Richmond, VA, Oct. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — 1-800-Unlocks, the national locksmith marketplace, has begun selling smart locks for storefront doors as an authorized Lockly® distributor, giving small business owners a way to retire mechanical keys on the aluminum-frame glass doors common to retail shops, gyms, salons, and restaurants. The company is leading the launch with the Lockly Guard Defender Mortise Edition (PGD238LM), a retrofit lever set built specifically for storefront entry and exit doors and works with the existing deadlatch and inside paddle or handle. There are several smart locks for storefront doors on the market, and the 238LM isn’t the right answer for every door — it won’t operate a deadbolt or hook bolt. For a standard mortise deadlatch, it’s the lowest-priced of the major options and the only one with fingerprint access and phone management.
Lockly 238LM Installation by 1-800-Unlocks verified locksmith
The move addresses a recurring cost that most storefront operators absorb without question. Every time an employee leaves with a key, the business incurs a rekeying cost. Commercial rekeying runs roughly $200 to $300 per service call, and the figure climbs with the number of cylinders and the type of hardware involved. Rekeying a panic device costs considerably more than rekeying a basic lever or deadbolt. A business with normal staff turnover pays that cost repeatedly, year after year, and the keys still circulate.
“A rekey isn’t a one-time expense; it’s a subscription you never signed up for,” said Sam Wilson, founder of 1-800-Unlocks. “The part owners don’t expect is what happens after the keys are gone. A gym can offer 24-hour member access without paying anyone to sit at a desk overnight. That’s a new revenue stream on lower overhead, and it exists because you can hand out and revoke access in the app instead of cutting keys.”
The Defender Mortise Edition retrofits onto an existing entry/exit mortise deadlatch rather than replacing the door or frame, and it is compatible with Adams Rite deadlatches and paddles. Most installations are completed in a few hours. The lock stores up to 99 biometric fingerprints and up to 999 MIFARE RFID credentials, along with individual PIN codes, and the patented PIN Genie keypad randomizes digit placement so codes cannot be read from keypad wear. Credentials can be issued for a single use or a fixed time window and revoked remotely. The unit is ANSI Grade 1 and ADA compliant, IP65-rated for weather exposure, runs for about 9 months on 4 AA batteries, and carries a 2-year warranty. Physical backup keys and an emergency power socket remain available.
1-800-Unlocks ships smart locks for storefront doors nationwide from its Richmond, Virginia, headquarters and offers optional professional installation through its network of verified locksmith operators in more than 80 U.S. markets. The company’s directory covers all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
What separates the offering from general hardware retailers is who installs it. 1-800-Unlocks verifies every locksmith in its network through a multi-point credentialing process and operates the Fair Trade Locksmith Directory. Customers buying commercial access control through the platform can add installation by a vetted locksmith, rather than sourcing the hardware from one company and gambling on a technician from a search result.
Business owners can view the Lockly Guard Defender Mortise Edition and the full commercial smart lock catalog at the 1-800-Unlocks smart lock store or call (800) 865-6257, option 3, to discuss installation.
Lockly 238LM Guard Defender Side View of Deadlatch
About 1-800-Unlocks, Inc.
We make it easy to find quality, trusted locksmiths. We only allow the best locksmiths into our directory. When you need an automotive locksmith, residential locksmith, commercial locksmith, or safe locksmith, call 1-800-Unlocks.
Press Inquiries
Sam Wilson
sam [at] 1800unlocks.com
800-865-6257 Opt 3
https://1800unlocks.com
2110 Spencer Rd
Richmond, VA 23230
A video accompanying this announcement is available here: https://youtube.com/watch?v=w4qudyamofE
