From A.J. Barnes to Paradise
The story of Paradise Bicycles goes back more than three decades, to the early days of Cape Coral’s cycling community.
Before the Paradise Bicycles name, the shop’s roots were connected to A.J. Barnes Bicycle Emporium, a bicycle shop located on Del Prado Boulevard in Cape Coral.
One small piece of that history has remarkably survived all these years: 772-2453 — the same Cape Coral phone number that would follow Paradise Bicycles through the decades and is still used by the shop today.
As Cape Coral grew, the bicycle shop evolved with it. Eventually, the Paradise Bicycles name emerged, beginning the next chapter of a business that would become a familiar part of cycling in Southwest Florida.
The Jonathan Sharp Years
Paradise Bicycles entered another important chapter under Jonathan Sharp, who helped carry the shop and the Paradise name forward for many years.
During Jonathan’s time with Paradise, the shop continued building the reputation that generations of Cape Coral cyclists came to know — a place where riders could find quality bicycles, dependable service, knowledgeable advice, and people who genuinely cared about cycling.
Through changing trends, new bicycle technology, and a rapidly growing Cape Coral, Paradise remained a familiar name in the local cycling community.
Jonathan helped preserve what makes a local bicycle shop special: relationships with customers, knowledge earned through experience, and a passion for getting more people on bikes.
His years at Paradise became another important chapter in the shop’s long history and helped lay the foundation for the Paradise Bicycles of today.
A New Generation of Paradise
Today, the Paradise Bicycles story continues under owner Arsenio Godinho.
Arsenio’s story in the bicycle industry began when he was just 16 years old, working in a bicycle shop as a teenager. What started as a teenage job grew into a lifelong career, and today he brings more than 25 years of experience in the bicycle industry to Paradise Bicycles.
Along the way, cycling became much more than a job. It became a genuine passion, with mountain biking becoming a particular favorite and another way to connect with riders and the local cycling community.
After spending decades working in the bicycle industry, Arsenio now has the opportunity to carry forward a shop with its own decades-long history.
Today, that experience, passion, and love for bicycles are helping shape the next chapter of Paradise Bicycles.
The shop has changed over the years. Locations have changed. Bicycle technology has changed dramatically. Mountain bikes have evolved. Electric bikes have introduced an entirely new group of people to cycling.
But the heart of Paradise remains the same.
More Than a Bike Shop
Paradise Bicycles is still a place where you can walk through the door and talk bikes with people who actually know bikes.
It’s a place to find your next bicycle, get an old favorite running the way it should, explore an e-bike, upgrade your ride, ask questions, or sometimes just stop in and talk about cycling.
Today, Paradise proudly carries and works with some of the most respected names in cycling while continuing to provide professional bicycle and e-bike service to riders throughout Cape Coral and Southwest Florida.
We’re also proud to support the cycling community outside the walls of the shop. From mountain biking and local riders to events such as Caloosa Crank Fest and Cape Coral’s Tour de Cape, we believe a local bike shop should be an active part of the community it serves.
Whether it’s supporting a mountain bike race, helping riders prepare for a big ride, providing support at local cycling events, or simply helping someone discover how much fun riding a bicycle can be, Paradise Bicycles is proud to be part of cycling in Cape Coral.
For us, being a local bike shop means being part of the community we ride in.
The Story Continues
Paradise Bicycles has seen a lot of change over the years.
The people behind the counter have changed. The locations have changed. The bicycles have changed. Technology has transformed the way we ride, and Cape Coral itself has grown tremendously.
But through every chapter of the Paradise story, one thing has remained the same:
A genuine independent bicycle dealer with a real passion for the bicycle industry and the people who ride.
That’s what a local bike shop is supposed to be.
It’s knowledge built through years of experience. It’s taking the time to help someone find the right bike instead of simply selling them one. It’s standing behind the work that leaves our service department. It’s supporting local rides, trails, events, and the cycling community that supports us.
From the days of A.J. Barnes Bicycle Emporium, through the years under the Paradise Bicycles name, and into the shop you see today, bicycles have always been at the center of the story.
More than three decades later, we’re proud to keep that tradition going.
The bikes may change. The technology may change. The faces may change.