Waltham To Get A New Camera Shop

WALTHAM, MA — Newtonville Camera, which has been open in neighboring Newton for more than four decades is moving to Waltham the camera shop announced on social media.

The "real" camera shop is packing up and closing its doors on February 10 in Newton and then the plan is to reopen in Colonial Shopping Center on River Street a little more than a mile from where it is now on Walnut Street in Newton by the end of April.

For months people have been asking the folks at Newtonville Camera on Walnut Street when it would move. But the problem, according to employees was finding the right space: Something that had the right parking and was affordable enough and close enough to their old digs. In a little more than two weeks, the dozen or so employees will pack it all up and go.

Enter Colonial Shopping Center on River Street. The owner signed the lease just recently and now the plan is to get contractors in to renovate the space.

This isn't the first time Newtonville Camera has moved. But it is the farthest move.

Original owner Paul Roberts bought a small camera shop on Washington Street in Newton in 1974 near the corner of Walnut Street. It was a surprise move for him. He was brought in to negotiate the camera shop’s lease, and ended up buying the place. In 1980 he moved around the corner to Walnut Street. A little later he moved to a bigger spot across the street on Walnut. He's gone from seeing rolls of film come through his shop to be developed and printed to adjusting with the times and technology.

Right now the hot item? Employees say they big item this year is the Nikon D850. It's a professional level camera and the shop can't seem to get enough of them.

If you're wondering whether the shop will now change its name, the answer is no, according to employees.

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[Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the correct model of the Nikon camera that's hot at the shop right now, and to include a third move ]

Photo by Miha Jan Strehovec on Unsplash