Commercial Locksmith in Memphis, TN

Doors on Memphis commercial blocks

Mixed-use areas with housing, religious, commercial and office space are common in Midtown. One building can have a storefront door, an office suite and an apartment entrance, each with its own keys, so the first thing a commercial request should say is which door.

Corridors and their buildings

• Overton Square and Cooper Street. Both developed before World War II in an urban style. Buildings from that period can carry older doors, so note the door's age in your request.
• Madison Avenue. Many commercial and residential structures along it date to the beginning of the twentieth century. Say whether a door belongs to a shop, a home or both; separate spaces can have separate people in charge.
• Poplar Avenue. It holds the commercial district for Evergreen, one of Midtown's historic districts, and is also lined with 1920s apartment buildings, so a business may share a block, or a building, with residents. Ask who controls the street entrance before asking for work on it.

Storefronts in historic districts

Chapter 14-24 of the Memphis Code of Ordinances covers the Memphis Landmarks Commission, which looks at exterior work that can be seen from the street in the historic districts. If a storefront sits in one, such as Evergreen, ask about that district's design guidelines before changing a door that faces the street. This is general information, not legal advice.

Turnover and keys

Tenants change and staff leave, but keys stay with whoever held them. After a turnover, lock rekeying makes the old keys stop working without replacing the hardware in the door.

• Keep a list of who holds a key to each door, and update it when someone leaves.
• Where you can, give the storefront, the office suite and any back door separate keys.
• Know who controls a shared entrance. It may be the building owner or a manager rather than one tenant.

Details for a business request

Name the corridor and building, which door (glass storefront, wood, steel or a suite door), how many doors are involved, and whether you own the space or lease it. If you lease, the owner may need to approve the work. Tennessee Locksmith Pros takes service requests from homes, businesses and drivers in Memphis. See commercial locksmith service.