Shinola is an American luxury lifestyle brand which specializes in watches, bicycles, and leather goods among items. Founded in 2011, its name is a nod to the former Shinola shoe polish company that was manufactured in the early-and mid-20th century.n 2001, the name Shinola was acquired by Bedrock Manufacturing, a venture capital firm based in Dallas, Texas (later rechristened as Bedrock Brands). Kartsotis wanted to create an American watch-manufacturing brand to rival Swiss-makers at a lower price point.