Photocraig

Keeble was a true Pro Shop, even on the Consumer side, their staff is knowledgeable and supportive.. The service, support and availability of new, used and rental stock and classes was amazing. I bought a number of expensive (for me) items there. They are stalwarts of the Pro community. Many of my instructors (also working pros) sent us there for supplies, equipment, rentals and repairs. They will be missed. I believe this is the trend for high end retailers in many categories. Their Brand Name suppliers need to somehow protect them and support them. And, just in case you're not looking, observe the Marketing Plan of direct (internet) sales of (also HQ'd in Palo Alto) Tesla Motors. Heck, they even cost more than Hasselblads!

I wish all of the ownership and the displaced employees the very best. They are very nice and good people.

NorCal Bohemian

You should read before you rant! The article clearly states that Terry Schuchat OWNS the buildings that his business is located in. It also clearly quotes Mr. Schuchat as saying that it is the competition from online marketers and cell phone photography that has led to the declining profits that have led to the closing of the business. No where does he mention government or political reasons!

NorCal Bohemian

Please read the article - Mr. Schuchat OWNS the buildings that his business are in. This story is about the great difficulty of running a full service retail operation in the era of the internet and cell phones.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

That really sucks!

K&S is one of my favorite camera stores and one of the best I've visited and spent money at anywhere... Closest thing to B&H on the West Coast.

Their pro shop across the street held factory demos and offers rentals. It's one of the few places you can go check out medium format digital and still find large format film gear. They have large format printing gear and high end lighting equipment too.

The main (consumer) store also has an excellent used equipment department, more like a small museum.... has offered classes and has had regular gallery shows.

Knowledgeable and truly helpful people in both stores, too... unlike some other camera shops in the area and the big box stores.

Anyone in the area should make a point of visiting before they close! Not in the area, check out their website at: http://kspphoto.com/

It's sad to see K&S close, but if it's true that they paid $3000 a month rent, that was a real bargain for that large a retail space in downtown Palo Alto. It's some of the most expensive real estate in the U.S. A 60 year old, 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1500 sq ft. "fixer upper" home there costs $2,000,000 or more. Heck, a 1 bdrm, 1 bath, 750 sq ft. condo is over half a million. Retail space there rents for $9 a square foot at least. I'd guess the K&S buildings, between the two of them, are close to 20,000 sq ft.... maybe more. If they own those buildings, they'll probably get millions for them.... should help with retirement!

NorCal Bohemian

The OP stated that "Another" camera store closed because their rent was raised from $3,000. The article that the OP included - I assume from the San Jose Mercury News - clearly states that Terry Schuchat owns the buildings. Yes - they are worth millions! In the on-line article about this closing on the San Jose Mercury News website - it states that Mr. Schuchat is looking for tenants to rent the buildings - the first floor of which must remain retail - by city code.

blacks2 Loc: SF. Bay area

Sorry, this was the second store I mentioned, Kaufmann Camera in San Mateo, a little north of Palo Alto. Suchart owns the buildings in Palo Alto.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Actually, what that paragraph says is that people are going to the camera store and asking questions about different cameras and then going to their homes and ordering on line instead of buying from the store.

Shaker Loc: New England

The thing is ... if that is the common practice, then the local shop will disappear and all the many personal, material and financial benefits of having a local shop will be gone.

I also go to my local lumber yard instead of home depot. And when I need that little scrap of birch plywood 2x3, the local lumber yard will often have it ... for free.

The dollar is not the bottom line. I know that many people in our culture feel that it is the bottom line. And that whatever makes or saves the buck is good ... as long as you can get away with it. But there is a different and more important bottom line. And you can't tell someone who doesn't know that other bottom line what it is.

Toddzzilla Loc: Modesto california

There are no more brick and mortar stores in central valley to my knowledge and it really sucks. The last one in modesto closed last year and you are forced to hope that best buy or big box crap stores might by some small chance have what a shopper may want to go and touch, smell and, taste. No longer! I'm not even sure one can get 35mm film processed any longer here. It's sad that these shops can't compete any longer. I used to love to go and just talk shop with the folk at the store in Modesto, just sorry to see them all fold up. I have a few b&w prints that they worked on for me, and I also framed. Got no where to go anymore seems like.

blacks2 Loc: SF. Bay area

The closest store for you would be Action Camera up in Rossville, check it out.

erickter Loc: Dallas,TX

The masses settle for mediocrity. Always have. Always will. Those who seek true Quality are a rare breed and will not settle for less, despite the herd mentality that pays homage to mass marketing. Nothing has changed in the human race. It will always be our individual choice that defines who we are. There's a place for cell phone pics, especially when they rival P&S functionality. But I am happy lugging my DSLR gear when I want high quality images. That will never change.

topcat Loc: Alameda, CA

This store will be missed.