Talking business with a mom & pop camera store in Tokyo...

[jarski]

So many little labs have gone this way over the past 10 years, and always the same kind of feeling inside the shop: older photo processing equipment sitting there turned off for the past several years, older gentleman and possibly his wife behind the curtain in the back room, or upstairs in the their residence, a little case with some of his old pro gear, and a fading attempt to sell a now obsolete digital camera, maybe a Fujifilm cosmetics display with some face cream etc...
...

Sounds gloomy. Here's another angle: most likely their kids have flown away from the nest long ago and support themselves. Mom&pop are gradually downsizing business and are already thinking more about the retirement, than trying to adapt to changing world and burn their savings in a process. I don't see anything wrong in this picture.

 

[WJJ3]

It was never about the price... one part is about community and working with an individual who truly loves photography. We chat about recent photo trips or shoot the breeze about equipment... they do a good job with in-house enlargements and more than once helped me out when I did something stupid. They down sized about ten years ago but every time I am in the shop there is one or two other customers.

They have my business as long as they don't shutter the place.

Casey

Sounds like a cool shop, hope they can keep it going

 

[Contarama]

It happened here where I am a few years back and the big shop move to cheaper square space. Their really good machine was pulled long long ago replaced by noritsu grade. This sort of report out of Japan doesn't sound good to me.

Yep process your own if it is film

 

[Ste_S]

I complain about my home city (a lot), but it's stuff like this that makes me grateful I've got two excellent labs, a so so 1hr lab and a community darkroom within 5 miles of my house