Detroit watchmaker makes time for London launch

A Detroit bicycle and watchmaker – famous for its city clocks in the likes of Minneapolis and Chicago - is to make its UK debut with a London store today as it rolls out across the UK and Europe.

Shinola, which is known in the US for its Detroit-made watches, bicycles and leather goods, has picked 13 Newburgh Street, close to Carnaby Street, for its first store outside of the US. It is the first step in its UK and European expansion.

Back in the US it has three stores and plans two more this year. It sells its wares across 350 retailers globally and is launching a European website.

It also sells through fashion websites Mr Porter and Net-a-Porter in the UK.

Steve Bock, chief executive of Shinola, said: “As the gateway to Europe, our launch here in London combined with the launch of our European website in October is an important next step in our international roll out plans. We look forward to accelerating our growth in both the UK and Europe."

Shinola is owned by Bedrock Manufacturing – a company founded in 2003 by American Tom Kartsotis. Kartsotis previously founded watch brand Fossil which he floated on Nasdaq which now has a market cap of $5.2 billion and hundreds of stores globally.

He bought the Shinola name from a defunct shoe polish brand and launched it in 2011.

The company is based and makes its products in the art-deco Argonaut Building in Detroit - once home to General Motors.