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The Earth to Lititz Story
Earth to Lititz is a call to be grounded, to find peace and purpose in the dirt beneath our feet.
We are the Branles - Mark, Rebecca, Brady, Caleb, and Anna - a family of five who bonds on long hikes, explores new places on bikes, and loves Lititz with all our might.
Nearly a decade ago we began Lititz Bikeworks, a community bicycle shop with a mission to "build a better community through bicycles." We sell and service all kinds of bicycles, rent electric bicycles, and operate two traditional bicycle shares on the Warwick to Ephrata Rail Trail. We love how bicycles answer a need - transportation - while also delivering joy.
Why add Earth to Lititz to the mix? It feels like a natural next step and one we've been planning for a long time. In fact, when we opened our first bicycle shop in Intercourse, Pennsylvania, we dreamt of expanding to a store we'd call, "Intercourse Outdoors" featuring the catchy slogan, "It's in tents." Get it? 😉 When we moved the shop to the Rock Lititz campus we had to, at least temporarily, put our idea on hold. The good news? The move to Lititz has been the best decision we've ever made, introducing us to a community of friends who feel like family. While Mark has been busy growing the bicycle shop, Rebecca has spent the last few years working in economic development and marketing as the executive director of downtown Lititz's nationally accredited Main Street program, Venture Lititz. When 56 East Main Street became available, we had a hunch we'd finally found the home of our eco-friendly outfitter.
Earth to Lititz brings to life our vision of a shopping experience where guests can gear up for their next outdoor adventure, or for more buttoned-up daily living. The rule? All of Earth to Lititz's apparel and footwear allow for easy movement and tread lightly on the planet. Add in earth-friendly skincare from Ursa Major, the tongue-in-cheek personality of Buffalo, New York's Oxford Pennants, and classic Hydroflask and Stanley drinkware, and the result is a shop that delivers forward-thinking style for earth-conscious living.
Earth to Lititz is for Everyone
You might see a curious banner when you enter Earth to Lititz - two fingers making a peace sign, one stained with a drop of blood, the words "Dead Pancreas Society" curving around the image. We hang this as a conversation starter, an invitation for us to tell you the story of our son, Caleb, a newly diagnosed Type One Diabetic. Cabes hasn't skipped a beat despite his new reality, living with what he calls his "dead pancreas." Caleb needs at least 4 insulin shots a day to survive, but that hasn't stopped him from living his best life.
Caleb's journey reminds us to be mindful of yours. We know that sometimes outdoor gear has to carry unexpected items, like insulin pens, inhalers, crucial medicines, and comfort items. We know that many of us have hurdles to cross in order to enjoy long hikes and walks. Our journeys don't look the same, and neither do our bodies or our beliefs, but we believe it's our differences that give us our power. Imagine a forest filled with all the same trees - same height, same color, same leaves. Surely our hikes wouldn't be nearly as beautiful and the habitat not nearly as bountiful. At Earth to Lititz, we invite you to come as you are and to celebrate your individual awesomeness. Our shop is accessible to all, with an ADA-compliant entrance on the east side of our building. We're excited to welcome you.
Throughout the year we'll do intentional work to highlight organizations whose missions we admire, like the JDRF - Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, which holds an extra special place in our hearts. We hope you'll join us.
Earth to Lititz Inspiration
In the summer of 2023, we shared the experience of a lifetime, hiking in the mountains surrounding the Matterhorn with our extended family. The trip was as beautiful as it was illuminating. Locals spoke with urgency about how quickly the glaciers are melting and asked us to bring the news to our friends here in the states. We were inspired by the action taken in Zermatt, Switzerland, where food waste from restaurants is converted to power and electric carts, bicycles, and sneakers are the only tools used to move people through the mountain town. Without the gas fumes and the sound and chaos of vehicle traffic, our senses were awakened, and our minds were opened.
For us, this picture is at the heart of Earth to Lititz. Sure, it was taken a world away, but it reminds us that the decisions we make here in Lititz have a profound effect on our entire planet. If we band together, we can make a difference. In our shop, we start with the clothes on our back and the shoes on our feet. And our brands aren’t just committed to being kind to the planet, they’re also mindful of the humans that inhabit it - making their product lifecycle fully transparent, paying fair wages, and being inclusive of all.
In the photo…
Mark is the guy pointing out the peak, while Rebecca and the boys sit in the center. Daughter Anna is nuzzled in the arm of Rebecca's sister and best bud, Tracy. You'll see all these folks make appearances in our marketing and at our shop, especially our nieces, Lilly and Lauren. Rebecca's Dad, Geoff - AKA Pop-Pop, is very passionate about the shoes we choose and always tests them out (and gives his unedited opinions!). Rebecca's mom, Kathy, has all the heart we need to keep this family stuck together like glue. Brother-in-law Johnny? He's quick to deliver all the dry dad jokes and keep us shaking our heads and laughing.
