Anniversary celebrations are more than appropriate for Matt Hein.
It was 25 years ago in December when Hein started working in a Prescott Valley jewelry store with now-deceased Hugh McNaugh, an “old school” watch repairman and jeweler.
This past month, Hein and his wife, Tracy, observed their 10th wedding anniversary. So they celebrated it with something tin, and their 25th in business with something silver.
These days, Hein’s profession as a watch repairman is somewhat unique. Beyond that distinction, he and his wife own and operate a highly successful watch repair, jewelry, engraving and related skilled artisan business that is not tied to a corporation.
Also unusual is that in a high and new tech era, where almost every personal item you have is tied to a battery of some kind, it is a bit rare – almost unheard of – to have something repaired.
Not so around Hein. In fact, his skill as a watch and clock repairman is in high demand. He is one of the few remaining jewelers who practices that “old fashioned” art and craft of taking apart a complicated watch and making it tick again. He also can deconstruct a centuries-old clock or a family heirloom timepiece and make it work.
“I was fortunate years ago, when I came to Prescott in 1988. Several old retired watchmakers and repairmen became my mentors. They taught me their trade, and I continued to hone my skill through other training programs. It’s sad that so many of the old masters have passed on, but I’m grateful I had a chance to learn from them. Watch repair is a dying art,” Hein said.
Hein also explains that his interest in jewelry, fine engraving, watchmaking and repair began when he was in high school. It continued at college, where he completed a Bachelor of Science in Fine Arts at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
He pursued that interest when he worked in Southern California for five years, until he moved to the Prescott area 26 years ago.
“I took a $5-an-hour job so I could learn watch repair and other skills from Hugh,” Hein said. He says he also learned many delicate repair skills from another artisan, Mike Nelson, who died this past year.
In 1991, Hein founded his own Prescott Trade Shop. Once based in Prescott, the shop was relocated several years ago to Prescott Valley and a more visible location bordering east Highway 69.
In fact, the Heins laugh about “… the visibility of our store. Few people can ignore our two-story vivid lime-green building when they drive by.”
Diversified Business Operation Quite Successful
The heart of Hein’s business remains in watch repair and maintenance. He has developed skills in repairing everything from inexpensive Timex watches to super-expensive and elegant Rolex, Cartier, Bvlgari, Piaget and other watches that sometimes are more a statement of extreme wealth than they are of telling time.
“I often get calls and contacts from out of state to see if I can repair a costly timepiece. I also get a lot of referrals from major department and corporate stores, who send their customers to me to get a valuable watch repaired,” he explained.
“I’m also finding that many people view watches as fashion accessories. Many persons I know have different watches to complement different attire.”
Hein admits that keeping a quality watch running, especially one that is mechanical, not battery-driven, can be expensive.
“But I find that more and more, people want to keep high end watches as jewelry. They want quality, and they are willing to pay for it. Sometimes it’s because the item is an heirloom, or it may have sentimental value,” he said.
Hein also repairs clocks, sometimes antique timepieces. In fact, he has a rare 1886 walnut cabinet grandfather clock worth a substantial amount of money that causes all kinds of customers to “ooooh” and “ahhh.”
Hein chuckles, though, about battery-driven watches. “I do a lot of business in replacing batteries for watches. Maybe it’s because I only charge $5 for the battery – same price I’ve charged since I first started business. But seriously, I’ll sell 75 to 100 batteries a week.”
Hein broadened his business when he relocated to Prescott Valley. He expanded his engraving business to the point that he has sophisticated equipment capable of engraving virtually anything. It has become a substantial part of the business.
“We do very delicate engraving in rings and other pieces of small jewelry all the way up to large plaques, trophies and signs.”
The Heins also accept consignment pieces from customers, too – watches, clocks, jewelry, gems. “Sometimes we can help a customer sell something because we get a lot of traffic in the store that an individual would not have.”
But they emphasize that they are not a pawnshop.
Focus on Customer Service and Quality
Tracy Hein, who handles the bookkeeping and business side of the shop, explains that their consignment business is intended to help customers.
“We’re a local business, not a corporate one. We want to know our customers on a first-name basis, ” she said.
The Heins married – the first time for each – 10 years ago, after they met in Prescott on a blind date. Prior to being in Arizona, she had lived in Philadelphia, where she attended Temple University and earned a marketing and management business degree.
“It’s only the two of us that run the store, but that’s the way we want it,” she said. “We want our customers to feel they are our friends, that we have close relationships with them.”
Matt expresses it another way.
“Life is going by too fast, and sometimes businesses grow too fast. Business owners forget that the most important people they meet are the folks who walk through the door, even if they don’t buy anything. We don’t want to do that.” QCBN
The Prescott Trade Shop is located at 8690 E. Hwy 69, Prescott Valley. Store hours are Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
By Ray Newton
Quad Cities Business News
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