The last we wrote about the Shinola in July, the upscale watch manufacturer in Detroit had opened a lower Manhattan store.
Now, Tracey Llewellyn of the Wall Street Journal reports that the urban, hip company aims to make a splash across the pond in Europe:
Its first foothold, having crossed the Atlantic, is in Paris, and this month it can be found in Colette, at 213 rue Saint-Honoré. It's a long way from Detroit, Michigan, to Paris, France — nearly 4,000 miles, to be a little more precise.
CEO Steve Bock tells the Journal:
"We are not doing this out of philanthropy, we chose to come to Detroit for practical business reasons. It is a city of heritage and of global recognition — just look at what has come out of Detroit — the motor industry, World War II manufacturing, and music. Craftsmanship and a first-rate work ethic emanate from the city."
Besides New York and Detroit, Shinola has an outlet in Kansas City and a presence in some upscale stores. The Journal reports the company is eyeing outlets in the UK and Germany.
It all reflects one of the brash startup's ad slogans: "Someday they’ll call Geneva the Detroit of Switzerland."
