The owner of Photodom set out to build something that would not feel like a typical camera store. The aim was that when customers walk in, they would not be confronted right away by rows of equipment. Instead they would first notice bright-colored clothing and the surroundings before the cameras themselves. The owner wanted the space to feel like a place people could call home, and describes Photodom as more than just a camera store.
At the heart of the shop is a belief about what photography is. The owner describes it as one of those universal languages that is unspoken, something everyone understands. When you see a photograph, the owner says, you know why you find it beautiful, because it is something inside that you feel. That conviction shapes how the store presents itself to the people who come through the door each day.
Photodom also makes products of its own. Among them is the Photodom I-217, a 35-millimeter reusable film camera carried under the store's own brand. The name is personal, as the owner explains that I-217 comes from a daughter's name and birthday. It turns a piece of family history into the label printed on a camera that customers can pick up and use for themselves.
The store also carries film that cannot be found anywhere else. Its Supanova 400 and 800 stocks are exclusive to Photodom, and they carry their own meaning for the owner. The film is named after the owner's mother, Nova, making the rolls on the shelves another nod to family that has been woven into the products the shop chooses to sell.
Beyond selling gear, Photodom offers a range of services for photographers. The store processes film, feeding the rolls in for development, and provides printing services along with a studio that customers can rent. The owner says a color darkroom is coming soon, a space where people will be able to come in, develop their own photos and print them themselves rather than handing the work off to someone else.
At the front of the store sits a gallery space that the owner treats as a centerpiece. Each month, Photodom mounts exhibitions featuring different photographers from the community. The owner says the shows are a way to draw people in from different audiences across the entire tri-state area, turning the storefront into a rotating showcase for local work and the people who make it.
For the owner, the point is to be more than transactional. Customers can join the store's photo walks, take its classes or attend its events, and Photodom works with a range of organizations both within New York and abroad. As the business continues to expand, the owner sees more room to keep diving deeper into the community the store is trying to serve.