Commercial Locksmith in Knoxville, TN

Glass doors on Market Square

Lockwork has a history on Market Square: T. A. Burrier, a lock and gunsmith, occupied part of the Fenton-Burrier Building at 33 and 35 Market Square from 1882 until 1900. Every storefront there is now newer than the architectural style of the building around it, and the district's design guidelines shape the doors.

Item 7 says the entrance door shall have a full-view glass panel without moldings, cross bucks or window grills. Item 8 allows entry doors to be recessed behind the storefront. For hardware, that means:

• A full-glass door leaves only a narrow frame for the lock, which limits the lock bodies that fit. Measure the frame width and backset before ordering.
• A recessed entry sits back from the sidewalk, so a solid deadlock and good lighting count for more.
• A solid replacement door chosen to fit a bulkier lock would run against item 7. A lock chosen to fit the existing door leaves the door alone.

Empty units between tenants

Neighborhood Codes Enforcement takes complaints about vacant buildings with doors or windows that do not shut or lock. An owner with an empty storefront or office should check that every exterior door still latches and locks, including rear and service doors, while the space stands empty.

Keys when tenants and staff change

• New tenant: rekey every exterior cylinder, because the previous tenant's staff may still hold keys.
• Staff leaving: rekey only the doors that person's key opened; a master key system planned ahead makes that narrower.
• Key control: restricted keyways limit who can copy a key, and a written log shows who holds what.

Market Square is one of the districts with design guidelines from Knoxville-Knox County Planning, and a building elsewhere may sit in another, so check before altering a street-facing entrance. This is general information, not legal advice.

What to include in your request

Give the business name and street, the door types (glass storefront, wood, steel rear door), how many doors there are, any exit devices or panic bars, and whether a landlord must approve changes. A commercial locksmith request can include lock rekeying for turnover. Storefront and district notes are on the Knoxville page.