Pride Barco Lock Company
Photo by Shari Harris
California businessman Ian Renga moved his 72-year-old Santa Barbara company to Licking, where he produces America’s original bathroom indicator door locks and ships them worldwide.
By Shari Harris
Publisher
As prices climbed in Santa Barbara, Calif., Ian Renga knew he needed a change – for himself and his company, Pride Barco Lock Company. A friend convinced him to give Missouri a try.
After six months at his friend’s ranch near Ava, Renga found a property in Licking that offered ample workspace for his company and living space for himself, and he made the move. Now Renga assembles his vintage and modern bathroom privacy indicator door locks in his workshop in Licking and ships them to purchasers internationally and throughout the United States. If you’ve seen a door lock sporting the “occupied” or “vacant” label, chances are you’ve seen a Pride Barco Lock.
Renga spends every day building locks or marketing. His locks are made in the United States, with castings ordered from a diecast company in California. For some models, Renga polishes the metal to smooth then paints and seals it. Labels signifying “Occupied” or “Vacant,” or unique custom variations of those, are professionally printed with UV protection to prevent fading. The company also imports a select range of indicator locks from distribution partners in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.
Photo by Shari Harris
Ian Renga demonstrates assembly of a lock in his Licking workshop.
Modern technology can be ordered as well. Renga invented the D-100 LED Bathroom Door Privacy Indicator Lock, which lights up the occupied sign when the door is locked. It has been popular for homes, restaurants, night clubs and executive restroom trailers.
The Model K250 lock is an authentic mid-century modern design that has been around since the company’s founding in 1952, and is still popular. “Do Not Disturb”/”Maid Requested” locks are another vintage item, and were popular along Route 66. Movie sets are among purchasers that want the vintage look of the locks in order to recreate the look of actual locations in the studio. Renga shared that he recently saw some of them in use in a motel in Branson, and they still looked good. His limited supply of the latter lock is reserved for movie sets.
In his off time, Renga is writing a mini-series about the life of Max Brand (or Frederick Faust, his real name). The creator of Destry and Dr. Kildare was a great-grandfather of Renga’s. Renga has also tried his hand at writing screen plays and directing.
If you’re interested in learning more about a Pride Barco Lock Company bathroom privacy indicator door lock, see their website at https://www.pridebarco.com/ for all the options. Or check them out on Facebook at Pride Barco Lock Company. Renga says he’ll even install the lock for free for local purchasers.
Photos by Shari Harris
