Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

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toxicavenger
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Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by toxicavenger » Mon Feb 18, 2019 11:12 am

Hodinkee’s SoHo headquarters is expanding into additional floors this year, one of which will be converted into a retail showroom for at least 10 watch brands.

The New York-based business, which began 10 years ago as a collectors community site carrying news, reviews and advice for watch enthusiasts has morphed in recent times into an ecommerce operation selling a curated selection of watches from Grand Seiko, Nomos, Longines, Oris, Seiko, Ressence, Tag Heuer, Zenith, Hamilton and Vacheron Constantin.

The company employs around 35 people, six of which still work in editorial. The remainder of the team work in technology, sales, marketing and administrative roles.

The company recently announced the appointment of Russell Kelly as its chief commercial officer. He previously worked at Rolex as head of Tudor in America.


https://usa.watchpro.com/exclusive-hodi ... 2019-02-14
On a visit to Hodinkee in New York yesterday, Mr Kelly told WatchPro that it was moving into bricks and mortar retail later this year with a 7th floor showroom where customers and enthusiasts can shop for watches in an environment that he hopes will operate as a community hub for Hodinkee’s readers and customers. “We are hoping it will be open by the Fall,” he revealed.

Hodinkee is based in a historic building in SoHo, just around the corner from the new Watches of Switzerland store on Greene Street and Material Good, another luxury retailer operating without a street level shop front that works from a second storey showroom which looks more like a sumptuous boutique hotel lounge.

The Hodinkee showroom will be open to the public, and will be accessed from a street-level elevator. It will feel like a clubhouse where enthusiasts can come for advice and inspiration as well as shopping.

The concept is far from finalized, Mr Kelly stresses, but he hopes to see live podcasts, seminars and collectors’ meetings using the space.

Challenged on whether the push further into retail had the potential to compromise the editorial integrity of Hodinkee, Mr Kelly insisted there will always be a clear separation between church and state.

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Re: Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by jlswatch » Mon Feb 18, 2019 11:15 am

More blurring the lines of objectivity, worn and wound is the same way, balls deep into retail. I don't blame them for making money I would dp the same thing but as someone looking for objective reviews there is zero trust there. It looks like of I want a good solid watch story that really seeks the truth, I am stuck with gearpatrol.com

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Re: Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by ds760476 » Mon Feb 18, 2019 11:25 am

I was surprised at the level of Oris ballwashing in a recent Wornandwound podcast until the first commercial break when they told me the podcast was “brought to me by Oris, and their 65 line of divers”, or something like that.


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Re: Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by Sidheguitarist » Mon Feb 18, 2019 11:27 am

A) sounds like a pretty cool place to visit.

B ) of course the retail operation will color editorial. The only question is how much; from little/subtle, to enough to alter choice of editorial content. The money IS the principle; “principle" principle always sucks hind tit in these matters. I say this a a guy who has written for international music magazines, and seen them all fall along this coninuum from "little/subtle" to "overt shill."

C) will the men’s room have a “John Mayer fantasy gloryhole" with his signature above it, for those so inclined to add on to their fantasy of affording a vintage Rolex from his writings?


Time will tell. ;)
Last edited by Sidheguitarist on Mon Feb 18, 2019 11:29 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by jeckyll » Mon Feb 18, 2019 11:27 am

jlswatch wrote:
Mon Feb 18, 2019 11:15 am
More blurring the lines of objectivity, worn and wound is the same way, balls deep into retail. I don't blame them for making money I would dp the same thing but as someone looking for objective reviews there is zero trust there. It looks like of I want a good solid watch story that really seeks the truth, I am stuck with gearpatrol.com

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Man, gearpatrol has such significant add content that I think you're fooling yourself if you think they are objective.

People need to make money to continue to operate and expand. I enjoy some of the Hondinkee content, some of the 'talking watches' especially. Having said that, if you know what brands they sell, it shouldn't be too tough to figure out if they are 'shilling'. That's not much different than magazines bowing to the power of advertisers, whether it's photography, motorcycles or watches.

Read with a critical mind, especially these days where so many people only want to listen to folks who already agree completely with their point of view. :cheers:
We all have the same enemy. The enemy is the tyranny of the dull mind. - - Tom Robbins

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Re: Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by JP Chestnut » Mon Feb 18, 2019 11:36 am

Shocking.

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Re: Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by dinexus » Mon Feb 18, 2019 12:01 pm

Soon as Kelly came on board, I knew this was what they were up to.

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Re: Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by AtomicTom » Mon Feb 18, 2019 12:09 pm

That is just great Terry ! :clap:

You can imagine what it will be like ten years from now too. ..Can see them getting
bigger, and better, and probably branching out even more. Will be fun to see sir !
Really appreciate the news about it. Thanks again !!! :thumbsup:

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Re: Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by Selym » Mon Feb 18, 2019 12:35 pm

I just can't get past that name. Can't argue with success, I guess.

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Re: Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by matt.wu » Mon Feb 18, 2019 12:39 pm

Lol at “editorial integrity”
:htfu:

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Re: Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by jlswatch » Mon Feb 18, 2019 1:02 pm

jeckyll wrote:
jlswatch wrote:
Mon Feb 18, 2019 11:15 am
More blurring the lines of objectivity, worn and wound is the same way, balls deep into retail. I don't blame them for making money I would dp the same thing but as someone looking for objective reviews there is zero trust there. It looks like of I want a good solid watch story that really seeks the truth, I am stuck with gearpatrol.com

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
Man, gearpatrol has such significant add content that I think you're fooling yourself if you think they are objective.

People need to make money to continue to operate and expand. I enjoy some of the Hondinkee content, some of the 'talking watches' especially. Having said that, if you know what brands they sell, it shouldn't be too tough to figure out if they are 'shilling'. That's not much different than magazines bowing to the power of advertisers, whether it's photography, motorcycles or watches.

Read with a critical mind, especially these days where so many people only want to listen to folks who already agree completely with their point of view. :cheers:
My gearpatrol.com comment was meant as satire. Sorry for not being clear.

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Re: Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by zepp21 » Mon Feb 18, 2019 1:14 pm

I was at a client that ironically, is in the same building. Didn't even realize it till I saw it on the directory...it's a very "meh" building.

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Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by tattoo chef » Mon Feb 18, 2019 1:38 pm

zepp21 wrote:I was at a client that ironically, is in the same building. Didn't even realize it till I saw it on the directory...it's a very "meh" building.

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2 things.
1. It’s not ironic. It would be be coincidental.

2. You didn’t take pics?


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Re: Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by jeckyll » Mon Feb 18, 2019 1:40 pm

jlswatch wrote:
Mon Feb 18, 2019 1:02 pm
jeckyll wrote:
jlswatch wrote:
Mon Feb 18, 2019 11:15 am
<snip> ...
My gearpatrol.com comment was meant as satire. Sorry for not being clear.

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Oh hell, that makes way more sense now :lol:
We all have the same enemy. The enemy is the tyranny of the dull mind. - - Tom Robbins

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Re: Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by Selym » Mon Feb 18, 2019 1:43 pm

zepp21 wrote:
Mon Feb 18, 2019 1:14 pm
I was at a client that ironically, is in the same building. Didn't even realize it till I saw it on the directory...it's a very "meh" building.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk
Is it on Greene? I used to live on Greene St (the stretch that's north of the NYU dorms). My wife used to love to look in the SoHo shops. Of course, I was always bored out of my mind. Would have been nice to have a decent watch shop to kill time in (even if it's The Dink). Alas, they opened seven years too late.

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Re: Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by Joeprez » Mon Feb 18, 2019 1:45 pm

As long as they keep the videos (really like Talking Watches) and the podcasts (Hodinkee Radio and now The Grey Nato), I'm ok with this. It's probably going to be a cool place to visit. There have been quite a few articles I've enjoyed from them.

As Bjorn state: "Read with a critical mind"

“John Mayer fantasy gloryhole" - you should copyright this Michael... fast! :lol:
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Re: Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by toxicavenger » Mon Feb 18, 2019 4:09 pm

they are serving a whole different crown than us here. their is huge market out there for sure. they might even giving away free wooden eye glasses at the door

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Re: Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by Panerai7 » Mon Feb 18, 2019 4:57 pm

toxicavenger wrote:
Mon Feb 18, 2019 4:09 pm
they are serving a whole different crown than us here. their is huge market out there for sure. they might even giving away free wooden eye glasses at the door
Is that what's in now? Wooden eye glasses :lol:

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Re: Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by Knome » Mon Feb 18, 2019 5:02 pm

They have long been purely an entertainment website for me, so no big deal. If they make anything cool, I'd rather order online and avoid paying sales tax.

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Re: Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by Sidheguitarist » Mon Feb 18, 2019 5:56 pm

Panerai7 wrote:
Mon Feb 18, 2019 4:57 pm
toxicavenger wrote:
Mon Feb 18, 2019 4:09 pm
they are serving a whole different crown than us here. their is huge market out there for sure. they might even giving away free wooden eye glasses at the door
Is that what's in now? Wooden eye glasses :lol:
If you have a wooden eye, WTF do you need the glasses for?

;)

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Re: Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by toxicavenger » Tue Feb 19, 2019 1:02 pm

Sidheguitarist wrote:
Mon Feb 18, 2019 5:56 pm
Panerai7 wrote:
Mon Feb 18, 2019 4:57 pm
toxicavenger wrote:
Mon Feb 18, 2019 4:09 pm
they are serving a whole different crown than us here. their is huge market out there for sure. they might even giving away free wooden eye glasses at the door
Is that what's in now? Wooden eye glasses :lol:
If you have a wooden eye, WTF do you need the glasses for?

;)
hahaha :clap:

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Re: Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by toxicavenger » Tue Feb 19, 2019 1:06 pm

Sidheguitarist wrote:
Mon Feb 18, 2019 11:27 am
“John Mayer fantasy gloryhole" with his signature above it, for those so inclined to add on to their fantasy of affording a vintage Rolex from his writings?
:roll: :roll: :roll:

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Re: Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by toxicavenger » Tue Feb 19, 2019 1:07 pm

dinexus wrote:
Mon Feb 18, 2019 12:01 pm
Soon as Kelly came on board, I knew this was what they were up to.
A bunch of people did it seems

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Re: Hodinkee to open multi-brand retail showroom in SoHo

Post by JBZ » Tue Feb 19, 2019 2:15 pm

In theory, sales and editorial can be separated. But I still think H would have a hard time posting a scathing review of one of their “curated” brands if they wanted to keep the brand.

But, with watches, how often would that come up? Assuming a particular watch works as it should, most watch reviews come down to aesthetics, which are personal and subjective. Where they could have problems is a situation where a watch has a defective movement or other manufacturing problem. Or with a company that doesn’t deliver what it promises.
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