Dakota Watch Company
The Dakota Watch Company is a retail and service company that specializes in watches and watch accessories. The company was founded in 1945 by Albert Cooper under the name Cooper's Fixery in Cincinnati, Ohio. At the time, the company's products consisted mostly of a variety of services ranging from scissor sharpening to watch repair. In 1985 the company changed its focus to watches (both sales and repair) and was accordingly renamed Cooper's Watchworks (Cooper's Watch World in some locations).
Since the early 1990s, Dakota has been designing their own watches under the direction of Martin Cooper, Albert's son, who is a product designer and avid angler. Martin used both skills to break Dakota into the watch world as the innovator in the multi-function clip watch movement, combining the element of time alongside essential outdoor gear. The continued dedication to the outdoor industry has made Dakota one of the top outdoor watch brands in the United States.
In 1999 the company was again renamed, this time as Dakota Watch Company. This move was an attempt to move the Dakota brand into the forefront of the watch industry and identify it with the store name . Today the company is operated by brothers David and Martin Cooper with around 100 Dakota Watch Company retail locations centrally located in shopping malls across the United States. Dakota remains one of the largest watch retailers based in the United States. In addition to mall locations, The Dakota brand is also sold in hundreds of outdoor specialty shops across the world.
Brands
The Dakota Watch Company creates timepieces under the following brand names:
- Dakota
- Berenger
- Fusion
- Jean Paul
- Moxie
In addition to watches, the Dakota company also designs and manufactures steel, leather, rubber, and copper jewelry and watch bands.
At larger locations, Dakota kiosks sell other brand names as well, such as Kenneth Cole and Timex. Since Dakota has a partnership with Citizen, kiosks carry and warranty Q&Q brand watches (the sister company of Citizen) as well.
Services
Dakota Watch Company retail stores maintains a staff we are more than capable of performing watch repair services such as battery replacements, band replacements, sizing's, crystal repair, movement replacements, hand attachment/alignment, and cleanings. These services are not only performed on their own brands of watches, but on most outside brands as well.