Dominion Camera Closing in Falls Church after 56 Years

Sad news in the photography world – for the City of Falls Church as well as the entire D.C. Metro region – Dominion Camera at 112 West Broad Street will be shuttering their doors in September, after 56 years in business. News of the closing was announced on the store’s Instagram account Monday, July 1, ushering flocks of area photogs to the old-time camera shop for browsing, purchases and reminiscences.

The Falls Church Independent interviewed Gary Henry, co-owner of the store about the closing and what he and co-owner Mohsen Jalali plan between now and September’s closing. Henry was busy helping numerous customers as I peppered him with questions.

Background

In 1944, Clarendon Photo Studio and Camera was launched at 2925 Wilson Blvd. in Arlington, Virginia. The store was purchased by Tony Socarras and renamed Dominion Camera in 1969. In 1971, Dominion Camera moved to its current location in the heart of the City of Falls Church, replacing Porter Photography and Studio in the same location. 

Socarras retired at 85, in 2014, and Mohsen Jalali and Gary Henry purchased Dominion Camera, combining it with “12,0000 square-foot mega store Ace Photo, located in Ashburn, Virginia, making it the largest, oldest and best camera store team in the Washington, D.C. metro area,” according to Dominion Camera’s website. “The two stores today sell cameras and accessories for all segments of the photography and the video business, for the professional and amateur.”

“Keeping with their roots, both stores focus on the old-time values of customer service and support by providing their clients the feel of an old-time camera store. In an era where online sales are becoming more prevalent, the staff of Dominion Camera and Ace Photo remain committed to providing the individualized service their customers deserve.”

“Dominion Camera and Ace Photo still have a complete film and processing lab onsite that can develop film, scan and print photographs and banners up to 64” wide and can print on metal, wood and other products.”

Interview with Gary Henry, co-owner of Dominion Camera

This interview is edited for length and clarity. 

FCI: I noticed that many of your customers are sad today about the news. How do you feel about making the announcement?

GH: I’m really sad too. The store is doing really well. Sales are up. But Mo [Mohsen Jalali] doesn’t want to have a second store anymore. So, I can’t buy him out and my wife said she’d divorce me and my financial advisor said, “No way.” So, I’m kind of at a point when I just have to close the store. 

FCI: Where’s the second store?

GH: In Ashburn. It’s called Ace Photo. And actually, they’re not affected by this at all. And I’m not part of that store. 

FCI: So, I assumed it was about the economics of this kind of store that has a kind of retro-aspect, with film, etc., and I just thought you were suffering from the Amazon Effect?

GH: Well, to some degree it is. But, our lab business is really through-the-roof. Our camera and supply business is also doing very well. But, the camera manufacturers are making it difficult for small retailers to continue. It’s because of Covid, actually – they realize they can sell stuff on their website and not pay us a cut. So, that’s changing the dynamics of the store. But, I still believe, and I always have believed, that services are going to be the [key to] success more than the product. So, this store has been focused on services and that’s really the important part. For me, I worked for big large companies as their service manager, so I certainly understand the value of customer service in general. So, this store has been focused very deeply on that. So, it was a hard shock to me. It’s tough.

FCI: It seems like there’s a real community here.

GH: There is. We have a lot of that. Ashburn has a lot of that too. But, again, I think our focus is on customer service. Helping customers to find solutions in photography. 

FCI: Have you guys done a lot extracurricular activities, photo clubs, outings?

GH: We used to have a training facility upstairs and used to do fairly well in training. The challenge we had was filling up the classes. We had to abandon that –

FCI: Have you had clubs and contests?

GH: I’ve been part of the community. I’ve given prizes in different community events and participated in that. On behalf of the store, I’ve done community events and donated gifts and prizes to different things. [I’ve been] active with the high school, Meridian High School, helping them out when I can with their photography. The photo teacher over there, Sarah, I talk with her and help her out with her photography needs. 

FCI: If you could put out a message to Falls Church, what would you say?

GH: Well, we thank you for the business. It’s been a fantastic run. They welcomed us when we bought the store from Tony ten years ago. We hope we’ve made a difference with the photography. We want to continue doing everything we can to help the community, photographers, and Falls Church in general, because it’s been such a good community.

FCI: Sounded like those previous customers were coming from out of town.

GH: We get a lot of people from out of town. A lot of people are coming here because of our reviews and things like that. People come to D.C. and drive to us when they need something. They come for a wedding or they come for Fourth of July. We expect to be pretty busy. People are coming for the Fourth of July fireworks and the events. Rolling Thunder has given us tremendous business. It’s mostly by word-of-mouth. People search for “camera store near me” and Dominion Camera will be at the top of the list. I’m an IT guy by training, so I’ve done a lot of stuff to make sure we’re well known. 

FCI: So what are the plans from now to September?

GH: Well, everything in the store will be on sale, though the camera gear will not. As we get more mature, though, I’ll be offering some discounts for cash sales instead of credit card [purchases]. But, right now, as I get time to put the signs up, pretty much everything’s going to go. We’re trying to move as much merchandise out of the store as possible because [we'll have to move what remains] to Ashburn. The camera gear and all the new stuff will go to Ashburn naturally. It’s all the other stuff on the other side of the counter which I want to try to sell. There will be discounts on camera gear, but we’re not sure how much. It’s still evolving.

FCI: Do you get a lot of people coming here to buy film and get it developed?

GH: We buy film and get it developed. We have a lab on the premises. We’re the only store in the D.C. Metro area that has a lab on the premises. Well, technically, DC Camera, if you go to their D.C. location, they have a lab there, but that’s the only location. 

FCI: But you’re the only one with a lab on the premises in Northern Virginia?

GH: We are the largest lab located in Norther Virginia. Our sister store, Ace Photo in Ashburn, does have a lab on premise too, but it's much smaller.

FCI: What do you like to shoot personally?

GH: I’m a Nikon digital guy. I paid for four years of college 100 percent by shooting [weddings] with film in the ‘70s.... So, I don’t do film anymore, but I definitely shoot digital. 

—

On the way out of the store, I stopped and chatted with customers Janice Madrecki, a teacher at Arlington Traditional School, and her husband, David Henri. 

FCI: So I noticed when you came in that you guys were sad. Why?

DH: Yeah, because [Dominion Camera] is leaving and it’s local and we like to patronize the local people.

FCI: And you guys have gotten attached?

JM: It’s an old-school camera shop and it’s right next to a lot of old-school kind of things here. It’s part of the original Falls Church. They’ve been here for 56 years. The people inside have always been very, very friendly. They were even helpful to us during Covid. You could still get things you couldn’t get at other places.

DM: We found stuff you could get here that you couldn’t find anywhere else. Like your flash [gesturing to Janice.]

FCI: And you guys are avid photographers?

JM: We are, yeah. 

DM: It’s a hobby, but we’re not pros.

JM: My husband is a Canon guy and I’m a Nikon girl. [Laughs] We don’t tend to buy used things, we tend to buy new things. And, as my husband said, we really like to patronize the local stores.

FCI: They pride themselves on service here.

JM: They do. And it’s worth waiting and they have no qualms, like I was in here a week or two ago, bought my husband a lens, bought myself a bag. I was sitting here for, like, two and a-half hours. They know – I just trust this place, implicitly and explicitly.

FCI: Do you think they have a community feel?

DM: Oh yeah, definitely. You feel comfortable when you’re in here. And the guys, they take the time to talk to you. They don’t rush you.

JM: It’s a profitable business model. They’re making tons of money. But, I guess one of the owners wants to retire. I guess after 56 years, you can’t really blame them, because they certainly weren’t 5 [years-old] when they went into it, right? 

DM: It’s just sad. 

JM: They’ll be very well missed. And we’ll be back before they close!

By Christopher Jones