'Sign of the Times': Scorby's Camera to Shutter its Doors

A fixture of Needham Center will be closing its doors at the end of the month after more than 50 years of business.

, which opened at its current location, 1029 Great Plain Ave., in 1959, suffered the fate of a bad economy combined with a changing industry, according to Jeff Gordon, who owns and manages the shop with his father.

“Unfortunately, it’s come to this,” he said from the store Wednesday. "I guess it's a sign of the times."

Gordon’s father, Mel, bought the camera and photography shop 32 years ago. Gordon has worked at the family business for 22 years, starting right after he finished school.

“We’ve been an icon here in town,” he said.

After closing signs went up in the store’s windows last weekend, customers have come in and urged the men to reconsider, Gordon said.

“Our customers have been like family,” he said. “In the photo industry, you see your customers' kids grow up, families grow up.”

The shop is at its original location, but the Gordons tripled its size just over a decade ago.

To get rid of the store’s inventory, Scorby’s is having a sale from now until it closes. Cameras and other hard goods are discounted 10 percent, while accessories are 20 percent off. The percents off will increase by 10 percent each week, Gordon said.

He said he hasn’t thought about the future yet, although he said the camera business is all he knows.

“I’ll have to reinvent myself,” Gordon said.

The Gordons have not set a specific closing date yet.