Last month I had the pleasure of meeting the team behind
Shinola and touring their Detroit headquarters. If you haven’t heard of them
yet, Shinola is the hottest spot for wheels and watches. Their sophisticated,
and proper take on cycling has garnered a loyal following, with two of the most elegant, yet practical, bikes on the market:
Shinola’s Bixby and Runwell. Each bike is assembled by hand in their Detroit
store, a shop with an American-made craftsman vibe, complete with nods to the
city’s history, and curated products from other like minded makers. The staff
is eager to help, and offer up stories behind the products, from where the
leather bike seats originate (Horween Leather in Chicago), to the mill behind
their crisp journals (Edwards Brothers Malloy in Ann Arbor, Michigan).
Here, you’ll also explore the brand's bread & butter, the mens
and womens watch collection, also fully assembled in Detroit. All of the watches
are made with Swiss parts, and the team was trained by a team of
watchmakers who traveled from Switzerland to educate and train the Shinola
crew. I grew up in the suburbs of Detroit and am constantly impressed by the
unique companies and exciting ideas sprouting up in the city. In the words of Shinola,
“We know there’s not just history in Detroit, there is a future.”
Immense thanks to Brian, Peter, and Dan for showing me around.
Shinola’s second brick and mortar outpost just opened in New
York’s Tribeca neighborhood. You can also check out Shinola on the road, during their summer
bike tour, going on now.
