Some photography stores leave a mark on the community unlike any other. They offer a place to discuss, debate, dissect, promote, and disseminate photography to any individual—even those with the slightest interest—in the medium. While these stores may seem like the door to Narnia, rest assured that such rare gems do exist. An epitome of this is the Leica Store in SoHo in New York, which was a pulse of photography in the city. Why am I using the past tense? This painful reason is that the Leica Store in SoHo has officially closed its doors eternally.
Additional reporting done by Chris Gampat.
In a news report first reported by Leica Rumors, the Leica Store in SoHo shut down due to the demise of its owner, Eli Kurland. First established in 2012, the space was iconic for its visionary approach to photography and retail marketing. Here, one could discover the most promising new and vintage, pre-owned Leica devices. For instance, the space offered the S3 Black, the Noctilux-M 75mm F1.25 ASPH, the Q2 | Disney ‘100 Years of Wonder’, as well as 28mm F2 Summicron-M “Safari” ASPH and the minimalist SOFORT 2. They also sold the company’s famed binoculars, watches, and cinema TV.
But that was not all. It was also a place that endorsed the works of local and international photographers in their own gallery. It’s not only about what a camera can accomplish but what the photographer does once they yield such a powerful tool of expression. The Leica Store in SoHo, thus, was a space that took photography as an art seriously. Its dedicated staff, too, possessed decades of knowledge about the art and craft of medium and the Leica devices. In addition to rare equipment, accessories, and photobooks, the space was also a champion of sharing knowledge through its Leica Akadamie workshops.
Upon hearing the store’s closing, The Phoblographer reached out to Leica USA, who confirmed it. “We are saddened to hear that Leica Store SoHo decided to close its doors. As the store is independently owned, the store’s closure was the decision of the store owners, not Leica’s,” the team said. But the Leica story doesn’t end here.
The company urges photographers to have a look at the new store in the Meatpacking District, “where guests can experience the art and culture of photography alongside tools that serve to express one’s creative vision.” As per Leica, the new place is designed to cater to the needs of the growing industry. “The Leica Store in the Meatpacking District offers many opportunities to connect with other artists in the community, from photo walks to gallery exhibitions, as the store was designed as a space where guests can have thoughtful discussions with like-minded individuals, find inspiration and develop their creative vision and craft,” said the spokesperson.
Part of the appeal of the original SoHo store was that it was located along a row of several commercial photography galleries. In each one, you could tell that the dealers were high-end but still very true to their art. Leica’s placement there acted almost like support for the entire block of artists. However, bigger brands have started to move in, and things are changing.
If you are wondering about the new store, then don’t because we have visited the space and it’s spectacular. Our Editor-in-Chief, Chris Gampat, wrote an article about how Leica’s gallery on the first floor offers the best viewing experience in the Meatpacking District. “First off, Leica’s walls are either brick or wood. They’re all painted greenish gray, allowing for anything to be displayed well,” he explained. Similarly, he was excited to see the library specifically curated by Todd Hido. In conclusion, he notes, the new Leica store “feels like a grown-up, mature, and intellectual version of Lomography’s space.”
Although the closing of the Leica Store in SoHo is a bittersweet moment, the new space in the Meatpacking District offers hope that Leica will rekindle the excitement that once made visiting SoHo a highlight for the photography community.
With all this said, the new Leica store doesn’t really seem to be targeting the arts as much. It’s right across from Rolex, not far from several hotels you might not remember being at sober, and an overall area really dominated by high end money-makers. For that, we applaud Leica as they’re working to ensure that the elites understand the value of good photography in a way that other brands aren’t doing. But at the same time, I hope that they work on doing more for the artistic community in the area.