Two Camera Shops closing in Seattle-Tacoma

Two camera shops are closing 08/11/07.
Rainier Photo in Burien, Wa. is calling it quits. Good staff and a good section of darkroom supplies as well as albums, cameras, ect.

The Camera Shop in downtown Tacoma is closing also. I believe it started in the 1930's and the orginal owner, Barney Elliott took the famous footage of the Tacoma Narrows bridge falling down in 1950. Barneys son Ed has owned the shop for the last years. I have fond memories as a college student learning the craft and business of photography from these and other shops.

Both will be missed!

Michael

I bought my first enlarger at Rainier Photo in Burien, Wa

The Rainier Photo lab was a very fair business but the Camera Shop was a total rip off, and I mean for years. It's like Barney would be marking everything up when you stepped into the shop. It was in the early '70's when I first went into the Camera Shop, that was the reason I started buying from Freestyle and mail order in New York. Nearly everything I have came from New York or Los Angeles.

The Silver Image was starting about then and I was in one of it's first shows before it moved to Seattle. I learned more by seeing AA, EW, BW and all of the others there than in any "camera shop".

What's needed is more Photographic Gallery space and shows than just the man behind the counter telling how it was with flash powder.

Unfortunately I have to agree about The Camera Shop. I grew up in Tacoma and never found the prices reasonable and the place felt a little too "clubby". My best photographic education came from hanging around my Mom's friend who was a professioanl photographer in Germany before WWII and in Washington after.

It would be great to start an APUG group for the Puget Sound Region to help those interested in photography get a start and education without having to enroll in a class or by a lot of new gear to get someone's advice.

If anyone's interested in forming the APUG group PM me and we'll get the ball rolling.

Zemzem -I will send a PM

I went to Rainier on the last day and stocked up on paper and color chemicals. The staff knew I was into collecting old medium format so when something interesting came through they would always give me a call. I will miss them.