Commercial Locksmith in Richmond, VA

Warehouses and factories turned into businesses

Some of Richmond's commercial space sits in buildings made for something else. Shockoe Slip's old tobacco warehouses now hold shops, restaurants and offices. In Scott's Addition, rezoned for industry in 1927, industrial buildings such as the 1923 Nabisco factory share the district with breweries, cideries, a meadery and a distillery. One converted industrial building may have a loading door, side entrances and a newer storefront, each on different hardware.

Commercial lock work in these districts starts with a door count: which doors must lock from outside, which must still open from inside without a key, and who carries a key to each.

Staff and tenant turnover

When an employee who held a key leaves, rekeying the doors that key opened ends the question of where it went. A master key system gives managers one key to every door while staff keys open only their own areas; if a master key goes missing, the whole system may need lock rekeying.

In a converted building with several tenants, the owner may control the street entrance, loading dock and shared halls while each tenant controls its own suite. Read the lease before changing any lock, and tell the owner when a common door is involved.

Storefronts in Old and Historic Districts

Shockoe Slip and Jackson Ward are both Old and Historic Districts, where the Commission of Architectural Review considers exterior changes. Section 30-930.6 of the Zoning Ordinance lets the commission's secretary approve some door work without sending the project to the commission. Before replacing a street-facing door or adding visible hardware, ask commission staff whether it needs a certificate. This is general information, not legal advice.

What to send

Virginia Locksmith Pros takes service requests from homes, businesses and drivers in Richmond. Include the business name and street, the district, how many doors there are and what kinds, whether you own or lease, who holds keys now, and whether you want a master key system. The Richmond page describes each district in more detail.