Ritz Camera Closing 300 Stores, Liquidating Inventories: Vivitar Collectors Rejoice

Ritz has announced that 300 of their brick and mortar stores will be closing, with their entire inventories to be liquidated, beginning April 4. This is terrible news for Ritz employees, but terrific news for Vivitar aficionados, seeing as how at my local Ritz, Vivitar essentially IS the inventory.

Press Release

Ritz Camera to Close More than 300 Stores Nationwide; Store Closing Sales Scheduled to Begin April 4

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Ritz Camera Centers, Inc., the nation’s largest specialty camera and image products and accessories retailer, announced today that it will close more than 300 stores nationwide as part of a court-supervised bankruptcy reorganization. The move will leave approximately 400 Ritz Camera stores still open around the country.

Retail inventory valued at more than $50 million will be liquidated at the stores that are being closed. Store closing sales offering substantial discounts on all inventory at those locations will begin on Saturday, April 4, and are expected to continue until everything is sold to the bare walls.

A joint venture group comprised of Great American Group, LLC, SB Capital Group, LLC, Tiger Capital Group, LLC, and Hudson Capital Partners, LLC, will be conducting the sales.

Daniel Platt, senior vice president, capital markets, for Great American Group, said, “Long-time Ritz Camera customers as well as those with any interest in cameras, photography and video-related products will find a tremendous selection of quality, brand-name merchandise at greatly reduced prices. Shoppers looking for distinctive and unique gifts will find these sales particularly appealing, as well.”

Among the thousands of products that will be available at reduced prices are digital cameras and accessories, digital SLR compact cameras, digital frames, binoculars, camcorders and video accessories, and other popular electronic items.

Beginning with a single store in Atlantic City, N.J., in 1918, the Beltsville, Maryland-based privately held chain quickly grew to become the country’s leading supplier of photography products, equipment and services. At one point, after acquiring Wolf Camera, Kits Cameras and a number of other companies, Ritz Camera had over 800 stores in more than 40 states across the country. Financial troubles, however, caused the company to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February, 2009.

Ritz Camera’s downsizing follows efforts over the past year by a number of prominent retailers to deal with slumping sales and the drop in consumer spending brought on by the recession. Major national retailers that have liquidated completely in recent months include Circuit City, Mervyns, Steve & Barry’s, Shoe Pavilion, KB Toys and Linens ‘N Things.

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1. 

   Scott S di Vincenzo says:

   April 6, 2009 at 8:38 pm

   F I N A L L Y

   WHEW

   reply
   • 

     Patrick says:

     April 7, 2009 at 12:46 am

     Not a Ritz fan, or not a vivitar fan?

     reply
2. 

   Scott S di Vincenzo says:

   April 7, 2009 at 1:05 am

   Well as most baby photos are aware RITZ stores are pretty much depressing wastelands.

   Generally understocked and ALWAYS overpriced RITZ has brought upon its own corporate demise.

   As for ViVITAR – well I believe a German company has purchased the company so we’ll see what they bring to the DSLR after market.

   Nevertheless, its still fun to make fun of Vivitar.
   (-:

   reply
   • 

     Patrick says:

     April 7, 2009 at 8:04 am

     Yes it is.

     reply