Experience With the Last Local Camera Shop

[hayward]

I live in city in the US with more than one million people and there

has only been one camera shop in the area (except Ritz) since I

started shooting seriously about ten years ago. I buy a lot from the

top online camera stores and shop at B&H when I'm in NYC, but I also

buy locally and bought my D70 at the local shop.

 

I walked in today to see if they had a D200 and to buy it if I liked

it. The owner told me that they weren't selling Nikon anymore. I

asked why and he said Nikon said their volume wasn't high enough to

allocate any cameras to them. This is a store that has been in

business over 20 years. So the owner then call the local Ritz for me

to see if they have a D200 in stock that I can buy.

 

On the way out, I noticed a monopod I've been meaning to buy forever

and bought it. How could I not? It was $57. Just checked B&H and it

is $40 there (plus shipping, of course.) Best $17 I've spent in

while, I think.

[Robert_Lai]

I live in Syracuse, NY. There are a couple of stores here (besides Ritz) that sell cameras. The one that I'm familiar with deals with the students at Syracuse University. They've been in the business for a long time, and they know the customers preferences pretty well. I still purchase from them, although I've purchased from B&H also. Sometimes they're actually a bit cheaper than B&H. I saw them give away a Nikon F2S with 55mm Micro lens for free to a student just because the student needed a camera.<p>So far, they are still selling Nikon. They've got the S3-2000 rangefinder, a bunch of used cameras, the FM3a, and Nikon Digital. Around Christmas, I saw a lot of sales of the D70s.<p>They're also an official Leica dealer. I've only seen a used CL with 40mm lens. But, when I needed an extension cord for the remote on my Leica projector, they were able to order one for me. I think it's the dealing with the art and photography students in the University that keeps the store alive and healthy.

[at]

You're not alone. At one time we had 4 (maybe 5) excellent

camera stores. One by one they closed. The internet, mega discount

stores (Circuit City, Best Buy, etc) and the technology refresh

which made camera's PC accessories did them in. I always supported

my local stores. I became quite good friends with many of the merchants. They often spoke of thier struggles. Everyone of them blamed the internet/mail order prices which they couldnt compete with.

People made "bottom line" decisions instead of appreciating the "value added" by a local dealer for just a few dollars more and maybe a weeks waiting period (few dealers could keep every single item in stock). The day finally came when i went to my all time favorite store

and noticed the lights were out and a sign on the door stating they were closed for good. "Thanks for 38 years of business" read the sign.

Such a shame that they couldnt coexist with the internet prices.

Right now we are down to one independent "pro shop". They are shifty

and couldnt quote you a realistic price twice in a row. They do haggle

but its an effort and gets old after a while.

[dale_keith]

I have had a similar situation. I would like to patronize our ONE local camera store. I do

not include Ritz or Wolf as real camera stores. They are more like an upscale drugstore

photo center. Our one camera store rarely has any prosumer or professional level

equipment.

 

Half of the store is frames and a variety of cute photo albums. In the tripod section there

are no high end carbon models. The camera section is loaded with point and shoot and a

few digital SLR kits. If you want to see something "high end" it has to be ordered. That is

fine except when the sales person requires a deposit to place the order.

 

Pricing is strange. When I bought my D2X, which for some unknown reason was in stock,

the price was $200.00 less than B&H. A similar situation happened when I bought a

200-400 lens which had been ordered by another who backed out of the purchase. All

other equipment I have purchased had to be through mail order.

 

I have a friend who shoots Canon and he has to order all of his equipment mail order.

They carry Canon but high end equipment is always out of stock. Printers are not available

except for the ones that print 4X6 snap shots. Printer paper is in stock on a hit or miss

basis. If a product such as Lexar media has a rebate, it is like pulling teeth for the sales

person to find the correct form. Camera company reps rarely appear at the store.

 

The sales people at the local store NEVER spend time talking about current trends in

photography. I remember going to camera stores with my Dad in Michigan when I was

young and spending time listening to them talk about photography.

 

I guess this is the new plan for marketing. Are camera stores dying across the country?

 

I can't wait to travel North to visit real camera stores.

[lex_jenkins]

In my opinion, local independent camera shops aren't making the necessary adjustments to accomodate the market.

 

For example, some shops either no longer accept used equipment or are very picky about what they'll buy or accept in trade. Others will offer good deals on used equipment via internet sales but won't readily discount used equipment for local buyers. All big mistakes.

 

I'd much rather buy used equipment locally. I like to examine the stuff personally. I'm willing to pay a little more for the benefit of being able to try before buying. I buy used gear via the web only when I can't find something locally.

 

Smart shops could make used sales profitable if they worked at it because there's no fixed margin for used equipment. The buyer doesn't know what the shop paid for an item and if the purchase price is reasonable who cares if the shop is making a profit? So much the better for everyone if the seller was happy making $50 from Uncle Joe's "obsolete" F2 that was gathering dust in a closet, and I'm happy paying $100. Camera shops don't really make that much money from new camera sales so the used market seems like the place to concentrate. But some shops are missing the boat. One Ritz near my mom's place used to carry a good selection of reasonably priced used gear. No longer. I don't have any reason to even walk into that Ritz now, so they've lost the opportunity to sell me a new filter, battery, film or other impulse purchase. Dumb marketing.

[maury_cohen]

I'm sure that the shop owner appreciated your purchase, and he showed integrity by referring you to a competing shop that had what you were seeking.

Yes, it's harder and harder for small, personal shops to compete in todays changing retail environment. For the sentimental of us it's sad to witness. for the techno-geek who is just after the newest and best for less, it's great. For those in-between it's a bit of both, but it is what it is.

There are still some great, family-owned photo businesses that have been creative enough to survive and still know photography. It's good for us to support them when we can.

[leicaglow]

Lex, I think you're right on the mark. The only pro store in my large city adopted digital a long time ago, while the others struggled to figure it out. They not only own most of the market share in my city, but are pretty competitive with NY prices. In fact I buy from them whenever possible, and they always have a good Nikon inventory.

[cappoldt]

Thankfully, I'm 45 miles from B&H, but too have a store called Berger Bros. about a mile from my office. They're well-stocked with full pro lines, studio equipment, reflectors, slide film, etc. They too offer free clinics, sponsor local group shoots, etc. to keep a new line of customers. Their prices are sometimes a few dollars more than B&H, but hey - keeps the train fare or gas money in my pocket.

 

I also have Cameta nearby - they seem to have found an unending supply of "Factory Demo" Nikon equipment that's on eBay constantly (anyone knowwhat that's all about?). . .their competition with the larger, more pro-stocked Berger Bros. likely therefore evens out.

 

Both are adapting, one going to eBay, the other to aggressive marketing.

[brad_w]

Wow, John, my experience with local shops has been nothing like that. The last town I

lived

in with local shop, the employees could smell the size of your wallet when you walked in

the

door. They knew their bread and butter was selling low or mid-range dslr's with kit lenses

to

hobbyist doctors and businessmen with lots of money and very little time to learn a sense

of craft. I never met a salesperson there who could knowledgably answer a question or

knew the practical limits of what they were selling. On one particularly slow day in the

shop (when a salesman actually approached me and my meager smelling wallet) I asked a

question about flash sync speed I was told that it didn't matter since high ISO performance

of the 10D was so good. I smiled politely and left. Haven't been back since. -B

[rick_waldroup3]

Lex, you are right on the money. I am sure we shop at the same place, Arlington Camera. I have been a customer there for well over 20 years, and even it is changing and is not the same shop that it used to be. I still go in at least once a week but it is just different. Now compared to some of our other choices available, in my opinion, they are still the best, but it is not like the days of old. I think the internet and sites like ebay have had a huge impact on local camera shops.

[laurie_m]

I live in St. Petersburg, FL. The last of my local shops recently closed. They had been around as long as I can remember. They offered both new and used equipment. They even tried an internet venture through the auction site. It was a sad day indeed. I liked going in just to browse and always ended up buying something.

 

Now, the closest store is about an hour away (the far side of Tampa), much longer anywhere near rush hour. Several local labs have also closed. Luckily, there are two left that do a nice job.

[ebogaerts]

"Others will offer good deals on used equipment via internet sales but won't readily discount used equipment for local buyers"

 

It seems to me that if they should be hitting up anyone for a large amount of money, it *should* be for the people who like to overpay for stuff on ebay. Not for the people who come through their doors regularly.

 

I would love for someone who works at a camera shop to attempt to explain the logic behind that policy.

[graham_line]

A lot of small- and mid-size shops used to make their overhead selling paper, chemicals and film to local police departments, pro studios, commercial shooters, newspapers, school districts, realtors and so on. Very little of that business exists any more. I don't know that hobbyists ever paid the bills.

[lex_jenkins]

Rick, Arlington Camera was just one of the places I had in mind. They're still a terrific shop and I'm glad they're around. They have a pretty good rental section which is helpful because I can't afford to buy some of the stuff I occasionally need.

 

But their marketing of used gear irritates me. They keep it on open shelves without rear lens caps. The store seems clean but the used gear has all kinds of nasty schmumph in and on it. Last time I looked they had the same beat up, dirty 35/1.4 Nikkor that had been sitting on the shelf for more than a year (probably a lot more than a year). The thing is funky and they want something like $350 for it.

 

OTOH, they have a good stock of new gear and low turnover so the employees know their stuff. The Nikon guy did more in five minutes to help me understand wireless operation of the SB-800 than I got out of hours with the owners manual and digging around the web. And I met Jay, the rental section guy, almost 20 years ago when we were doing live local theatre. So I hope they continue to do well. But I think they could do a little better with smarter marketing of the used gear.

 

Maybe they're already satisfied with their used section, tho'. They occasionally rent the stuff out at movie props or for classes, so maybe they're not in a hurry to sell it.

[lou_buenaflor]

I work in a city with ONE true camera shop. I never seem to shop elsewhere. I know the staff on a first name basis. They also know me, and my preferences, Nikon and 4 x 6 prints with borders. They are they only place that I have my "film" developed, and printed.

 

I prefer this shop over all others because they are "my" shop. Shopping elsewhere to save a few bucks might jeopardize my ablility to stop in and "see what the new lens is" or peruse the "used" offerings.

 

My most recent purchase was a 80-200mm 2.8 2-touch, new, nice price.

[johnw63]

I don't have a local camera shop. I wish I did. My first shop was Del's in Santa Barbara. They were cool for the used gear. They had the Nikon room and the Canon room and the.... They serviced the gear and you could trust their ratings. Santa Barbara is NOT local for me. Over 100 miles at least. But, Del's is gone and has been for a number of years. The closest camera shop was Redlands Camera. I was hoping to go and see ifthey had any used N90s or F3 or F4 bodies, but...they seemed to have closed in May, after about 40 years. Now...I have to go to LA. I don't like going to LA. The traffic sucks. I'd REALLY have to need something to go THAT direction.

[aj_nadershahi]

John,

 

Samy's has a nice new store in Santa Barbara.

 

They cater to, and employ, students from Brooks photography school.

[klix]

Samy's is nice, but I wouldn't call it a local store. They have about 5 or 6 stores spread out all over SoCal (the one in Pasadena is closest to me).

 

Claremont Cameras (in Claremont, CA) used to occupy 2 storefronts, but in the last year or so, has been eeduced to one. Going in there now is like going to a thrift store, with bins of used equipment.

 

KL

[steve_muntz]

I wonder if the switch to digital has hurt in some ways - nobody is bringing in their film anymore for processing, so they're not spending time in the store. If you're already home, it's just easier and probably cheaper to buy from B&H then it is to drive across town in hopes that they have whatever it is you're looking for.

 

We've got two local stores. One sells Nikon and operates like they are the only place to get equipment. Gave them up a few years ago after many second chances. The other doesn't sell Nikon but are a great shop where they know my name, etc. I haven't been buying much equipment lately but I try to help them out when I can.

[ilkka_nissila]

As far as I know, most local camera stores relied on film processing and print orders to get most of their money from and sold cameras on the side. Now their core business is dying as regular folks don't bring in film any more. And the internet has popularized long-distance sales with low prices but little chance to play with equipment or ask for advice.

 

This is just one of the negative side effects of the proliferation of digital.

[j_t3]

If you live in Northern New Jersey you can visit Bergen County Camera in Westwood, NJ. It's been there over 25 years and is still going strong. They are fully stocked Nikon, Canon, Leica, etc, dealers and have a very knowledgeable sales staff. I know for a fact that their staff is not paid on commission and are all salaried so the quick just to make a commission sales don't take place there. They are very relationship oriented and I've shopped there for the entire 25 years.

 

They sell both new and used and are well inventoried on both, they'll either buy your used equipment outright or take it on consignment and sell it for you for a percentage fee.

 

They are very fair and the store is always well staffed with almost a dozen or more people working at any given time including the owner who is readily available at any time and helps customers right along side his employees do. I always deal with Bob or Paul, both are great and will spent time showing you the equipment inside and out. I've never asked a question there that they didn't know the answer to or if they didn't they found out. Also, there have been times they've talked me out of a piece of equipment if it wasn't right for me or was overkill. I've actually called them from shoots to get talked through a problem with my camera use right over the phone. Try that at Circuit City or Best Buy.

 

I recommend the store highly if you are in the northern NJ area and no I don't work there nor have any interest or ownership in the store. Just a long time very satisfied customer.

 

They are one of the last of a dying bread of small town over the top customer service oriented retail stores.

[cooper8168]

I still consider Samy's a local store, even though they have multiple locations. Pasadena is

closest to me as well (how nice is it that AIM is right around the corner!). That Santa Barbara

store is very nice. Samy's pricing policies are a little strange, though.

 

In LA, the definition of "local" store has definitely changed. It's like New York Lite.