A graffiti tagger has hit one of the four new Shinola clocks just three days after they were unveiled as gifts to Detroit, according to a photo WDIV-TV reporter Hank Winchester posted on his Facebook page.
The vandalism took place on the base of the clock at Cass and W. Canfield, just down the block from the Shinola store at Canfield and Second, next to the Traffic Jam restaurant in Midtown.
The Detroit News reports the tagging took place Friday and has been removed.
Shinola, based in the New Center, produces watches and bicycles, and has made Detroit and its residents part of its international brand. (See the article in Vogue: "Capturing a Moment: Photographer Bruce Weber's Detroit-Based Campaign for Shinola")
The clocks were unveiled Friday as a thank-you to Detroit.
The other three clocks are outside Cobo Center downtown, at Eastern Market’s Shed 3 and at Shinola’s headquarters at the College for Creative Studies in the New Center.
“Since we began our journey in this great city, we have been overwhelmed with the enthusiasm and support shown by the Detroit community,” Steve Bock, Shinola’s CEO, said at the downtown unveiling, according to The Detroit News.
“We feel privileged to have the city clocks among some of the most notable places in Detroit and hope they are enjoyed by all.”
The clock with a vandalized base sits atop tall poles, safely beyond the reach of anyone on the ground.