Thompson’s Clock Manor, LLC

1929

Thompson’s Clock Manor was founded by Ernest Thompson in 1929 in the pantry of his parent’s home on Holly Street on Kansas City, Missouri’s west side. Ernie was only fifteen, but had apprenticed as a watchmaker for two years to August Stuhl, a watchmaker originally from Germany.

1930’s

Ernie would ride the streetcar to pick up his customer’s watch for repair and bring it home to the pantry where he would clean and oil it, replace any required parts and regulate and test the watch and then return it by streetcar to his customer. The average repair charge at that time was $1.50. He moved his business to the 4400 block of Main Street in Kansas City in 1939.

World War II

During World War II, Ernie moved his “business” to the USS Dionysus, a repair ship in the Pacific Fleet. He fashioned a balance staff in his small repair office on the ship while at sea to keep Admiral “Bull” Halsey’s watch running. He accomplished many naval wartime repairs while serving his country.

1946 to 1950’s

Upon returning from the war, Ernie established Thompson’s School of Practical Watchmaking. This was a VA-approved school for disabled veterans of World War II and many ex-GIs learned the watchmaking trade at his school in the late 40’s and early 50’s.

1960’s

Meanwhile Thompson’s became Thompson’s Clock Manor in the early 60’s as clock repair and sales surpassed the watch trade. Today, most watches are battery-powered and utilize quartz technology. The repair is usually nothing more than battery-replacement and the volume of traditional watch repair has fallen among the number of active watchmakers.

1970

Thompson’s Clock Manor, however, shifted its emphasis to clock repair and at one time was a factory authorized service center for most of the major mass-producing clock companies in America. Much of this trade was by mail and one employee did nothing but unpack clocks sent in for repair and pack clocks to be shipped back that had been repaired.

1975

Eventually, as wind-up alarm and travel clocks became so inexpensive that it was no longer economically feasible to repair them on a mass scale, Thompson’s Clock Manor became more and more involved in the repair and sale of quality timepieces.

1976

Sales increased in grandfather clocks, wall and mantel chiming clocks and high-end quartz desk and wall clocks. Repair of antique and complicated older clocks became the norm instead of the exemption.

1979 to 2000

In 1979, Thompson’s Clock Manor opened a second location at 8441 Wornall Road in South Kansas City, Missouri. The following year, Ernie Thompson retired after 54 years of watch and clock-making and the Main Street location closed. Ernie’s youngest son, Walt, purchased the business from his father and operated it at the Wornall location through December of 2000.

Traci Smith started working at the shop in 1984, mostly filing paperwork and calling customers. She soon began learning to replace watch batteries and to clean clocks and do some basic repairs. From there, her on-the-job training expanded through the years.

Darren Klasse began his clock repair career in November 1985, answering an ad for someone interested in learning clock repair. He was a quick learner and soon began doing repairs at the shop, as well as in-home service calls on grandfather clocks. It wasn't long before he was doing the majority of the repairs and he has been ever since.

2001 to 2010

On January 2nd, 2001, Thompson’s Clock Manor moved to a new location at 5275 West 95th Street in Overland Park, Kansas.

2010 to Present

On November 1st, 2010, Thompson’s Clock Manor opened at its current location at 7339 West 97th Street in Overland Park, Kansas.

On December 31st, 2018, Walt Thompson retired after 38 years. He happily sold the family business to his long-time employees, Darren and Traci, knowing that the quality of service that the customers had come to expect would continue.