The Most Infamous Biker Destination In The World!
It was a crazy sunny day in the winter of 2016-17 when Sue Martin of ASM Auto Upholstery (Fast and Loud fame) took Texas Rich to Strokers Dallas.
[Confession here: I’m a sucker for his show; “Texas Hardtails”. The show was quirky, partly scripted and a whole lot of funny. – T-Bone]
Back to the shop tour.
With 6 companies and over 80 employees, Rick Fairless and his wife; Susan, have a cycle empire on their hands. Rick is a great example of the American Entrepreneur, after 20 years selling paint for Glidden he was hoping someone would open a cool bike shop in his hometown of Dallas. Then it hit him: “Why can’t that guy be me?”
In 1996 he opened Strokers Dallas Motorcycle Shop, two years later Strokers Ice House right next door. Now the 2.5 acre property deep in the heart of Dallas, hosts over 1000 bikes each weekend. Rick is there everyday, living his dream. I asked him what part of all his businesses is he digging the most? Right off the bat it was the custom bikes. A true artist, although he isn’t interested in bikes as art, but art as bikes. Bikes, which are meant to be ridden.
With his business ventures ranging from the bike shop, the ice house, a tattoo shop, he also creates custom parts and his family resurrected a 1900’s haberdashery turned soda fountain, “Big State Fountain Grill”. But wait, it doesn’t stop there, Rick also writes frequently for American Iron magazine and MPN Motorcycle Powersports News. His articles are more like stories of what it is like to be a shop owner rather than how-to articles.
I had to ask what’s in the future for Fairless? He said he isn’t looking for any new business venture per se, but focus on making what he has bigger and better. Looking at what he has, it’s hard to believe he could make them better.
Strokers Dallas is primarily a custom shop where they turn a stock, or near stock Harley and turn it into something special. He also creates roughly 10 full-custom bikes per year. They also perform maintenance on your American V-Twin. All I know, Strokers Dallas is on my bucket list of places to visit. Take a look at the empire here: www.StrokersDallas.com
As you can see by the photos, Texas Rich was floored by the shop. I asked him what it was like to head over there with Sue: “The moment we walked in the door, all eyes were glued on us. It is as if time stood still for that second. The entire staff behind the counter greeted Sue. This was the second time I met Rick. First was when Sue took me over to the Dallas Motor Cycle Show a few weeks prior, when Rick said any friend of Sue’s is a friend of mine.”
Rich continues: “The shop was not what I was expecting. It was frickin’ awesome, I tell you. Motorcycles and choppers all over the place, a playground for big boys. You can tell Rick sure loves the scene, posters and photos all over the place taking up entire walls. If you ever get a chance, visit Strokers Dallas, you won’t be disappointed. I promise.”
Take a look at the photos from Texas Rich. Next time we will have to send him over there when they have a wet t-shirt contest.\
Photos: Texas Rich, Story: Tony Colombini
