No matter what camera you use keep taking pictures. You are a wonderful photographer. Have a good time with a great hobby. We all miss our customers and friends as well. I am sure we will see you all around. Just say hi.

Kathleen and Bruce Cozens

Visit us online at http://www.BallardPhotoPrinting.com

Bruce and Kathleen Cozens started a new internet based printing business called Ballard Photo Printing LLC.

We have continued to support our iSHOTZ customers with high quality printing and free shipping via the US Post office.

WWW. BallardPhotoPrinting.com
BallardPhotoPrinting@gmail.com

J. Dennis Hicklin

But, I know plenty of Old Ballard business people who were perfectly happy before the new Ballard people showed up, and many are finally free from your abuse. Who cares that you had some dumb job at Microsoft or some porn site and can now buy a camera and condo that you will lose in a year once you are laid off. Those people are experts at what they do, and your spoiled brats that fell into cushy jobs after moving out of Mommys house that are being shipped over seas. But, you dont even have the life experience to know it, or understand how annoying you are to us in Ballard.

Maybe if you asked an intelligent question at Ballard Camera, they would not have treated you as the hobbyist you are, wasting everyones time that works there and holding up the line with your nonsense.

And you don't buy cameras from Amazon. Adorama.com in NY, no sales tax.

Old Ballard people tend to be more into waiting on other Old Ballard people first. Normally, because they want to catch up with eachother and are old friends. I have shot the breeze with the Ballard camera crew many times myself. They are cool.

If you don't like it, well tough luck. Old Ballard people are not here to babysit the new balard condo owners or the transients they brought with them. If you can't figure out what you need at a basic camera store, buy the crap online at amazon.com.

Only yuppies want good service, nice products and competitive prices.

So why should we be sorry they folded?

And since when does Old Ballard = run down, rude businesses with out of date offerings?

I'd practically bounced in the door of Camera Techs, totally giddy to find a lens that would team up with my brand-new camera body to form a functioning camera. The employee behind the counter got this stricken look on his face. He asked me if there was any way — any possible way whatsoever — to go and get my money back for my new camera. See, he liked Canons. I'd purchased a camera made by some fly-by-night operation called Nikon. Therefore, apparently, my judgment and my camera were pure crap. I left Camera Techs with no lens, totally dejected, doubting myself and my camera. I staggered off and got a cup of coffee at Cugini.

When I regained my bearings, I went to Ballard Camera. They hadn't sold me my new camera. But they'd processed a lot of my film as I re-learned how to shoot over the previous couple of years. They congratulated me on my new digital camera and helped me find a wonderful used lens. The lens still works great. So does the camera, which — despite the fact it's merely a Nikon — has literally never failed me.

Whatever else the critics want to pile on and say now about Ballard Camera, I found the shop consistently kind and encouraging. You can see that spirit in these very comments, as Kathleen Cozens reminisces about Halloweens past and tries to steer former customers to one of the local, independent shops that's still standing.

It's worth noting, too, that Kathleen used her real name here. The people spewing the worst of the nastiness here used pseudonyms. I don't doubt that their problems with Ballard Camera are sincere. I just doubt they'd chose to be quite so caustic if they had to attach their own names to their words. This interplay between venom and anonymity is probably my least favorite thing about the Web.

Best of luck to Kathleen and the other people behind Ballard Camera.

But I thought they were on the Post Office business? This is so confusing.

I am so sorry to hear they are going, and can't imagine where I will go now… Any chance you'll maintain a web only store????

You know, I think you are all right. It will be better to have a empty building there and the people who worked for them oh f em' they can just get unemployment right? I am not into photography so I never really went in there but I think it says huge volumes about you when you attack someone when they are already down. Did your mom never teach you to keep you mouth shut if you have nothing nice to say? or does human kindness not apply unless your homeless? I mean WTF is wrong with you? You think you are being cleaver, funny, or trying to make sure someone does not shop at a store where you think the people working there didn't shove their nose up your rear end far enough? Can you find help at Costco? can you find someone at Target that knows where ANYTHING is? Can you find anyone at Freddie's to help you?
I find it disgusting that people think it is ok to hide behind their computers like little kids and say things they would NEVER have the balls to say in person. I know it is just a few people but how do you think it makes the owners and people who worked their feel?

To end my post:
TO Ballard Camara, I never shopped there, but that's because I don't take photos. I am sure life will hold alot of fun and exciting adventures for you all and wish you the best of luck. Only the ones who never give up succeed.

N-

When I saw the 'junk' sign I figured it was just a regular day if business at Ballard Camera.

Unfortunately I am not surprised with the closing, digital is taking it's toll for one, but there is more.

The rude and wrong (with an arrogant, we are always right, you know nothing attitude) I have experienced over and over at Ballard camera has astonished me.

I've been outright insulted in this shop over 4 times in the past 15 years, always kicking myself after I decided to give them another chance.

The last straw was telling me a fact I knew was correct was told rudely I was _wrong_. Well, I was not and found a much friendlier answer online with perfect results.

The time before that was an old roll of film that I wanted developed..instead of 'wasting' their time by humoring me and developing the roll, an employee exposed the roll right there in front of me. I was aghast and so were a few other customers. The roll BTW was for an old 4×5 camera, I had two rolls and thank goodness I didn't reveal the other…I was able to have it processed over at the U and it turned out FINE, even being 15 years old and forgotten about with the older camera equipment (yes, guess what I *do* know how to store my film).

Their **attitude** and service sucked…BIG TIME..Still kicking myself that I accepted their abusive attitude 4 times. Just because I'm not a professional doesn't mean I don't know my stuff OR that I deserve to be treated in such disrespectful ways. Still pissed & wish I could sue for that roll of film they exposed, but I's guess that's why they are closing shop. Bye bye.

Go to the U folks, you'll enjoy them a whole lot more.