Bricks and mortar grandfather clock stores vs online grandfather clock shops is becoming more and more of a necessary and realistic choice for many shopper not only of grandfather clocks, but also of wall cocks and mantle clocks by the highest end clock makers such as Howard Miller Clocks, Ridgeway Clock Company, Hermle Clock, Kieninger Clocks, Americana Clocks and, more.

Not only are actual clock shops a dwindling yet hopefully not dying breed – we at 1-800-4CLOCKS.com were forced to close our NYC Grand Central Station Clock store location not for economic reasons but simply because of changing times and needs for existing spaces, and the lack of affordable comparable retail space available, especially with more and more competition from companies similar to ours like us who also have a web-based presence in addition to one or multiple home store locations.

A challenge has been to try attempt to bring as much of the home store shopping experience to the internet, while at the same time maintaining our retail store presence for our more local geographic market.  When a customer is considering one of several high-end Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks or a Ridgeway Grandfather Clock or one of Hermle Floor Clocks, there is a natural inclination to want to see and hear and touch the actual grandfather clock model one is considering purchasing.  At the same time, ironically, we find that a good percentage of grandfather clock shoppers, even those who are searching for grandfather clocks on sale and discount grandfather clocks are frequently the same people who are most in need of a genuine education of the different types on grandfather clocks, the major clock brands, the ones to stay away from at all costs, the differences within individual grandfather clock makers separate from traditional grandfather clocks vs contemporary grandfather clocks, and also the various features, the types of grandfather clock movements, including single chime Westminster Chimes, and Triple Chime Grandfather Clocks, which mostly include the Whittington and St Michael Chimes, but sometimes also Beethovens Ode to Joy and Schuberts Ave Maria.  There are also grandfather clock, mantle clock and wall clock movement differences including tubular chime grandfather clock movement vs cable driven movements and chain driven movements, and even quartz or battery operated movements which nowadays are used in all clock types.

So what is a grandfather clock shopper to do?  Fortunately, in some ways, with careful vetting, researching and locating the grandfather clock or mantel clock or wall clock of your dreams nay be made much easier with trusted internet sites and credible knowledgeable individuals who will be there to answer honestly both the simple and the more complex questions about any clock purchase, whether it be Howard Miller, Hermle, Kieninger, Ridgeway or another, and whether a grandfather clock, grandmother clock, mantel clock, gallery wall clock, atomic clock. novelty clock, and especially antique clocks and antique grandfather clocks, one of our specialties.

To us, as they used to say in grade school and clock school, there truly is no such thing as a stupid clock question, and it is in our DNA and everyone who works with us to attempt to be as informative and patient as possible with any and every prospective customer, whether they end up buying from us or not.  Our policy for years has been to ever work on a clock sales commission basis, and we find some flabbergasted customers when we occasionally tell them for whatever the reason that we think they are better off buying the clock we are discussing at another dealer or even from another individual person.  Of course we need to make money to stay in the clock business, yet we are also driven both by a love of clocks, and seeing that same clock love in the eyes of our customers and helping them with the clock or clocks that will most help make their space or that of a loved one more special to them.

So grandfather clocks online or bricks and mortar clock shopping, or some of both, we strive to give clock customers all the tools they need to make the best decision for them, their families and other gift recipients.  One of our favorite telephone calls to get, even if a sale or non-sale takes 2-3 months to play out, is that I think I want a grandfather clock but I do not really know anything about them.  What can you tell me?  We think even Aristotle would have enjoyed those clock discussions as much as we do.  Perhaps one of the children of the writer of this post, who both have as one of their life’s goals to build a working and reusable time machine, will enable us to test this clock theory and hypothesis.

Howard Miller J. H. Miller II Grandfather Clock

Model 611-031 611031 Limited Edition Tubular Chime Howard Miller Clock by Howard Miller Clocks