Ritz camera files chapter 11

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Most Popular Opinion. The privately held Beltsville, Md. Ritz Camera, still run by the family that established it as a portrait studio in Atlantic City, N. But the recession has put tremendous pressure on the company, which already was struggling to rebuild sales after consumer interest switched from film to digital products.

Ritz joins several other large retailers, including Linens 'N Things and Circuit City, which have filed for bankruptcy protection. But unlike Linens 'N Things, which went out of business, and Circuit City, which is closing next month, Ritz, according to its filing, plans to restructure "to preserve the possibility of being able to The debts have mounted and sales are in the dumper.

Photofinishing sales, a Ritz mainstay profit center, are also poor. Before you accuse me of the widespread practice of visiting the store to try stuff out and then ordering on the Web, you should know that my major camera purchases are indeed local. Accessories I buy online, usually from eBay. The Internet is clearly a major factor in this situation. The availability of cheap accessories such as screw-on lens filters from low-cost sellers on eBay cuts into after-purchase accessory sales.