Hampden Watch Company, a Chicago institution, is in the business of telling time, and has been for generations.
“For four generations now, we have been manufacturing watches in Chicago,” said Joe Wein, CEO.
For Joe Wein and his son, Danny, the company isn’t simply a business but in their bloodline.
“The pillars of our business are family, craftsmanship, and Chicago,” Wein added.
Joe’s grandfather, Hyman Wein, started making watches in 1922. Through the years, the company has changed names, product offerings and neighborhoods, but never cities.
Today, they’re surviving in a digital age, in a world that tells time through smart phones and apple watches. They separate themselves with the same concept that has kept their doors open for 103 years.
“Personalization,” Danny Wein said. “Making a watch that is truly unique and one of a kind and an heirloom.”
Danny is the company’s brand director and next in line for the CEO job. He credits the company’s custom work for its continuing legacy.
“We are doing all the engraving and design of those watches right here in Chicago,” he explained.
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