Calumet Photographic: gone
- Thread starter mdarnton
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oftheherd
Veteran
Didn't they buy up a bankrupt chain in the Washington, DC area a couple of years ago? I guess that will go too.
In the DC area, Dominion Camera in Falls Church, VA is still open. It seems to me it has gotten a little pricey, but they have to stay in business some way. They still process film, have film from 35mm to 4x5 on hand, and some chemicals and paper. Also lots of used gear.
Hope they stay around a while.
In the DC area, Dominion Camera in Falls Church, VA is still open. It seems to me it has gotten a little pricey, but they have to stay in business some way. They still process film, have film from 35mm to 4x5 on hand, and some chemicals and paper. Also lots of used gear.
Hope they stay around a while.
dof
Fiat Lux
That hasn't been my experience at Gasser's, but I've been going there for so long that some of the staff are rather like distant relatives at this point. Specifically to your point though, I think they're likely weary of people coming in to look at cameras, only to leave and go order them online.
As for Samy's, according to one of their sale's staff, they opened up their SF store partially with the intention of killing off Calumet here. Guess they were successful!
Pioneer
Veteran
Calumet will be missed. Over time it was a great resource though it has dropped away recently.
The internet has certainly disrupted the retail market and I seriously doubt it will ever return to where it was before. It is sad to see the end of something. The nearest photography store for me is well over 200 miles away, and it has been that way now for a long time. The internet has been my only source of supply and I personally am very grateful for Freestyle, BHPhoto and Adorama.
But even on the internet I see things changing. While some of us bemoan the loss of the physical brick and mortar photography store on the street corner Amazon is trying to do to the internet marketplace what WalMart has done to the physical marketplace.
The internet has certainly disrupted the retail market and I seriously doubt it will ever return to where it was before. It is sad to see the end of something. The nearest photography store for me is well over 200 miles away, and it has been that way now for a long time. The internet has been my only source of supply and I personally am very grateful for Freestyle, BHPhoto and Adorama.
But even on the internet I see things changing. While some of us bemoan the loss of the physical brick and mortar photography store on the street corner Amazon is trying to do to the internet marketplace what WalMart has done to the physical marketplace.
furcafe
Veteran
Yeah, they had taken over the old Penn Camera store on E St., which housed the still-profitable, AFAIK, rental operation.
css9450
Veteran
Too bad. With 2-3 Chicago-area locations, it was usually possible to get about anything I needed between the three of them.
I always wondered about their inventory. I recently was looking for a particular camera bag; it was listed as "out of stock" at every one of their locations except one - at Chicago Goose Island. So I drove there, bought it, and drove back home. That night, I checked the website again. It was now listed as "out of stock" at Goose Island. Must've been keeping an awfully small inventory of of late!
I always wondered about their inventory. I recently was looking for a particular camera bag; it was listed as "out of stock" at every one of their locations except one - at Chicago Goose Island. So I drove there, bought it, and drove back home. That night, I checked the website again. It was now listed as "out of stock" at Goose Island. Must've been keeping an awfully small inventory of of late!
NY_Dan
Well-known
35photo
Well-known
http://petapixel.com/2014/03/13/exclusive-calumet-employee-reveals-happening-behind-scenes/
This gives you a good idea to what was going on there..
This gives you a good idea to what was going on there..
filmtwit
Desperate but not serious
Looks like Calumet facebook page just went belly up
iamzip
Ambitious, but rubbish
In Philadelphia there is Chestnut Hill Camera. Last time I was in there he still had film and a small selection of chemicals etc., but it has been a while. There is also New York Camera and Video in Bucks County. The first time I was the was a couple weeks ago. I didn't buy anything but they also had film and darkroom stuff.
rybolt
Well-known
have any of you Chicago guys tried the Dodd Camera on Armitage? I know they are billing it as a Pro store with rentals. Their Cleveland and Cincinnati stores aren't bad and their pricing is competitive. When I retired I rented my old storefront to them for a few years. They were always very straight in dealer to dealer relationships.
Nokton48
Veteran
Yeah Well I've done business with Glenn for thirty + years. Sometimes it can be real difficult. But a great resource, and he is a master at photographic machining. Has done some real interesting projects for me in the past.
Giant Ginkgo
Established
Definitely sad to see them go, it is a shame that they ended up being so poorly managed. When I lived in Chicago, I used to occasionally get stuff from them. Bought my Mamiya 6 from them, used, and got a great deal on the entire system...
Ronald M
Veteran
I have an open order with Calumet for background paper. Now what do I do?
This is what happens when people patronize the web dealers who have less overhead or even worse, the big box stores. Maybe you can get a camera at big box, but what do you do when you lose your lens cap or need a filter? Game over. Your local B&M has it, but they can not stay in business selling filters.
Calumet Oakbrook is/was 10 minutes from my home. The staff from smaller stores migrated to Calumet as the small ones closed.
I am left with La Grange Camera and video which is 30 minutes. They mail order and always have stock on digital. Talk to Heather or Ray.
I think Helix is gone. We are down to Central. It is a far cry from 1965 when every other store in Chicago sold cameras. Tamarkin sells Leica near North area.
This is what happens when people patronize the web dealers who have less overhead or even worse, the big box stores. Maybe you can get a camera at big box, but what do you do when you lose your lens cap or need a filter? Game over. Your local B&M has it, but they can not stay in business selling filters.
Calumet Oakbrook is/was 10 minutes from my home. The staff from smaller stores migrated to Calumet as the small ones closed.
I am left with La Grange Camera and video which is 30 minutes. They mail order and always have stock on digital. Talk to Heather or Ray.
I think Helix is gone. We are down to Central. It is a far cry from 1965 when every other store in Chicago sold cameras. Tamarkin sells Leica near North area.
nikon_sam
Shooter of Film...
I bought all my new 4x5 gear there back in the early 90's and up to ten or more years after...once most of their stuff turned digital there wasn't much for me to buy...yeah, I paid a bit more and had to drive further but they were pretty good back then...last time in one of their stores I struggled to stay for ten minutes due to there wasn't much in there that I was using...they might have had a half aisle dedicated to film or print developing...I hate that they are closing but it seems they just wanted to cater to deep pocket photographers or big companies with more cash than sense...plus the staff wasn't too friendly to the little people...
Calumet stores I've been to...
Hollywood
Santa Ana
San Francisco
Bensenville
Cambridge
Calumet stores I've been to...
Hollywood
Santa Ana
San Francisco
Bensenville
Cambridge
nikon_sam
Shooter of Film...
I guess my Lifetime Warranty is no longer...bummer...gotta treat my gear better...
Darthfeeble
But you can call me Steve
Zauhar, I'm sorry if I sounded a bit critical, I have a sour spot in my heart for the "Cheapening of America" that is so rampant about. Keep buying local and small business, it's our only hope. S
thegman
Veteran
Only ever been in the Soho one in London, although must say they seemed to have very little for sale. Perhaps pros went there to rent digital backs etc. but they didn't seem to have much at all for the simple photographer like me. Except maybe some remarkably priced film, probably over double what AG Photographic sold it for.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Likewise in Britain, France, Germany...
The easiest way to sell something for less is to have fewer people making it or fewer people selling it. Either way, each person you fire = one less person with an income to buy your products.
Cheers,
R.
Jim-st
Well-known
This from Wikipedia:
"In 1980, the company transitioned from being a large format proprietary product vendor to being a full-line photographic product supplier.[4] In 1983, the company left the view camera manufacturing business and outsourced production to the Netherlands.[5] In 1989, they made a notable improvement on Polaroid instant film technology.[6] In 1992, the company leased 85,000 square feet (7,900 m2) of office space in Bensenville, Illinois, and relocated its corporate headquarters.[7] The current headquarters are on West Bliss Street in Chicago.[8]
In the 1990s, the company acquired the United Kingdom photo retail chain Keith, Johnson and Pelling and as recently as early 2009, the company had 20 locations in Europe.[9] In 2007 the retail location in Bensenville was moved next to the Oakbrook Center shopping mall in Oak Brook, Illinois."
Capital concentrates. We should too
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