Northside Lock & Key

The 2005 Honda Pilot locked my keys in while I moved from the driver’s side to the passenger’s side — that was new. I live in N Denver so he was at my place within 15 min of my call during a snowstorm! He certainly knew what he was doing quick, efficient and cost effective. I agree with previous reviews he does seem to channel Mr Cash… so a character story to boot!

I’d gotten a total of eight keys made at two different hardware stores, none of which worked. I took four of them to Northside, prepared to buy new keys and hope he’d compare them to the others to see why they didn’t work. Instead, he meticulously shaved tiny pieces off the existing keys, and didn’t charge me a dime. And when I got home 3 out of 4 worked, which is great. The place hasn’t changed since 1979, and he is seriously an incredibly nice man. Even though he didn’t charge me the first time, I’ll hopefully be able to pay him next time I need new keys.

Before I start, I’ll just say that the previous review speculating that John doesn’t do «house-​calls» is incorrect.
I’m calling this review «Magic is Real.»
Bought a house last year, and finally got around to something I wasn’t particularly excited about. I asked John of Northside Lock & Key to re-​key my entire house. I expected a much more painful experience than I had, because I had:
— a working key for the front deadbolt;
— a different working key for the garage;
— no key for the back door (two locks) or either security door (two lock barrels on each);
— a broken knob for the front security door; and
— different brands for all locks, but thankfully all using the Kwikset key model.
I wanted everything re-​keyed to the same key, and I wanted a few copies of the key.
John came the next day (could have come earlier if not for my schedule). He’s an older gentleman, drives a big Dodge Ram, wears a bigger cowboy hat. Straightforward, kind, and honest. He agreed to take a check — joked that he «know[s] where [I] live and [has] the key,» and I didn’t worry for a second.
He pulled the locks, and brought them to his truck, out of view of we muggles (i.e., non-​magical folk; see Rowling, J., «Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone» (1998), et seq.). There, he made the same locks work with a new key. However, the locks for which I was missing keys required (I’m guessing), a spell that would draw too much attention to be used in broad daylight, in a muggle neighborhood. He took those locks back to his «shop» (i.e., wizarding tower), and brought them back working with the same key as everything else.
I was expecting to have to buy all new door hardware fixtures (or whatever they call them in the study of lock enchantments). This was clearly the work of magic, and John is obviously a wizard.
Finally, the price was excellent. He came in under budget.

After visiting 3 other locksmiths to get a duplicate key for my rare motorcycle (with no luck) I walked in to Northside Lock & Key. «Think you have this key?» «I’m sure I do.» I was not so sure. He digs through a box of key blanks and sure enough comes up with the key for my bike. Great experience, great guy, the key worked.

How could you not like this place? It’s run by an older gentleman in overalls, a cowboy hat, and a great sense of humor. I just needed to get my keys copied but I wish I had another reason to pop him. Highly recommended! :)

This is a very small Shop and is easy to miss, but the service was great. he is nice old guy willing to help you out & knows his stuff when it comes to locks… Stop by and try him out. I did had a good service.

So happy. I lost the only key to my 1975 Lambretta scooter. I rolled it to Northside because it was close. The managed to find a blank and cut a couple keys. Again, so happy.

The shop is small and is easy to miss, but the service was great. It only took a few minutes to rekey my look and make some extra keys. It was very inexpensive ($ 13) to get it all done. I have paid about the same or more just for the extra keys. Other places I called quoted a minimum of $ 50 for the same service. At those prices, I can just buy and install a new deadbolt.
I highly recommend going to visit John for all you keys and any other locksmith things you need done. Like the other reviewer said, I am not sure he travels. Although, at his prices and speed, I can go to him.

If Johnny Cash was a locksmith, he would be this guy. Or maybe if this guy had been a rocker instead of a locksmith, he would have been Johnny Cash?
This place is a seriously old school locksmith shop. I don’t think he travels, so he probably won’t come unlock your car for you. However, if you need a safe cracked, locks re-​keyed (and you can bring them to him) or need obscure keys copied, this is the place to go. North Side has more atypical key blanks than anywhere else. He’s got LOTS motorcycle key blanks and what not that most locksmiths don’t carry.
A couple of years ago, I took 5 or 6 entry sets and deadbolts to this guy to have them all keyed the same. I think it cost me around $ 30. If I had called someone to come do it on location, it would have been closer to $ 100.
He’s old, his shop is smokey, and he’s kinda crotchety. But he’s awesome. Just like Johnny Cash.