Yesteryear Cyclery began in 1919 when Adriano Camara, an immigrant from Portugal was driving down Coggeshall Street in New Bedford and spotted a friends car parked in front of a local “hardware” store that had a red flag flying out front. In the old days, a red flag meant the business was for sale and being auctioned off.
Adriano entered the crowded, smoke filled room in middle of the auction proceedings and as the auctioneer was calling for final bids, Adriano waved to his friend and without realizing it…. bought the business for $700 !!! At the time the store sold pets, phonograph records, fishing poles and some bicycles.
Adriano started this business with 2 of his children, son Edward and daughter Mary and it ran quite succesfully until 1959 when Eddie Camara moved the business to its present location and renamed it from Camara & Son to Yesteryear Cyclery.
Throughout all his youth Eddie’s son Kim worked in the bike store and in 1985 took over complete control of the business when Eddie retired. He remains at the helm of the largest cyclery in Southeastern New England to this day.