Foothill Locksmiths Celebrate 55 Years On Lewelling

When Shareef Khan of San Leandro coudn't unlock his black and red beach cruiser, he knew just where to go. 

"Another locksmith couldn't do it," Khan said. "They did it in about three minutes."

Foothill Locksmiths, Inc. has thrived on the same corner of East Lewelling Boulevard since it first opened its doors in 1956. On Monday, the Hayward Area Historical Society honored the Diamond Certified business for four generations and 55 years of excellence in the community.

"I wish my dad were here to see it," said Stanley Lucas, 79, who took over Foothill Locksmiths in 1971.

His son Blaine now runs the shop, with help from his son Dustin and daughter Katelyn, the store's celebrated fourth generation. 

Blaine started in the showroom at 12, a late-bloomer by Foothill's standards. Katelyn remembers making mischief there since she was knee-high.

The family prides itself on being able to pick locks others can't. But Foothill's success owes as much to breadth as depth: a mix of public and private, schools and businesses, cars, safes, and residences. 

"It's always been a little bit of everything," Stanley said. "Variety is the spice of life!"

So what's the secret to their longevity?

"Customer service," Stanley said. 

"That's a good answer," said Katelyn, 20. 

Their location—at the confluence of three freeways and in the heart of the East Bay corridor—hasn't hurt either. 

"Location is definitely a great part of it," Katelyn said. 

But in an era when mom-and-pops are disappearing faster than South Pacific archipelagos, the Foothill family has become something of a role-model.

"I love the fact that they pride themselves on family," said Khan, himself the second generation at Sam's Signs in San Leandro. "Hopefully one day we'll be like Foothill Locksmiths—four generations."