Shinola describes itself as a lifestyle brand.
And boy, it sure lives up to that description.
Make that an American lifestyle brand as it’s made in the U.S. of A.
The Detroit-based company, which recently selected The Westchester for its 25th domestic location, offers everything imaginably necessary without compromising the necessity to look sleek.
Need an extension cord for your home? They’ve got snazzy, colorful ones that you’ll never lose.
Looking for a rustic bag that’s made to last? Shinola’s leather collection — which is manufactured using materials exclusively from American tanneries — can easily transition from work to play, with pockets for safekeeping laptops and phones and enough room for a change of clothes (for life on the go).
In search of the ideal stocking stuffer? Fine leather journals with monogramming options are the sure solution. Or what about a heavy duty yet comfortable headphone set, which is any commuter’s dream?
Though if you need a gift for the mister or missus on your list, Shinola’s watches — arguably, the company’s best-known product — are made using stainless steel and sapphire crystal to withstand the proverbial test of time, albeit with a limited lifetime warranty. And no matter whether you’re a homebody or a thrill seeker, these watches — available in battery-operated or kinetic options — don’t judge. Some selections can be worn, stress-free, while bathing (with a steel band, of course), while others can be worn — equally stress-free — while diving up to 1,000 feet below sea. Take your pick, and with the Willard Bar — custom watch program named after Willard Bixby, one of the founders of the 1920s shoe polish brand for which the company is named — you can customize your watch, from the face to the strap and even the engraving, all in-store at The Westchester.
“While we continue to expand our retail footprint in the U.S., our launch into Westchester is an important next step in our roll-out plans,” says Tom Lewand, CEO of Shinola. “We already have three free-standing storefronts in New York City and I felt the timing was right to look beyond metropolitan New York, and Westchester was a great fit.”
Shinola strongly emphasizes its American roots, having selected Detroit as its headquarters for good reason. Looking to bring production jobs back to the United States, Shinola executives believed that Detroit’s history of automobile manufacturing would be ideal for its watch craftsmanship — and they were right. Experts from Ronda AG, a Switzerland-based manufacturer of quartz and mechanical watch movements, trained Shinola craftsmen — and former automobile manufacturers — for one year on how to assemble watch movements perfectly. Shinola designates them Argonite movements to reflect their excellent timekeeping.
All of Shinola watches — which are available at 27 international locations and on its e-commerce site — are hand-assembled in Detroit’s Argonaut Building.
(In addition to creating ultra-modern products, Shinola is also moving into hospitality, collaborating with Detroit-based real estate developer Bedrock on a 130-room boutique hotel, slated to open in the fall of 2018.)
Shinola is at 125 Westchester Ave., Suite 3350 in White Plains. For more, visit shinola.com.
