COLUMBIA (WACH) -- Rob Gardner and Stanley Mason didn’t want to wait for the economy to improve before opening their shop Watch Medic in Five Points.
“It is definitely a rare thing for someone of our age,” Gardner says.
At 41-years-old, Gardner and his 38-year-old partner are not newcomers to the watch repair industry. However, they’re a part of a small number of people in the U.S. who are currently carrying on an 18th century craft.
“What we have is a one-of-kind business,” adds Mason. “I think as long as there are watch manufacturers, there will be a need for watchmakers.”
Technicians like Mason not easy to find as statistics show most are retiring around age 60. According to Mason, he is the only certified watchmaker in Columbia.
“We are able to repair watches so people don't have to go out and buy something new and they can maintain what they already have,” said Gardner.
As the men help customers ensure they're never late, they’re also hoping their work will stand the test of time.
“We have a young kid that comes in everyday afterschool and we teach him little by little,” Mason says.
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