While officials in Detroit were busy filing the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history, Shinola, a luxury watchmaker in the city, was in the midst of gearing up for its flagship expansion in New York. “The initial goal was to find something that fit[ted] in with the neighborhood,” explained Daniel Caudill, Shinola’s creative director, to The Genteel.
Formerly the name of a shoe polish, Shinola was launched in 2011 by Tom Kartsotis, founder of Fossil, with the intention of reviving America’s manufacturing traditions. Save for high-end custom designers, watch making in the United States is almost a forgotten art. But as guests mingled at the New York store’s private preview in Tribeca, Caudill was all smiles; “we really just wanted to create an environment where you could feel comfortable.”
A cross between a loft space and a warehouse, the store’s interiors serve as a poetic homage to classic American design. Under soft lights and high ceilings, Shinola’s New York home is an open invitation to discovering the Motor City’s storied past. The vintage photographs and in-house café, however, don’t take away from the brand’s main act: showcasing luxury watches, apparel, leather goods, and bikes made in Detroit. READ MORE