The sweet Life Behind Bars'
Grand opening Saturday for two women entrepreneurs, By Linda Fields MILFORD If you’re of a certain age, you may associate motorcycles with the Hell’s Angels or tough guy’ personas, but those stereotypes are long gone. Now, it isn’t uncommon to see women riders, and Linda Peter and Debra Kelly are no exceptions. The two friends met 18 months ago in a bikers club, (the Milford chapter of Women in the Wind titled “Vivacious Vixens”) and the friendship led to a partnership in a retail shop catering to you guessed it: bikers. Called Life Behind Bars, the shop carries biker apparel and accessories for men, women and children. Debra and Linda know their stuff, with 37 years of biking experience between them. Their venture into retail seemed like a natural step, explained Linda: “It was more our love and passion for riding that really drove this. It’s something I feel great about; when you love what you do it makes a difference.” In fact, Linda rides a Harley Sportster and Debra, a Honda Shadow. They each typically put 4 to 5 thousand miles a year on their bikes, although now that might change. Debra and Linda agree that theirs is like no other shop in Milford, which itself is a destination for bikers. Linda adds, “We felt that we could bring to Milford better products at outstanding prices fill a demand.” Having ties to the area, the pair intends to operate their store with community in mind. “We feel it’s important to give back,” Linda said. For those with an Easy Rider fantasy, she and Debra plan to put a chopper in front of the building for customer photos and allow non-profits to use it for fundraisers. They also hope to initiate or sponsor other fundraisers for charity. If the name Life Behind Bars tells you anything, it’s that these women are fun to be around. They want their customers to have fun, too. To that end, customers can get a mug shot, and they’ll put the photos up on “Milford’s Most Wanted” board in the store. As Linda puts it, “We like to promote the fun of riding and encourage you to ride safely.” Since riding can be dangerous, it may give pause to some mothers. Tactfully, Linda says, “Our mothers love us very much and are always concerned with our well being, but they want us to be happy.” “As long as it’s something we don’t talk about,” quipped Debra with a smile.
If you go
Life Behind Bars is located at 102 US Route 6 in Milford. It will have a grand opening celebration on Saturday, May 22, from 1 to 4 p.m. They offer merchandise specific to riding, like reflective clothing for safety, special headwear for fast riding, or apparel designed to keep you warm. Labels include Easy Rider, Hard Chrome Gear, 85 MPH Hats, and Milwaukee boots, among others. Call 570-409-6999.