Victoria, BC – Local master craftsman Denny Lee of Lee’s Jewellery, Watch & Clock Repairs is seeking a successor to take over his long established Fairfield business.
For over 45 years (35 years in Victoria), Lee has been providing top quality repair and maintenance services of new and antique timepieces. His business operates out of his storefront on Fairfield Road, and a regular stream of clients continues to drop in daily. Lee still looks after the large iconic clocks at both the Camosun College campuses and assists with the repair and maintenance of the one at City Hall in Langford. Lee also appraises and sells a diverse selection of quality clocks and watches. After a wonderfully successful and rewarding career Lee is ready to slow down, retire and pass the torch onto another aspiring entrepreneur.
“I really do love my work,” says Lee. “I am getting on in age and don’t want to just work until I die. It is my wish, my dream, to see Lee’s Jewellery, Watch & Clock Repairs live on as a reputable business, serving the local community.”
This dream however, is going to be a challenging one to see fulfilled. In 2013, the last watch making and repair school in Canada closed its doors. As a result, there is a shortage of local craftsmen.
“There are many, many people in Victoria with heritage timepieces and there are very few well-trained craftsmen around,” says Lee. “Many places will say they can repair a watch or clock, but they send them away to be fixed elsewhere. Some of these pieces are too delicate to be transported such long distances. These items have sentimental value to their owners and they need to know they can trust the person being asked to maintain and fix them.”
With two grown children already in well-established professional careers, one as a teacher and the other an engineer, Lee is desperate to find an heir, someone he can trust to purchase and continue running his reputable business.
“If someone wants to purchase my business, I am willing to spend 3 to 4 months training them one-on-one, face-to-face on how to actually do jewellery, watch and clock repair,” says Lee. “With this intense type of every day training, a smart, intuitive person could learn a great deal about jewellery and clock repair, very quickly. I am also willing to be available as an advisor on more difficult to handle repairs even after I hand off the business.”
The purchase of Lee’s business would include not only his client base, but all of his equipment and stock as well. The impetus to sell his company, comes on the heals of having recently putting his home up for sale – the location from which he has operated his business since 1999.
“If I can’t find someone reputable to buy my business before my house sells I will just semi-retire for a couple of years and work out of a new location,” says Lee. “My clients they are concerned. They see the house for sale. They want to know where they will be able to find me, or someone else who can help them, someone they can trust.”
Lee remains hopeful that there is some adventurous, entrepreneurial person out there, possibly with some training already in the jewelry business, who is smart and patient and personable. Someone that would love to learn more about the delicate art of clock repair.
“I have spent 45 years building up this business. I started it in Hong Kong and moved it to Victoria 35 years ago. I would like to see the company live on here. I would like to leave behind a legacy.”
