Premier camera shop is closing.
Oct 3, 2016 16:41:40 #
You would'nt think that can happen here in Silicon Valley in the affluent town of Palo Alto where you see almost as many Ferraris and Porsches on the road as Fords and Chevys. This was a premier camera shop with an in house repair shop, two buildings one for pro gear and one for amateur, 35 employees that were experts in their field are unemployed. Another Camera store had to close when their monthly rent was raised from $3,000 to $9,000 by the new owner, plus sign a lease for ten years also any upkeep, like plumbing etc. paid by the renter. Glad to see that place still has the a For Lease sign on it after 7 months.
Another cause may be as USA Today wrote, there were 121 million p&s digital cameras sold world wide in 2010, estimate for 2016 13 million.
Another cause may be as USA Today wrote, there were 121 million p&s digital cameras sold world wide in 2010, estimate for 2016 13 million.
Oct 3, 2016 16:45:17 #
cell phone people only know they have an image. an it didn't cost much as could have.
Oct 3, 2016 17:06:03 #
mas24
Loc: Southern CA
This is bad news for a premier camera store with 35 employees and a repair facility. I go everywhere and see teenagers and adults with iPhones and smartphones, and they take very good photos. The online sales are convenient. You just sit at your computer and order, and wait a couple of days or so, and it's delivered to your front door by UPS. Also local Best Buy Stores and Amazon sell an awful lot of cameras. So the competition is fierce nowadays, even in the areas that have lots of Ferrari's and Porches.
Oct 3, 2016 17:29:59 #
I ran a small camera shop for over 50 years --2 or 3 helpers- but we finally had to give up a few years ago as most of our time was spent giving advice and watching film and processing sales go to the big discounters even though we matched their prices. It is still not unusual to get phone calls requesting advice on a camera problem someone has. I still love photography but have changed mainly to video doing volunteer work (creating videos) for a non profit local channel. Making videos is quite a challenge especially the editing involved. If you have never done it,try it.
Oct 3, 2016 18:06:04 #
The last paragraph says it all and Camera stores are becoming a showroom for online buyers. People have no reason to leave their houses anymore.
Oct 3, 2016 18:10:43 #
Old Timer
Loc: Greenfield, In.
This has bee a trend in most service industry in particular. I was in the appliance business for several years and it was the same way. The bought at the box stores and when the had a problem they come to the local shop to try to find out how to fix or repair it them selves and complain about the cost that we charged if we did the diagnoses and work.
Oct 3, 2016 19:07:38 #
Bought my first canon t5i at Best Buy, ran into a wall trying to understand a fonction, back to the store for some help, got run around, ack home put everything in the box, brought it back got refunded and I've gone to a camera store near my place, got the service and attention I deserved and now they have close to 15G of my money in their cash register
Oct 3, 2016 20:16:00 #
dirtpusher wrote:
cell phone people only know they have an image. an it didn't cost much as could have.
And they can send that selfie to their bestie on FB 5000 miles away... Do you think the Hordes care about Bokeh, DOF or any other useless info to them ? Its a changing world and we here on UHH are in as much of a bubble as the talking heads are in DC. The MASSES just don't care about the stuff we are interested in, and THEY are the future market... go figure.
Oct 3, 2016 22:16:39 #
MrBob wrote:
And they can send that selfie to their bestie on FB 5000 miles away... Do you think the Hordes care about Bokeh, DOF or any other useless info to them ? Its a changing world and we here on UHH are in as much of a bubble as the talking heads are in DC. The MASSES just don't care about the stuff we are interested in, and THEY are the future market... go figure.
It is quite unfortunate indeed. There is nothing like a well taken picture with a dslr. These camera phones cant do the same thing. Yes they will do in a pinch but nothing more.
Oct 4, 2016 06:32:07 #
Oct 4, 2016 08:32:55 #
cjkorb wrote:
The last paragraph says it all and Camera stores are becoming a showroom for online buyers. People have no reason to leave their houses anymore.
That's also true for most small retailers; people come in to ask questions and "kick the tires", but you can tell when they are really interested in buying or looking for information that they can't get from the big box stores and most discounters. After they buy their camera or whatever, somewhere else, they always seem to come back when they have questions and/or need help, and generally start with the "I was in here some months ago and have a question (or need help). Can you.... ?"
Too many potential customers these days are only interested in the purchase price; service be damned until they need it.
Oct 4, 2016 09:31:32 #
There are probably a lot of reasons this camera store had to close. The increase in the lease is atrocious, but consider other factors. California sales tax rates and or potential local sales tax rates, California income tax rates, employee benefit costs, California electrical rates, and other State and Federal costs. I mean our government, California specifically and the Federal side just think they can keep raising costs and those who operate the business simply can afford it. Another California business bites the dust because of over regulation. They just don't get in Sacramento and they just want to keep raising the cost of doing business. The owner of the store, like many, said "that's it, I'm outa here." It's just too bad.
Want more of this, vote for Hillary. Want less, vote for the other guy. Sometimes I hate to say his name, but anything, anything, is better than the alternative.
Want more of this, vote for Hillary. Want less, vote for the other guy. Sometimes I hate to say his name, but anything, anything, is better than the alternative.
Oct 4, 2016 09:31:40 #
wj cody
Loc: springfield illinois
wylieone wrote:
It was closed by us...we'd rather whinge in hindsight than spend with foresight
absolutely true. i always supported my local camera stores even if the price differential was $100.00. the support and advice over the decades was worth more then you can imagine. but then, i'm old and obviously out of date.
Oct 4, 2016 09:55:52 #
When I was living in Sacramento in the 1970s I frequented McCurry's Camera Shop. I purchased a pack of Kodak 5x7 photo paper from them but when I went to use it I found every other sheet had a 1/2 inches spot in the middle them, rendering half the pack useless. I took it back to McCurry's to exchange it but the AH who waited on me accused me of stealing it since I didn't have the receipt. He finally did exchange it but I never went back and wasn't upset when they finally had to close their doors a few years later.
Oct 4, 2016 10:14:03 #
Tom Lee wrote:
I ran a small camera shop for over 50 years --2 or... (show quote)
Here in L.A. we lost a icon...Bel-Air Camera here in the Westwood Village south of the UCLA Campus.
Just Closed down a couple of days after New Years 2016, me & other longtime customers were Shocked about it!
They had been in business since 57, & I'm sorry to see it go!
They really were a Full Service Camera Store here in L.A., now you just have Samy's, Silvo's in Suburban Torrance, Woodland Hills Camera I'm the San Fernando Valley, & a couple of other Real Service Camera Stores in the Greater L.A. Area!
Cant say no more!
74images
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