Shinola, the buzz-generating Detroit manufacturer of watches, bikes and leather items, is preparing its first retail location, Nicole Rupersburg reports at Model D.
The Detroit store, located in Midtown on the ground level of Willy's Overland Lofts, will open this June. . . . The Midtown space is 5,000 square feet, with half dedicated to the company's bicycle assembly. Guests will be able to watch the bikes being assembled without walls or glass barriers.
Assembly-viewing isn't the most distinctive feature, actually. The site at 444 W. Willis will be part-cafe, part-store -- "a place not just to shop but more of a community hub," says Daniel Caudill,creative director tells Rupersburg.
They'll work with Avalon Breads to provide pre-packed foods to complement juices from a local juice company in an environment with comfortable seating and an outdoor landscaped area. . . .
The space . . . will also be used for events, from screenings and art exhibitions to talks and roundtable discussions.
Shinola plans another storefront besides the Midtown flagship -- in Lower Manhattan's trendy TriBeCa neighborhood.
