Walmart no longer selling film

[mikemgb]

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Around the US Midwest at least. I know most people here probably don't buy much, if any. film at Walmart, but I have done occasionally when I have been away from home and used everything I brought with me.

 

Two stores I checked had all their film on the clearance rack at $5 per 4-pack, that is all now in my freezer. A third Walmart was out, the space on the shelf was gone and a member of staff told me they weren't getting any more. They are still selling disposable cameras for the moment. Walmart online only has ISO 200 showing as available, everything else is gone.

 

The days of being able to buy film just about anywhere you were in the US seem to be over.

 

 

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[Martin B]

I believe most regular stores including the bigger brands slow down on offering photo gear in general which includes digital. Costco got rid of film development two years ago and recently also decreased the amount of digital camera gear it showcased. Most photo gear is sold online - and this includes analog film. In the last 4 years I only bought two films directly in a store - and this is only when I ran out of film during a vacation. Online is now the name of the game. There is a reason why for example Amazon builds one warehouse after another (not only related to photo gear now of course). 

Edited May 14, 2018 by Martin B

[abrewer]

The ubiquitous cell phone camera continues to mow down the competition.

 

Personally I am not bothered by Walmart (or any of the large discount retailers) abandoning film. It is an opportunity for the mom and pop shops that have fought and survived to grab back market share. All you need do is YELP film and find them. 

[Martin B]

 

 It is an opportunity for the mom and pop shops that have fought and survived to grab back market share. All you need do is YELP film and find them. 

 

The mom and pop photo stores in my area carry little amount of film - and the ones they have on sale are severely overpriced. Much better options at bigger camera stores or to buy film directly online. Sorry to say this, but the little photo stores just have value to buy some used camera gear in the store where you might sometimes find a decent deal. I am not surprised they have been severely decimated. 

[TomB_tx]

The small college-town Leica dealer where I worked a bit in the late 1960s made most of their money on processing. Did their own B&W, automated normal prints but custom on a Focomat IIc. Color all went to Kodak. They sold Leitz, Nikon, etc, did some business with the university, but said they couldn't survive on equipment sales alone. They were the only camera store for 100 miles. They were thinking of setting up a mail order equipment business, but I don't think they ever did.

[pico]

Tom, it was the same during the sixties - it was all about processing for $, and location was critical - get the customer to stop into the shop or have it dropped it by carrier; all in practical minimum time with a processing lab turning out the prints/slides in minimum time. I lived in downtown Chicago (Hancock bldg) at the time and logistics were so important that labs were evaluated not only upon quality, but how fast they could deliver - anywhere in a critical zone of downtown Chicago. Over-night was advertised for the every-man but there were options to minimum time so they could insert your film into the production line with a special fee, disturbing the queue to be not noticed. Ah, there is where a math whiz was useful!

 

I can give some examples/scenarios but I think our constituency knows about it.

.

Edited May 18, 2018 by pico

[adan]

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Around the US Midwest at least. I know most people here probably don't buy much, if any. film at Walmart, but I have done occasionally when I have been away from home and used everything I brought with me.

 

Two stores I checked had all their film on the clearance rack at $5 per 4-pack, that is all now in my freezer. A third Walmart was out, the space on the shelf was gone and a member of staff told me they weren't getting any more. They are still selling disposable cameras for the moment. Walmart online only has ISO 200 showing as available, everything else is gone.

 

The days of being able to buy film just about anywhere you were in the US seem to be over.

 

A slight aside, but in college at SIU/Carbondale in the 70s, my great treat was running up to STL for gear and supplies at stores now gone. Lindell Camera where Olive turns into Lindell (now gobbled up by the St. Louis U. campus) and Jefferson Camera on Jefferson south of I-64 somewhere.

 

I can't say I ever got any film at Wal*Mart, since they usually had only color neg when I needed Velvia, or only 35mm when I needed 120 (and came along much later). But geez, up until the 80s sometime even the average Walgreen's would have a little TX in 120, and Kchrome 135.

 

Fortunately, Denver still has three photo-speciality stores that carry film in rolls, and even some sheet film: Denver Pro Photo, Englewood Camera, and Mike's (4-5 locations). So I can avoid online for the moment.

[Ambro51]

I can buy film anywhere. Just pull out the cellphone, go to eBay, hit BIN. Never been more convenient!

Edited May 23, 2018 by Ambro51

[mikemgb]

A slight aside, but in college at SIU/Carbondale in the 70s, my great treat was running up to STL for gear and supplies at stores now gone. Lindell Camera where Olive turns into Lindell (now gobbled up by the St. Louis U. campus) and Jefferson Camera on Jefferson south of I-64 somewhere.

 

I can't say I ever got any film at Wal*Mart, since they usually had only color neg when I needed Velvia, or only 35mm when I needed 120 (and came along much later). But geez, up until the 80s sometime even the average Walgreen's would have a little TX in 120, and Kchrome 135.

 

Fortunately, Denver still has three photo-speciality stores that carry film in rolls, and even some sheet film: Denver Pro Photo, Englewood Camera, and Mike's (4-5 locations). So I can avoid online for the moment.

 

There are two stores left in St. Louis, Schillers on Manchester and Creve Coeur Camera on Olive. Schillers has always carried a decent selection of black and while film while CCC has more colour. 

 

I will admit both their their film prices are high so I don't buy much from them, I do buy most of my chemicals and some equipment from them though.

[pico]

There are two stores left in St. Louis, Schillers on Manchester and Creve Coeur Camera on Olive.

 

Mike, I wonder if film availability in St. Louis might be coupled with its local economic depression.

[mikemgb]

Mike, I wonder if film availability in St. Louis might be coupled with its local economic depression.

 

No, people just quit using cameras.

 

Creve Coeur Camera have recently doubled the film stocks the keep on hand, they have noticed an uptick in film usage and are happy to cater to that market.