Around the Clock Repair

It’s really great to see old-​world tradespeople still surviving in our often ephemeral, electron-​driven world. Fortunately, there are a few people left who can appreciate the elegance and beauty of mechanical timepieces. While some may see spring-​driven devices as hopelessly luddite, others find pleasure in the morning ritual of winding and setting one’s watch, and hearing that reassuring tick throughout the day. I always had a fascination for old watches, but I was reluctant to buy something that seemed a little too extravagant to buy for myself.
Boris Persky is like the Jiro Ono of Watch Repair. Like his culinary counterpart, Mr. Persky works below ground, in a storefront off of Chicago’s mysterious Pedway system. I had noticed his shop while making the traverse from my office to the Daley Center, but I never imagined I would need his services until my wife gave me an antique pocket watch for Christmas.
The watch is probably about 100 years old, made by the «South Bend» watch company (yes, THAT South Bend), which interestingly, was founded by brothers of the Studebaker family (yes, THAT Studebaker). In fact, the movements of some of these watches actually bear the Studebaker name. The watch ran, but had a habit of stopping for 10 – 20 minute periods throughout the day (not a good characteristic to see in a reliable watch). Thanks to Mr. Persky, the Studebaker now clicks along happily in my coat pocket every day, a constant reminder of a previous era in which we were expected to be, in some ways, more self-​reliant.
Two things you must understand: you will not get your watch back the same day, or maybe even the next week, and his services do not come cheap (expect to pay cash). But he knows his trade, and I don’t think I would want anyone of a lesser caliber working on a 100-​year-​old watch. Another warning: beware of his rapier wit. His first remark when I came back to his shop for pick-​up: «I figured out what is wrong with your watch – you have to wind it up first…»

I dropped off my watch to have the band replaced (I already had the band) and mentioned that the battery, which was 30 months old, might need replacing soon. The owner agreed and charged me $ 19 to replace the band and the battery. The band is fine but within a few days the watch, which had run perfectly before I brought it in, began losing time. I brought it back expecting that the owner would happily exchange the battery. Instead to my surprise he denied that the battery was at fault and told me the watch was probably damaged and/​or needed cleaning. He was unable to explain why a watch that had run perfectly before he opened the back now needed service. I am sending the watch to to the manufacturer to be evaluated at the cost of $ 60.

Fantastic service and speed in getting my grandfather clock repaired! The shopkeeper scheduled a time to come to my home and showed up precisely as scheduled. My clock was repaired within 20 minutes and a reasonable price for what work was done. I really appreciated my experience and highly recommend their services, especially if convenience is a big factor.

I read the reviews on this business and decided to take my antique clock in because it keeps stopping on the hour. He asked for a $ 150 deposit which I paid. He had the clock for about 6 weeks and called to say it was done. After picking it up and paying another $ 120 ($ 270 total) I brought the clock home and it still stips on the hour. Four calls later (he has a hard to understand accent) I told him about the problem but he denied it was there, that he had run the clock for 2 weeks before calling me. When I asked to bring it back he said «I am sorry» and hung up. I stopped payment on the last check ($ 33 fee) and won’t go back again. $ 183 lesson in frustration!

This man has a true passion for clocks. I came into his shop to inquire about a clock that hasn’t worked for over 20 years. It was a beautiful & classic grandfather clock, & I thought there was no hope. The owner not only brought the clock back to life, he cleaned & restored the clock to look & perform better then I even remembered. The service call was pretty reasonable considering that he came to my home on a Sunday & worked around my schedule. I was planning on taking a half day of work to lug the very large & heavy clock into his shop, & that’s when he let me know that he would drive to me. The replacement parts were far less expensive then I thought they would be.
With how much the world relies on technology, I am so grateful that Around the Clock Repairs is still around.
While some Unilocalers complained about his lack of «service with a smile,» I have to respectfully disagree. Bruce was unbelievably professional, easy going, fair, & most importantly, he has a gift with clocks. His customer service went above & beyond what I expected, & you can tell by watching him work that he is a perfectionist. He runs a very simple, but extremely efficient business. You can tell that he has been doing this for decades.
I cannot say enough wonderful things about Around the Clock. Just as his logo states, I absolutely say that he WILL bring your clocks back to life! My grandfather clock is still running strong, & all credit goes to Around the Clock repairs.
I just dropped off a few watches & a mantle clock to be fixed this week, & Bruce remembered me. He even asked about my family! I did leave a deposit, but unlike most people, I wasn’t upset about it, I completely understand why he asks for a deposit up front. It must happen all the time that Bruce takes the time & replaces parts on clocks only to have the customer never return. I couldn’t imagine spending hours repairing, cleaning, & perfecting a clock only to find out its been abandoned.
Bottom line, he is an honest & simple man who has a true passion for what is becoming a lost trade. Bring all of your clocks to Bruce, & you will not be disappointed. I can’t wait to pick up my clock & watches later this week :)

Leave your expectations of customer service at the door and don’t bother coming in without a check for a deposit — no credit card accepted here. This dude is a relic from another century — in an awesome way! It took a while, but my clock is back on my mantle and running like a top. Thank you Mr. Prensky!

Deep under the city exists an entirely special world known as the pedway. There are the pee-​scented areas (looking at you, JRTC!), connections to public transportation, a warm walk to court, a cool walk for Starfruit and shopping at Block 37 or Macy’s…the possibilities are ENDLESS.
Knowing I needed some watch services, my husband (an accomplished pedway traveler), put me onto this shop. For those unfamiliar with the pedway, this is underneath the Cook County Administration Building located at 69 W. Washington.
I dropped off my watch around 10:00 a.m. and the dapper gent had links taken out my spiffy new watch by day’s end and at a bargain rate of $ 9. Friendly and efficient, I wouldn’t hesitate to come back for all my watch/​clock services.
Add another stamp to my pedway passport!

Am I in a small village in Eastern Europe, or in a pedway beneath Dearborn Ave? Outstanding service (but not with a smile). Outstanding quality (with no exceptions). Reasonable prices. From the looks of the abuse my watch has taken, I was confident the crystal couldn’t be replaced. Response: no problem, $ 20. Also a great place to go for quick battery replacements.

This clock repair shop is frozen in time… thank goodness. From the look of the place, you half expect him to deal in Mogwai.
I stumbled upon this place, literally buried beneath the city, when I accompanied a friend who was having a watch fixed. And I figured — you know, I bet this magical clock wizard could do something with that Cuckoo clock that everyone in my family says is broken forever and can’t be fixed.
So I gave it a try.
This man does not practice customer service in any way you’d recognize it as a person living in this century. But this man is not from this century. He is a centuries-​old wizard, and plays by his own rules. And I can respect that.
I was chided multiple times for my own lack of clock knowledge when I made the drop-​off. I was coerced into leaving a $ 100 deposit, and was given an already-​fading yellow claim ticket — that if lost, would forfeit any claim I had to my family heirloom — and pushed out the door.
«You call me in mid-​July,» he said. It was the beginning of May.
In June I gave him a ring just to check up on my Cuckoo clock. He yelled at me on the phone. «I told you mid-​July!»
«Yes sir, sorry sir, would you like another $ 100 deposit? Do not freeze me with one of your time spells. Thank you and goodbye.»
Today I walked out of that shop with a cuckoo clock in perfect working order, and a new appreciation for this magical man. He handled my clock with such care — gave me many stern warnings about how I should treat it.
«Do not move hands backwards — not more than one, two minutes. You slide this piece of pendulum up or down if it runs slow or fast. Be very careful with this clock! This is a very nice clock now!»
In his eyes, I obviously was not worthy to march this thing out of his store. He knows I will expose it to sunlight. I will get it wet. I will feed it after midnight.
He is its parent now, and he knows he released his baby into terrible imprecise hands. I’m too «of this time» to know how to care for such an instrument. It would be much better off centuries in the past, hanging on his cluttered walls, buried deep underneath the city of Chicago.

Mr. Persky (the owner) came to my house to assemble a family heirloom grandmother clock. We had received it in pieces and had no clue how to put it together. Within 20 minutes, it was running beautifully. He stayed for an extra few minutes to make sure it was keeping time (it was). Even my dog loved him.
He’s a kind man who knows his stuff. I’m so happy I called him. I wouldn’t trust something this special to just anyone.

Watchmaking is an art that is slowly disappearing and I have a lot of respect for people who keep this valuable service alive.
I didn’t need anything fancy from Around the Clock Repair, just a new battery for my heart rate monitor. I brought the monitor in to the shop yesterday and said I would pick the watch up later after I get off of work. I told the repair man it would be around 5 or 5:15. When I arrived that night the shop was closed. The lights were out and the door was locked. No biggie… I figured I would just go back the following day on my lunch break.
When I arrived the next day, the repair man said «where were you last night?! I waited for you until 8pm and you didn’t come!» I explained to him that I was there at 5:15 and the shop was closed. «No, no, I was here! I waited for you because you said you would come and you didn’t! I didn’t leave, you never came.» Well, no, the lights were off so I assumed that meant that the shop was closed.
I’m not sure if he was scolding me or trying to joke with me, but he seemed really annoyed with me for this mix-​up and chose to chastise me in front of another customer. That’s not good customer service, if you ask me.
As for the service, the cost of the battery was reasonable ($ 10) but I could do without the comments so I’ll probably find another watchmaker for my battery replacing needs.

This place is quick & efficient — mostly because it’s just one dude who owns it and does all the work and you don’t have to deal with any yahoos to get to the person who can actually fix your watch.

It withstands the test of time! Bruce actually carved a piece of crystal to fit my boss’s broken antique Swedish watch. Also fixed an old kitschy kitchen clock. He can make anything run on time! Except maybe a courtgirl running through a pedway. There’s apparently no timely fix for that.