Feb. 03--Locked out? A service new to Chicago suggests you head to 7-Eleven.
KeyMe, a New York-based startup, on Tuesday announced its first Chicago key kiosk at the 7-Eleven at 957 W. Armitage Ave., where people can create a copy of a key based on a digital copy stored in the company's servers.
KeyMe, which uses advanced digital imaging technology to make an electronic copy of a person's key, charges $3.99 every time a customer needs to create a physical copy of a key at the kiosk. Car keys cost a bit more, starting at $19.99 for standard keys and $64.99 for transponder keys. Hardware stores typically charge a few bucks to create a copy of an existing key.
There is no charge to store the digital copy in the cloud.
KeyMe can support most home, office and mailbox keys, which can be created at the kiosk in fewer than 30 seconds.
The company, founded in 2012, said its self-service kiosks are the first to support car keys, though car keys can't be produced on the spot. The technology allows KeyMe to scan car keys at the kiosk, read the transponder and ship a copy to the customer in fewer than two days.
Customers must scan their fingerprints to access a digitally saved key at a kiosk. The company says it does not store personal information, such as addresses, that could be linked to a key.
The kiosks also are integrated with the free KeyMe mobile app, which lets people scan and save a digital copy of their key wherever they are and order physical copies to pick up at the kiosk or have them shipped to their door.
KeyMe has about two dozen kiosks in stores around the country, including Bed Bath and Beyond, Rite Aid, Lowe's, Simon-owned malls and 7-Eleven.
aelejalderuiz@tribpub.com
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