I do still live in Brookline, though, at a time of life when most of my friends are moving back into the city (after life in the suburbs) Davia and I are considering having a house built in Walpole or Canton. By the way, when I was a teenager, I didn't even know about the big New York stores like B&H. It never came up when i Googled it in the '50's LOL. Seriously, like most people, our shopping was all 'local'. The 'first' Jon Allen location on Harvard St was a 'superstore' size for its time. It was probably about six or seven thousand feet, considerably larger than most 'hole in the wall' camera shops of the nearby cities. It was loaded from floor to ceiling with new and used product. One could spend forever there browsing...and nobody minded if you did. In the mid fifties I had a Yashica D TLR and I found a used Heiland 64B STROBONAR flash at that store. Cost me all of $15 dollars! There were THREE generaltions of the Greene (sp?) family working in there. A wonderful place. Charlie In a message dated 3/25/2010 6:25:46 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, austin.franklin@xxxxxxxxxxx writes: Hi Charlie, I used to frequent both of those in the 70's. I was more a B&H person though moving forward. Do you still live in the area? Regards, Austin -----Original Message----- From: rollei_list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:rollei_list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Newhouse230@xxxxxxx Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 5:19 PM To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [rollei_list] Re: Decline of Rollieflex/Film Austin, Yes..I did work occasionally at 'Jon Allen' camera store on Beacon St. when I was a kid, and then at 'Camera Corner' also on Beacon. I worked Saturdays for the most part, since I was in high school at the time. I bought my own Vb there when I was about 14 or 15 I guess. I made some money shooting Bar Mitzvah parties and shooting sports assignments for the News Tribune based in Waltham. I also made a good 'teenager's living' winning prizes in the Boston Globe weekly photo contest . At that time, Gil Friedberg was the photo editor. Somewhere, I still have a handwritten letter from him, giving me advice on how to go forward with my photography if I chose to make it a career. Charlie In a message dated 3/25/2010 5:49:11 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, austin.franklin@xxxxxxxxxxx writes: Hi Charlie, What camera store did you work at in Brookline? Not the one on Beacon Street? Yeah, I'd believe Brookline would be more Rollei clientele than Hasselblad ;-) Regards, Austin -----Original Message----- From: rollei_list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:rollei_list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Newhouse230@xxxxxxx Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 4:41 PM To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [rollei_list] Re: Decline of Rollieflex/Film Hi Austin...ok...I agree we have to clear up our definitions. I counted as a pro anyone who said his occupation was a photographer or whose conversation told me that he/she earned his living taking pictures. I did not distinguish between 'wedding photographers' and news photographers, portrait photographers or advertising photographers. I counted them all equally as 'pros'. Amateurs were quickly identified by either their lesser knowledge OR their description of the subject matter. If a guy said he wanted a Rollei so he could get some 'great shots of new baby' I probably assumed he was an amateur. In any case, perhaps others on the list had different experiences than me during that time, but I have little doubt about the 'mix' in Brookline, MA. It's true I do take a lot for granted by generalizing that experience, but I think there are a lot more 'Brooklines' than NYC type cities. Regards, Charlie In a message dated 3/25/2010 5:09:26 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, austin.franklin@xxxxxxxxxxx writes: Charlie, I take your word for it, and respect your opinion on it. I will say that I know a LOT of "professionals" who are more so advanced amateurs than professionals. Most wedding photographers are more so advanced amateurs, though they are technically professionals, as they make money from it. So, I'm not personally sure how to distinguish the difference. Did you sell both Hasselblads and Rollei TLRs? If so, did most people interested in one, also show interest in the other? What can you say about the relationship between the two, with respect to the customer? Regards, Austin