No more hand painted watches on Main Street-Declining by Degrees continues

[explodingboy]

Yes they were a small speck, but they were a small speck of something bigger. That something bigger is slowly getting chipped away.

As soon as the vehicles or the Dapper Dans go away, I'll be a little more concerned. In the meantime Disneyland and it's atmosphere will chug on..

[Chesire]

While painted cell phone covers would be a specialty that guests can use, the idea of a cell phone related store on Main Street USA would really bum me out.

It doesn't even have to be aimed to cell phone cases, it could be called "Customized Creations" and offer a wide variety of customizable items that everyday guests would buy. Disney could theme the outside to the period of Main Street, and then have more modern items inside.

[skratch addict]

Sadly I didnt even know they did this. I feel like i need my nerd card revoked.

[StevenW]

I never saw the allure of painted watches. Were they ever a treasured item on the real Main Street U.S.A.? It seems to be a product searching for an customer.

I'm sure if Disney want to employ the artists, it wouldn't be hard to convert the watch shop into a portrait, jewelry, or photo shop. People still want their portraits taken or painted. People still want custom jewelry. I'm sure if people want custom Disneyland artwork, people wouldn't hesitate from buying nice oil or watercolor on canvas paintings.

[Crazybirdman]

Everyone I know that has had a watch made framed the artwork, some of them framed the watch along with it.

[jasmineray]

As soon as the vehicles or the Dapper Dans go away, I'll be a little more concerned. In the meantime Disneyland and it's atmosphere will chug on..

Yes, this.

[clippers6]

Knott's does a good job with its specialty shops because most kids are fascinated by geodes, woodworkers, and blacksmiths and most parents are OK with paying for an unique souvenir. With the watches, the artistry involved is lost on most people and a $200+ watch is really only going to appeal to serious collectors. I'd rather see Disney put in specialty shops with wider appeal. Off the top of my head I can only think of the various candy stores, the small leather shop in Frontierland, the parasol cart, the portrait artists, and the name art stand by the turkey leg place in Fantasyland.

[Disneymike]

Everyone I know that has had a watch made framed the artwork, some of them framed the watch along with it.

I have had a couple of watches made there, especially the Haunted Mansion anniversary editions.

[sediment]

Not a surprise to me; the watches are super expensive, and don't have a mass appeal to everyday visitors. I'd much rather have, like another poster said, customizable iPhone and iPad cases.

Maybe what Disneyland needs is fewer "everyday" guests.
I have a solution… for another example of "every problem caused by one policy."

I don't think the issue is that this very small patch of retailness doesn't make money. It's that it doesn't make ENOUGH money. "You know what makes more money?" the pencil-pushers ask, and then answer thusly, "Cheap plush that sells for five times its cost."

[jcruise86]

I love that there is a barbershop on Main Street at Walt Disney World. Some guests bring their toddlers there for their first haircuts, and some get certificates photos to honor the occasion. Once when I was in middle school I got a haircut without telling my family while we were all at the Magic Kingdom, and then enjoyed watching them argue about whether or not I had just gotten a haircut. How about if they took out some T-Shirt space to make room for a barbershop on Main Street at Disneyland?

Knott's does a good job with its specialty shops because most kids are fascinated by geodes, woodworkers, and blacksmiths and most parents are OK with paying for an unique souvenir. . .

And glass blowers and seamstresses, and I'm sure I'm leaving out at least one. My daughter LOVES watching them work and most of them will talk with her, happy to teach.

I've been accused of working for Knott's PR/Marketing Dept, so just to keep up that bad boy rep., here's a link: Knott's Berry Farm (not Scary Farm) tips

Disneyland should have a blacksmith working in the Big Thunder Ranch area or in that now-stupid T-shirt shop in Frontierland that used to sell Pendleton blankets.

And how about an antique post card shop? Have you ever been to a huge post card show or gone through the post cards at a Disneyana show? I have and it's cool.

[Mr Wiggins]

And glass artists....

Yup. Disneyland used to have them in the pre-Pressler days.

No more.

"You know what makes more money?" the pencil-pushers ask, and then answer thusly, "Cheap plush that sells for five times its cost."

More precisely, "Attracting customers who love buying cheap plush that sells for five times its cost."

[GhostHostJeff]

I use to work at the Watch store, not as an artist though and this was something truly unique. I'm sad to see it go.

[PetiteMortKvsh]

What will become of dave smith and fritz?

[ohmyjustin]

I feel like this is also partly my fault (to add in with previous posters) because I'd always stare in awe of the artist and the watches but never even peek into my wallet to buy one. They're just far too expensive for me to purchase at this point in time. I don't value a watch highly enough to get it, but I might be more inclined to get artwork in other forms. I'm still trying to figure out where I'd put a lighted box and which oil painting I want for my home. But a watch? Far less likely, and I think that's what Disney figures as well.

[ghosty4]

I'd love to find out that it was the distributor of the watch pieces that had an issue, and Disney couldn't secure a different vendor and THAT is why it's being discontinued. A LONG SHOT I KNOW, but still. Once in a while it would be nice to know that it isn't about the money grubbing.