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Dayton Memories >
camera shop
camera shop
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luv my dayton
268 posts
Apr 01, 2013
6:10 PM
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Anyone out there remember a camera shop located in Town and Country right up the way from Pennys called Jemima Russells? Not sure what all was sold from there but would love to hear from anyone who may be able to add details.
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supersix
119 posts
Apr 02, 2013
8:41 AM
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The one at Eichelberger Shopping Center and later moved to the shopping center on the nw corner of Stroop and Marshall was Photoleo.
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Last Edited by supersix on Apr 02, 2013 8:46 AM
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Perry401
144 posts
Apr 02, 2013
12:31 PM
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Malone Camera Store was in on the Stroop Rd side of Town and Country for many years. I believe they were one of the first stores in Town and Country. Later Photoleo (Started by Larry E O'Neil) was started in what is now the Eichelberger Shopping Center. As indicated in the above post, Photoleo moved to Stroop and Marshall, Malone's stayed in Town and Country at least until the "big" remodeling around 1981-1982. Malone's also had a store downtown on Second Street about a half block East of Main, which closed when the row of buildings were destroyed to make way for the existing office building. They moved to South Dixie just north of Stroop on the West side until a few years ago. The Malone family sold the store at some time to one of their employees of many years who ran it for at least 10 years. With the reduction of film cameras, photographic graphics equipment, etc. the buisness became unprofitable.
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supersix
120 posts
Apr 02, 2013
1:03 PM
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Malone Camera Stores also had stores in Eastown and Westown Shopping Centers at one time. Four stores in all.
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olds88
100 posts
Apr 02, 2013
3:04 PM
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Jemima Russels was a store east of pennys at town and country and was a large store similar to a Hallmark store and a botique very popular.I believe Molone moved from t&c to Shroyer because they had a need for more square footage.
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Perry401
145 posts
Apr 08, 2013
9:41 AM
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Malone's downtown store was a mandatory stop whenever I was downtown. Frome the time I was in the fourth grade or so until they closed and moved to South Dixie, I stopped in -- even if I didn't really need anything.
They were always freindly and very helpful. Camearas and later greating cards were on the first floor. The second floor was the "professional" department that sold dark room chemicals, supplies for making lithographic printing plates, etc.
As a youngster, I started developing my own pictures in the fourth grade. One day, Malone's took in an old enlarger in trade -- and ancient unit build in the 1920's or 1930's. Ken, who was one of the salesmen in the "professional" department (and later who purchased the store from the Malone family) arranged with his boss to give me the enlarger! It still works, although I have not used it in well over 20 years. Ken and the other employees would take the time to explain all the details of how to develop film and make prints. They sold tiny packages of developing supplies -- as little as you needed to develop one roll of film, and packages of print paper with as few as 10 sheets of paper -- again great for a kid on a very limited budget.
What I remember about the store downtown was that there was a huge oval refrigerated drinking fountain in the back of the store (a Frigidaire) which when first turned on would shoot an impressive stream of water onto the floor before calming down to a normal level. In over 20 years, they never could get this issue resolved. They there were these funny little stairs you took up to the second floor. At the mezzanine level was the office of "Old Man" Malone, who could watch the camera business and who came in and out, and who was going upstairs as they walked by his desk to get to the second tiny staircase to go upstairs. They had a well-worn freight elevator and used to take some customers up to the second floor in that, but it later was condemed and could only be used for freight -- not passengers. The second floor actually spread out over the second floors of two buildings, with over twice the space as the first floor store front. It always seemed to be busier than the first too. Commercial photographers would buy their supplies here, as did graphic artists and printers. But it didn't make any difference if you were buying a single tiny package of chemicals for 60 cents or hundreds of dollars in supplies and equipment, everyone was treated equally, nobody was shoved aside, and they would spend as much time with you as you wanted. They also distributed tons of printed materials from Kodak and other vendors for free both upstairs and downstairs. Booklets on how to take "great" home movies, how to develop color film, and just about every other topic related to photography. If they didn't have a booklet or directions, they would get them for you to pick up on your next visit or would mail it to you.
That was they days of service, and I am sure many of today's photographers got started with the professional staff at Malones -- at any of the locations.
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Syxpack
79 posts
Apr 08, 2013
11:38 AM
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Perry, thanks for the story about Malones. I enjoyed it. It brought back memories of the services offered by businesses that we used to take for granted. I remember Malones being downtown. I was never inside. Now I wish I had gone inside, if for no other reason than to see that drinking fountain and funny little stairs.
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blue J
105 posts
Jul 19, 2013
1:50 PM
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donw-
I lived next to the Clarks when I was a kid- by that time I think it was the son of the Mr. Clark you mentioned. And now one of his sons (the grandson of your Mr. Clark) is still in charge of the business. He's a few years older than I am. Coincidentally, after being next-door neighbors in the 1970s and '80s, he was (and may still be) an across-the-street neighbor of my father's, south of Dayton.
I don't mean to hijack the thread...I remember Malone's from when I was a young kid. Some of the pictures of my first few years, that I still have, are in little custom photo books with Malone's contact info on the front- from 35 years ago, I mean.
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