UPDATE: 'Too Many Economic Blows' Forced Zeff's Closure

Saying that "too many economic blows" had made it impossible to continue, the owner of 16,000 square-foot Zeff Photo Supply store on Brighton Street said today that of the leading photograph supply store in Boston and New England.

In an e-mail to "Dear Valued Customer," Zeff Photo Supply's President David Gordenstein said it was "with a heavy heart" that he was announcing that after eight decades, "Zeff Photo is coming to an end."

"We are being forced to close its doors," he said in an email that was sent to customers at 6 a.m. this morning, Nov. 7.

The closing will effect up to 50 workers.

Noting that founder Leo Zeff started the family-owned business on Bromfield Street in downtown Boston more than 75 years, Gordenstein said the decision to shut down one of the few remaining photography speciality stores in New England "was necessary as we have suffered too many economic blows over the past couple of years that make it impossible for Zeff Photo to continue to operate as you know us today."

Once one of the top 50 Kodak accounts in the country, the realities of changing consumer tastes towards cheaper digital photos and increased competition from on-line retailers such as amazon.com (Zeff has its own web-based business) and all-in-one department stores such as Target and Best Buy, has resulted in smaller margins for speciality stores such as Zeff.

Add a recession in 2009 and the weak economic recovery has led to the demise of many small business outlets.

'Business is tough'

Two-and-a-half years ago in an interview for the Photo Marketing Association International's trade magazine, Gordenstein said "Business is tough, and I’m looking for all kinds of solutions" to replace the professional wedding photographers business that Zeff catered to selling wedding albums and film. Those attempts included selling frames and do-it-your-self Creative Kiosks where customers could make "photo books, albums, picture frames, calendars, cards, and hosts of other things."

Yet it appears that the store could not generate the sales to keep the doors opened.

"It has been our pleasure to serve the community and meet so many wonderful people throughout the years and work with the many people Zeff Photo has employed," he said.

"Many of you have become personal friends and were the most meaningful part of our days. For that, we at Zeff will be forever grateful. Whether you spent thousands in our store, or just spent time getting to know us, you were the fiber of our being. We all hope you will continue to support small businesses in your areas, and we hope to remain in contact with you as we aspire to spin off parts of our business to continue to service our community," said Gordenstein.

"Above all else, our customers are what we have strived (sic) to make and keep #1.  Please come by, find a bargain, and say hi to us one last time before we move on to a new chapter in our lives," said Gordenstein.

It is reported that the store will hold a clearance sale over the holiday to clear out its inventory.