Biker Rags moving into former NAPA building
Pam and Jeff Huggins prepare to move a vintage motorcycle into their new Biker Rags store in Clinton. (photo:G. Chambers Williams III )
Jeff and Pam Huggins, who have run Biker Rags in Knoxville since 1994, are moving to the new site at 800 Clinch Ave. because their old store on Kingston Pike was heavily damaged by fire in June.
Pam Huggins said Monday that the owner of that building has been slow to repair it, and won’t have it ready for occupancy again for several months, so she and her husband decided to move the business to Clinton instead.
“We think this will be a great location for us,” she said. “We like the small-town feel of Clinton, and we live fairly close by in North Knoxville.
“We lost everything in the fire, so we’re making a fresh start,” she said. “Smoke got into everything, including all the leather and textiles, even though the fire itself wasn’t that bad.”
Besides having a wide range of helmets, riding gear and accessories, the store also will include a museum of classic motorcycles the couple has been collecting for years – 60 in all.
The vintage bikes will mostly be on display in the basement area of the building, but there will be a few upstairs on the main floor, Pam Huggins said.
Building owner Duan Brewer of Clinton said he began talking with the Biker Rags owners in June about renting them the building, and they signed the lease last week. NAPA moved into a building farther up Clinch Avenue last fall, and the 800 Clinch Ave. location had been vacant since.
Jeff Huggins said he was “excited” about the move to Clinton, and hopes to “reconnect with all of our customers again soon” in the new location.
“When we moved to West Knoxville, it was almost still in the country then,” he said. “But it has really grown, especially with all the Turkey Creek businesses, and has become so crowded. We think our new location will be much better for our customers.”
Silas Damron is the store’s only employee, but he’s been with Biker Rags since 2004.
The store’s website notes: “We carry over 50 styles of jackets for men and women -- including leather and textile. We stock leather chaps in single-lined and thermal-lined.
“We carry a nice selection of two-pieced rain suits in sizes from small to 5XLarge.
“We have a large selection of doo rags, embroidered patches, helmets, gloves, boots, hats, saddle bags, fork bags, tool bags, tank bags, windshield bags and travel bags.
“We also have a large selection of items like bike bells, helmet stickers, vest extenders and pins, cup holders, pant clips, and detail products. We stock multiple styles of eye wear, goggles, face shields and helmet visors. We have wallets, waist bags, belts, belt buckles and a great variety of biker t-shirts.”
The website also notes:
“At Biker Rags our mission is to help you have fun. This means we want to make your motorcycle riding experience a blast. We do this by providing quality gear at a reasonable price.”
Biker Rags can also be found on Facebook.
Jeff Huggins said the goal is to open the store Oct. 1. Hours of operation will be 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays.