Willoughby's
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (Consumer electronics, Photography) |
| Founded | 1898 |
| Founder | Charles G. Willoughby |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
| Products | Cameras, computer equipment, office machinery, film processing |
| Owner | Joseph Douek |
| Website | www |
Willoughby's, which advertises itself as the Largest Camera Store in the world,[1] was recognized in 1997 by The New York Times as "the oldest camera retailer in New York City."[2] Established by Charles G. Willoughby in 1898,[3] by 1963 the business was operating under the name Willoughby and Peerless Camera,[4] which had evolved to Willoughby-Peerless by 1992, omitting the word Camera; ownership changes by 2010 resulted in reverting to simply Willoughby's.[5]
Competition
During a period of time, one of its rivals was 47th Street Photo, established in 1967. Visitors with limited English proficiency often mistakenly referred to it as 47th Street Camera,[6][7] and it was located not far away geographically; however, 47th Street Photo ceased operations a year prior to Willoughby's centennial celebration.
Additionally, Willoughby's competed in sectors such as computer equipment and other office machinery, alongside operating a film processing lab.[1]
Ownership
Since its establishment by Mr. Willoughby over a century ago, Willoughby's has remained under private ownership. Throughout its history, the company has operated under various names incorporating terms such as Peerless, Camera, Emporium, Department, and Store, reflecting changes in ownership over time. Key proprietors in recent decades have included:[1]
- Erich Hirschfeld,[4] who acquired the business in 1963 after previously serving as its manager
- Berkey, Inc., which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection[1] in 1988
- Queen Street Camera Inc., a Canadian enterprise that purchased Willoughby's eight years following its own inception
- Jamie Ankari, who held ownership from 1991 to 1997
- Joseph Douek[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Receipts indicated "Largest Camera Department Store." Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).