where the boys are I feature story
Photographed by David Childers
Jim Ellis
the time of his life
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For
Jim Ellis, time is truly a treasure. Not only does he spend time as a family man, but he also spends
time incorporating tools of the trade into his business life as owner of Treasures from the Attic in Latta, South
Carolina. He admits he has always been fascinated with clocks, especially as a child. “The Sunday afternoon
activity of choice for my parents when I was growing up was visiting relatives. I had a great uncle who lived in
Darlington. He was a dentist and we visited him frequently. Most important to me was the fact that he had lots
of clocks. This was fascinating to an 8 year old boy!” For Jim, looking at those clocks was the most exciting part
of his Sunday afternoon visits, and he anticipated returning each week.
In 1997, Jim retired from 21 years of teaching and opened Treasures from the Attic. It was perfect timing. His
son, Jay, was away at college and his wife Louise had what he refers to as a “real” job that enabled him to work
as a semi-retired person. Running and operating the business solely, he admits that a major drawback is the
need to be open for business consistently during regular business hours. “This makes vacation times hard to
come by, but I occasionally just have to close the shop. As I age, I find I have to close for more doctor’s appointments and to go to funerals of friends.”
At Treasures from the Attic, Jim not only sells beautiful clocks, but
repairs them as well. The business began with treasures mostly from his
own mother’s estate as well as her attic (the origin of the name). These
days, the business has evolved into selling home accents and gifts (such
as jewelry) in addition to new and antique clocks. Although he’s been
repairing clocks for 44 years, he never tires of his passion. “Rarely in my
business does a week go by that I don’t have a challenge, or an issue with
a clock that I have never seen before. This keeps my love of horology fresh
and the mind sharp. I enjoy being in the shop and talking with my customers. In fact, I imagine some of them feel as if they are dragging me along,
holding their ankles, as they try to get out the door while I am talking!”
His favorite part of repair is restoring each clock’s “voice,” helping
them chime in a new hour after years of silence. And, he says, “Especially
if it is a family piece!” Jim also enjoys hearing the stories of memories
attached to each piece. When he is able to restore and extend a clock’s
lifespan (and thus enable more memories to be created), that is the biggest reward of all. “The owner may have wonderful stories to go with
a clock they grew up with, and to give it life again is a blessing to me. I
hope it is to the customer as well.” A major challenge he typically faces is
the complexity of certain pieces. “At times it requires great thought and
study, and may even require detailed digital pictures of its construction.”
Jim credits his father as his inspiration for his personality and his
ability to relate to others. “He never met a stranger and was patient, perhaps to a fault.” Jim admits that he didn’t inherit this, as he has had to
acquire patience over the years... especially with pieces with almost microscopic modules. He has passed his business ethics down to his son,
Jay. “I believe in treating others the way I want to be treated, and to
follow through when I make a promise to someone. Jay is in sales and
he has been successful by following the same principles.”
Time truly is an important aspect of Jim’s life, which is why he treasures
moments spent with family the most. “The best thing is grandchildren.
While we only have one child, we were fortunate to have gained a daughter (Margaret) when Jay married her. Both are blessings to us in countless ways. It is gratifying to watch both children and our grandson experience success in their pursuits in life. Jay and Margaret have inspired me
through their ability to juggle their schedules with our grandson and his
many activities… all while fulfilling their own commitments and pursuits.
The older I get, the more precious time gets, the faster it seems to fly, and
the less I want to waste it in idle activities. Every minute spent with our
son and his family is a precious treasure to us and is deeply cherished.”
Jim Ellis resides in Latta, where he owns and operates Treasures from the Attic. He and wife Louise have o ne son, Jay, and one daughter-in-law, Margaret. They are the proud grandparents of Austen Ellis.
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June 2014
shemagazine.com