Approximately a year, or so, ago one of the last independent camera stores here in Baltimore, Cooper's Camera Mart, a 2-store operation, was purchased by Penn Camera..
Penn Camera is a large chain camera store with its headquarters in Beltsville, MD..They have 10 stores, 5 in Maryland, 3 in Virginia, and 2 in Washington, DC..Penn closed both of the Cooper's locations in the Baltimore area, choosing to open new store in an upscale mall / strip store location..
Cooper's was the only shop in Baltimore that sold Pentax dSLR's when I purchased my K10D in March 2006..I know that Pentax accounted for only a small percentage of Cooper's sales compared to Cannon and Nikon..Now that Cooper's is gone and merged into the new Penn Camera store, even that small Pentax presence in Baltimore has diminished..
What I find interesting is that regardless of Pentax's success with both the K10D and the K20D cameras, Penn has elected NOT to feature any Pentax products in either their Christmas newspaper adds, or the Christmas flier that they mailed out just several days ago..
I spoke to a salesman on the phone to confirm that they are still Pentax dealers..When I asked if they still sold and serviced Pentax cameras there was a noticeable drop in enthusiasm in his voice for the remainder of the conversation..They only carry the dSLR's, not the P&S's..
I am sure that this comes as no surprise to other Pentax owners..Penn Camera carries two Pentax products, the K20D and the K200D dSLR's..Compared to hundreds of Canon and Nikon products..If Penn Camera were to drop Pentax that would leave only Wal Mart as Pentax dealers in the Baltimore Metro area..This according to Pentax Imaging's Dealer Locator List..
Pentax needs a real advertising campaign along with cameras, lenses, and accessories that can compete head-to-head with Canon and Nikon if they have any hopes of surviving the next 5 years..
Just my opinion..
Bruce
Last edited by baltochef920; 12-19-2008 at 03:35 PM.