Patrick Locksley's Questionnaire

I grew up in Dublin, mind, but set up shop in New York, some years back. Got a little shop, flat above it, in Brooklyn. Vinegar Hill, that's the neighborhood. The name reminds me of home, as well as battles lost in history. The neighborhood is nice enough, I suppose. Not as busy as other parts of the city but plenty enough for business off the street.

Moved here because the history seemed to speak to me. Plenty of Irish folks took the journey before me to find their fortunes, so why not give it a crack? Greater variety of people livin' here than in Dublin, that's for sure. More types of folk, more chance of learnin' somethin' new. More chance of being left alone to work, too, without sufferin' for lack of income. The more people in a place, the more likely they are to leave each other be, that's my experience. Nothin' nosier than too few noses, right enough, so I'm fine with a big mess of people who mind their business.

The shop's not much to look at. Workshop, workspace, some shelves for products. Mostly standard shite you could get anywhere but I make it clear that I do custom work, as well. Keys cut, repairs, installations, the works. Been there long enough that there's dust in places but not so long that I've counted the specks. Upstairs, there's the flat. Bedroom, living room, bathroom, kitchen. It's a place to keep my clothes, sleep, that kind of stuff. Even got some stock up there, clutterin' up the place. Some bookshelves for books. Spend more time out that in the place, to be fair. If I didn't need sleep a bath, don't think I'd use the space for much else.

I get by with what I charge for lock replacement, installations, emergency unlocking, and key cutting. The shop has padlocks, key rings, blank keys, so on and so forth. More folks buy fake rocks with drawers to hide spare keys in than I’m proud to admit but not too proud to profit from. Sometimes, I get a commission to make customs locks and more robust security measures; that’s much more pleasing to the pocket, as well as a proper challenge.

Most goes to rent, New York bein’ what it is. Two floors, shop space, enough space to lie down without your knees in your chin, so that costs a few pennies more than elsewhere in the world.

Equipment is a little more fair, though. I know the overpriced garbage that’s around, so I buy what I know works. From there, I can make everything else I use or sell. If it’s for doors or keepin’ the shop in order, it’s a work expense.