On June 1st, Shinola founder Tom Kartsotis partnered with Detroit-native Jack White to purchase the building that currently houses the Shinola Flagship store at 441 W. Canfield in Detroit’s Cass Corridor. The deal marks new expansion for both Shinola as well as Jack White’s record label Third Man Records. For Third Man, this is a homecoming of sorts, since the label was originally founded in Detroit in 2001. This expansion signals the opening of their first retail store and offices outside of Nashville, TN. The new retail space is set to be in operation by Black Friday (November 27th, 2015), with many special surprises in store.
For Shinola, the deal comes on the heels of the brand’s investment into yet another category, rapidly honing in on the ability to manufacture speakers, turntables and headphones of audiophile quality, while creating more manufacturing jobs in the US — a top priority for the innovative and quality-focused company.
Third Man Records has long aspired to have a presence in Detroit and the constantly evolving Cass Corridor in particular, given White’s history in the neighborhood. It is the location of the first-ever White Stripes show, the home of White’s high school, and an area of the city that White says, “has always been the most inspiring area of Detroit for me as an artist and as a Detroiter. From the great visual artists like Gordon Newton to the music of the Gories, and the birth of the Detroit garage rock scene, the Corridor has nurtured Detroit's soul and inventiveness for decades. That spirit pushes forward with Shinola's passion and will come full circle for the artists of the Corridor that work with Third Man Records to plant a new foundation there to help keep that creative spirit alive for decades to come."
The expansion for Third Man Records is both a return-to-its-roots as well as a reach forward into the future, and the possibilities with the additional space and the Shinola partnership are endless and exciting.
About the plans, Tom Kartsotis said, "Everyone at Shinola is so excited about Third Man Records moving into the Cass Corridor. Unbelievable… There goes the neighborhood!"
This development means a move for current retail tenant Willy’s Detroit, a sister store to Shinola, but current plans are for the storefront to remain within the building.
ABOUT SHINOLA:
In 2011, Shinola, a Bedrock Manufacturing Company, LLC brand was conceived with the belief that products should be built to last, and they should be built in America. As makers of modern, handcrafted watches, bicycles, leather goods, journals, and pet accessories, we are proud to be based in Detroit, a community-minded city with a strong manufacturing legacy. We built our watch and leather factories within the College for Creative Studies in the former Argonaut building. As a new company with a storied name, we stand for skill at scale, the preservation of craft, the beauty of industry. We are constantly working to, wherever possible, source as many domestically made components for our products. We are an American company doing everything we can to bring jobs and manufacturing back to America.
I am hoping that vault members will get a sneak preview of the store in Detroit. Maybe Wed. Nov. 25?
I’m actually kinda scared….
Its time to boost the positive vibe and kick up the talk about the awesomeness ……… I just found this website with some great history on the Cass Corridor… Dig It!!!! ………. Go check it out if for nothing else other than the snazzie graphics!!!! ………….. So the early 1960’s, the area known as Cass Corridor (the area bound by I-75, Lodge Freeway, Woodward and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd) became home to the most concentrated poverty in the State of Michigan, and one of the most poverty stricken area’s in the nation. With much of that reputation in the past, the Cass Corridor has become an important part of the Detroit rock scene and a popular hang out…………………………………………
One of the larger venues for national acts is The Masonic Temple (billed as the world’s largest). The Dally in the Alley is ongoing music festival held there each summer. More recently, the Cass Corridor has become hold to the annual Marche Du Nain Rouge. Cass Tech High School, a Detroit public school, was where Diana Ross and many other greats received their secondary education.
Culturally, the Cass Corridor is one of the most significant districts of the city. The artistic community is closely knit and has produced a plethora of significant artists (see the Tribes of the Cass Corridor website for a comprehensive listing). This includes some of the most significant musical endeavors to come out of the Motor City. Detroit’s famous Gold Dollar rock dive was located in the heart of the Cass Corridor. Many of Detroit’s bands got their start playing here including the White Stripes, Brendan Benson and the Electric Six. Only a few blocks down and a few decades back stood the headquarters of Creem Magazine. The predecessor of Rolling Stone and the first rock journal, Creem brought us some of the greatest rock critics to ever live including Robert Christgau and Lester Bangs.
Seems like some sort of exhibit or installation of historic value might be a really good way to draw in the general public and get a greater cross section of the community through the doors in the early months of the venture… maybe something that is a little more Detroitcentric… with an old timie car like this https://vimeo.com/115350074 combined with the real thing like this https://vimeo.com/113158655 to get folks in a mindset of how buying local and handcrafted is where its at…
Need my CV???
Such fantastic news to wake up to. As a Michigan native with family in Detroit, I will be frequenting this new location with great enthusiasm. Thank you Jack and TMR for making my heart skip a beat before my morning cuppa Joe.
Hooray! As a Michigan girl, this is great news. I would still like to visit Nashville at some point, but this will be so much closer. Congratulations, and welcome home! ♡
Awesome sauce!! It will be an easy drive for me to get my TMR fix!! Thanks for investing your heart in Detroit, Jack!!
Told my son he needs to apply for a job there. I’ll pay the gas. Detroit is back
Great news!! Talk about going full circle. One of the MC 5, I think Fred “Sonic” Smith lived at 659 W Canfield for a while in 1968/69.