Why Dubai Is the Boldest Move Yet for The Bike Shed
If there was ever a brand that thrived on doing things its own way, it’s The Bike Shed. Now, that independent spirit is heading somewhere few would have predicted when it all began under railway arches in East London. Dubai is calling—and Bike Shed is answering.
The cult motorcycle hangout has confirmed that a 40,000 sq ft Bike Shed venue will open in Dubai next year, marking the brand’s third permanent home after London and Los Angeles. More significantly, it signals the start of a carefully controlled worldwide expansion—one that could reshape how motorcycle culture is presented on a global stage.
From Shoreditch Arches to Global Ambitions
Founded in 2015 in Shoreditch, The Bike Shed began as a simple idea: a place where motorcycles, creativity, food, drink, and community could coexist without ego or gatekeeping. It wasn’t a showroom. It wasn’t a café pretending to be biker-friendly. It was a genuine home for people who live and breathe motorcycles.
That authenticity is precisely why the concept worked.
Seven years later, the launch of The Bike Shed Los Angeles proved the model could travel. Bigger, bolder, and unapologetically expansive, the LA site didn’t dilute the brand—it amplified it. And with that came interest from across the world.
Dubai is the next logical leap. And it’s a big one.
Why Dubai—and Why Now?
On the Full Chat podcast, co-founder Anthony van Someren—better known as “Dutch”—confirmed that Dubai is the first of several locations currently under discussion. Talks are reportedly underway with operators spanning Australia, Texas, and beyond, all keen to bring Bike Shed energy to their own motorcycle communities.
Dubai isn’t just another pin on the map. It’s a city that understands scale, spectacle, and lifestyle branding. It also has a rapidly growing custom motorcycle scene and a demographic that values curated experiences over mass-market hospitality. For Bike Shed, this isn’t about chasing glamour—it’s about placing the brand where ambition and appetite already exist.
And yes, the Dubai site will be larger than LA. Because subtlety was never really Bike Shed’s thing.
A Franchise—But Not as You Know It
Crucially, this expansion is not a corporate land grab. Bike Shed has made it clear that future venues will operate under a franchise model, handing responsibility to local operators who already understand the brand and live the culture.
Dutch describes it as “giving the brand to the community”—and that’s not marketing fluff. Partners are expected to be genuine Bike Shed regulars, backed by the financial muscle and operational experience required to deliver venues of this scale without compromise.
This matters. Bike Shed simply doesn’t work as a “small version.” It needs space. It needs atmosphere. It needs room for bikes, people, events, food, drink, and those unplanned conversations that define motorcycle culture at its best.
Scaling Culture Without Losing the Soul
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: most lifestyle brands fall apart when they scale. The Bike Shed’s challenge—and opportunity—is to prove that community-led culture can be exported without becoming hollow.
Dubai is the test case.
If Bike Shed can recreate the same sense of belonging, creativity, and two-wheeled obsession thousands of miles from its birthplace, then the door truly opens. Not to dozens of identical clones, but to thoughtfully placed flagships that respect local scenes while staying unmistakably Bike Shed.
From railway arches to the Middle East skyline, it’s a remarkable journey—and one that feels surprisingly on-brand.
Motorbike Mad will be watching this closely. Because when a grassroots motorcycle space grows up without selling out, that’s a story worth following.