Commercial Locksmith in Spokane, WA

Hillyard's older commercial blocks

Hillyard was platted in 1892, the year the Great Northern Railroad began building its rail yard and locomotive shops there. Its historic business district, along Market Street, Diamond Avenue and Olympic Avenue, is mostly one- and two-story commercial blocks built between 1901 and 1948.

A building of that age may have a front door, a rear door and a separate stair door, each on its own key, and sometimes a different brand of lock on each. For a business there, that raises a few decisions:

• Whether all doors should be keyed alike, or whether some employees should open only some doors
• Whether each lock suits its door; a narrow-framed glass door needs a narrow-backset lock, not a house deadbolt
• Whether the building owner wants any original hardware kept

Property managers and master keys

Owners and managers of rental buildings handle keys in bulk. Spokane's rental registration rule, SMC 10.57.020, requires each residential rental unit to be registered, and RCW 59.18.060(7) requires reasonable care in safeguarding master and duplicate keys. A master key system, a locked key cabinet and a sign-out log are practical ways to keep track of them. This is general information, not legal advice.

Employee turnover and keys

Every departure raises a key question. A few habits help:

• Record who holds which key, and collect keys on the last day.
• When a key is not returned, rekey the doors it opened rather than waiting.
• Use a restricted keyway where copies should be cut only with authorization.
• Keep master keys with as few people as possible.

What to include in a request

• The street or block, and whether the building is in the Hillyard district
• How many doors are involved, and what kind: wood, steel or glass storefront
• Whether you own the building or lease the space; a tenant usually needs the landlord's approval
• How many people need keys, and to which doors

Service details for commercial work are on the commercial locksmith page.