Re: B&H puts another local camera store out of business (with my help, unfortunately)

On Sat, 26 May 2007 10:26:33 -0400, "Matt Clara" <hey.wood.y@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
wrote:

>Yes, Castle Photo of Lansing, in business for over 25 years, is closing
its 
>doors.  I did buy all my darkroom chemistry from them, but B&H and all
the 
>rest (meaning Adorama and a couple others) can't be beat for most items, 
>including paper, even though it commands a premium in ****pping 'cause
it's 
>quite heavy.  Castle Photo was a great resource, though (if you talked to

>the right individuals), and I will miss them.
>
>The one good thing to come out of this is great sale prices as they seek
to 
>dump their inventory.  I picked up a bunch of stuff there yesterday for 
>40-50% off, including this ballhead for my medium and large format 
>equipment:
>http://www.bhphotovideo.com/sitem/sku=272989&is=REG
(cost me $75--they 
>normally charged $125 for it).  Also, a couple filters, some photo paper,

>two fidelity 4x5 holders, a strobo frame reflective light modifier, and a

>couple other odds and ends.  Paid $250 for what would have cost me $450
(at 
>their prices, anyway).
>Yes, yes, I know--I'm part of the problem.

The real culprit in the demise of the local photo store is Ritz in its
various guises. In south Florida, where there millions of people,
there are about 4 real photo stores and all are more than 25 miles
away (far north or south), if you exclude the Ritz/Wolf ones.