OUR STORY
Shawn and Mary met in New York City, where the cycling gods naturally brought them together. A mutual friend recommended that Mary get Shawn’s help purchasing a bike, so she made a visit to the shop at which he was currently working. Long story short, what started as buying a bike turned into love, and they were married about 18 months later.
After a few years of enjoying the New York City cycling scene together, racing, riding, and networking, Mary and Shawn regularly daydreamed together about Shawn opening his own shop some day, but were never quite sure when the “right” time or place would be. Then one day, the news of a baby on the way kicked everything into gear. Despite loving the city and the life they had built there, they needed to be closer to family and somewhere a little quieter, so they decided to relocate back to Mary’s hometown in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Going from New York City, where Central Park is buzzing with roadies every morning, racing teams are a dime a dozen, and you can find a bike shop every ten blocks, Shawn and Mary really missed the culture and friendships that NYC cycling had provided them. Shawn left his job at Specialized behind him to make the move, so with an unpaved road ahead and a budding cycling community ripe for expansion, it became clear that it was time to take the leap and go after his dream.
Wrought from years of Shawn’s experience and his immeasurable passion for the sport, Knight's Bike Shop has been a long time in the making and strives to be a trusted and loved component of Kalamazoo’s growing cycling community.
THE TEAM
Shawn Faynik
Owner, General Manager
Shawn has over 18 years of experience working in the cycling industry. He is a mechanic by trade, and he has spent his career honing his craft and gaining experience and knowledge of the industry, gaining respect and loyalty of both his peers and customers along the way.Throughout his time working in shops, he's been far more than a wrench. He led shops in massive sales growth, assisted in opening second locations, and trained people behind the work stand. Over the years Shawn has garnered an immeasurable amount of experience and learned a ton about how to run a successful shop. He has always been the first one in in the morning and the last one out at night, and he’s excited to have the opportunity to do that as an owner rather than an employee.
Mary Faynik
Owner, Admin & Financial Controller
Mary has an undergraduate degree from Yale in mathematics and computer science, with experience working in finance, fitness, and project management before settling into her current career as a web developer. As a Division I NCAA rower, Mary established her love for sport and competition, and upon graduation she pivoted to focus on running, triathlon, and later road cycling.
Her competitive, entrepreneurial spirit has always been her guiding light, and she is excited to embark on a new challenge. While she isn't quitting her day job writing code, she will be heavily involved in managing the behind the scenes of the shop. From financials, to inventory, to online presence, Mary will be helping pull levers to bolster Shawn's experience and help ensure the shop is operating at maximum potential.
