Summer 2018

Shinola, Detroit

As makers of handcrafted watches, bicycles, leather goods and journals, Shinola believes that products should be built to last and they should be built in America. Shinola stands for skill at scale, the preservation of craft, and the beauty of industry. Founded in 2011, Shinola is a design brand predicated on meaningful American job creation through the manufacturing of timeless, well-designed goods. In 2012, they transformed 30,000 square feet of raw space into a state-of-the-art watch factory in Detroit.

The Shinola Detroit Flagship store opened in June 2013, followed by shops in Tribeca (New York), Chicago, Washington D.C., San Francisco and Los Angeles. They also have two international stores in London and Toronto. In addition to their own retail stores, Shinola is distributed in approximately 350 retailers in the United States.

The Shinola flagship store hosts an in-house cafe with coffee, tea, baked goods and light fare. This location also includes a florist, and is located near Midtown favorites Third Man Records and Traffic Jam & Snug. Across the street is City Bird and Nest. “Holiday is always a busy time for us,” said Travis Harrison, director of retail. “We also see a spike in sales and traffic around Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Graduation,” he added.

While the product mix has expanded, the core product remains the top seller. “The Runwell watch – the first watch we ever built – is still one of our best-selling products across all categories,” Harrison said. “Our leather bags and accessories are also very popular, as well as our growing jewelry category.”

Another top item at the store are the journals. “We have a monogramming station in every store where customers can have their journals (and leather) personalized,” Harrison said.

For more information, visit www.shinola.com.

In 2016, Shinola launched its first audio product: The Runwell Turntable. That was followed up with a pair of Bookshelf Speakers and the Canfield Headphone Collection.