\u201cWe\u2019re excited to have people lock their love or a special memory right here in Detroit, the Paris of the Midwest. It\u2019s something locals and visitors can enjoy,\u201d said Shinola Creative Director Daniel Caudill.<\/p>\n
At our Woodward store location, guests can now purchase a lock to hang on the Shinola Love Locks fence nestled in Parker\u2019s Alley behind the Shinola Hotel. The lock features a dial charm that can be engraved with initials and comes with two keys that the couple can wear or just keep as personal mementos.<\/p>\n
[[{“type”:”media”,”view_mode”:”media_original”,”fid”:”4722″,”attributes”:{“alt”:””,”class”:”media-image”,”height”:”3258″,”style”:”width: 960px; height: 540px;”,”typeof”:”foaf:Image”,”width”:”5792″}}]]<\/p>\n
The locks are both beautiful and durable, manufactured in our own backyard (Troy, Mich.) by Commando Lock Company, which was founded in 2006.<\/p>\n
The company’s dedication to quality craftsmanship and American manufacturing makes them the perfect partner for Shinola.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re truly one of the only American manufacturers of padlocks. For the amount of locks that are used in the U.S. you\u2019d be surprised that 90% are imported,\u201d said Commando Lock Founder Patrick Smith, who comes from a long family line of manufacturers.<\/p>\n
[[{“type”:”media”,”view_mode”:”media_original”,”fid”:”4723″,”attributes”:{“alt”:””,”class”:”media-image”,”height”:”2873″,”style”:”width: 960px; height: 540px;”,”typeof”:”foaf:Image”,”width”:”5107″}}]]<\/p>\n
Matt Damman, CEO, and Patrick Smith, Founder and President of Commando Lock Company<\/span><\/p>\n Watching Smith in the Commando Lock factory in Troy, you can almost feel his passion as he shows visitors the impressive process of building a Commando Lock with a Willy Wonka-like wonder. <\/p>\n Smith utilized an innovative stamping process he and his father developed for the auto industry years ago and applied it to padlock manufacturing, establishing a new level of security and durability with his products.<\/p>\n Each lock for Shinola is stamped out of one solid piece of brass for quality assurance and features a unique recurved design that helps protect the guts from hammer blows. According to Smith, it would take 5,000 pounds of force to break one of his locks apart.<\/p>\n [[{“type”:”media”,”view_mode”:”media_original”,”fid”:”4726″,”attributes”:{“alt”:””,”class”:”media-image”,”height”:”2612″,”style”:”width: 960px; height: 540px;”,”typeof”:”foaf:Image”,”width”:”4645″}}]]<\/p>\n Aside from the joy he finds in his work, Smith\u2019s home is his heart.<\/p>\n \u201cEverything I designed was to enable us to continue manufacturing in America,\u201d said Smith. \u201cI could have easily sent it overseas, but it was about keeping jobs in the U.S. Having the ability to make a product right here was critical.\u201d<\/p>\n The company\u2019s CEO, Matthew Damman, also has deep local roots growing up in the Damman Hardware family hardware business\u2014adding an extra layer of credibility to an already bustling enterprise. The pair is happy their padlocks are playing a leading role in the new Shinola Love Locks tradition.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re so thrilled to partner with Shinola on such a creative project for the brand, and also for the city of Detroit. We\u2019re also proud that the quality of our Detroit-made Commando Locks will help couples from all over the world secure their love and leave a memory here,\u201d said Damman.<\/p>\n [[{“type”:”media”,”view_mode”:”media_original”,”fid”:”4725″,”attributes”:{“alt”:””,”class”:”media-image”,”height”:”2782″,”style”:”width: 960px; height: 540px;”,”typeof”:”foaf:Image”,”width”:”4945″}}]]<\/p>\n The locks at Shinola Woodward retail for $25 each with complimentary engraving.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the Love Locks is a terrific idea. I think you\u2019re going to need a bigger wall, we make heavy locks,\u201d joked Smith. \u201cBringing in a beautiful piece of mechanical art for people to use in different ways is great.\u201d<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re celebrating your wedding day at Shinola Hotel or just looking for a way to lock in your love, come pay us a visit at Parker\u2019s Alley in Detroit.<\/p>\n Share your pictures on social media using #ShinolaLoveLocks. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cWe\u2019re excited to have people lock their love or a special memory right here in Detroit, the Paris of the Midwest. It\u2019s something locals and visitors can enjoy,\u201d said Shinola Creative Director Daniel Caudill. At our Woodward store location, guests can now purchase a lock to hang on the Shinola Love Locks fence nestled in […]<\/p>\n