How do you feel about The New Century Timepieces Closing?

[Walt Jr.]

It's a sad sad day any time one of the unique shops on Main Street closes. The Main Street Cinema, Magic Shop, and Penny Arcade are only hanging on by the tiniest of threads.

Penny makes sooo much money for the parks, the thread can't be so thin for it! The magic shop is also still not that thin.

[wettham1783]

I for one have purchased 2 pocket watches there in the last 10 years. Not a lot but enough for me to miss the chance to make it 3.

[gumby]

I don't get it.

Maybe I don't have to either.

I'm hardly the shill for DL merchandise operations(even though I play a role in it), but until we see for a fact what the new shop is really going to be, I will reserve my thoughts.

You guys are all deserve to yell or thumb your nose at DL if they just plop some crappy shop that's a version of Vault 28 or something worthless. But that's hardly what I've heard.

"One of a kind shop".

If that's what is the essence of the new shop, then that's everything you guys ever wanted in a store. Uniqueness.

It's not like they are getting rid of the artisan watch program. How much room does it REALLY need if they can cram it in the silly Pop Up Gallery.

So where is all this "hate" really directed to?

Bye.

[Bruce Bergman]

I don't get it.

Maybe I don't have to either.

I'm hardly the shill for DL merchandise operations(even though I play a role in it), but until we see for a fact what the new shop is really going to be, I will reserve my thoughts.

Okay, but this is more of a pre-emptive "We know something's up - please don't mess it up - again" type grumbling.

Not that they've ever messed up before, mind you. (I'll refrain from listing them to allow the dead horses their eternal rest.)

You guys are all deserve to yell or thumb your nose at DL if they just plop some crappy shop that's a version of Vault 28 or something worthless. But that's hardly what I've heard.

"One of a kind shop".

If that's what is the essence of the new shop, then that's everything you guys ever wanted in a store. Uniqueness.

It's not like they are getting rid of the artisan watch program. How much room does it REALLY need if they can cram it in the silly Pop Up Gallery.

So where is all this "hate" really directed to?

At the Middle Managers who have to constanly increase sales at every location, regardless. So they reduce selection and quality, and eliminate expensive custom made items they have to order in large quantities and stock for years. All in an effort to maximize the gross sales per square foot, at the detriment of the overall experience.

It's another WWWD thing - At the beginning they looked at the overall profits, because weithout computerized cash registers and spreadsheets they couldn't and didn't try to break it down to every CM's and every locations' contribution to the bottom line. Now that they can, it gets micro-managed ruthlessly.

From the Bean Counter's view, Disney is spending WAY too much on support services like Custodial - they bring in no profits at all, they use up a lot of expensive materials and water, they are a total drain. Cut the hours by three-quarters, bring in an outside vendor - never mind that they can't control the quality of the workers that way, nobody will ever notice the difference because they never interact with a lowly busser or sweeper... Only hose down the streets once a month, wash the windows every six months instead of every night...

And restaurants are much more expensive to run than ODV Carts - So put out a ton more carts, close all the restaurants and make everyone buy their lunch from carts.

Yeah, that'll work.

--<< Bruce >>--

[mycroft16]

Micromanagement is the bane of all that is good in this world. Bruce, you said it beautifully and with such a great tongue-in-cheek quality. Thanks for that post.

[Dopey's Girl]

I am totally bummed by this news. I collect watches and clocks and it was a place I always shopped at. Even just looking around was fun. Excuse me but Wet-Donald-Looking-Out-Of-A-Porthole needs a new battery.

[Sleepless Knight]

i've always wondered how much the custom watches cost, does anyone know the price range??

I haven't seen an answer to this yet, so here goes. A full color one of a kind watch will run you $500 and comes with the original full size artwork featured on your watch signed by the artist. You can get it framed by Disney, but that will cost you extra. Shipping is also added on if you will not be able to pick up the watch within the next few weeks.

The monochrome one of a kind watches run around $300 or so(I think).

All one of a kind watches mean that there will not be another watch produced like the one you bought.

They also have some $250 limited edition full color watches that come with high quality replicas of the original artwork.

You can also get the watch framed with the artwork, though that would likely make it hard to wear.

While I liked New Century Timepieces, I don't feel like we're losing anything because the watches will continue to be sold within the park and the real selling point, the artisan watch program, will continue in a new location. And it's not like the old location itself was a locale like the old Disney Gallery.

[DOOM BGI]

Wow, this really makes me sad. I've collected character watches and especially Disney for years. This was always one of my favorite spots in DL. I think it's a GREAT loss for Mainstreet. Not only the uniqueness of the shop... but think about how well it fit with the "theming". Fine timepieces were a big deal in the early 20th century; every Main Street in Anytown, U.S.A. had a watch shop. The fact that DL actually had a "real" watch store was always so cool.

The "Mickey Mouse watch" is an American icon. It deserves it's own store!

[Mickey_Mouse]

I'm not really too bummed about it, since Disney hasn't really carried good watches for over 10 years. It used to be that when you walked into a Disney store or one of the parks, you would buy 3 or 4 watches. Now, it's a challenge finding one that you'd actually think about picking up. It doesn't surprise me at all that the watch shop suffered for it.

Some of the decisions that Disney makes just make no sense at all.

[goofypirate]

Eh, I agree with whoever said the shop was becoming a museum. Plus the biggest draw was the custom watches and that's going to stay. Also the replacement shop sounds intriguing so like my policy with Small World, I'm waiting until I see it before I pass judgement.

[Zero Signal Band]

SOOOOOOO, instead of having one specific area that carries all watches, clocks, ect, they are just going to take the watches out, and make it more of a disorganized extended portion of the emporium?

UGGGGG, the emporium is already too big of a mess the way it's organized DISorgarnized already! THEY NEED to keep things organized, and by having different "shops" with different merchandise, makes it easier to find the type of merchandise your looking for.

At the same time, it give the charm that Main Street NEEDS to maintain!
Magic Shop, Music shop, Crystal Shop, Ice Cream shop, etc. Keep the unique stores on Main!


Whose brain thought of this idea ~ if its the practically useless president of Disneyland, maybe it's time for a replacement.

Sounds like they're going for the Costco "Treasure Hunt" approach. Keep things disorganized so you spend more time in the store and end up buying stuff you otherwise wouldn't have. As for them closing New Century Timepieces, stoopid, just plain stoopid.

[Jordiekins]

awwwwwww. i just noticed that shop last october, and was planning on going back.


oh well, i guess ill have to go to the emporium.

[GothicManor]

More room for cheap plastic and plush junk made cheap in china using toxic chemicals and with a BIG profit margin for the greedy Disney co.....

[GothicManor]

Buy n Large, it’s your superstore
We got, all you need, and so much more…

Happiness is what we sell
That’s why, everyone loves B n L...

- Buy n Large Jingle, 2115, Wall-e

[Circarama]

Bummer.
I've had a couple a custom art pieces/watches done there over the years. I've always felt that NCT was a quiet respite from the insanity that ruled in so many shops on Main Street.

Maybe if they hadn't charged so much freakin' money for their watches they wouldn't be going teets up.