Anyone buy from Hunts Photo and Video (in MA)?

Michael Benveniste wrote:
"Paul Rubin" wrote:

You mean the story about the drugstore? I'd be interested to know how
much of it I actually got right ;-).

Pretty close. The drugstore was their previous location in Malden,
not the current location a few miles north. They had a little
more than aspirin -- if I remember correctly they had an actual
prescription counter as well. But most of the business came
from the photography department. It was actually a state-wide
blue law, not just the town.

I think that's where my Omega D5 came from -- in 1981. They were the
photo store I went into most often while I was living in Hudson MA.

They were nice, fairly well stocked, good prices.

On Feb 24, 5:09 pm, Paul Rubin wrote:
"Mark²" mjmorgan(lowest even number writes:

I checked reseller ratings, and there's only one entry.
This place does have a decently brick & mortar shop, but I haven't found
much in terms of reviews.

The brick and mortar shop has been around forever and is very good.
I'd have a positive predisposition to the mail order operation. They
used to be called Hunt's Drug and are still sometimes referred to that
way. Seems that the MA town they were originally in had a blue law;
retail businesses except for drugstores had to stay closed on Sundays.
So they put up a drugstore storefront, with one of those yellow signs
(familiar form the era) that said "We sell Kodak cameras and film".
When you sent inside, sure enough, they had Kodak cameras and film, as
well as Fuji, Nikon, Canon, Leica, Linhof, Sinar, Hasselblad, Metz,
Norman, Gitzo, you get the idea. A huge store full of pro photo
equipment including studio lighting and tripods and the whole works.
Somewhere in one corner there was a section that had stuff like aspirin
and toothpaste, that they needed in order to call themselves a drugstore.
Quite amusing.

It sounds very quaint, with an old fashioned atmosphere. It reminds
me of the old fashioned drug stores that sold everything.....and
more! I for one would love to check it out! I'd go for it Mark...it
sounds wonderful, even if you're just using their mail-order service.
Good Luck!
Helen

"Mark²" mjmorgan(lowest even number writes:

I checked reseller ratings, and there's only one entry.
This place does have a decently brick & mortar shop, but I haven't found
much in terms of reviews.

I buy from the brick and mortar store every so often. Particularly if I try
stuff out in the store, I feel I should repay them for the service they offered
me (ie, trying it out in person). In terms of price, for new gear they tend to
be on the high side, particularly since they have to charge Massachusetts
taxes. I must say however, they could be faster for gear that they had to
order -- I was given a Hunts gift certificate for Christmas, and decided to
order two camera straps that they didn't have in stock in addition to my other
purchases, and it has been over a week, and they haven't called yet.

--
Michael Meissner
email:
http://www.the-meissners.org

Mark² wrote:
I checked reseller ratings, and there's only one entry.
This place does have a decently brick & mortar shop, but I haven't found
much in terms of reviews.

Any experience out there?
Thanks,
Mark²


Bought Photoshop CS2 from them; got a discount price because of one of
the groups I belong to.

No problems with the transaction.

AFAIK, they're a regular local dealer that also does internet/mail order.

They have probably one of the two best brick and mortars in the Boston
area - prices are close on some things relative to B&H, but overall more
expensive. Calumet in Cambridge also is great.


"Pudentame" wrote in message
...
Mark² wrote:
I checked reseller ratings, and there's only one entry.
This place does have a decently brick & mortar shop, but I haven't found
much in terms of reviews.

Any experience out there?
Thanks,
Mark²


Bought Photoshop CS2 from them; got a discount price because of one of
the groups I belong to.

No problems with the transaction.

AFAIK, they're a regular local dealer that also does internet/mail order.

Jeff wrote:
They have probably one of the two best brick and mortars in the Boston
area - prices are close on some things relative to B&H, but overall
more expensive. Calumet in Cambridge also is great.


"Pudentame" wrote in message
...
Mark² wrote:
I checked reseller ratings, and there's only one entry.
This place does have a decently brick & mortar shop, but I haven't
found much in terms of reviews.

Any experience out there?
Thanks,
Mark²


Bought Photoshop CS2 from them; got a discount price because of one of
the groups I belong to.

No problems with the transaction.

AFAIK, they're a regular local dealer that also does internet/mail
order.

Thanks, Jeff, and many many others here for your input. Based on responses
here, I placed a deposit on a 1DmIII with them a few days ago. I've now
talked with several people there (you get the store...just like it's down
the street...) and they've all been great. They've called me back when they
said they would, and faxed me just as they said.

It seems to be a very decent group of folks there, so I'm happy to do
business with them. I'm usually almost exclusively B&H, with the occasional
Adorama or Calumet...but these folks just made my "good" list. We'll see
how they actually pan out once this new Canon beast actually starts
shipping.
-B&H's page now predicts May...

--
Images (Plus Snaps & Grabs) by Mark² at:
www.pbase.com/markuson

Good luck Mark, I hope it's sooner than May! I hear you about B&H. I'be
been buying all my big ticket items from them, but I must say that their
reps never seem to be too interested in talking to you or providing much
information. Not that they're rude or anything, I just almost always feel
like they're in a hurry to get me off so they can get to the next order.

The guys at Hunt's are good people and very willing to spend time with you.
I was in there the other day in my search for the mystical perfect camera
bag and in the hour or so that I was fiddling around, one rep was back and
forth helping me whenever I needed, but giving me the space to try things
out on my own.




"Mark²" mjmorgan(lowest even number wrote in message
...
Jeff wrote:
They have probably one of the two best brick and mortars in the Boston
area - prices are close on some things relative to B&H, but overall
more expensive. Calumet in Cambridge also is great.


"Pudentame" wrote in message
...
Mark² wrote:
I checked reseller ratings, and there's only one entry.
This place does have a decently brick & mortar shop, but I haven't
found much in terms of reviews.

Any experience out there?
Thanks,
Mark²


Bought Photoshop CS2 from them; got a discount price because of one of
the groups I belong to.

No problems with the transaction.

AFAIK, they're a regular local dealer that also does internet/mail
order.

Thanks, Jeff, and many many others here for your input. Based on
responses here, I placed a deposit on a 1DmIII with them a few days ago.
I've now talked with several people there (you get the store...just like
it's down the street...) and they've all been great. They've called me
back when they said they would, and faxed me just as they said.

It seems to be a very decent group of folks there, so I'm happy to do
business with them. I'm usually almost exclusively B&H, with the
occasional Adorama or Calumet...but these folks just made my "good" list.
We'll see how they actually pan out once this new Canon beast actually
starts shipping.
-B&H's page now predicts May...

--
Images (Plus Snaps & Grabs) by Mark² at:
www.pbase.com/markuson

Jeff wrote:
Good luck Mark, I hope it's sooner than May! I hear you about B&H. I'be
been buying all my big ticket items from them, but I must say
that their reps never seem to be too interested in talking to you or
providing much information. Not that they're rude or anything, I
just almost always feel like they're in a hurry to get me off so they
can get to the next order.

It's funny, because that's something I actually like about B&H. It probably
depends on what style of shopper people are. By the time I call B&H, I have
spent so much time figuring out EXACTLY what I want, that I'm sometimes off
the phone with them in (literally) less than two minutes...having placed a
rather large ticket order. I find it amusing... For someone with
questions, they may be a rather difficult choice. If you want what you want
because you know it...B&H is great.

The guys at Hunt's are good people and very willing to spend time
with you. I was in there the other day in my search for the mystical
perfect camera bag and in the hour or so that I was fiddling around,
one rep was back and forth helping me whenever I needed, but giving
me the space to try things out on my own.

Sounds like they've got it figured out.
I like help when I want it, but I hate being "hovered over" by over zealous
commission-seekers. I wish Hunts wasn't only on your coast...


"Mark²" mjmorgan(lowest even number wrote in message
...
Jeff wrote:
They have probably one of the two best brick and mortars in the
Boston area - prices are close on some things relative to B&H, but
overall more expensive. Calumet in Cambridge also is great.


"Pudentame" wrote in message
...
Mark² wrote:
I checked reseller ratings, and there's only one entry.
This place does have a decently brick & mortar shop, but I haven't
found much in terms of reviews.

Any experience out there?
Thanks,
Mark²


Bought Photoshop CS2 from them; got a discount price because of
one of the groups I belong to.

No problems with the transaction.

AFAIK, they're a regular local dealer that also does internet/mail
order.

Thanks, Jeff, and many many others here for your input. Based on
responses here, I placed a deposit on a 1DmIII with them a few days
ago. I've now talked with several people there (you get the
store...just like it's down the street...) and they've all been
great. They've called me back when they said they would, and faxed
me just as they said. It seems to be a very decent group of folks there,
so I'm happy to do
business with them. I'm usually almost exclusively B&H, with the
occasional Adorama or Calumet...but these folks just made my "good"
list. We'll see how they actually pan out once this new Canon beast
actually starts shipping.
-B&H's page now predicts May...

--
Images (Plus Snaps & Grabs) by Mark² at:
www.pbase.com/markuson

--
Images (Plus Snaps & Grabs) by Mark² at:
www.pbase.com/markuson

On Tue, 27 Feb 2007 23:00:16 -0500, Jeff wrote:

Good luck Mark, I hope it's sooner than May! I hear you about
B&H. I'be been buying all my big ticket items from them, but I
must say that their reps never seem to be too interested in talking
to you or providing much information. Not that they're rude or
anything, I just almost always feel like they're in a hurry to get me
off so they can get to the next order.

Have all of your dealings with B&H been on the phone? They
probably should be in a hurry to get to the next caller, otherwise
holding time would get out of hand. And speaking of hands, on the
other hand, whenever I've had a need for specific information,
whether about products or about why products shown as "In Stock"
aren't available (or vice-versa) they've taken enough time to
provide good explanations rather than trying to brush me off with
facile or disingenuous information.


The guys at Hunt's are good people and very willing to spend
time with you. I was in there the other day in my search for the
mystical perfect camera bag and in the hour or so that I was
fiddling around, one rep was back and forth helping me whenever
I needed, but giving me the space to try things out on my own.

Hunts sounds like a really good store, much better than the local
store where I bought my first Nikon F. Only years later when they
relocated did I actually set foot in B&H (at their Union Square
location). But my experience in B&H in many of their areas such as
bags, tripods and electronics is the same. There's no rush, and if
any of the sales staff aren't completely knowledgeable about all of
the products, all of them seem to be much more knowledgeable than
most of the staff in other stores. And the on-floor selection that
you can play with is huge. Once when I was being helped at one of
the camera counters, it was amusing to see a couple of the older
guys fall over themselves trying to be helpful to a customer that
had some fairly tough requirements for film equipment. They
probably don't have that opportunity much anymore.

I've shopped both in-store (on the are occasion that I make it to NYC) and
on the phone. Don't get me wrong, they're not at all unfriendly or
unhelpful on the phone, but compared to stores like Hunt's they're kind of
abrupt. I'm like Mark. By the time I pick up the phone to call I've
usually researched the thing I'm buying to death. And I refer ANYONE who
asks me where to buy camera equipment to them. Period.




"ASAAR" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 27 Feb 2007 23:00:16 -0500, Jeff wrote:

Good luck Mark, I hope it's sooner than May! I hear you about
B&H. I'be been buying all my big ticket items from them, but I
must say that their reps never seem to be too interested in talking
to you or providing much information. Not that they're rude or
anything, I just almost always feel like they're in a hurry to get me
off so they can get to the next order.

Have all of your dealings with B&H been on the phone? They
probably should be in a hurry to get to the next caller, otherwise
holding time would get out of hand. And speaking of hands, on the
other hand, whenever I've had a need for specific information,
whether about products or about why products shown as "In Stock"
aren't available (or vice-versa) they've taken enough time to
provide good explanations rather than trying to brush me off with
facile or disingenuous information.


The guys at Hunt's are good people and very willing to spend
time with you. I was in there the other day in my search for the
mystical perfect camera bag and in the hour or so that I was
fiddling around, one rep was back and forth helping me whenever
I needed, but giving me the space to try things out on my own.

Hunts sounds like a really good store, much better than the local
store where I bought my first Nikon F. Only years later when they
relocated did I actually set foot in B&H (at their Union Square
location). But my experience in B&H in many of their areas such as
bags, tripods and electronics is the same. There's no rush, and if
any of the sales staff aren't completely knowledgeable about all of
the products, all of them seem to be much more knowledgeable than
most of the staff in other stores. And the on-floor selection that
you can play with is huge. Once when I was being helped at one of
the camera counters, it was amusing to see a couple of the older
guys fall over themselves trying to be helpful to a customer that
had some fairly tough requirements for film equipment. They
probably don't have that opportunity much anymore.