'Winding' down toward daylight saving time with local clock shop

DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. - Here’s your annual reminder: daylight saving time begins this weekend, which means you’ll need to "spring forward" an hour before you go to bed on Saturday night.

For most of us, that means pressing a few buttons in our car or on the microwave oven to make sure the time is correct. But for Jeff Champion — it means days and days of painstaking winding, cranking, and battery-changing. 

Champion is the owner of Champ’s Clock Shop, a family-owned store, museum, and tourist attraction in Douglasville. Founded by Jeff’s father in 1967 as a clock repair shop, the inventory inside soon grew into an eye-popping (and ear-shattering!) one-of-a-kind collection.

"The ticking sound in here alone is like the walls are just full of termites," laughs Champion.

Today, there are more than 800 clocks inside the shop — we’re talking all shapes, sizes, and styles — and that means every single one needs to be changed when daylight saving time begins and ends. Champion says the winding work began a few weeks ago, and he brought in extra help to change batteries and set all the quartz clocks.

A lot of work? Yes. But is it worth it to keep his family business ticking? Absolutely. 

"The nice thing is, in this business, you’re all the time meeting cool people with cool clocks. And every clock’s got its story," he says. 

Champ’s Clock Shop is located at 3834 King Drive in Douglasville — and shop hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays. Click here for more information on the shop — and click the video player in this article to check out our morning helping Jeff Champion and his team prepare for this weekend’s time change!