Thwarting the Bad Guys – Drake Safe Co.
Michael Drake, owner of Drake Safe Co. stands behind every Drake Safe. By Paul Liggitt Photo & Video
Customarily, when you hear the words “handmade” or “hand-crafted,” you think of something ornamental or decorative. It is indeed rare these days to find what I would call “industrial-scale” products that would fit the hand-crafted definition. But that is what is promised and delivered by the Drake Safe Co. right here in Roxboro. This family-owned safe fabricating shop has been producing custom safes for customers all across the nation for the past 31 years. Added to that, Drake’s materials are locally sourced, each job is personally supervised by the owner, Michael Drake, and the safes are almost always hand-delivered. Drake Safe Co. checks a lot of boxes when it comes to qualifications for handmade. The company produces a product that not only works well, but is worth passing on to the next generation.
Corralling the owner of this company is not an easy task because of his involvement in the design, build, delivery, and follow-up on every sale. During a sit-down interview it was easy to see that the company Michael has headed since 2022 is more than simply a way to make a living. Drake Safe Co. was started in 1994 when Michael’s great-grandfather, Greg Drake, and a relative—a professional safe cracker “on the good side of the law,” as Michael describes it—found a weakness in a different brand of safe that was being regularly exploited by thieves. The good guys came up with a security solution and the bad guys figured it out, so the ingenuity of the good guys had to step up and thwart the bad guys. So it was with the fundamental design of the Drake Safe.
When you think about having a secure location for your valuables—like important papers, jewelry, cash, firearms, and keepsakes—there are a lot of options, but few have the integrity of a custom-made safe. You may even need a vault door for a safe room. During the interview with Michael, I learned that the process of getting a Drake Safe starts and ends with the customer. What the customer wants, what needs protecting, and where the safe will be located are all fundamental questions and the starting point to the process.
The size, for example, dictates where to locate the safe. Michael commented that the smallest safe from Drake was about 1’ x 1’ x 10” while the largest was 8’ x 6’ x 3’ and topped out at about 3,200 pounds. Yes, that’s right, over one and a half tons. Drake does have an elaborate roller method for stairs, should it be required.
Quarter-inch steel is standard, purchased locally, and cut in the shop, but thicker or even stainless steel can be specified. Custom interiors with drawers, gun racks, and more are locally sourced and made by hand. Michael spent time doing upholstery, so he has a keen eye when doing the quality control for every safe that leaves the shop. He also said that, “customers are wanting more electrical components,” like digital locking mechanisms and interior lighting. With the advent of electronics also comes simple touch-pad operation and the convenience of changing the combination. However, a potential downside exists due to power outages or component part failure.
The “old style” purely mechanical “rotisserie” style combination locks, as Michael calls them, are simple but proven and don’t need any additional electricity. Interestingly enough, the dial style lock combination can also be changed, but it takes a little more time and expertise. Fortunately, Drake Safe Co. has both. Michael recalls his grandfather once talking a customer through the reset process “over-the-phone.” That just proves once again that having a local company that stands by its product, is accessible, and has service after the sale is certainly worth it.
As mentioned earlier, Drake ships its safes all across the country and someone often accompanies the safe to its destination for installs, whenever possible. That is basically taking ownership of the entire process. There is a proverb that says, “let other lips praise you,” and that was never more evident when Greg Drake’s grandson was in Western North Carolina and disclosed his occupation in casual conversation. He mentioned that he was the owner of Drake Safe Co. and the person commented that he knew of Drake Safes and knew they were great safes. It seems that the Drake Safe Co. was benefiting from horizontal marketing long before it was popular in advertising. I guess if you make something that works and endures, people like it and will tell others about it.
As we walked around the shop and continued to talk about the process, it was clear that Drake Safe has different standards for its product than most others. A welder’s bead that is “good enough” to hold most joints is not acceptable unless it covers the entire length of the joint. It may seem like a little thing, but it is just one of the company’s standards for excellence. Not only that, but any build that keeps the safe as airtight and moisture proof as possible is what Drake Safe Co. strives for.
Michael started at the company when he was only 13 and worked closely with his grandfather, learning every job that was necessary to make a custom Drake Safe. That training paid big dividends when the day came for Greg to step aside and offer the company to Michael. The mantle of ownership and leadership of the company was passed in 2022. The phrase “family-owned” is not a marketing gimmick but a testimony to a hard-to-find work ethic that actually puts the customer first and makes a superior product.
Looking forward, Michael vows to honor that ethic and hopes to scale the business without compromising on materials and workmanship. Michael mentioned that, in the past, when his grandfather had the opportunity to sell Drake for “big money” as he put it, the buyer mentioned that he would “cut the quality” and increase the inventory by outsourcing the manufacturing. That was the end of the negotiations. It was a loss for the buyer and bankers but it was Michael’s and Roxboro’s gain.
Check out Drake Safe Co. when you are serious about protecting your valuables in a custom safe that will last longer than you will. You might even hear a story about how thieves dragged a Drake Safe down a Roxboro road but could never break in. There are more testimonies about the integrity of Drake Safes and that is the main reason behind the “Why” of Drake Safe Co. Michael simply stated that it gives him a satisfying feeling to know that he and the company provide a sense of security and well-being to their customers. Drake can help to make its customers whole after a break-in or fire by preserving what is of value to them. I guess you could say what is of value to their customers is also of value to Michael and Drake Safe Co.
Drake Safe Co.
747 Martin St.
Roxboro, NC, 27573
(336) 597-5059
www.DrakeSafe.co
