Calumet Photographic: gone

[mdarnton]

Apparently Calumet in the US is dead, their Facebook page is reporting today. Last man standing in Chicago is Central Camera, down the block from me, where I've been going for the 30 years I've been in Chicago. Just last weekend I was thinking I should go check out Calumet, just to say I'd been there. . . .

 

[Rodchenko]

hell fire! I wonder if the UK branches are extant.

 

[mdarnton]

They said they're keeping the UK stuff going.
https://www.facebook.com/calumetphotographic

 

[Rodchenko]

UK website is still taking orders, where the US one has disappeared. A tweet three hours ago says 'Hi there, Calumet UK is business as usual'. Hope that remains the case.

 

[tomnrides]

I just lost a specialty photo paper store! How can I get a textured photo paper without seeing first!

Calmet SF seems to be gone as well.

 

[Frank Petronio]

Not only that but they didn't give their employees any notice at all.

I used to buy all my professional gear from Calumet in the 80s but their customer service got worse over time, their website was lousy, it's amazing they stayed in business as long as they did. Good riddance, they were not a good company once they got sold to the cutthroat Europeans.

 

[filmtwit]

and a good rental house. I won't miss their lab though.

I just lost a specialty photo paper store! How can I get a textured photo paper without seeing first!

Calmet SF seems to be gone as well.

 

[marcr1230]

Wow - back to central camera I guess

http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/545/article/p2p-79610449/

 

[Phil_F_NM]

It appears they just shut their doors. I called all three extensions at our Calumet here in Philly and they aren't answering. Sad times.

Phil Forrest

 

[35photo]

Yep, talked in an employee from the Chicago Goose Island store on Facebook..Said he found out last night at 8:30pm.. its sad. All US Calumet stores are closed starting today.. They were kind a mis managed business rarely had things in stock when you went to the store.. The folks who worked in Chicago were always very nice people to talk with.. Plus there prices were always on the high side..

 

[zauhar]

Phil, is there any other place in Philly to buy paper and chemicals?

They were a little pricey, but I had started buying supplies there, it was nice to be able to walk in and actually see darkroom stuff on the shelf. ;-(

Randy

 

[zauhar]

From petapixel:

"Everything about the situation is grave as grave gets. Court papers show that Calumet is declaring less than $50K in assets and between $1M and $10M in liabilities. And to make the situation even worse, the company seems to have handled the bankruptcy extremely poorly, giving their employees ZERO notice until this very morning."

How could they conceivably have only $50 K in assets. The rental equipment in one store should be more than that!

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Phil, is there any other place in Philly to buy paper and chemicals?

They were a little pricey, but I had started buying supplies there, it was nice to be able to walk in and actually see darkroom stuff on the shelf. ;-(

Randy

Randy,
There is Webb Cam on 12th just south of Vine (across the street from the pay parking lot on 12th st.)
John, Jack and Matt run the place and I hope are doing well. They are the last bastion and I've been shopping with them since my old branch of Jack's Cameras went out of business back in 2009. Philadelphia really needs an independently owned photography supply store and even 10 years ago there were a bunch in addition to the Ritz and Calumet locations.

John doesn't have the biggest selection of chemistry and paper but he can get stuff for you if you need.

It seems like Temple U. and CCP have helped keep them open since I often see college kids in there buying paper and film. I'm going to have to go by next week and buy a few jugs, a liter of HC-110, some fixer and photoflo.

As for Calumet, it's sad because I loved having a source of seamless paper rolls nearby.

Phil Forrest

 

[jordanatkins]

Yep, doesn't surprise me.

I bought some paper from them once, about 6 or 7 years ago. From then on I got their email newsletters, and even their "sale" prices weren't that great. I never bought from them again.

Long live B&H! If they went out of business I don't know what I'd do.

 

[Darthfeeble]

"They were a little Pricey". How else does a small scale neighborhood operation stay alive? If you moan the loss of a local camera shop and complain of the prices and bought elsewhere you are part of the problem.

 

[zauhar]

"They were a little Pricey". How else does a small scale neighborhood operation stay alive? If you moan the loss of a local camera shop and complain of the prices and bought elsewhere you are part of the problem.

As I said, I had started buying supplies there! Both paper and chemicals.

Believe, I am the guy who pays extra to keep things alive. ;-(

Randy

 

[zauhar]

Randy,
There is Webb Cam on 12th just south of Vine (across the street from the pay parking lot on 12th st.)
John, Jack and Matt run the place and I hope are doing well. They are the last bastion and I've been shopping with them since my old branch of Jack's Cameras went out of business back in 2009. Philadelphia really needs an independently owned photography supply store and even 10 years ago there were a bunch in addition to the Ritz and Calumet locations.

John doesn't have the biggest selection of chemistry and paper but he can get stuff for you if you need.

It seems like Temple U. and CCP have helped keep them open since I often see college kids in there buying paper and film. I'm going to have to go by next week and buy a few jugs, a liter of HC-110, some fixer and photoflo.

As for Calumet, it's sad because I loved having a source of seamless paper rolls nearby.

Phil Forrest

Phil, thanks! I have never been to Webb Cam, I will check them out soon.

Randy

 

[dcsang]

Yep, doesn't surprise me.

I bought some paper from them once, about 6 or 7 years ago. From then on I got their email newsletters, and even their "sale" prices weren't that great. I never bought from them again.

Long live B&H! If they went out of business I don't know what I'd do.

"A rising tide lifts all boats"

While they may have been pricey (or more expensive than others) the disappearance of each one of the "national" (or even local) players in this game does not bode well for those that are remaining.

Maybe it's how old I am or maybe it's because I've spoken to the guys at my local shop too often, but I really think we're witnessing the slow death of the retail (bricks & mortar) camera store.

The ones that are left behind MUST re-invent themselves lest they also go the way of the do-do.

Vistek here in Toronto (with locations in Calgary (2), Ottawa, Mississauga and Edmonton) recently laid off 20 employees from their head office store. Talking with the guys at my local, they tell me that business is brutal - margins are too tight - manufacturers are not supplying incentives any longer and people, in general, are not buying as often as they used to.

We may have reached a plateau. . . .

Dave

 

[Frank Petronio]

"They were a little Pricey". How else does a small scale neighborhood operation stay alive? If you moan the loss of a local camera shop and complain of the prices and bought elsewhere you are part of the problem.

They were an international business with storefronts throughout major cities in North America and Europe.... they rebranded many products, had a large rental business... hardly a Mom and Pop neighborhood camera store.

I don't have the entire history but I think the Chicago-based founders sold out to Euros about twenty years ago, then they expanded operations to satellites around the world. The "old" Calumet was a well run, professionally-orientated company back when B&H was a pain in the butt to deal with. Funny how things have changed, now B&H is great to buy from.

If you want to help a small business that promotes film, then Freestyle is probably the best place to put your dollars.

 

[t.s.k.]

I remember a time when they had multiple walk-in refrigerators stacked with film.
Sorry to say I've only bought batteries and a few rolls of film from them the past few years...certainly not enough to sustain the brick and mortar business model.
Pro photo was their bread and butter, but that too is a shadow of its former self.
Jeez, too bad. Times they are a changing.