Hailey
Every afternoon, around 2 o’clock, a wave of sound ripples through the air—cuckoos, chimes, and gongs mark the hour in a unique symphony. This is the everyday rhythm inside The Clock Shop, a sanctuary for timepieces and those who care for them.
Among the daily clamor, Beth Woolsey, the fifth-generation owner, calmly discusses the details of a Herschede grandfather clock priced at $3,000.
Despite the cost, she considers it a masterpiece of mechanical craftsmanship, with tubular chimes, a delicately detailed filigree dial, and a rotating moon phase display that accurately follows the lunar cycle.
“When there’s a full moon, it sits right in the center of the dial,” Woolsey explains, her appreciation for horology evident.
A Business Rooted in Family and History
For over 70 years, the business operated at 62nd and Oak Streets in Brookside, Kansas City. However, a fire in 2017 prompted a move, and in January 2025, plans for the building’s redevelopment forced another relocation.
Now, The Clock Shop is nestled next to a pizza restaurant at 17201 E. U.S. Highway 40, Suite 115, in Independence.
“We tried to stay in Brookside, but nothing suited our needs,” Woolsey said. “Plus, we’re all living out in Blue Springs now. This spot is closer to home.”
Yet, their roots stretch far beyond Independence. The shop’s story began in 1905, when Joe Beverley, a German immigrant, began repairing watches on West 12th Street in downtown Kansas City.
Over the years, it passed down through generations—eventually to Eldon Falke, who moved it to Oak Street. His son, Dave Falke, took over in the 1990s, and Woolsey assumed leadership in 2014. Her son, Chris Hutson, is now a four-year apprentice and a likely sixth-generation successor.
Craftsmanship in Motion
Today, most of the shop’s revenue comes from clock repair. Customers bring in everything from estate-sale grandfather clocks to silent cuckoo clocks and antique mantel clocks kept ticking for decades.
In the back workshop, Woolsey and Hutson work meticulously at well-organized benches. The walls are lined with tools—pliers, tweezers, and precision screwdrivers. Tables overflow with brass gears, clock oil, and half-assembled mechanisms.
“There’s a quiet joy in restoring a 100-year-old clock and handing it back to a family who’s treasured it for generations,” Woolsey says. “It’s more than a job—it’s a connection.”
Timepieces for Sale and Stories to Tell
The showroom features a wide selection of clocks, ranging from several hundred dollars to several thousand. A collection of Vienna regulators lines one wall, with slender pendulums swinging gracefully behind glass. The shop’s oldest piece, a 1784 Austrian grandfather clock, stands tall with centuries of history.
Dave Falke, who still works part-time despite being semi-retired, admires their French portico clocks—ornate 19th-century creations with classical columns and gilded pendulums.
“During the Civil War, American clocks still had wooden gears,” he recalls. “But in France, they were making some of the most elegant mechanisms in the world.”
Falke continues to make service calls across cities like Topeka, Raytown, and Odessa, often seen with a headlamp on his cap and a Clock Shop polo with his name embroidered.
A Dying Art Sustained by Dedication
As clock shops close across the Kansas City area—Northland Time and The Clock Center in Lenexa among them—only a few remain, including Thompson’s Clock Manor and The Clock Shop. With fewer professionals entering the trade, knowledge and dedication are more vital than ever.
“Many newcomers treat this like a hobby,” Falke explains. “But this craft demands patience and commitment. We’ve been doing this for over 120 years, and that depth of experience matters.”
The Clock Shop is more than a business—it’s a living chronicle of American horological heritage, sustained by a family that values tradition, precision, and passion.
From restoring heirlooms to educating the next generation of clockmakers, The Clock Shop stands as a timeless tribute to the art of keeping time.