Altman Camera

[Craig Roberts]

Does anyone remember Altman Camera in Chicago. I dealt with them many times in the early 1970's.

[David Lindquist]

Does anyone remember Altman Camera in Chicago. I dealt with them many times in the early 1970's.

I remember them. I bought a new Deardorff from them in 1969 shortly after I got out of the army. I remember their ads eventually disappeared from Pop and Modern Photography but just when I could only make a wild guess.
David

[Fotch]

I use to visit them in the late fifties. I was a young lad and I don't think they took me seriously, it was more like a jewelry store than Central Camera or even General camera. I also remember a camera store near Maxwell Street, cannot remember the name. I still buy via Mail Order from Central Camera once in a while.

[falth j]

I remember Altman Camera, Shutan Camera, Central Camera, Standard Camera, and about six other used or new camera stores within about a mile of each other in the downtown Chicago area curing early 1970's.
The store I remember had escalators to all three camera floors.

Of particular remembrance was an old musty smelling store about 6 blocks north of Altman/Shutan, run by an old couple with about six cats.

They had tables and tables of cameras, lenses and camera paraphernalia, many, many wooden types, including about everything and every kind of used Deardorff and other older makes of cameras you could imagine..


Old glass show cases, full of stuff I could never fathom.


Never mind, that many of the glass showcases had sleeping cats inside, and would often snarl and meow loudly if you happened to bump the showcase, scaring the unsuspecting, hell out you.

Being elderly, they we’re particularly cheerful to explain to a young unknowing thirty-some… the use of all their accumulations, unless, of course you were inclined for them to wrap it to be hauled away.

Does anyone remember the name of this store or the old couple that ran it?

[John Jarosz]

Don't know the name, but I believe it was on Dearborn street near Delaware. Out-of-the-way spot for photo stuff back then.

For me, Darkroom Aids was the mecca in Chicago. I had my first exhibition there in the upstairs gallery.

john

[Leonard Evens]

I remember Altman Camera well. I bought a Rolleiflex there in the middle 60s and other equipment later. I had to be in the loop fairly often and I used to visit Altman's just to browse.

The rumor I heard was that the owner closed the store rather than having to deal with collective bargaining attempts by his employees.

After they closed I just switched my browsing to Central Camera further down on Wabash. Central Camera is still there. I bought something there relatively recently.

[Don Dudenbostel]

Altman's was billed as the largest camera store in the world and I can believe it. As mentioned it had escalators to three floors of gear. It was like a Macy's of just photo gear. I seem to remember that the first floor was all still equipment, the second was darkroom and the third motion picture and lighting.

I bought many items from them.

I remember they closed because Mr Altman was getting older and the union was trying to organize the employs. Mr Altman decided to shut the store down rather than deal with them.

Here's a link to the union dispute http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/511/319/398559/

I also found an article that Mr Altman passed away at age 84 in 2002.

[David Karp]

I loved that place. My first enlarged came from there, a Meopta. I saved a long time for it. For me, that place was like Disneyland. Used to go there with my dad. He told me the same story about the union when he explained why they closed.

I used that enlarger until I was 40!

[Don Dudenbostel]

Just a couple of doors down Wabash is Central Camera. After going in Altmans I went down the street to Central and almost laughed at how small it was. Helix was another institution in Chicago and both Helix an Central are still in business.

One of the most amazing places I've been in besides Altmans was Lens and Repro in NYC in the 80's. Ken Hanson had a great place too. I've never been in B&H bug imagine its amazing. The thing about Lens & Repro and Ken Hanson was the atmosphere. Especially L&R was like a three floor barn full of mostly used and classic LF gear. L&R is still there but talking to them a couple of years ago I think they cleaned up the place a d ditched a lot of old less popular stuff.

[Keith Fleming]

The Lens & Repro web site says the company has closed. Some of the employees went over to Calumet.

Keith

[chris_4622]

Helix is also closed.

[Bill Koechling]

This takes me back, alright. It was a special place for this then-young photographer in the early '70's. It was heartbreaking when they very suddenly closed. Calumet became my go-to provider after that but I miss Altmans. I got my D2V enlarger there and a Canon VI-T rangefinder in their used cameras section. I've still got the camera and my son has the enlarger.

Thanks for the memories...

[goamules]

Altman's was billed as the largest camera store in the world and I can believe it. As mentioned it had escalators to three floors of gear. It was like a Macy's of just photo gear. I seem to remember that the first floor was all still equipment, the second was darkroom and the third motion picture and lighting.

I bought many items from them.

I remember they closed because Mr Altman was getting older and the union was trying to organize the employs. Mr Altman decided to shut the store down rather than deal with them.

Here's a link to the union dispute http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/511/319/398559/

I also found an article that Mr Altman passed away at age 84 in 2002.

The way this played out back then reminds me of how the Hostess company just had to do the same. Union advocates paint a rosey picture of how they can blackmail a company into getting higher pay, more benefits, whatever....and the company, already stretched thin, has to close.

[Michael Alpert]

The way this played out back then reminds me of how the Hostess company just had to do the same. Union advocates paint a rosey picture of how they can blackmail a company into getting higher pay, more benefits, whatever....and the company, already stretched thin, has to close.

Let's be accurate here. In the case of Hostess, it was LOWER wages and the loss of basic benefits that led to the fatal strike. I have no idea about Altman Camera, but I am sure there are several sides to the story of its "troubles" with employees.

[John Koehrer]

Let's be accurate here. In the case of Hostess, it was LOWER wages and the loss of basic benefits that led to the fatal strike. I have no idea about Altman Camera, but I am sure there are several sides to the story of its "troubles" with employees.

If I remember correctly. The "troubles" were that the employees voted for a union and Ralph Altman said(to himself) "not in my lifetime".
Easy to do when you don't have stockholders.

BTW Hostess wanted to further reduce wages & benefits, which had already been lowered.

[David Karp]

Interesting read about Hostess. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hiltzik-20121125,0,966735.column

[r_a_feldman]

Helix is also closed.

They moved from north of the river to west of the Loop a number of years ago. I haven't go over to check their store recently, but their Web site is still open. http://www.helixcamera.com/.

[John Koehrer]

^Don't be surprised if the lights are out.
They've been having clearance sales for a while. Rental is closed, Color Service closed. I'd guess you missed some very good deals.