Bob's Master Safe & Lock

In 1958, a man named Bob Nichols had a dream. He had just gotten out of the Marine Corps and found himself without a car, without money, and with what some might say was no future. However, what he did have was a strong desire to be successful and a powerful determination to make his dream a reality. With a borrowed $10 from his mother, a car from a local car dealer named Orville "Ducky" Love, and some locksmithing tools, Bob was in business.

Bob's first customer was none other than Orville Love, who asked him to cut 18 keys at a dollar each. Bob went up and down Virginia Avenue cutting keys and repairing locks all day long. His most frequent customer was Ed Clark, the used car king of East Washington Street. Ed Clark would call Bob every morning, and all day long, until finally, Bob suggested charging a service call fee of $3.50 to cover the costs of making a trip. With that, Bob's business was on its way.

Bob's son, Mike, started working for the company when he was just 12 years old, cutting keys and delivering them on his motorbike. As the business continued to grow, Bob and Mike ran service all over the city and surrounding areas. The company's slogan, "Don't get robbed, call Bob!" was coined by Bob and is still used by the company to this day.

Bob and his business partner, Maurice Bornman, were instrumental in forming the first locksmith association in Indiana, the Associated Locksmiths of Greater Indiana (ALOGI). After a series of moves to larger and larger locations, Bob and Mike opened a shop at 5631 S. Madison Ave. in 1981, featuring a vehicle bay, a warehouse, and two safe showrooms.

Bob later left the lock shop in the capable hands of Mike while he moved to Sevierville, Tennessee, where he started The Golden Carat jewelry store and Nichols Properties, and became a successful real estate developer. However, Bob's first love was always the lock shop.

In 2013, Bob learned that he had cancer. Mike came to visit, but unfortunately, he died unexpectedly in July 2013. Bob came back to Indianapolis to attend his funeral. Bob died just three months later. The business was closed for several months, and many thought that the dream had died with the passing of Bob and his son Mike.

However, the dream was not dead. Tim Young, Bob's youngest son and a former employee of the company, purchased the business in 2013, bought a new location, and reopened the doors. Today, the company still operates under the slogan "Don't get robbed, call Bob!" and offers a wide range of locksmith services.

Our Services

Bob's Master Safe and Lock Service offers a wide range of locksmith services for cars, businesses, and homes. We specialize in key replacement, transponder keys, high-security locks, master lock door hardware, and interchangeable core systems. Our services include:

• Key Replacement by VIN: We can make replacement car keys by VIN for most foreign and domestic vehicles, including transponder keys.
• Transponder/High Security Automotive Keys: We have the equipment to cut transponder keys and remote fob keys for many vehicles. We also offer car dealer services at discounted dealer prices.
• Remotes: We carry many fobs for popular cars in our stores, and our prices include programming. Remote head keys are also available.
• Proximity Fobs: We offer cost-effective proximity fobs for push to start vehicles.
• Shells: We can repair broken Honda, Acura, Lexus, or Toyota remote head keys by placing the electronics from your broken key into a unbreakable new case and cutting a new blade.
• Master Lock Door Hardware: We carry the full line of Master Lock Door Hardware. Our selection includes deadbolts, levers, and knobs in a variety of finishes and popular keyways.
• High Security Locks: We offer Medeco, DOM, and Abloy High Security locks that offer absolute key control and various levels of pick protection. Only we can cut the keys, and only you can have the keys
• Interchangeable Core Systems: We sell and service SFIC systems with varying levels of key control. These systems allow businesses to purchase extra cores to change their own locks, or we can manage it for you. Our Medeco X4 IC system allows for affordable total key control.
• Key Duplication/Generation: We specialize in hard-to-find keys, vintage keys, and the common ones. We are able to duplicate high volumes of keys with no problem in our stores or our service vehicles.
• Access Control: We service and sell commercial keyless access control products, both mechanical and electrical.
• Padlocks: We sell Master Lock and American Lock padlocks at our location.