By contributing writer: Linda McLoof
Paul Grandinetti has been a Glen Rock resident since 1995, which is also when he established The Village TimeKeeper. He opened the storefront in 2009 and, despite a weak economy, business was strong because of a loyal base of established customers. And clock repair shops were few and far between (they still are).
THE BEGINNING
When Paul was in high school, he learned his trade from his friend’s father, who repaired Edison Victrolas, radios, clocks, & watches. Paul started repairing clocks as a hobby and that turned into a part-time job, working out of his home. But Paul’s primary employment was installing customized audio/video systems. One of his last projects, before he opened the store, was for the NBC-TV President.
WHY GLEN ROCK
At the beginning of his career, Paul worked at the Glen Rock High School in the Audio/Video Department. Years later, after Paul showed his wife where he used to work, they looked for a home in town.
FORMULA FOR SUCCESS
Paul went into this business because he enjoys it. He says it is full-filling. Editor’s note: I don’t think there’s a clock Paul has met that he didn’t like or couldn’t fix.
MOST CHALLENGING PARTS OF THE JOB
“Every timepiece is different. Every problem is unique. And there are no manuals. You have to understand the mechanics behind the clock and then come up with solutions as to why the clock is not functioningproperly”.
MOST FUN ASPECTS OF THE JOB
“I really enjoy my trade and I’m happy that I get to do what I really love”.
ADVICE FOR FUTURE, POTENTIAL CLOCKMAKERS
“Enjoy what you do and do it well. You’re preserving history; you have a responsibility to do the job right.Many timepieces are hundreds of years old. You don’t want to handle them carelessly”.
FUN FACT: WHAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT PAUL
There are celebrities in the Glen Rock area who have sent their ‘assistants’ into Paul’s shop. But very recently, a major moviestar, who will remain anonymous, personally walked into The Village TimeKeeper with a broken clock. Of course, Paul was able to fix it.
The Village TimeKeeper is open Tuesday-Thursday, 10am-6pm and Friday & Saturday, 10-5pm.
