Laughlin Entertainer: Cover Stories

In no time.

Time on your hands.

Time on my side.

Time is money.

Time for moving on.

Wasting time.

Taking your time.

Parsley, sage, rosemary and “time.”

As many phrases as there are out there with respect to the subject of “time” you can bet Ray Lindstrom has heard and used them all. You see, time is indeed on his side...and his front, and his back, and...well, you get it. We're talking about someone who goes by the sobriquet of “The Watch Man” and owns and operates one of the most unique retail stores to be found anywhere in his Watch Man Store within the Riverside Resort and Casino.

Touted by Lindstrom as “the world's largest watch store,” the 3,000 square foot retail outlet is filled with all things sparkly, funky, odd and ticking...each going for under $20. And at Christmas time, this makes for the answer to the questions of what to stuff in many a stocking.

Lindstrom has been surrounded by time pieces and watches of every description for more than 13 years. He is to watch sales in Laughlin what Cal Worthington was to used car sales in Southern California. And he sells a heck of a lot of watches in over-the-top ways that would have made Worthington pea-green with envy.

From his early days of donning blue tights, aka Superman, and the use of a singing Vietnamese Elvis impersonator; to coverage by the National Enquirer, the bark of a “pitch dog” named Bucky and a photo op where he took a bath in watches, Lindstrom has tried it all.

And what else would you expect from the guy who claims to have invented the info-mercial back in Phoenix, oh, so much...er...time...ago.

Lindstrom pulls all of this off with one of the most positive attitudes anyone could hope to maintain. He never takes himself too seriously when it comes to bringing attention to the store...a store that has become an attraction all its own on the Laughlin scene.

“It's all about creating a fun atmosphere,” Lindstrom said in a recent interview with the Laughlin entertainer. “We know people have a lot of choices when it comes to where they spend their money and when they spend it with us we want them to have fun in the bargain.”

And apparently people do (have fun and spend)...his sales are brisk and his merchandise is always turning over.

“The store actually changes hourly,” states Lindstrom. “We are constantly putting merchandise on the shelves to replace items sold.

“We sell more watches on any given day than any other single outlet anywhere. All the Wal-Mart stores in the nation might sell as many or Tiffany's might sell more in a day in terms of dollars, but as a single outlet, we're number one.”

The Watch Man Store is known throughout the land-from Minnesota to Florida to New York...they've heard of it. And it doesn't hurt that Lindstrom and his store have been written up, not only by the National Enquirer, but also by Forbes' magazine...and that People magazine sent a crew here to do a photo shoot on the enterprise; it also doesn't hurt that the store has been covered in live stints on the “NBC Today Show” twice, and CBS news with Dan Rather.

While retail stores are not generally the “beat” of the Laughlin entertainer, the Watch Man Store is slightly different. The store is entertaining. Every inch of the place is filled with watches and clocks of every design.

“If you're into animals, whether it's hedgehogs, hippos or ants, we have a watch for you,” states Lindstrom. “If you like dogs, no matter what breed, we have it. Sports. Cartoon characters. Occupations. Singers. Actors. Politicians. We have them all.

“Right now the Harry Potter watches are in. Bangles...those watches with all the glitter and sparkle that ladies like...are big right now, too.

“We have Elgin watches you'd find other places for over $100, here it's yours for $19.97. We have ‘alternative lifestyle' watches, watches for those in 12-step recovery programs, political watches, retired people watches and religious watches of every persuasion.”

And not only are the themes all inclusive, the styles are unique.

“We've got watches you can eat, watches that can be worn around the neck and watches you can pin on,” Lindstrom continues. “Our biggest selling watch is the ‘jumbo' watch...the one with the big numbers.”

In addition to the novelty watches, the store is filled with novelty items...calendars, gizmos and gadgets, jewelry boxes, holiday ornaments, tool sets, toys, model cars, music boxes, flashlights, and free stuff (buy a battery for 97 cents and get the item it goes into at no charge).

“We don't have any of those rude signs that say things like, ‘If you break it, you bought it,'” states Lindstrom, “We want our customers to enjoy themselves. My employees are some of the most cheerful and pleasant people I've ever worked with and they know how to please the customer.”

Unhappy customers are a no-no.

“We never have a dissatisfied customer...never,” says Lindstrom unequivocally. “With these prices people don't expect to be treated nicely. I get watches sent back to me with a letter that usually goes something like, ‘I know this is a rip off, but I'm sending this back because...' They are pleasantly surprised when we refund, replace or repair their purchase. We won't have one unhappy customer.”

A service desk in the store offers customers battery replacement while they shop.

“We're open 365 days a year...Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day...from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.” Lindstrom states. “We'll be open for Christmas. We tried closing our first year but customers were upset we weren't open...you'd be surprised at the number of customers we get buying last minute gifts.”

And because his store is located within a casino, Lindstrom is aware of the value of the “giveaway promotion.” The store features watch giveaways, every hour, on the hour, every day, and is home to a most enticing promotion in which a customer may buy a genuine Rolex watch for $19.97.

On occasion, Lindstrom slips a real $3,400 Rolex out among the 20,000 or so watches of his store. Should a customer see the watch and bring it to the cashier to purchase, it is theirs for the under $20 price tag...the same as any of the other watches in the store. Over the years, Lindstrom has given away a dozen or so Rolexes.

“You never know when I'm going to put a Rolex out there...and that is the idea,” states Lindstrom. “It might well be worth a visit if you stumble on a $3,400 watch for under $20.”

The Watch Man Store is located at the bottom of the escalator leading up to Don's Celebrity Theatre within the Riverside Resort.

The Riverside Resort also houses other Lindstrom retail stores, including: Ring-O-Rama (all rings $9.97 each), Watch Man Deluxe (top brand name watches at bargain prices), Sunglass Store (sunglasses under $10, jewelry and novelty items), The Perfume Shoppe (name brand perfumes at discount prices), and Time 4 Fun (all kinds of clocks, electronic games, sculptures, gifts). Each of these outlets is open daily.

The Discount Gift Center and T-Shirt Mania are other Laughlin Lindstrom-partner retail stores located outside of the Riverside Resort at the corner of Casino Drive and Bruce Woodbury Drive, next to the Horizon Outlet Center mall.

“MELE KALIKIMAKA”

A HAWAIIAN

CHRISTMAS SHOW

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30 through

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21

(dark Dec. 13 & 14)

at 7 p.m. each night in

DON'S CELEBRITY THEATRE

within the

RIVERSIDE RESORT

Tickets are $25; call 702-298-2535, 928-763-7070, 1-800-227-3849, ext. 616; or see the Entertainment Ticket Office next to Don's Celebrity Theatre