After 111 Years in Business, New Bedford’s Yesteryear Cyclery Prepares to Close Its Doors

NEW BEDFORD (WBSM) — One of New Bedford’s most beloved and long-running businesses is closing up shop, as Yesteryear Cyclery owner Kim Camara has announced his retirement and that he has put his shop on the market.

Camara posted a video to the Yesteryear Facebook page at 7 p.m. Saturday night, along with a heartfelt message thanking customers for their loyal business.

“It is with a heavy heart, immense pride, and deep gratitude that I announce my retirement and the complete closure of Yesteryear Cyclery after 111 years in business,” Camara said.

In his post and video, Camara waxed philosophical about 111 years of business and being part of the Greater New Bedford community, as well as the challenges of today. He reiterated a few statements for which he has become known, that “children are our most valuable resource,” and “parents, hug your kids more.”

Three Generations of Family History in New Bedford

He detailed the story of Yesteryear and its three generations of operations under the Camara family. His grandfather, Adriano Camara, came to the U.S. from Madeira, Portugal in 1915. A carpenter back in Madeira, he used what few dollars he had to open a small hardware, bicycle and pet store.

Adriano’s son Edward was born in 1915, and following his service in World War II, he took over the store, running it as a half-bicycle shop, half-pet shop. Kim Camara started working in the shop at the age of 5 in 1958, sweeping floors and cleaning dog cages for six cents a week, he said.

When Edward Camara retired in 1985, Kim left college in his junior year and took over as president of Yesteryear Cyclery and carried on the family legacy.

Why New Bedford's Yesteryear Cyclery Is Closing Its Doors

“However, at 73 years old, faced with declining health, rising costs of doing business, and no next generation to pass the torch to, it is time for me to retire and cease all operations,” Camara said.

Camara said the last thing he would ever want to do is keep his customers hanging, “so I have feverishly been working on an exit plan to make the closing of this business as seamless as possible,” he said.

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He has been negotiating with other dealers regarding parts and services, and said he will publish a directory for warranty service. He also noted that three of his employees plan to open an offshoot of Yesteryear, offering products and services on a smaller scale.

Important Deadlines for Gift Cards, Repairs, and Inventory Sales

Camara intends for his final day of operations to be December 31, 2026, and promised “lots of events and sales prior” to that date. He said the property, buildings and inventory are already on the market, and he already has a number of interested buyers.

Camara encouraged anyone with a gift card to Yesteryear to make sure they use it in the next three months. He also warned those who have bicycles that have been serviced and not picked up to do so as soon as possible. He said some have been in the shop with completed work for more than a year, and if they are not claimed, he will be forced to donate them.

READ MORE: New Bedford's Yesteryear Cyclery Replaces Stolen Bike for Boy With Autism

Speaking of donations, Camara has for decades collected unwanted bicycles and then donated them to children of the community that cannot afford a bike on their own as well as local charitable organizations. He said he unfortunately is closing the bicycle donation area and is stopping bicycle donations, but promised he “will explore new ways of helping charities.”

As for what he is going to do next, Camara joked he won’t know what to do with the free time. “I’m going to be lost,” he said with a laugh. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

“I want to extend my deepest appreciation to the generations of loyal customers who supported our family, trusted us with their bicycles, and treated us like their own,” he wrote to close out his post. “Serving you has been the honor of a lifetime. Thank you for 111 unforgettable years.”