My Local Photo Store Closed Today

foc · Jun 30, 2019

(the following is just my own personal observations of my own local and national market)
Photo retail has always been price sensitive. Back before the internet, I remember customers coming in and getting a run through on the camera they wanted but then going and buying it through mail order in a camera magazine.

I can remember only a few camera shops in Ireland (back in the film days) that could make a living on equipment sales only. Film developing was important and when the one-hour lab arrived it became the main revenue generator.

Move forward to digital cameras sale online and the fall in photo printing and it became harder for the small independent photo retailer to survive. BUT some did by following a niche and specialised market and embracing online sales for their niche.

But the age profile of these retailers is on the far side of 50 and there doesn't appear to be any young people willing to invest in the business.

John Galt · Jun 30, 2019

We still have Johnsons Camera here in Syracuse, I drive the 50 minutes there to buy paper and some chemicals rather than save a few bucks online. They still do analog but their film stock in 120 is pretty much limited to Tri X and Provia. They still have a lab and sell analog cameras as well as digital. I do what I can to support them.

Patrick Robert James · Jun 30, 2019

Vaughn said:
Yes. Mr. Swanlund sold it years ago and I believe it lost its lease. It might reopen in a different location, but if it does, it probably will be on a lower scale. It ran a nice little gallery upstairs, I had a few shows there. For a long while and before we started to hang local photographers, one could go up there and see prints from all the past Masters, from Edward Weston and older, to just about anyone one has heard of in photo history. Imagine -- in little old Eureka, one could walk in and see 20 AA prints on the wall.

That's a bummer. I used to love stopping by that place on my roadtrips up the coast. It was a total trip that you could see Weston's and such upstairs, and no one bothered you.

AgX · Jun 30, 2019

foc said:
But the age profile of these retailers is on the far side of 50 and there doesn't appear to be any young people willing to invest in the business.

This is one side. But those shops I still see all are training shop assistants (media-retailer, a regulated vocation in Germany). In times over here where all businesses have a hard time finding apprentices it is surprising that there are people willing to go into stationary retail, more so into camera retail.

RalphLambrecht · Jun 30, 2019

MattKing said:
Because a huge percentage of people don't buy from stores like they used to.
They buy on price alone, and scan the internet to save $5.00 rather than spending a bit (or sometimes a lot) more at the local store.
Which mans those local stores close.

+1

AgX · Jul 1, 2019

But against the trend new general photo stores have been opened in Germany within the last 3 years.

Arklatexian · Jul 1, 2019

images39 said:
My local photo/camera shop here in Reno closed today (Gordon's Photo Service). The owner is retiring after spending his whole working career in the photo business. I believe he opened his first store in this area in the early '80s. Great shop that supported analog photographers with film stock, darkroom supplies and a good stock of used film cameras. He and his store will be missed by us analog photographers in the Reno and Carson City area. I was in that store about once per week over the last few years. He told me that he loved the business, and that his work felt like being in a toy store for him. Also that he made so many friends and will miss the people most of all.

Another one of the good old photo stores is gone, and won't be replaced.

Dale

You were certainly lucky to have a store nearby in which to shop and even luckier to have one for so long.. We haven't had such a store for over ten years now. The manager of one now works in my small manufacturing business where her knowledge about cameras, etc. is not much help. It is a shame that so many people, who had made a career in the camera store business, must find employment elsewhere. A whole industry is almost gone and nothing seems to have taken its place. The plight of Kodak is a small part of the total picture.....Regards!

AgX · Jul 1, 2019

Here in Germany you got a few big cities with more than one camera store, but also cities without any (aside the large electronics outlets). But I also know a few small towns of a few thousand inhabitants that got a photo store that sells cameras and where knowledgable people are. One even started in a place of 20,000 4 years ago.

Theo Sulphate · Jul 1, 2019

images39 said:
Just a bit of clarification, Gordon's in Reno closed because the owner retired, not because the store was no longer viable. People were still spending money there. His lab did a good business, so did his sales of used analog gear. He could have stayed open, but wanted to spend more time with his elderly father. As to why he didn't sell the business, one reason he had a good customer base was due to his knowledge and customer service. It would probably be hard to find a good buyer who could maintain that, particularly in a small market like ours.

Dale

Thank you for the clarification, because it is important. This was not a case of a camera store closing because a "brick and mortar" store was no longer viable.

Sirius Glass · Jul 1, 2019

AgX said:
But against the trend new general photo stores have been opened in Germany within the last 3 years.

Would you kindly send some of them over here?

AgX · Jul 1, 2019

As a counterweight so to say you can add all those analog trainings and academy darkrooms that you got instead.

Agulliver · Jul 2, 2019

Sorry to hear of camera shops closing....I'm very grateful that my local camera shop is still there and I've taken the decision to use it more and to spread the word. The owner, who had probably run the store for 40 years or more, retired in December 2018 but thankfully one of the younger staff members along with the lady who does in-house film processing decided to take it on. Want to buy an up to date digital camera? They've got that. Want to buy a used Mamiya 645? They've got that. Want your camera repaired? They specialise in that....Want to rent an 8mm projector to watch your old movies? They've got that....want any size film processing?...you get the picture. Very fortunate that they are still going strong.

foc · Jul 2, 2019

Agulliver said:
Sorry to hear of camera shops closing....I'm very grateful that my local camera shop is still there and I've taken the decision to use it more and to spread the word. The owner, who had probably run the store for 40 years or more, retired in December 2018 but thankfully one of the younger staff members along with the lady who does in-house film processing decided to take it on. Want to buy an up to date digital camera? They've got that. Want to buy a used Mamiya 645? They've got that. Want your camera repaired? They specialise in that....Want to rent an 8mm projector to watch your old movies? They've got that....want any size film processing?...you get the picture. Very fortunate that they are still going strong.

Sounds like a great place and well done to you for supporting them.

Do they have a website?

Tom Kershaw · Jul 2, 2019

Would be great to experience a camera & photography shop that could also serve as a meeting place / exhibition space. The old Jessops stores here in the UK were not of that format though to say the least...

Tom

Agulliver · Jul 3, 2019

foc said:
Sounds like a great place and well done to you for supporting them.

Do they have a website?

Indeed they do, though it's rather basic

http://www.lutoncameras.co.uk/

and the film processing business

https://www.truecolourimaging.com/

The lady doing the film processing has been in the business so long she remembers the switch from C22 to C41.

Agulliver · Jul 4, 2019

Tom Kershaw said:
Would be great to experience a camera & photography shop that could also serve as a meeting place / exhibition space. The old Jessops stores here in the UK were not of that format though to say the least...

Tom

Many of the camera shops are small, and some have downsized. There used to be a great camera shop in Letchworth Garden City but it halved it's size in the 2000s and now you're lucky to find any film in there at all. I know several truly great camera shops such as my local "Luton Camera Repairs", "Clocktower Cameras" in Brighton and one in Cardiff close to the world's oldest record shop...There's a decent branch of "Camera World" in Stevenage but none has space to use as an exhibition area.

However, Luton Camera Repairs *does* have upper floors....but I suspect these are where they keep their inventory of spare parts and do repairs. The actual floor space is only really suited to under ten people. Though there's a nice pub around the corner. Regarding exhibitions....they have been known to project images from their upper floor onto a large wall across from the shop. Maybe digital projection of people's work (in the darker months) is possible?

I was in there yesterday dropping off some C41 films for development and the lady there told me she has so much business she could do with locking herself in there for 48 hours. This is the kind of place that still has some Olympus Mu II cameras boxed, brand new for sale on the shelf.

I'm adding some images of the Luton shop....the external one was taken with a an Ensign Greyhound....keeping it somewhat analogue..

AgX · Jul 4, 2019

Agulliver said:
I'm adding some images of the Luton shop...
View attachment 226359 View attachment 226360 View attachment 226361 View attachment 226362

I am surprised that the Instax films are not presented more dominant, as here they are what sells meanwhile.

AgX · Jul 4, 2019

Tom Kershaw said:
Would be great to experience a camera & photography shop that could also serve as a meeting place / exhibition space.

Those who have such shops around should be thankful for just that. Store space seems too precious not to use it for presenting sales goods.

Agulliver · Jul 4, 2019

The only place I have visited that might be able to display photographic works is Process Supplies in London (Farringdon area). Their actual retail counter is small but the shop space (presumably mostly warehouse) is large and much of the frontage is taken up with window displays. Process supplies are great for film, chemicals, paper etc. Probably the only place I can walk into and get Fomapan R 2x8mm, Delta 3200 in 120, and ID-11 and the staff scurry off behind the scenes....returning moments later with everything I've asked for.

chip j · Jul 4, 2019

How old is the world's oldest record shop??

Agulliver · Jul 4, 2019

chip j said:
How old is the world's oldest record shop??

Spillers Records, in business since 1894 even they sold wax cylinders.

chip j · Jul 4, 2019

Thanks; I have 8000 LPs, 2000 CDs, & about 1000 cassette tapes. Used to buy new at our local record stores for decades, then I went to flea markets after the record shops closed. Mostly Classical, w/jazz, blues, & World. We had a world-class HI-FI equipment store here for a long time, but it's gone too, as is our world class photography store.

AgX · Jul 5, 2019

chip j said:
How old is the world's oldest record shop??

Agulliver said:
Spillers Records, in business since 1894 even they sold wax cylinders.

The oldest camera shop in Germany is from 1898. And still kicking.

Theo Sulphate · Jul 5, 2019

AgX said:
The oldest camera shop in Germany is from 1898. And still kicking.

Website? Film cameras still there?

AgX · Jul 5, 2019

They are specialized in used cameras and lenses, digital and film. But their mainstay of course are higher-end digital cameras. Several stores in various parts of Germany, founded mostly during the decline of others.

My Local Photo Store Closed Today

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