Alumni Spotlight
Michael Salvatore '99
Owner and CEO, Heritage Bicycles
January 2016
January 2016
The entrepreneurial spirit of Michael Salvatore ’99 took root as a student at Loyola Academy in the late 90s. “My personality and individualism began to evolve during my time at LA,” he reflects. “Those four years tested my ability to challenge the status quo and think outside the box. This helped me build confidence in taking risks.”
Risky is exactly what you would call someone who set out to open a general store featuring specialty coffee and, surprisingly, custom-made bicycles.
Risky is exactly what you would call someone who set out to open a general store featuring specialty coffee and, surprisingly, custom-made bicycles.
Salvatore arrived on the scene in 2011 when he introduced Heritage Bicycles General Store in Lakeview. Offering customers an unexpected combination of artisanal roasted coffee and Chicago-made, custom bicycles, Salvatore and his wife, Melissa, forged a wildly popular fusion of biking and coffee cultures.
“If you’ve never thought to pair the two, don’t worry,” states his website playfully, “We’re here making sense of it from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week.”
“If you’ve never thought to pair the two, don’t worry,” states his website playfully, “We’re here making sense of it from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week.”
And people are catching on—quickly.
Pop into Heritage Bicycles and you’ll see 20-somethings crouched over their laptops enjoying the free Wi-Fi, couples tasting locally baked goods with their kids, coffee connoisseurs savoring every sip and biking enthusiasts looking to fix a flat or peruse the retail space. “Heritage has been fortunate enough to be spotlighted and honored in countless local and national publications,” says Salvatore, “along with a few celebrity endorsements.”
Pop into Heritage Bicycles and you’ll see 20-somethings crouched over their laptops enjoying the free Wi-Fi, couples tasting locally baked goods with their kids, coffee connoisseurs savoring every sip and biking enthusiasts looking to fix a flat or peruse the retail space. “Heritage has been fortunate enough to be spotlighted and honored in countless local and national publications,” says Salvatore, “along with a few celebrity endorsements.”
Salvatore has since become known for hatching unique and creative community hubs. After the success of Heritage Bicycles, he and Melissa introduced Heritage Littles, a mini bike shop for young riders complete with a milk and cookies bar and party space. Heritage Littles is also the home of A Little Photo Studio, where Melissa leads a team of photographers specializing in pregnancy, newborn, baby, kids, family and pet photography.
Continuing the tradition, Salvatore opened Heritage Outpost in Uptown to the delight of loyal followers. While the Outpost focuses solely on coffee and brewing the perfect pour for each customer, patrons were quick to recognize the same creative vibe and relaxed atmosphere that they’ve come to love about the Heritage brand.
To round out what Crain’s Chicago Business has aptly declared a small empire, Salvatore and his wife have partnered to open Heritage Branded Design Studio. A collective of marketing and design talent Salvatore calls storytellers, Heritage Branded Design Studio helps businesses and individuals develop their digital, design, editorial and social identities.
“We also have a bar and a café opening up this summer,” adds Salvatore. “And a couple of projects slated for 2017.”
The Heritage brand continues to thrive and shows no signs of slowing down, yet Salvatore maintains perspective. “Loyola gave me real life expectations,” he says. “Things are not given to you, they are earned by you.”
Salvatore might trace this get–what–you–give, balanced outlook to his experiences with Ken Maziarka, former Loyola Academy dean of students, whom Salvatore refers to as one of his favorites. “I suppose I wasn’t the most ideal student during my time at LA,” he jokes. “But Dean Maziarka always seemed to come off as fair. I don’t know if he realizes how refreshing that was.”
By thinking out of the box and prioritizing the community, and with five successful businesses already to his name, Salvatore has firmly established himself as an entrepreneur. And it’s a badge he wears with pride. On January 21 he returned to Loyola Academy to kickoff the Entrepreneurial Speakers’ Series, speaking to over 75 current students in the collaborative spirit of problem-solving. This type of collegial teamwork is important for students to learn early. Speaking to the power of Loyola’s alumni network Salvatore explains, “I have a core group of friends from Loyola. I not only keep them as friends, but I also do business with them when I can.”
Loyola’s motto, women and men for others, has stuck with Salvatore, too. He shared his unique interpretation and how it has influenced his business commenting, “Every time I make a business decision, I make sure I would want to be on the other end of that as a customer. A lot of our growth as a business has to do with the emphasis on customer service which is, essentially, women and men for others.”
Learn more about the businesses discussed above by visiting:
Heritage Bicycles General Store: http://www.heritagebicycles.com
Heritage Littles and A Little Photo Studio: http://www.alittlephotostudio.com/
Heritage Outpost: http://www.heritagebicycles.com/pages/heritage-outpost
Heritage Branded Design Studio
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