IT ALL STARTED IN ABOUT 1958...
when Carl Jolley began selling used bikes from the driving shed of the family farm on Hwy. 26 outside of Meaford, Ontario. By 1962 Carl was heading off to other pursuits and his younger brother Ralph Jolley took over the used bike business. Ralph was 14 years of age at the time and still working on the farm.

In 1966 at the age of 18 (the same year he married Joanne Goff) Ralph decided to officially go into the bike business full time. He opened Jolley’s Cycle & Hobby at the corner of Boucher & Sykes streets in Meaford and began selling bicycles as well as some toys and sporting goods. The sporting goods did not last long but the bicycles and toys continued. Ralph was able to sell and service two of the most legendary brands in Canadian bicycle history – CCM and Raleigh – both of which unfortunately are now defunct.

Soon it was time to build a more permanent home for the bike business so in 1969 Ralph opened in his newly built store that still exists on Hwy 26 just west of Meaford. The new store opened as Jolley’s Cycle Centre as this was exclusively a bike shop with the additional brands Majestic, Dunelt, Sekine, and Apollo. In 1972 Ralph ventured back into the toy business and in the late 70’s added baby furniture and strollers & carriages.

By 1983 the business had outgrown its space and an expansion was necessary. The store was approximately tripled in size and all lines expanded, particularly the baby supplies. The ‘80s and early ‘90s were a significant period of change for the bike industry with mountain bikes booming and then flattening out and the general economic roller coaster ride of the period. In spite of this, Ralph’s business sense and commitment to customer service lent to the continued success of his business.

Due to difficulties in the baby products industry in the mid ‘90s, Ralph decided to turn his focus exclusively to bikes and toys.

In 1995 Shane Jolley, Ralph’s son returned to the business after working in bike shops in Ottawa, ON for several years. It seems cycling truly does run in the veins. Shane had spent many weekends and after school hours in the ‘70s and ‘80s building bikes for his dad. Shane gradually worked into the management of the bike division and by 2000 the two divisions, bikes and toys, were running almost exclusive of one another. For this reason the divisions were officially split into Jolley’s Alternative Wheels and Jolley’s Toys and Collectibles to allow for more direct focus on the success of each. And each did succeed through difficult economic times and by 2001 the space issue reared its head again.

In 2002 Shane purchased the current location on 2nd Ave. E. in Owen Sound to allow for more expansion and to centralize the business better to its wide customer base. This also allowed for expansion of the toy business which remained in Meaford, as well as the addition of Carl Jolley’s Bicycle and Riding Toy Museum. Bicycles in the veins again?

Jolley’s Toys and Collectibles now sells an interesting combination of farm and other die-cast toys & collectibles as well as unique & educational toys that are not found in the average toy retailer. The museum is must see for anyone interested in history or anyone wanting to see some incredibly cool things toy companies used to make for kids.

Jolley’s Alternative Wheels has taken full advantage of the expanded space with the addition of Un-Common Thread, the Full Revolution Café, and the expedition branch, Alternative Wheels Expeditions.

The new location also presented other opportunities outside of traditional retail such as the creation of the Airtime Bike Park, and Vision for Transportation Alternatives. Jolley’s Alternative Wheels has become a leader on many issues such as environmental and social responsibility in business, contributing time to the overall economic development of the City and downtown, and helping to set strategic direction in the Canadian bike industry as a whole.

This has all been possible because of our loyal customers. Thank you!