Key cutting shops may be circling the retail store drain but their doom isn’t quite locked in, as these 15 classic key cutting shops and signs illustrate.

Key cutters occupy a cluttered end of the retail spectrum… no one has, is or will make a living on key cutting alone. As such, key cutting gets lumped in with other “orphan” services like shoe repair. It’s hardly a battle of equals, however, and for some reason shop owners feel the need to state and re-state their ability to cut keys… are their aged customers hard of hearing AND seeing?

Take Frank’s, a small old-style department store in Dublin, Ireland, that advertises their key cutting services no less than EIGHT times on the front facade. Not only that, the words “KEYS CUT” are even larger than the store’s name.

Pyramid Scheme

If a picture’s worth a thousand words, then this venerable key cutting corner shop is pretty much priceless. Flickr member nadzferatu captured a sunny street scene featuring some nifty non-hieroglyphic signage in an unnamed Egyptian town back in October of 2007.

Off to the Pound

They don’t give tenants much storefront down in London’s Kentish Town West so store owners take what they’re given and run with it. This shop, which doesn’t appear to have a formal name, takes a multi-dimensional approach when advertising their key cutting services. Note the signs at the upper left and lower left, plus the jumbo key sticking out into the street on the right side to catch the eyes of passersby… not literally, one would hope. Flickr member Steve Bowbrick snapped this snazzy discount key cutting shop in the summer of 2010.

You’re the Topy

“Topy” Quality? Is this some sort of obscure Ye Olde anglicism we’re not aware of? In any case, this rather posh combination key cutter, shoe repair, name-plater, watchband adjustment (and doubtless more) store must be goode – just look at all that woode! Flickr member brennSL captured the redolent retro retail outlet from London’s Crystal Palace district in September of 2007.

Who You Callin’ Hong Key?

This possibly defunct key cutting shop in Hong Kong boasts unusually restrained signage – at least, for a key cuttery – and may only cut one key per customer. Left unsaid is the “while you wait” or even “while U wait” legend that seems to be de rigueur for most key cutting signage. Flickr member Randall van der Woning (Hong Kong Photography) snapped the ancient storefront in late 2006.

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Good Lock 15 Kool Key Cutting Shops Signs

If you live in or near Greenwich Village in New York, you have no doubt passed by Greenwich Safe & Lock. The shop has been in business in the very same building since 1968, and it has become a Village institution. The shop’s owner, Phil Mortillaro, has wanted to do something spectacular with the building for quite some time now, but nothing seemed fitting until October 2010, when Mortillaro completely transformed his shop’s facade into an incredible one-of-a-kind work of art.

The picture above shows the shop as it has been since Greenwich Safe & Lock opened in the late 1960s. It looked just like every other building in the area, and aside from a couple of new signs it hadn’t changed much in its whole 40-year history.

This picture shows Greenwich Locksmiths today. Glancing at the shop from the street does not do it justice – you have to get closer to see the true artistry, care and time that have gone into transforming this once-bland building into one fascinating piece of folk art.

Phil Mortillaro has covered the building’s entire facade with thousands upon thousands of keys of every shape and color. They clump together in piles, fan out in arches, wriggle around in serpentine lines and twist here and there in surprising shapes.

The building’s new look was designed and installed entirely by Mortillaro. There are not only keys covering the whole front of the building; they spill into the inside of the door and take up residence in the shop’s tiny interior as well.

(all images via: Scouting NY)

In front of the shop, another of Mortillaro’s key creations sits: a chair with a seat and backrest made entirely of keys. The overall visual effect of the shop is absolutely stunning – and knowing that it was all executed by one man with a passion for his life’s work makes it even more impressive.