Calumet photo vanishes in the US

StoneNYC · Mar 14, 2014

Ken Nadvornick said:
Guess that explains the $5.00 sale on Fred Picker video DVDs.

And the complete shutting down of the Fidelity/Regal/Lisco film holder business they owned.

Ken

So... Does that mean my film holders are worth more now?

Or that when I want 8x10 holders I will have to pay more?

StoneNYC · Mar 14, 2014

Xmas said:
Well when Jacobs folded in the UK the next week they reopened some of the stores with skeleton staffs selling the stock at fire sale/clearance prices.

So I really had to help them, ...

I bet the employees never got paid for that work...

Photo Engineer · Mar 14, 2014

CatLABS said:
Actually the museum store has a film selection that puts many "pro" stores to shame. Add that to free parking, and a nice cafe - who could want more.
I am sure if more students used that as a resource for supplied they would carry whatever those students needed...

IDK what shop you frequent there, but I just got back from GEH a few hours ago. No film there. I ate in the Cafe. The place was jammed with children on tour but the cafe was nearly empty. Chris and Nick and I had a nice quite lunch with Fred (prof_pixel) and then went back to work on the workshop for next week.

No film in sight. Were you last there about 50 years ago?

Oh, they sell my book but are out of it right now, and I said hi to the store manager who stopped into the cafe for something to drink. So, I am not a stranger there. I also have a collection of t-shirts and sweat shirts with the GEH logo.

PE

Lee Rust · Mar 14, 2014

PE, the Eastman House store has a few Lomo & Holga type cameras plus other optical things way in the back, and they do sell some film and Kodak disposable cameras. They're right behind the checkout counter, hanging on the wall. Don't seem to be big sellers though.

Elsewhere in our erstwhile Photo City, Rowe Photo, Scott's Photo and Lumiere Photo all have limited selections of chemicals, paper and film. Most pharmacies and big box stores have a few 35mm rolls on display and still offer processing, but the pickings are very thin.

It's my understanding that Scott's Photo actually does C41 processing for Kodak because EK no longer has any on-site facilities. As for E6, there's only one guy in town who does commercial batch processing on special order.

A strange turn of events. That's why I'll be at your AZO workshop next week!

erikg · Mar 14, 2014

Kodak never seemed to care to market in Rochester, at least they didn't when I was there in the 80s and early 90s. Tried to get some donations for the Community Darkroom on Monroe but no go. Got a tabletop Ciba machine though. Sad about Calumet. A lot of people got started with LF on a calumet view. I sure did. Really feel for the staff.

Photo Engineer · Mar 14, 2014

Lee, looking forward to seeing you Monday AM. The quote from above is "a film selection that puts many "pro" stores to shame" and that is not so. Yes, they do sell film and disposable cameras! But not a big selection compared to t-shirts.

PE

Tom1956 · Mar 15, 2014

You guys in the Eastman House crowd--you guys sure do know how to rough it. I figure some of you guys are probably somewhere near my Dad's age, and can't REALLY know how to "hang it up", about like my Pop who can't get away from it either. My Dad is an insurance man by profession, and a top notch one. He always cared about the customer first and the claim adjusters after the fire, and a golfer by recreation. As much as I've tried to be a chip off the old block, the idea of being out on the golf course and hanging around the pro shop for recreation makes me think about more pleasurable things, like hanging around the dentist office, waiting for my turn. If I lived in Rochester, I'd have probably spent the greater part of my life hanging around the place up there. More power to you guys. And believe me, being on the golf course is more work than chopping a pickup load of firewood. (I'd rather do that, too). :munch:

Ian Grant · Mar 15, 2014

What Calumet actually say: “Right now, we are developing plans for a return to the US market with retail locations and an online presence." After all the stores in the UK and Europe are thriving and staying open.

It seems that it's the loss of a financial backer which prevented their proposed re-structuring is the reason for the closure.

Ian

TheFlyingCamera · Mar 15, 2014

Well, they've now removed the official Facebook page as well, which was where, in a past statement, they were going to announce their plans for return/restructuring/liquidation. This bodes poorly.

CatLABS · Mar 15, 2014

I was unable to reach the FB page pretty much since the start of this...

zsas · Mar 15, 2014

Good gosh! Really hard to read this

Ian Grant · Mar 15, 2014

zsas said:
Good gosh! Really hard to read this

What's hard. They've had to do this to restructure, I guess that way they can ditch the previous investor - it appears they have the assets to meet the liabilities. So no suppliers get burnt.

Ian

CatLABS · Mar 15, 2014

Ian Grant said:
What's hard. They've had to do this to restructure, I guess that way they can ditch the previous investor - it appears they have the assets to meet the liabilities. So no suppliers get burnt.

Ian

The court papers suggest otherwise re the assets, and judging form the list of creditors, they have not paid the bills in a LONG time.
In any case, they are not in restructuring (like chapter 11) but in chapter 7 (liquidation) and does not look like they will be opening back anytime soon at or all...

Sirius Glass · Mar 15, 2014

CatLABS said:
The court papers suggest otherwise re the assets, and judging form the list of creditors, they have not paid the bills in a LONG time.
In any case, they are not in restructuring (like chapter 11) but in chapter 7 (liquidation) and does not look like they will be opening back anytime soon at or all...

That is what I feared. I like working with Chip at the Tyson's store.

Photo Engineer · Mar 15, 2014

Well, IIRC from the documents, this is Chapter 7 which is liquidation and not Chapter 11 which is restructuring.

If so, it is goodbye!

PE

mgb74 · Mar 15, 2014

Yes, it did say Chapter 7, which is liquidation. But what's interesting is that the company being liquidated is "calumet.com llc". It's at least possible that the stores are structured as a wholly owned subsidiary. But it would be unusual to take the step of actually closing the stores if there was any intent to sell them (within bankruptcy) as an ongoing entity.

Of course, if everything is liquidated, "everything" would include the Calumet brand (if someone wanted to buy it).

Ken Nadvornick · Mar 15, 2014

My Calumet C1 8x10 needed a tissue. He's having a hard time...

Ken

zsas · Mar 15, 2014

Ian Grant said:
What's hard.

tis a local company to me(Chicagoan), just real sad 2nd, chapter 7 is much different than chapter 11, as mentioned above. Just real sad. For eg, friend'o mine has been renting a bunch of equip to aid his artistic vision there lately. Just so sad thinking of all that going south

Trask · Mar 16, 2014

Sirius Glass said:
I never saw you at Penn Camera.

Ha! Yes, not too many robots with a severe thirst for beer hanging around Tysons! Well, maybe over at Crate and Barrel...

c6h6o3 · Mar 16, 2014

I stopped going into any local camera stores more often than once every couple of years when I could no longer get most chemicals or any sheet film in most of them. And I've never been able to get 8x10 film in any brick and mortar store in the DC area for at least 15 years. So the only effect on me is that now I'll have to get my 120 film through B&H just as I've been doing with sheet film for the past 15 - 20 years. Not much of a hardship.

I kinda figured they wouldn't last long when they took over Penn Camera and stocked less film, the few chemicals they had been stocking disappeared, and they stopped selling photographic paper.

What did they expect? People go to brick and mortar camera stores to see what equipment they're going to order from Amazon or B&H. Nobody buys anything from them anymore. Did they really expect to successfully compete with online retailers?

BTW, you can still get these, too, just like buggy whips. As long as someone manufactures film, I'll be able to buy it. From someone. If they stop manufacturing I'll pour plates if I'm still alive.

CatLABS · Mar 17, 2014

Just read this:
http://www.chicagonow.com/interesti...aphers-support-calumet-photographic/#image/18

mgb74 · Mar 17, 2014

Given how they treated employees, if I had rental equipment, I'd have them come and get it.

Peter Schrager · Mar 17, 2014

I loved the pictures of the employees bringing flowers; as in a funeral!! someone should buy up the rights to the Zone VI line and start to remake some of the equipment that had their stamp on it...timers;print screens; washers;etc
best, peter

Ken Nadvornick · Mar 17, 2014

Or newsletters?

Ken

davidkay · Mar 17, 2014

adelorenzo said:
via the Phoblographer: All their US stores are closed and, judging from the Facebook posts, employees had no idea they were out of a job today. Their website has also gone down.

It is true!!! Calumet Photo has filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the U.S. Their European Stores are still operating.

Locked tight. If a person had a camera in for repairs, they have to file a request with the bankruptcy attorney to retrieve it. This could take several weeks or longer. What a mess. The employees can not get in to get their personal belongings left inside.

Calumet photo vanishes in the US

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