Zone Image closes its sales counter but its laboratory continues its activities
The retail camera store located on King Street West will close.
Share September 24, 2020 Updated September 25, 2020 at 9:53 am Share Zone Image closes its sales counter but its laboratory continues its activities
Sabrina Lavoie La Tribune The Zone image camera retail store located on King Street West since the early 2000s has not been able to survive the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this closure in no way affects the other activities of the Imacom group and the photographic laboratory will remain open.
Reached by phone, the president of Imacom Communications Jean Bourgault confirmed the sad news. “COVID-19 has a lot to do with it, but it is several factors combined together that make it no longer profitable to operate this type of operation in the region,” he explains.
Mr. Bourgault says that for several years, the market has been falling more and more. “Competition from the Internet, big box stores and cell phones has caused the camera itself to lose a lot of popularity. “
The President of Zone Image would however like to point out that this closure does not affect the other activities of the Imacom group in any way and that the photographic laboratory will remain open. “On the contrary, it is a very prosperous industry. We are also in hiring mode for the photo lab, ”he says.
Three full-time employees will be affected by this upcoming closure. Some of them have been employed for many years and are recognized for their knowledge in the field of photography in Sherbrooke.
One less local store
The Téléphoto company located on Alexandre Street having also closed its doors at the beginning of the year, the community of photographers in Estrie now finds itself without local service.
Michel Caron, professional photographer for several years, says he is sad to learn this news without being very surprised. “It touches me and it always saddens me to see closures of local businesses. However, it must be said that in this case, the arrival of the Internet was the beginning of the end. Imacom persevered, but we can just understand the situation, ”he says, admitting himself to having bought his used equipment on the Internet.
Nevertheless, Mr. Caron admits having several memories related to this business. “For many people, when we talk about Imacom and particularly a former employee, Gilles Mercier, it is very significant. This man, deceased today, was the focal point of the photography community in Sherbrooke at the time. He was a mentor to many of us, ”he recalls.
