through the shop on Aug. 23.

Owner Fayek Khalil opened his store in September 1986, servicing the village of Lynbrook with all of its bicycle needs for more than 25 years. Only recently has Khalil been able to begin the process of reopening the store and he’s happy the ordeal is coming to an end.

“Thank God it’s almost over,” Khalil said of the past five-plus months. “It was the worst time in my life. We were just waiting and waiting. I’m happy to get back to work.”

Lynbrook Bicycle isn’t fully back to what it was before the fire, but Khalil said the store is coming along piece by piece. “We’re still getting the store in order, but the doors are open,” he said. “In the meantime, if somebody comes in for a repair or service, I could do that.”

Khalil said he was asleep when he got a call from police a little after 1 a.m. on Aug. 23. “The police told me, ‘you have to come to the store,’” Khalil said. “I thought it was a burglar. When I was coming here I saw maybe five or six fire trucks and I said, ‘Oh boy.’ Everybody was around even though it was after midnight.”

Lynbrook’s Hose Company was first on the scene and immediately stretched an attack line to the front of the building after firefighters took the hydrant at Merrick Road and Vincent Avenue. That first line was used to knock down the main body of fire that had engulfed the storefront. Due to the large amount of bicycles in the store, it was difficult for firefighters to get to the interior fire as the fire soon also blew out the back of the building.

Firefighters were on the scene until 4:30 a.m. and the total damage was assessed at more than $300,000. Khalil said he lost $55,000 worth of inventory in the blaze.

“This was exactly like a very bad nightmare,” he said.

Khalil said he enjoys his work because he gets to interact with community members. “People are very glad that I’m going to open back up,” he said.

East Rockaway resident Mare Grosheim said that she has purchased bicycles for her kids from Lynbrook Bicycle for as long as she can remember. “I always found him to be kind and very helpful,” Grosheim said. “I knew that I could count on getting a quality bicycle and service at a reasonable price.”

She added, “I was heartbroken for him and his family when I heard about the fire. Hearing that he is back in business is great news. I wish him continued success and much happiness.”

Khalil said his customers have helped him through this long process. “Any time they come here and they see me they’re helpful and they try to do what they can,” he said.

When Lynbrook Bicycle first opened its doors in 1986, Khalil said business didn’t come easy. “When I opened it was very tough in the beginning, but little by little it worked out.”

Now, Khalil is putting back his beloved shop little by little once again.