Berry’s Camera Shop closed on December 15th of 2012. They have been a part of the Lafayette community for 64 years.

Berry’s Camera Shop, located on 328 Ferry Street, has been a part of Lafayette for sixty four years. On December 15th, they went out of business and officially closed. They had been greatly involved with the photography program at our school, handling everything from equipment, camera repairs, and student discounts. Now that Berry’s Camera Shop has closed, the photography department is left with some uncertainty.

“It’s [the closing of Berry’s] very scary,” Mrs. Yoder, the photography teacher said.  “Now we don’t have the convenience of having a local store.”  Berry’s was the only local camera store in Greater Lafayette. Now the closest camera shop is Robert’s in Indianapolis.

At the beginning of every school year, students would buy their materials such as film and paper at Berry’s.

“I don’t know where we’re going to get the materials now,” said Tori Hamilton ’14.  Now, most of the supplies will be handled online.  Yet if a student loses or messes up something, there will be no supplies on hand and repairing will be harder to be done without the quick and easy aid of a local camera store.

The photo department relied on Berry’s close to every day.  In fact, the impact of the shop closing was so big that it even made the school consider stopping the photography program.  Yet they still have every intention of maintaining the class and continuing the classic dark room photography.

Cailey Daluga ’13 said that it’s sad to see Berry’s close down especially since there are not that many camera shops left that carry the chemicals and materials needed to help encourage the continuation of traditional dark room photography.  Without stores like Berry’s, the interest in traditional photography will fade away.

“I’m glad I took this class,” she said.  “I think it’s [dark room photography] something everyone should know how to do.”

Cassie Howard ’14 also said how it’s sad to see a local business not be able to continue now that people rely more towards ordering online and digital photography.

Mrs. Yoder said, “it’s so important to support the local people, or we’ll have nothing.”