History of Bickel's

With the trust that accompanies its past decades of service, the Bickel family business has become a cornerstone of this community, fulfilling all expectation of quality and service. Even today, we continue to benefit from the hard work and sacrifice it made so many years ago. In celebrating 70 years of Bickel’s service to the community, we look back on the contribution that one family has made in our hearts and the history of this great city.

In 1938, Bickel’s Cycle & Key Shop was born into the community through a step of faith and hope for a better future of success. Prior to opening the business, Paul Sr. and Maxine Bickel lived in Fort Wayne where Paul Sr., or Mr. B as he came to be called, worked at a local key and lock company. It was in this year that the couple opened their family business which would soon find its place in the heart of Anderson, Indiana. Originally established on 9th and Jackson, the small bicycle and key shop struggled to survive the effects of the Great Depression. As the store became more established, hobbies and toys were added to the retail line.

In 1945, nearing the end of WWII, the draft had reached Anderson. Yet, Paul Sr. was mysteriously exempted from the service. To this day, it remains unknown why the military made this decision, but it is of popular opinion that this was done to have Paul Sr. continue servicing locks at the local GM plant which had been converted to produce war materials.

In 1962, Bickel’s Cycle & Key Shop moved to 21 West 8th Street, one of the oldest historic buildings on 8th St. The rear part of the building originally served as one of Anderson’s first volunteer fire departments, while the front was used as a livery stable. On the second floor, a printing press was set up in back, and a toy shop sat in the front. At the time that the Bickels purchased the building, it had been a plumbing store, but it soon took on the personality of the familiar family shop.

The early sixties held perhaps the most memorable changes to the store with increased product line, and innovation for the children. Though toys were taken out of its retail, both crafts and candy supplies were added to the inventory. During this period, the family store had a slot car race track installed on the second floor. At a penny per minute to race, and 8 slots available, boys from all across Anderson spent their Saturdays at Bickel’s store covering lap after lap on that 20’ by 50’ track. Paul Bickel Jr. recounts, “We’d have a hundred boys in there on Saturdays, and mother always fixed sandwiches for them.” Paul began working in his parent’s store at 15 while he still attended Anderson high school. Part of his job was to keep an eye on the children as they immersed themselves in the excitement of racing, and so he did until the eighties when the track finally reached the end of its operations.

In the 1970’s, the city fire department went on strike resulting in the most devastating tragedy to hit downtown Anderson. In the course of the strike, an unknown individual set fire to one of the buildings on the east side of the block near 8th and Meridian. Citizens and business owners watched in horror as the fire burned all day jumping from rooftop to rooftop. As fire departments from neighboring cities arrived to help, the Anderson fire department union blocked the streets, preventing any fire rescue attempt. Paul recalls that one woman jumped out of a fire truck and yelled to the firemen blocking the road, “You get out of the way and let us do our jobs or I will mow you down!” She then thrust herself back into the fire truck and roared forward as the picket line dispersed in every direction. Two of Anderson’s brave firemen went against the strike and joined the rescue, one of whom was Fire Chief Ballinger. Paul Bickel was among the spectators watching as one business after the next was engulfed in flames. Through the course of the day, the fire crept closer and closer to Bickel’s Cycle & Key Shop. At one point, Chief Ballinger stepped aside to ask Paul how his father was doing in light of the situation, “He’s like to have a heart attack, but he’ll be ok.” Paul replied. After a full day of courageous work from the firemen and women, the fire was extinguished just before it reached Bickel’s store. When the smoke cleared, one man was found dead at the base of a stairwell, and over ten businesses including a barber shop, café, furniture retailer, law office, and jewelry store burned to the ground. Though Bickel’s store was not burned, it stored bicycle equipment beneath one of the other businesses, in which they lost about 120 bicycles in the fire. Paul and his parents sighed relief as the disastrous day drew to a close. Following the fire, the city purchased and cleared the east side of the block; there a parking lot was built which now sits an unmarked grave of that devastating tragedy over 30 years ago.

In 1992, Paul Bickel became the new owner as his parents retired from the business. Paul continued in his parent’s footsteps with dedication to serving customer needs and satisfaction. At the shop, he cared for customers, and at home, he cared for his parents. This is typical of a Bickel – to always put others first.

In July 2004, Bickel’s made the greatest change yet –stepping into food service and catering. Desiring to take a bold new step with the business, and jointly fulfill his lifetime passion of catering elaborate dining, Paul Bickel partnered with his close friend Jerry Alexander to open Bickel’s  Meetings & Banquets. After extensive remodeling, the building became an atmosphere of charm and delight. To accommodate the necessary room for the new banquet hall and kitchen, Bickel’s Keys & Locks along with the candy supplies were moved to the back of the building. Retailing of hobbies and crafts was ended, and a new product line had begun.
           
Upon the fourth year in banqueting, an idea began to brew in Paul and Jerry’s minds –that, with the addition of a commercial kitchen, the banquet hall could be expanded into an uptown café. Before long, things were in motion to create the first ever Bickel’s Uptown Café & Catering. The keys and candy supplies were moved across the street to 12 W. 8th Street, and construction commenced on this great innovation.

On October 23, 2008, all traces of the family store disappeared as the last piece of the old race track was removed from the second floor. Construction came to completion, and preparations were finalized. At long last, on February 1, 2009, Bickel’s Uptown Café & Catering opened its doors to its hungry awaiting customers.

Today, the success of the Bickel’s store and sacrifice is made evident through the existence of the Café and its continued service. We now enjoy the magnificent customer service, and thrilling meals like Paul’s mom used to make in a classy, uptown atmosphere.