Calumet Photo Closes

[PhotomanJohn]

I was amazed to hear this morning that Calumet Photo has closed all of its US stores today along with their website. No warning and no reasons given. I'm sure there are lots of pros who planned to pick up rental equipment this morning are not very happy along with many of us who have relied on Calumet over the years. I assume more information will follow on why and how open orders, repairs, rentals that are still out and the rest will be handled.

John

[Mike Buckley]

This really is sad news.

In the Washington D.C. area, Calumet purchased some of the stores of Penn Camera a couple of years ago. (The other stores were closed.) Calumet only recently completed their in-store branding of their Tysons Corner store, which I used on a regular basis. The entire staff was always very informed and helpful. Some of them had been working at that store for decades and I'm sure this event is disrupting to them and their families. It's a shame for everyone involved that Calumet wasn't able to make a go of their brick-and-mortar stores in the U.S.

[JR1]

I was amazed to hear this morning that Calumet Photo has closed all of its US stores today along with their website. No warning and no reasons given. I'm sure there are lots of pros who planned to pick up rental equipment this morning are not very happy along with many of us who have relied on Calumet over the years. I assume more information will follow on why and how open orders, repairs, rentals that are still our and the rest will be handled.

John

Actually I am not surprised they are not the best value place and can never compete with places like LCE, Jessops now they are back and BHP

I have just spoken to UK H.O and they say JUST the USA is affected !!!

[PhotomanJohn]

Mike - You are lucky you got your camera back before this happened. Anyone with equipment there for repair can expect a significant delay in getting it back while waiting the for lawyers, accountants and the judge to decide you can have your own property back. Being involved in a Chapter 7 liquidation is not fun.

John

[Mike Buckley]

John,

Have you actually seen anything indicating that Calumet has made any form of bankruptcy filing? Lacking that, it's very possible and actually likely that Calumet will reach out to all of their customers for whom they are holding their equipment so they can quickly return it to them.

[PhotomanJohn]

Mike,

The Chicago Tribune reported that they filed for Chapter 7.

John

[Mike Buckley]

Uh oh. You are so right that I really am glad that my camera was returned to me. In fact, I ought to celebrate that fact by making a few photos with it.

[rpcrowe]

What a surprise and what a shame. I live within a ten-minute drive of the Escondido, CA Calumet Store and frequently stopped by, either to purchase or just to talk over something. I liked the staff and I feel for them. There were several staff people who had been working for Calumet (and for the previous occupant of the store: North County Camera) for at least twenty years. There are not a great number of photo oriented brick and mortar stores in the area who might hire them. Losing one's job is terrible but, when your experience is in a narrow niche, it can be hard to get reemployed - especially for a middle aged, gray-haired man who needs a certain level of salary to exist!

I really liked most of the Calumet Branded gear. It was generally high quality. In fact, their filters were subcontracted from Schneider. However, I did notice that their prices on other brands were generally higher than Adorama and B&H.

I wonder if the store will have a liquidation sale by the persons responsible for the Chapter 7.

Not that I really NEED anymore gear!

[Mike Buckley]

Interesting interview of a former Calumet rental manager

It's sad for me that employees stayed with the company after it had twice been unable to pay them. I hope all of them at least immediately began implementing a career transition when that happened.

[Mike Buckley]

Calumet's filing for Chapter 7 has apparently been approved by the bankruptcy court. I bought a Nikon SB800 flash in a liquidation sale today that had been a rental unit.

The sales clerk explained that Calumet didn't make their last payroll. She also explained that Calumet failed to pay the group health insurance carrier for three months the money being deducted from employees' pay checks. As a result, she was sent a notice by the carrier that she was no longer covered. That's employee money that was being deducted under false pretenses. Though I'm not an attorney, that seems like fraud and that company officers should go to jail for it.

She explained that the employees handling the liquidation sale are employed by the court-approved liquidation company. At least some of the former Calumet employees that have not yet found new employment have temporary jobs while the liquidation sale lasts.