The brand ubiquitous in the watch-making world officially segued into the realm of hospitality. Their debut hotel will open in the brand’s hometown with a location on Woodward Ave. The Shinola Detroit, as it’s been dubbed, is the premier collaboration between Shinola and Bedrock, the real-estate arm of their parent company. Coming in fall of 2018, the official announcement on the brand’s website reads: “Featuring Detroit-inspired design from Gachot Studios and an innovative food and beverage program from New York-based Noho Hospitality Group. The Shinola Hotel will combine the best of two Detroit-based companies – Shinola’s high-quality American built craftsmanship and Bedrock’s development and urban revitalization expertise – to provide a unique experience worthy of the city itself.”

Tom Kartsotis, the founder of Shinola, told Acquire mag: “We are excited about this venture because it presents a challenging creative exercise to create a boutique hotel concept that Detroit will be proud of. We’ve assembled best-in-class talent that will result in an experience, which reflects the philosophy of the Shinola brand. We are partnering with industry experts like Gachot Studios for interior design and help with real estate development, as well as NoHo Hospitality to guide the food and beverage programming. Josh Pickard, one of the NoHo Hospitality partners, grew up in Detroit so it all felt very organic.”

The 130-plus-room hotel will feature a Detroit-inspired “living room” by Detroit-based designers, and will target business travelers, locals, and tourists in the up-and-coming downtown Detroit neighborhood.