The Velosbuttik initiative was originally the idea of town mayor Roberto Traversini, in a bid to encourage sustainable transport and recycling. Community support body and not-for-profit Cigl took on the challenge, hiring bike expert Haico De Munnik to establish and manage the shop.

“We sent a flier to all the homes in Luxembourg asking people to donate bikes and skate boards, and accessories,” he told Delano, adding: “The response was too positive. We’ve had so many phone calls and emails, it’s been crazy! The shop is already full!”

The shop applies the same principles as the Okkasiounsbuttik in Belval plaza, which hires jobseekers directly from Adem to renovate and sell on old furniture. The profits of any sales will be ploughed back into the shop or into the activities of Cigl.

De Munnik says at a later stage, he plans to open a mechanics workshop, cycling school, and repair workshops to teach people the basics of bicycle care and maintenance. “The workshops are for everyone to use, not just for us to repair the bikes people donate to us. People can bring their own bikes for repairs and finetuning,” De Munnik said.

Velosbuttik opens for the first time in avenue Charles, Differdange, on 14 September, after which it will be open from Tuesdays to Fridays, 10am-6pm, and 9am-5pm on Saturdays. At the time of publishing, the shop was still welcoming donations of cycle accessories, bikes and skateboards.

Follow them on Facebook to find out more about classes or making a donation.