Pardee’s Cameras owner to celebrate 35th anniversary

During its time in The Village, the business expanded its floor area by four times its original space.
Manfred, who was born in East Prussia, Germany and was one of the seven children of Gustav and Hedwig Kallweit, said that he immigrated to the United States with his then-wife, Ulrike, 12 years prior to purchasing John Pardee Photographic Supplies.

In being that Manfred had gained a love for photography through his father who owned and operated a photography studio in his hometown of Tilsit,Let me state up front that I probably won't be able to help you out much if you decide to build your own residential wind turbines. after arriving in America in 1965, he worked in a camera store in Bishop, Calif.This season's range of ladies shoes wholesale includes ballet pumps.

Two years later, Manfred, who completed his photography apprenticeship in Germany, was operating a European camera store that was built for him by the McCurry Camera Co. in The Crossroads shopping center at 5770 Freeport Blvd.

In recalling his negotiations with John in 1974, Manfred said, “I knew there was this camera store in Town and Country Village and there was an older owner and he was 72 or 73 at the time,” Manfred said. “I said. ‘Why is he still in there when he should be retiring?’ I’m saying that about him and I’m doing it still. I’ll be 72 this month. Anyway, I told him that I was interested in his store and that I could start there as a manager and then he could sell it to me. He was delighted.”

Because he could no longer afford to operate the store in Town and Country Village by 1983, Manfred relocated the business to a 1,000-square-foot space at 3333 Balmoral Drive.

After about 12 years of operating the Balmoral Drive store, Manfred, in desiring to expand his store, moved the shop to its present, 4,000-square-foot location at 3335 El Camino Ave.

The current store site was originally divided into three store spaces in its pre-Pardee’s days, but it was made into its larger space when Country Club Family Billiards, with its 16 tournament tables, opened at that location in 1967.

The store, which is operated by Manfred, Ulrike and several employees, has continued its success at its present location despite challenges created by a changing market.

Pardee’s Cameras, which has a strong reputation for its emphasis on personal service and its offering of quality cameras and accessories, is also recognized as a museum-type camera store.

The store includes a large display of historic still photography and moving picture cameras, which Manfred said he collected to set his store apart from other camera stores.

“I’ve been into photography and cameras all my life and I wanted to have not just an ordinary camera store like you see everywhere, but something special,” Manfred said. “People come in and make remarks in awe of what they see. ‘Is this a camera store or what?’ they say. They can’t believe it what this looks like, what it feels like to be surrounded with cameras that are over 100 years old.”

And in describing some of these cameras, Manfred said, “The history-making wooden, brass cameras up there are super neat and made in England. They’re large 8 (inch) by 10 (inch) format cameras that were made around 1925.

That big, black machine in the center is a (35 mm) manually operated, movie film projector that was made in about 1915. We have a lot of Leica cameras,In a lift cable system, steel cables bolted to the car loop over a sheave. a pioneering company from Germany that invented 35 millimeter photography.The first production laser cutting machine was used to drill holes in diamond dies. We have a collection of over 100 of those. They were made by the Leitz company. There’s also an old Kodak box camera from 1896.Most Popular zclp from the World Leader in Book Scanning. I bought (the cameras) at swap meets and people came in donating them at times and were trying to sell them. There are hundreds and hundreds (of cameras) and about 20, 25 movie cameras, and a tremendous variety of movie projectors, as well.”

In speaking about the anniversary of his business, which has 35,000 loyal customers in its database, Manfred said, “I’m proud of the success (of Pardee’s). It’s my profession, its my hobby, it’s my passion.”