Provident Camera to Close: local business owners take heed

The most recent victim of the economic downturn and (more so) the tendency of consumers to shop online is downtown Cincinnati's own Provident Camera. Open for over 80 years, the end of a place like Provident is a reminder of the negative side effects that tag along with the good things technology has brought us. Some of my thoughts follow the official message from Provident's owners...

Dear Friends,

It is with sadness that we inform you that on Saturday, April 4, 2009, the Provident Camera Shop at 18W. 7th Street in downtown Cincinnati will be officially closing. We have had a remarkable 80 years in providing photographic services to the greater Cincinnati community. During that time our family has seen many changes in our country. These have included moving people out from a central core to the suburbs. Through advances in technology, many people do not have to leave home to work or shop. There has also been an extended effort to increase retail establishments available to the consumer and move these facilities closer to the suburbs. All of these advancements have caused changes in the way the consumer purchases products. We have tried to overcome some of these issues but taking into account all of these and adding the current economic downturn we have made the decision to close the store.

We want to thank you for your patronage over the years and for becoming much more than customers. Nathan Berkowitz (deceased) the founder of Provident Camera, Barry, Mendy, Rick, Ben and Cindy Lefton, Jim Fausz, Bill Pitzer (deceased), Rob Zeck, Rob Barth, Bob Smith, Andrew Ward, Bess Block, Esther Schatz, and Bobbi Sparto are some of the employees who have contributed to our success and helped to shape our history. We appreciate their efforts in putting our customers first and wish them success in the future. We have made numerous friends over the years, helped to launch many photography careers and helped people take millions of photographs to document special events and individual family histories.

We will be open during regular hours for our official closing on Saturday, April 4, 2009, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. If you have the time, please stop in and say goodbye. Jim Fausz will be in and who knows who else might stop by. Let’s make this last day, one full of positive memories and good wishes. We hope that you will stop in if you are in the neighborhood.

We will have a one day Going-Out of Business Sale on Tuesday, April 7, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Stock will be limited to what is on hand and all sales will be final. You may want to browse the stock on Saturday before our final sale on Tuesday.

Sincerely,
Rick and Benjamin Lefton

P.S. Jim Fausz will continue to e mail his P.I.C. newsletter keeping you updated about photographic events in our community. If you wish to be removed from the list, please notify him at jvfausz@fuse.net

While it is certainly a shame, one has to wonder if this closing and others like it weren't simply inevitable. Consider major player Ritz Camera shuttering 300 stores and Columbus-based Cord Camera pulling out of the Cleveland area.

Should I have bought more of my gear at Provident? Sure - but, would it have made a difference? There has to be a compelling reason to get a mass audience shopping locally instead of online and only a mass audience can save this kind of local business. (Shipping, by the way, is a non-issue. Often for free, Calumet Photo ships same-day before 5PM and UPS Ground gets from Chicago to my doorstep the following afternoon.)

Whether it's one or several dozen people making a concerted effort to shop a these local stores it doesn't add up to enough to keep the lights on. Sort of like driving a Hybrid - it's a nice idea, but you aren't going to put a dent into emissions until the rest of the US and, oh yeah, the 2.4 billion people in China and India do the same.

Don't get me wrong - I wish Provident Camera did not have to close. But, unfortunately "being local" isn't a good enough value proposition when it comes to (mostly Japanese!) camera gear. While I make an effort to get the unique flavors created by local chefs and avoid the major chains, that same concept just doesn't translate well into the camera world. Does it make sense to pay more for the exact same product?

You can't entirely discount the atmosphere offered by the local camera store; a place where you can spend hours looking through the variety of old and new on the shelves and talk shop with the staff... at least, that's the theory. My personal experience, both with camera shops and musical instrument stores alike, is that you're not really welcome until you can prove that you're of a certain level of accumen. I've always felt a bit uninvited in these specialty stores... and I suspect I'm not alone in feeling this way. For like-minded social chat I'd stick to camera clubs.

Ever since the Internet hit the mainstream the ice has been getting thinner and thinner for local camera retailers like Provident. While it is a shame to see them close, hopefully this can serve as a message to other local businesses: In order to remain viable, a business large or small needs a sustainable competitive advantage.

The advent of online shopping took away Provident's market and they were faced with a decision to either transform or eventually close up shop. While Provident ultimately succumbed to the latter, other small businesses should take a look around and see what they can do to ensure they remain relevant in the modern marketplace. Being local matters less and less each day. What is the true value you offer your customers? How do you differentiate yourself from the big boys online? Is that consistent with the message you send?

A focus on these fundamental questions can mean the difference between a local business that thrives and one that dies.