Store is closing and they deserve it...

I am a member of a Flickr group that is based on where I am currently sojourning

in Michigan, and someone mentioned that a local camera store of some fame is

closing down - Century Camera on Woodward in Royal Oak, MI.

 

Being new to the area, I was thrilled to find the place when I got here in

November. I quickly went down to peruse their stocks and get to know the folks.

What I found was a high-handed, arrogant attitude and a snotty "we know more

than you do about everything" sort of demeanor. It was disgusting.

 

Wasn't the first time I'd seen such an attitude in a camera store. I used to

live in Albuquerque, and I found the same attitude in both Kurt's and Camera &

Darkroom on Central. However, in Albuquerque, they were the only game in town,

and I finally managed to make a couple of friends who were kind to me. Once,

though, I asked my wife to pick me up some film while I was out of town, and the

guy behind the counter, whom I had come to know as a friend, sneered at her when

she stumbled her way through the list I had given her, suggesting that perhaps

she should come back when she knew what she was talking about. Incredible.

 

I gave CC another chance a month or so later, and got a different counter

person, but the same attitude.

 

I noticed that I did not get that attitude at Woodward Camera, which was right

up the road a few miles on. Nor did I get it at Adray in Dearborn. In both

places, the employees were friendly, helpful, and seemed genuinely interested

and engaged.

 

Our Flickr group was discussing the CC closing, and we quickly noted that as we

compared notes, nobody liked CC's attitude very much. Person after person

complained of exactly the same treatment at Century Camera. It is not just me,

which I'm glad to know. I know I can be prickly and hard to get along with - so

I try to be sensitive to the fact that sometimes folks just don't react well to

me. Maybe it's my face or something. But in this case, dang near everyone was

saying the same thing about these guys. One fellow gave them a "well, they get

better once you get to know them" report, which was also what I had experienced

when I lived in Albuquerque.

 

But my thought is - I'm the customer, dad nab it. I don't have to bend over

backwards to make allowances for crusty old men who have a permanent grump on.

This is a service field, if you serve customers, you stick a bloody smile on

your face and you be nice - or I won't trouble you with my trade anymore.

 

So when I heard that CC was closing, and I understand it has been around for

decades, yes, I was sad. Sad to see competition going away, sorry to see

another old-time camera store unable to compete with the Big Box stores like

Walmart and the Internet and eBay. Sorry for those who will lose their jobs.

 

But dang it - they brought this on themselves.

 

I started out in photography in the mid 1970's, and my first camera store was

the magnificent Robert Waxman in downtown Denver. If they had not been kind and

solicitous to a punk kid who wanted to put together the cheapest B&W darkroom of

all time, I think that would have been it for me and photography. I'd be doing

something else with my time now.

 

Why don't stores and store employees get that?

 

So goobye, Century Camera. Good riddance, too. I wish I didn't feel that way.

I never found a camera store like that thankfully. And I try to buy everthing I can at real local photostores. No big box stuff.

Not limited to camera shops, I used to go to a gun shop where, if you weren't a cop, or kin to one, or a member of the local gun club, they couldn't seem to care less. Twice the owner caught me leaving, asked if he could help, and the second time I told him I'd go anywhere but there. Good guy himself, gave me a discount, and apparently kicked ass and took names, service much better thereafter.

 

Reason I brought that up is, the nature of specialty stores seems sometimes to breed a contempt for the average customer that comes in the door. The owner may be less a businessman than an aficianado, he hires friends/geeks, they don't know crap about serving the public, don't have an interest in the P&L sheet, or any business knowledge really. If they can show up a customer, and therfore show off to their buddies, well, that's their job.

 

Formerly, the "camera store" was the only place to go for higher level goods, no more, and if they can't provide cordial and genuine service to the general populace, screw 'em, go to BestBuy for a lot of stuff, or order online.

 

Luckily Charlotte NC has three good, helpful local shops, Biggs, CameraWorld and Charlotte Camera

When I earn money I have to do something called "work" to get it.

 

When I spend money I expect them to do something called "work" to get it.

If they don't do the "work" to my satisfaction, they don't get my money (and that includes good service and no condescending attitude with it).

 

Sometimes when I place starts up in business it is a great service to the public. Sometimes when a place goes out of business it is also a great service to the public.

I think of it this way... most of the folks working hte ocunter in a camera store are doing that because it is the best job they are qualified to get.

 

I used to go to a store like that Wiggy describes. There were three clerks: two were quiet and would generally take your money if you forced them to, the third would "fast talk" like a used car salesman. He'd blow all sorts of smoke but could never explain the "good deal" he was offering. One day he was cryin gin his milk and told me about how he flunked out of Navy nuke school, never made it through art college, and "once thought of becoming a famous cinematographer". Basically he was lucky to have that job because he wasn't smart enough or determined enough to do better. I know not all camera store clearks are like htat... but I've seem one too many who were.

 

That store closed up earlier this year... and I said "good riddance" and "I wish I didn't feel that way" too!

The Ritz camera store in my town closed. Same deal. On one hand I was sorry to see them go but on the other hand they weren't just rude but clueless too. They couldn't care less if they scratched my 35mm film so bad it looked like it was in a cat fight and would manage to blame me. I still don't know how I scratched my own film that resides in a cannister until they open it but by golly, somehow I did. They're gone now but not forgotten.

Same thing in my neighborhood. I live close to a Kerrisdale Camera. Everytime I go in, they

don't respect my opinions, laugh at my questions, and suggest things that don't make

sense.

 

I went in a fee weeks ago, with an extremely simple task. I needed a diffuser. I knew what

diffuser I wanted, exactly. I wanted a Sto-fen Omnibounce for my 430ex. I simply asked

the clerk where it was. Not for help, not for anything else. She continued to try to get me

to buy some big, expensive, no-name mini softbox. I kept telling her that I didn't want a

softbox, that I needed a small diffuser that could fit in my on-the-go kit, and I had already

tested out an Omnibounce and was more than happy with the results. She almost wouldn't

let me buy the damn thing, I had to finally tell her 'I am not leaving this store with

anything but a Sto-fen omnibounce for a canon 430ex.' At this point she finally told me

they didn't have the damned things in.

 

The same thing happened when I was *trying* to buy a lens there a few weeks ago. I

wanted a Canon 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 III USM, and they kept pushing a 75-200.

 

In both cases I ended up having to take a bus, a boat, and a walk to go to Leo's Camera

Supply downtown, where not only did I get good knowledgeable service, but slightly

cheaper prices. Not to mention a bigger selection, and even though its a pro-oriented

place, they where happy to answer some camera questions that where unrelated to what I

was buying.

 

I highly recommend Leo's Camera for anyone shopping in Vancouver.

I am one of those that's lucky enough to have a great, friendly, and knowledgeable local camera store.

 

The only problem is, though, I shoot film, and they never seem to have what I need. I went in the other day to get some medium format slide film, and all I could get was Velvia 100F(which I already had plenty of) and E100G-no Provia, no Astia, and no E100GX.

 

When they do have the film I need, I'm lucky if I can afford it. The last time I made a serious film purchase there, I paid close to $11 for a roll of Velvia 50 in 35mm.

 

They are generally willing to order anything I want, but if and only if I commit to buying at least 20 rolls(understandable). The only problem is they jack up the price to nearly twice the B&H price, especially on Fuji products, and will sometimes take one or two weeks to get it in.

 

I can't afford to pay that kind of money when B&H will get whatever I want to my front door in three days for half as much, so the local shop doesn't get very much of my business.

 

In an interesting twist, though, this particular shops prices on digital photo gear are pretty much comparable to B&H prices and sometimes even a loss leader. I think the big gear serves as a loss leader so that they can sell the new camera buyer a 52mm Promaster UV filter for $30.

We have a similar problem here where I live!

 

I live about 20+ miles from Fort Wayne, In, of which has 3 camera stores, "and one of them is a Ritz" sorry to say, I wouldn't buy at any of them, even with someone else's money, instead I drive to Muncie, In "to Jack's camera" about 75 miles one way, very knowledgeable people, friendly and helpful, always the best of service!

 

One thing that makes a big difference at Jack's I think, is everyone who works there is a photographer of sorts, and they keep up to date on the latest and greatest of goodies, but they are not pushy!

I've been pretty lucky with some of the big names like Samys and Freestyle here in LA. I think it would be a good idea though for these stores to put in a take-a-number dispenser. The stores just get too crowded at times and there's always someone who wants to jump ahead of everyone else.

I can deal with store employees that don't know everything there is to know - I generally have some idea what I want when I go in, I just ask for it and pay.

 

The part I object to is when the clerks are rude and snotty, or, as some in this thread have mentioned, nearly refuse to sell you anything they don't think you should buy. Ignorance I can handle. Rudeness ticks me off. Condescension infuriates me.

I remember visiting Woodward Camera and I was impressed with their knowledge and attentiveness. While I lived in Royal Oak many years ago, I do not remember Century Camera. There used to be a good store in Birmingham (on Woodward), but it bit the dust also. Fortunately, there is a fine full-service camera store nearby where I live now in Glen Ellyn IL, while most of the chain photo stores in the area have secumbed.

The small independant camera shop in the town where I live closed down too, they were helpful friendly and knowlegable, but sad to say, couldn't compete.

 

Now we have Jessops.

 

There was a shop in town that was just like the one you described, I turned up at 4:50 ready to spend some money. But the door was locked, the lights were out and they were all in their anoraks waiting to go home. Shps generally closed at 5 to 5:30 at that time. So, I went elsewhere and bought even more than I had been planning. The first shop went out of business.

<P>I live in a small town and we've got three camera stores. One is a branch of Jessops, and is OK as long as you understand what it is. I would buy from them but my expectations are different from if it was a real camera store. The other two are independents, only about 100 yards apart on the street but miles apart as regards service.</P><P>One is small, cluttered, seems to have nearly everything, and if they don't have it they'll get it, staff are friendly but not pushy, and very much seem to try to engage with customers at their level. They'll talk to me knowledgeably about old 35mm SLRs, and leave me to rummage through their box of old filters and lens hoods, and then go and be helpful, but not condescending, to somebody who wants a cheap digital camera. They get my business whenever possible.</P><P>The other is bigger, slicker, the staff for some reason seem to dress all in black, they want you to know they're experts, use the latest gear, don't sell anything cheap. They seem conceited about the fact they work in a photo store. I bought a camera from them years ago when I didn't know any better. In retrospect their advice was not all that good. I don't go there any more, but they seem to be thriving despite my boycott. Ah well.</P>

Wigwam,

 

Curious what you're doing in MI. We're almost neighbors at this point, my SO lives in Dearborn MI and I spend weekends there.

 

Adray and Woodward are the two good places I know up there, but you already know about them.

 

I actually live outside Toledo, Ohio. Down here, we have Castle Photo in Sylvania and Maumee; and Studio 157 in Bowling Green. Between those 3, I can buy MF and LF film, sometimes get 120 film processed in an hour, get questions answered by people who are in the know.

 

Did you know about the Ansel Adams exhibit at Detroit Institute of the Arts (DIA)? Am heading there myself around April 7, if interested.

 

If you want to visit the Ford Museum as a guest some w/e, I've got a membership that allows that. My other social connection up north is the local Mensa scene. Ping me if any of this interests you. If not, no offense taken.

 

Doug Grosjean

 

douggrosjean@gmail.com

"Sometimes when I place starts up in business it is a great service to the public. Sometimes when a place goes out of business it is also a great service to the public."

Is that ever true! cb :-)

<I>If they had not been kind and solicitous to a punk kid who wanted to put together the

cheapest B&W darkroom of all time, I think that would have been it for me and photography.

I'd be doing something else with my time now.<P>

 

Why don't stores and store employees get that?</I><P>

 

Get what? And what else would you be doing - you seem to enjoy writing long about the

good old days...

Brad,

 

I mean, why don't many stores seem to understand that if they allow their employees to treat their customers badly, those customers might not return? And frankly, that when a person is trying to get started in a hobby or vocation and gets nothing but scorn from those who sell the accoutrement, they can become discouraged and walk away - leaving one less customer buying stuff.

 

As to what else I'd be doing, yes, perhaps I'd be doing more writing. But as it is, I also take photographs.

 

Is it a problem for you what I write about? You seem displeased.

There is something worse than snotty salespeople who know it all: Salespeople at minimum wage and commission who know nothing. You don't have to deal with either of them on the Internet (if you know what you want, that is, and your virus checker and firewall are up to date)

IMHO, the good ol' new days at any brick-and-mortar should provide good, friendly, and knowledgeable service.

>>> Is it a problem for you what I write about? You seem displeased.

 

Hardly. Just entertaining to watch. Falls in the category of common sense rather than

wonderment...

 

>>> IMHO, the good ol' new days at any brick-and-mortar should provide good,

friendly,

and knowledgeable service.

 

Sure, vote with your wallet and never again purchase a piece of gear online because it's

less expensive.

What, you don't see any shops outside your internet ready cave? Do you buy everything on the internet? Service your own car? Grow your own food?

>>> What, you don't see any shops outside your internet ready cave?

 

Huh? Who is "you?" Talking to anyone in particular?

 

I simply said if you're peeved with high-overhead brick/mortar shops closing, vote with your

dollars and don't buy stuff online.

You're right on all accounts Wigwam about CC. I bought things there over the years but the experience was not always a happy one. Woodward was always more accomodating, and being a couple of miles up the road, and a shrinking need for brick and mortar stores, it is not really a surprise.<p> I sent you an email.

I live in Mississippi, but travel a good bit. If y'all want to see the best camera store I've ever run into outside of NYC, go see the folks at Midwest Photo Exchange in Columbus, Ohio. Helpful, friendly, extremely knowledgeable, and they do web and phone orders, too, with excellent service. If more brick-and-mortar stores were like them, there would be a LOT less closings.