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01-10-2012, 09:29 AM   #1
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Another One Bites the Dust: Penn Camera

Penn Camera is filing for bankruptcy.

They they stopped carrying Pentax a while back (maybe that's why they failed?) I gave them some of my accessory business anyway. I really mourn the disappearance of brick & mortar camera (and fishing tackle) shops.

01-10-2012, 10:30 AM   #2
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We're lucky to have one such shop still in San Antonio.... but there are times I wonder if it's going to go down eventually.
02-14-2012, 11:19 AM   #3
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Wow... hadn't heard about this. I got my first Pentax camera (film) from the Penn Camera in Rockville. As was stated, other than used lenses & bodies, they really didn't have a Pentax presence but they were still good for other things (particularly 35mm photo development.)

Checking their website it appears that as of yesterday (2-13-12) the three remaining locations were bought by Calumet Photographic (though it looks like they might be carrying on the "Penn" name for the retail stores.) So I guess they'll be around a bit longer. Though it looks like they no longer have their used gear listed on the website (which now seems to redirect to calumet's site.)
02-14-2012, 03:38 PM   #4
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It's a story heard all over. There are fewer and fewer camera stores so people buy equipment from places like Target, Costco and Best Buy and in those places the choices for a dSLR are Canon, Nikon or Sony. In Colorado, home of Pentax USA, there are no stores that carry any Pentax products. I know I can buy things online but I won't spend that much on something I cannot hold before I but and I refuse to be a leech who buys and returns over and over. If Pentax is going to grow its market share there needs to be a retail presence, just existing online is not good enough.

02-14-2012, 04:36 PM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by dadipentak Quote
I really mourn the disappearance of brick & mortar camera (and fishing tackle) shops.
Also real bakeries.

I hope Calumet can keep some of retail shops open--I've done on-line business with them and have no complaints. Maybe they can make a go of it in DC but I suspect Baltimore is a lost cause.
02-15-2012, 05:07 AM   #6
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The guys at the Vienna/Tyson's Corner "Penn Camera" say they are looking forward to Calumet and expect them to focus on upper-end gear... and leave the consumer-end cameras and gear to Walmart and the other big-box stores.

Mike
02-16-2012, 07:28 PM   #7
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That's good to know Mike. I wonder if they might carry Pentax again...

It's not super close to me, but I have gone out to Ace Photo in Ashburn and purchased some Pentax lenses. I've always had a good experience and they seem really committed to carrying Pentax (which is why I try to support them.) It would be nice to see Penn carry Pentax again as I am by their Rockville, MD location pretty often.

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