Locksmiths: Warm weather keeps business brisk as people turn to lawnmowers, boats

SEDALIA, Mo. -- City Safe & Lock is the place to be on Mondays and Fridays.

"Usually over the weekends people will lose their keys or have break-ins," co-owner Mark Allen said.

But this is a busy time of year for cousins and co-owners Mark and Rick Allen, the only employees at the 70-year-old business.

"This time of year everyone is losing their keys for their lawnmowers and boats," Mark said.

One such customer was at the business Friday for that very reason, and was happy to have found some help.

"This is ministry right here. This is church work," said Russell Holman, who was successfully getting keys made for his lawnmower.

The Allens were born and raised in Sedalia, and have seen significant changes in the locksmith business.

"I got started in this when I was 8 or 9 years old," said Mark Allen, 47, who along with Rick took the reins of the business from Mark's father. "Since we've started, things have gotten a lot more electronic, and today's locks isn't near as good as what the old-time locks are."

Newer locks are less durable, and the less expensive they are, the shorter life they have, he said.

"I go to houses that are 60 or 70 years old, and most of them still have the original locks that are made of brass," Mark Allen said. "Sometimes it's better to throw away a lock that messes up."

The shop also is home to some history. The Allens have a collection that includes a safe from a Kansas City bank dating to 1906; a selection of old door knobs that are 70 to 80 years old; brass handcuffs and jail locks and keys.

Rick Allen, 51, said much of the work they do is for real estate businesses.

"We do a lot of key duplicating and rekeying locks," he said. "Now there's more foreclosures than there's ever been. It's not like in the Kansas City area, but around here, it's foreclosures and renters skipping out."

Foreign cars can present a challenge.

"Back when I was 8 or 9, we just had one key for Volkswagens and Datsuns," Mark said. "The new keys have anti-theft chips in them, and people come in and say make us a key, and we can't do it without going through the dealership. And that gets expensive."

Sometimes going out to unlock a car can be frustrating, too.

"We go out to a lot of places to unlock cars, and it takes a long time to get directions," Rick Allen said. "If the person gets the car unlocked before we get there, they'll just leave and not call to let us know or anything."

But one of the team's fondest memories is unlocking a car.

"[Mark] went out to unlock the gas cap on this vehicle," Rick Allen said. "When we got out there with our picking tools, Mark picked it on the first try, and the guy just said to Mark, 'Wow, you're magic.' "

Even after a lifetime of picking locks, neither man is bored with his job.

"If a person likes challenges, this is the most challenging job you could have because each time you go on a job, it's never the same," Mark Allen said. "You could pick a lock and it could take you five seconds or an hour or two."