Robert Kapell: In The Business Of Happiness

If you frequent the you’ve felt the intrinsic good vibes. With the shop’s upbeat music, happy employees and merchandise ensuring an adrenaline spike you know whatever merchandise you leave with will produce an ear-to-ear grin.

The Mystic Cycle Centre is in the business of happiness according to co-owner Robert Kapell and Kapell and Mystic native and co-owner Rick Ely are responsible for keeping the steady current of happiness flowing.

Kapell, originally from New Jersey, went to college in San Diego and headed to Los Angeles in the mid-1980s to work in film production. As a visual person, he liked the medium but eventually decided the industry was not for him.

After returning to the East Coast Kapell worked for his brother Joseph Kapell and partner Steve Fishman. They operated two well-established bike shops in Connecticut managed by Ely, then opened a third, Mystic Cycle Centre in 1992.

Kapell worked for three years before he and Ely had the opportunity to purchase the business. It was at that time Kapell and Ely introduced snowboarding equipment to their stock of bicycles. 

“I spent winters in New Hampshire in North Conway learning the ski business when snowboards first came out,” Kapell said “I knew there was nobody down here doing it and we’ve been a Burton dealer for 20 years—this time of year we change half our building into snow boarding.”  

Road, mountain and recreational biking are Kapell’s idea of a “simple and elegant solution” to obesity, environmental and traffic issues facing society today. He said he looks forward to days off when he is able to ride the country roads and explore the traffic-free back roads of the area.

“Rick is the athlete of the store, he has done the Ironman twice,” Kapell said. “I tend to do more gentleman cycling or touring. I rode Seattle to Chicago, Idaho to Chicago solo…”

Kapell considers Cycle Centre to be a full-fledged community member. Annually, they sponsor a little league team and make bike donations to local schools, the , boys and girls clubs in Poquonnock Bridge and are members of . The store even dons a colorful storefront mural painted by Art Club. 

With the help of a well-versed and helpful staff, Mystic Cycle Centre brings the community together by offering various types of group biking on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings as well as Sunday mornings. And coming up is the 20th anniversary of the annual evening Halloween ride at Bluff Point, which in the past has hosted up to 300 people.

“Nobody has to walk through our door, so we know that everybody who does, chooses to,” Kapell said. “We’re never going to be rich in here, but we have a great life.”