TIME FOR A CHANGE; UNIQUE WATCH SHOP IS LATEST TO LAUNCH RETAIL CHAIN FROM GLENDALE GALLERIA.

Byline: Suzie St. John Now Open

Rounding the corner past Macy's in the Glendale Galleria, shoppers can't help being intrigued by the giant watch facing them at the entrance of a store that recently opened. Customers entering the doors flanked by the 8-foot-wide working watch are met with a selection of more than 3,000 watch styles and 40 brands.

Synchrony was created to merchandise a trend called ``watch-wardrobing,'' the idea being that people are buying timepieces to accessorize not only their outfits but also their activities.

Catering to this trend, Synchrony is sectioned by not only watch brands but lifestyles.

``People want watches for everything from a dressy evening out to skydiving to laying out by the pool and wanting a cute little watch to match your bikini,'' said store director Michelle Martinez. ``If you're looking for a particular type of watch, you don't want to have to sort through all of the fashion watches.''

The store also has made shopping for a watch more customer-friendly by displaying the timepieces on what's called an ``open-sell'' fixture. Instead of locking all of the watches in traditional glass cases, the store has put them on easy-to-reach open fixtures that are both free-standing and built into the walls.

Customers can touch the watches and read the descriptive card posted under each one before speaking with a sales associate. In addition to the price, the card lists the key features of the watch.

An example would be the popular Baby G watches by Casio. The card lists the selling price of $79 and tells the shopper that you are able to enter up to 20 names and telephone numbers in it.

Martinez said the brightly colored Baby Gs are the hottest-selling watch for teens right now.

In addition to the active lifestyle section, there is an area for pocket, clip-on and ring watches, a section of boxed gift sets with three interchangeable bands, a wall of watches that are all on a strap, another wall where they are all bracelets, ending with the fine watch glass cases at the back of the store. These include the higher-priced brands like Rado, where a man's watch can run as high as $3,900.

With research showing that people are buying more watches and purchasing them at a younger age, Synchrony designed a display just for children. There are two spinning tops with watches set up at eye-level for kids. Designs include Scooby Doo, Legos and a machine-washable watch by Flic Flac. Most are priced from $20 to $40.

``Where we are unique is that we have both a broad range of watches but also a pretty broad range of prices,'' Martinez said.

A creation of LVMH Specialty Retail Concepts of San Francisco, Synchrony made its world debut in Glendale on Nov. 18 just in time for the official start of the holiday shopping season.

President and CEO Fred Wilson said the timing was not intentional.

``We would have opened two or three months earlier if we could, but when prime real estate opens in a mall, you have to take the opportunity,'' Wilson said. ``With a new concept, you want to get into the `A' malls, the power malls.''

Playing host to a first-of-its-kind store is not new to the Glendale Galleria. Other retail concepts that were launched at the Galleria include Disney Store, Knuckleheads, ESPN The Store and Dr. Seuss. The first two remain successful, while the latter closed their doors.

Annette Bethers, senior marketing director for the Galleria, said there are a couple of reasons why stores choose to debut in Glendale.

``We have a very diverse consumer base, and we're one of the major malls in Southern California,'' Bethers explained. ``You have all levels of income and ethnicities shopping at the Galleria. So as a test market, it's prime.''

Wilson said more Synchrony stores are in the works for 2000, with the next being in January when a store will open in the Mall of America in Minneapolis.

``Essentially we built a prototype in Glendale, and so far the sales have been good and the customer comments incredible. We're very pleased,'' Wilson concluded.

CAPTION(S):

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PHOTO (1 -- color) An 8-foot-wide working watch greets customers as they enter Synchrony, a store that opened in November in the Glendale Galleria.

(2 -- color) Edvin Ibrahimi of Glendale examines watches displayed on the ``open-sell'' fixtures in the Synchrony store in the Galleria.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer