Don blogs about how digital is bringing about the demise of the family camera store, but after working here for 3 years in 1986-89, I saw it coming a long way aways. Wilson Camera had seven stores Valley-wide when I worked from them, now they're done to three small ones in Scottsdale/Mesa. Once Best Buy and Circuit City entered the local scene, the days of the local camera store were numbered. People would regular shop us for answers, resist our every closing attempt, then drive a block and buy the camera they were looking at for $50 less.

Digital certainly is changing the business model of the retail camera store, as photo-finishing is no longer the cash cow it once was. But with every change comes opportunities, and small businesses, due to their ability to adapt and their knowledge of the local market, are still the ones most likely to exploit that change to their advantage.

This entry was posted by Kevin Creighton, on 8.07.2005. You can leave your response.