PubCycleBoone
Entertainment - Boone, North Carolina, United States
PubCycleBoone Employees
PubCycleBoone Details
In May 2018, the Town of Boone welcomed an innovative new business, designed to promote sustainable transportation, local nightlife and safety all in one. Appalachian State University alumni Christian Houpe '18 and Caleb McGuire '18, opened PubCycle of Boone with $2,000 in seed money Houpe received by winning the Walker College of Business Transportation Insight Center for Entrepreneurship's Big Idea Pitch competition during his senior year.According to Houpe, he was inspired to start the venture after spending a weekend in Raleigh where he met friends for a pubcycle ride."The experience was a blast, hopping from bar to bike to bar," he shared. "Returning to Boone, I wished there was a similar experience."The concept of a pubcycle is simple. While the vehicle is battery-powered, riders pedal to give the cycle an extra kick of energy while a certified pubcycle driver steers and brakes.With Houpe's funding from the competition, they bought a used trolley pub, stripped it down and made several modifications to get it road-ready. Houpe, who obtained his degree from the Department of Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment, had the technical skills to replace the lead acid batteries with lithium ion and redo the electrical system. They also got creative with their limited budget."We wanted the pubcycle to invoke a Model-T vibe, and the quote for a custom front end was out of our budget," said McGuire, who is a graduate of Appalachian's Business Management program. "So, we ended up purchasing a cow trough from Tractor Supply and cutting it in half to act as the front end of the trolley.""Our goal is to help boost the local economy in a creative and sustainable way by sharing our favorite establishments with visitors and residents alike," said McGuire. "We would like to continue engaging with the community and expanding our reach by hiring individuals who want to give back as much as we do."
