About Us
Mark Purdy is the proprietor of Blackstone Manor Clock Repair. He got his start as a clockmaker working for his brother, who owns a jewelry store in North Dakota, both assisting customers and working the bench doing repairs. After moving to Minneapolis, Mark applied for and received a position at Kuempel Chime Clock Works in Excelsior, Minnesota, a manufacturer of grandfather, wall, and mantel clocks and build-it-yourself kits. Ever increasing his skills, Mark eventually demonstrated a remarkable talent as a clockmaker. In time, he formed his own clock repair company and was awarded a contract by Kuempel for all of their repair and setup business. When Kuempel Chime Clock ceased operations in 2007, Mark moved his business to its present retail location in downtown Hopkins.
Adam has been with Blackstone Manor Clock Repair since 2011. He grew up in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, and even as a child had a fascination with telephones, old phonographs, and clocks. After graduating from high school, Adam enrolled in a watchmaker program at Gem City College in Quincy, Illinois. After completing several courses in watchmaking, Adam switched his curriculum to Gem City's clockmaking program. When he finished his education, he moved to Stillwater, Minnesota and started his own clock repair business. Now working full time at Blackstone, Adam is an excellent addition to the staff.
Longtime associate Jonathan (or Joff as we all knew him) after 17 years has retired and moved to Florida. He had earlier careers in teaching and computers, but in his free time Jonathan developed an interest in watchmaking and took an evening course at St. Paul College. At the same time he started frequenting Mark's shop, and soon was apprenticing there on an informal basis. When Rollex sponsored a two-year Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Education Program (WOSTEP) at St. Paul College, Jonathan enrolled. As part of that course he made a complete watch, hand machining many extremely tiny and precise parts for it. Returning to Mark's business as an apprentice once again, Jonathan soon became a full time clockmaker.