Historic camera shop may have to close

New Haven, Conn. (WTNH) - A combination of poor parking, higher rent and declining demand may force a New Haven shop owner out of business.

James Camera has been a fixture on Chapel Street for decades.

"Everything's going up, camera business is going down," said James Camera owner Michael Onofrio.

The family-run business has been operating for 61-years. And, as video killed the radio star, digital is killing the film industry.

"I've got a beautiful digital camera and never use film camera; can't buy film," said Sherie Goldstein of Shelton.

It's no longer the shop that used to process 16 millimeter color film in a lab.

"The photographers would drop it off; we would deliver it to Channel 8 by 5:30 p.m. so it could be edited by 6 p.m.," said Onofrio.

They did that for 25 years. But the big picture has changed.

"Everything's going great till construction of the architecture building next door business went off. And, the parking problem," said Onofrio.

The downtown merchant parking issue has caused people not come in, Onofrio said, because they can't find a convenient place to park.

If someone gets a ticket while they are buying a camera inside, Onofrio will pay for it because he wants them to come back.

According to Onofrio, 80 percent of a business is parking. And then there is the rent issue. Yale owns the building James Camera is in. And they are raising the rent almost $1,000 a month. James Camera wants to stay.

"If Yale works with us, we'll work with them," said Onofrio.

They can only hang in there for a few more months then it may be the end of an era [many would shutter at the thought].