Events

As we enter our 18th year at Circles

2024/11/26 田中慎也

Hello. This is Shinya Tanaka, representative of Circles.

On December 1st of this year, Circles will safely reach its 18th anniversary. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all our customers, partners, and staff who have loved and supported Circles, and to all the "asobinin" (play-minded folk) who have resonated with our activities and walked this path with us. Thank you very much for a wonderful year.

Circles began 18 years ago in a small barn space in Fukiage, Nagoya. At the time, I didn't have a particularly clear vision, other than a pure feeling that "I love bicycles." But I think the desire to share the joy and potential of cycling with as many people as possible is what drove me.

My daily routine of maintaining and repairing bicycles in that small shop, talking to cyclists about bikes—what I reaffirmed and gained there was a strong image of how rich an experience a simple, beautiful, and incredibly convenient tool like a bicycle can bring to human life. And I believe the desire to "convey the charm of bicycles and share it with more people" became the initial driving force of Circles.

As years passed, with the help of many, Circles began to transcend the bounds of a mere local bike shop, giving birth to various projects and brands. I think the prime example of this is SimWorks.

SimWorks was born as a brand to embody the "connections created through bicycles" that we believe in, and I believe that the product design, distribution, and all the stories embedded within them reflect the core philosophy of Circles.

Also, this November, we opened a new SimWorks USA showroom in Portland, Oregon. We view this showroom as a hub for sharing the concepts, philosophy, and the Japan-born bicycle culture that we cherish and want to convey to the world. We hope that it will serve as an apparatus to create new connections with American cyclists, as a place where we can directly communicate not just the products, but the stories and philosophy behind them.

Furthermore, developing food and beverage ventures like EarlyBirds Breakfast, PFM, and CERCHI was a natural expansion for us. I believe it is crucial for a bike shop to go beyond just selling products and offer a "lifestyle," taking on a role in the community, which is essential for fostering the growth of bicycle culture. It also plays a significant role as an entry point for new people.

In addition, CULTURE CLUB is a project aimed at popularizing bicycle culture and realizing a circular society through the provision of reused bicycles and parts. Through maintenance support and classes, we are conveying the joy of "using and nurturing" and, step by step, it is steadily growing as a place that fosters the local cyclist community.

And 2024 has been a year of particularly significant challenges for Circles. This year, we opened Circles Tokyo in Toranomon Hills in February as a new base. It is a major project to expand the principles and philosophy of Circles, cultivated in Nagoya, onto a new stage in Tokyo. I am grateful that many people visit us every day as a new endeavor that incorporates Tokyo's unique diversity while maintaining the "Circles-ness" we have built.

On a different note, among the annual anniversary events taking place this weekend, the one I am personally looking forward to most is the "Six Wheel Ride."

I will, of course, be participating. It's a ride event where adults fully unleash their "playfulness," loading their favorite bikes, riding, playing, and laughing together. I think it's fantastic to share the "pure fun" created by these two types of play tools with friends at that moment.

I sincerely look forward to feeling the winter wind together, getting our bikes covered in mud, laughing, and reaffirming with all of you the infinite possibilities that play holds.

Now, for our anniversary party this year, we have been able to borrow a wonderfully amazing space nearby, "24 PILLARS," to move the event out of our own shop. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude. We are currently planning an event that is homey yet sophisticated, just like Circles, featuring food and drinks provided by Nagoya's most renowned shops, a luxury lineup of DJs, a raffle starting this year, a rock-paper-scissors tournament for adults and kids, and pop-up booths from creators gathered from across the country for this day.

The anniversary party is a place to express gratitude to everyone who has supported us, and at the same time, an opportunity to celebrate a new step toward the future. Please invite your friends and join us at the venue; it would make me incredibly happy if we could spend a fun night looking back on the 18 years of Circles together.

Date: Saturday, November 30, 2024
Location: 24 PILLARS
Time: OPEN 18:00
Fee: Advance 4,000 yen / Door 4,500 yen (Includes food, snacks, and 1 drink)
Tickets: Available at the Circles store or online store

Circles 18th Anniv. Party Advance Ticket

View on WEB SHOP

Circles is reaching 18 years, but our challenges continue. With Circles Tokyo and the SimWorks USA showroom as our bases, we will continue to pursue our mission of enriching people's lives through bicycles while connecting with an even wider world.

Furthermore, while valuing our connections with the local community, we aim to create new cultures and values centered on bicycles. I hope that the experiences and services provided by Circles will continue to enrich your lives in even the smallest way, and I want to turn that thought into action.

Once again, finally, it is no exaggeration to say that Circles is able to reach this 18-year milestone truly thanks to our supporters spread across the world. Meeting each one of you has supported our growth and opened the doors and pathways to our future.

Circles will continue to take on new challenges and keep walking together with you all. And as we head toward our 19th and 20th years, we want to build an even larger circle that grows stronger, overlaps, and expands. With heartfelt gratitude for your continued patronage, I look forward to celebrating our 18th anniversary with all of you.

Thank you all very much for another year.