Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/09/02

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Subject: [Leica] Let's Hold the Future at Bay a Tad Longer
From: bdcolen at earthlink.net (B. D. Colen)
Date: Thu Sep 2 11:50:05 2004

It's pretty much always been that way - at least since the 60s. Even
then, if you wanted a really good assortment of used equipment, or
decent discounts, you went to NYC to Willoughby's (sp) or Peerless ...
And then came 47th St. Photo, which was replaced by B&H. D.C. was always
a full-retail kind of place, and, in terms of interesting places with
used equipment, kind of a small town - but then it was, and to some
degree still is a small town.

As to Boston...it's more artsy/academic than D. C. ..

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
Scott McLoughlin
Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2004 2:36 PM
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: Re: [Leica] Let's Hold the Future at Bay a Tad Longer


As the nation's capital and news center, I imagine that
Wash, DC must have one of the denser populations
of photographers in the country. And the economic
demographic of the surrounding burbs is reasonably
impressive.

So why is the retail situation so bleak? And in particular,
why is Leica so poorly represented?  I can understand
NYC, but it sounds like the Boston area is kicking DC's
butt in this regard as well.

It's kinda weird to me. Then again, it's a weird city :-)

Scott

Ken Firestone wrote:

>On Thu, 2 Sep 2004 13:39:49 -0400, B. D. Colen <bdcolen@earthlink.net> 
>wrote:
>  
>
>>The two spots I remember from D.C. - and I'm talking '66-'80 - were a 
>>camera store (can't remember the name, but I do remember that they got

>>a fair amount of my pretty limited income)with both new and used 
>>equipment on the south side of Pennsylvania Ave NW between 17th and 
>>18th Sts NW - and, I believe in that same block, same side, on the 
>>second or third floor, Images, a black and white custom lab started by

>>the guy who was LBJ's WH photographer.
>>    
>>
>
>BD,
>The two shops were probably Potomac Photo, and National Camera Repair. 
>National Camera Repair started out in a little hole in the wall on the 
>north side of Penn. Ave, and grew over time, eventually moving across 
>the street. Charlie Scheer,  the owner, fixed most of the cameras for 
>Washington Photojournalists at one time or another.
>
>Potomac Photo had the distinction of handling the photofinishing for 
>Jackie Kennedy when she lived down the street.
>
>LBJ's photographer, Yochi Okamoto, opened a photo lab as BD mentioned 
>after he retired from the government. Before his White House stint he 
>worked for USIA.
>
>Other camera stores, all long gone from DC included several around 7th 
>and Penn, NW, several along 14th st and Bakers in what is now called 
>Tenleytown.
>
>  
>

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In reply to: Message from scott at adrenaline.com (Scott McLoughlin) ([Leica] Let's Hold the Future at Bay a Tad Longer)