Lindstrom camera repair shop is a snapshot of the past
Northwest Camera Repair: A local photography fixture
A downtown Minneapolis camera shop is the last bastion of a dying breed in Minnesota. FOX 9's Maury Glover has the full story.
LINDSTROM, Minn. (FOX 9) - The owner of Northwest Camera Repair says his shop is like no other in Minnesota.
'I've been doing it a long time'
Local perspective:
On the second floor of his shop in Lindstrom, Minnesota, Gus Gulbranson practices the vanishing art of camera repair.
"I enjoy the puzzle of figuring out why this isn't working," said Gulbranson.
He believes his shop is one of a kind.
"Well, in Minnesota, to my knowledge, I'm the only camera repair shop with a retail location," said Gulbranson.
The last bastion of a dying breed.
"If you do a search for us on the internet, you're not gonna find anybody else," said Gulbranson.
‘There is nowhere that's training it'
The backstory:
Gulbranson's father was a watchmaker in the same building who had him repairing timexes when he was 12-years-old.
A love of photography in college eventually led to a job at Northwest Camera Repair in downtown Minneapolis, which actually opened in 1935.
"I went on my honeymoon, came back, and on April 1st of 1985, I started camera repair. And my saying goes, it's been a joke ever since," said Gulbranson.
Gulbranson bought the business with two other technicians in the mid-90's and moved it to several locations, before landing in Chisago County more than a decade ago.
When he started, Gulbranson says there were more than a dozen camera repair shops in the Twin Cities alone, but he says all of them have shuttered their doors as time has gone on.
"The biggest thing is most of the people are just retiring and no new people are coming into the industry because there's nowhere that teaches it," said Gulbranson.
In its heyday, Gulbranson says Northwest Camera Repair would fix a thousand cameras a week, but these days, he does about 80 cameras a month.
He says with the introduction of digital photography and the pervasiveness of cell phones, services like his aren't as necessary as they used to be.
"It's a good feeling because it's kind of job security. My customers tell me all the time, 'you can't retire,'" said Gulbranson.
‘It’s fun'
What they're saying:
From movie cameras to point and shoots, Gulbranson delves into the inner workings of cameras big and small.
He says most of his customers are professional photographers and serious amateurs, who enjoy face-to-face interactions with a human being.
"My wife gets on my case all the time, 'You talk too long. I enjoy talking about photography. And I also enjoy the fact that I am helping somebody in their photography. A lot of times, I'm able to give them little tips and hints on how to better use their equipment. To help them be a better photographer," said Gulbranson.
After 40 years, Gulbranson says he wants to pursue his passion until he's 70 in another seven years.
While the future of his profession is uncertain, Gulbranson says his past has been picture perfect.
"I don't know where this industry is gonna be in 10 years from now. Is it still gonna be demanding me to be here? And for the past 40 years it has been,"