PRESS RELEASE
LEICA CAMERA ANNOUNCES LEICA STORE WASHINGTON DC
Retail concept debuts in North America with inaugural location grand opening May 2nd – 3rd
Allendale, NJ (March 30, 2012) – Leica Camera Inc., the legendary German camera and sport optics brand, announces the debut of its new retail concept in North America with the opening of the Leica Store Washington DC. Located at 977 F Street, NW, in the heart of downtown Washington, DC’s Penn Quarter, the store will feature the entire Leica photography and sport optics product portfolio. Serving as a gateway into the world of Leica Camera, the Leica Store Washington DC will celebrate an official grand opening on Wednesday, May 2nd and Thursday, May 3rd.
“Perfect for Leica enthusiasts, professional photographers and new customers alike, the Leica Store Washington DC creates a completely immersive experience into the world of photography,” said Roland Wolff, Director of Corporate Retail at Leica Camera Inc. “Leica Camera has always represented the best in German engineering and the special culture of the picture. We are now able to offer a complete showcase for our products and services as well as a creative setting for our customers, bringing this central mission to life in a new way.”
A unique lifestyle destination, the Leica Store Washington DC will provide customers the opportunity to discover the art of photography with a retail space, a photography gallery featuring exhibitions shot with the Leica portfolio and a studioset up to demonstrate the exceptional performance of the Leica S-System. Keeping in line with Leica Camera’s commitment to increasing the enjoyment of photography and deepening photographic knowledge, the Leica Store Washington DC will also be an ideal setting for the immensely popular Leica Akademie workshops. In addition, the store will be designated as an S2 Pro Dealership and provide specialized demonstrations, consultations and support for professional photographers utilizing this revolutionary digital camera system. A knowledgeable and enthusiastic team of retail and photographic professionals will deliver expert information and advice to create the finest customer experience.
To celebrate the grand opening of the Washington, DC location, Leica Camera will host programming throughout a two-day event May 2nd – 3rd which includes workshops highlighting Leica’s product portfolio, a cocktail hour for professional photographers and an official opening ceremony showcasing the new setting to invited guests. The gallery space will feature an exhibition by internationally acclaimed Photojournalist Peter Turnley. As part of a new Leica Lecture Series, Turnley will present “Peter Turnley: Moments of the Human Condition” on May 2nd. Attendees of this lecture will not only view Turnley’s iconic photographs but also hear the stories behind the images that have shaped views of world history from the fall of the Berlin Wall and the 1989 revolutions in Eastern Europe to the devastation at Ground Zero on September 11, 2001 and most recently, the turning point in the Egyptian Revolution.
Leica Stores complement an extensive dealer network and serve to further grow the brand in North America. At present, Leica Camera has confirmed two additional store locations in the United States slated to open later this year, Leica Store New York SoHo and Leica Store Miami. Additionally, the company’s store-in-store concept will continue to expand with the Leica Boutique in Rancho Mirage, CA (located at Camera West) and Leica Boutique in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada (located at Broadway Camera).
The Leica Store Washington DC will be open seven days a week and provides customers with the opportunity to schedule private appointments.
For additional information, please visit www.leica-store-dc.com.
A conversation between Leica marketing department and sales team.
Marketing – we have a great concept, a lifestyle store, just like Apple
Sales – but we have nothing to sell
Marketing – just think how it will improve the brand image
Sales – but we have nothing to sell
Marketing – we can connect with our customers in a new way
Sales – but we have nothing to sell
Marketing – it will attract customers from far and wide
Sales – but we have nothing to sell
Marketing – customers will be able to touch and hold our products
Sales – but we have nothing to sell
Marketing – we can hold new product launches
Sales – but we have nothing to sell
Marketing – yes we have, binoculars
Sales – oh yes, we have lots of those
It would be easy to dismiss Leica as over-priced aspirational luxury goods for people who don’t know any better. But there are enough photographers whose work I admire who are passionately committed to the brand to convince me that knee-jerk reaction would be a mistake. On that basis, I have seriously toyed with the idea of taking the plunge into the system to see whether it is right for me. But, when I look at the B&H website and see that 22 out of the 23 Leica lenses listed are ‘Out of Stock’ and then read another story about the launch of another ludicrous special edition or opening another Apple-lifestyle type store I really do start to wonder whether I want to get involved with the products of a company whose priorities seem so distorted. This is purely my opinion but I can’t help thinking that there must be others out there like me who could stretch themselves to afford an M9 and 2 or 3 lenses but who are put off by the idea of having to beg the company for the privilege of spending thousands of $ on their products and then going on a waiting list for a year or more. Nobody wants to feel like they are being taken for a fool.
Colin: When I was a working photographer, 30 years ago, Leicas were appropriately expensive precision tools. They were perhaps twice as expensive as comparable cameras. I bought several and still own them.
Now they have made themselves ridiculous. They are Hermes scarves, or Jimmy Choo shoes that will be out of style or obsolete in two years. (Not to mention the fact that they can ask whatever price they like for products that they can’t produce.)
I could probably afford one, but I choose not to encourage them.
Laughable. What the heck are they selling?? Logos? T-shirts? I ordered a 35mm Summilux one year ago from a Leica dealer and they called me a week ago to tell me it was in. They can keep it now.
not sure if the concept will work….hope it does, if they have a good product release year…
They better have something… You can’t fill shelves with equipment from four years ago. If they only have a couple really new items, they will be closing the doors quickly, unless Obummer declaires Leica “Too Big To Fail”. Then they can get presidential subsidies. He might have an M-10 in the oval office. Hahahahaha…
I walked by the store last weekend and i am very excited to have a true Leica store opening in the neighborhood. Will definitely be there next Wednesday for the opening. I am positive the store will do just fine…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ki0001/7016015319/in/photostream/
Kelvin
It worked for Apple, it HAS to work for us, right?
It’s worked for Apple because the stockroom has stock.
Ironic; the one place not falling on economic hard times is an economy reliant solely of the federal government. 17th enumerated power: Thou shalt pay workers enough to purchase Leica camera equipment.. 😉
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Believe me, given the cost of living around here, it won’t be Federal workers buying those cameras. Look for lots of lobbyists and corporate lawyers. Plenty of doctors around here, too.
Pretty funny. It will look like a Soviet grocery store……empty shelves.
Good point. They may have some demo models but if you can’t buy anything then it starts being frustrating. I guess at some point the availability of lenses will improve once the main demand has been addressed. Lots of people jumped onto Leica glass when the M9 came out and all interchangeable cameras allowed to use Leica glass as well. I wonder if that will see some saturation at some point. Dirk
Nah… I’ve been to Russia several times. Their grocery stores receive product way too often to be a good comparison. A closer fit are the Sony stores… they NEVER have any of their newer camera gear.
@Nex5guy: Quite true for modern Russia. But I was talking about the pre-glasnost Soviet Union. I was there, and all they had was pictures of apples, and pictures of orange flavored drink.
Much like the Leica store, I think.
Leica has been inspired by Porsche and what they are doing in Atlanta, GA and California in order to increase their sales.