Dear Photographer,
It is no secret that local business is suffering in the digitized times, with camera stores being some of the worst to feel this pinch. In our region, we are one of the only camera stores for miles in each direction. Many of our customers drive upwards of 2 hours just to come into our store to shop with us, which says a lot about the state of the photo retail world, and how far great customer service reaches.
Canadian photography retailer Blacks is pulling out of the brick-and-mortar store business. The company announced today that it will be closing all of its 59 stores in Canada on August 8th, 2015, citing an inability to make them profitable in the digital age.
New photographers today can buy their first camera, take lessons on how to use it, research photography destinations, order prints and books of their work, and start selling it without ever setting foot in a brick-and-mortar camera store or printing business. It's hard to imagine how any photo store with an actual sales floor can still survive.