We are so proud to present our 2017 Dealer of the Year Award to Midwest Photo. As we think about which retailer to acknowledge each year with this award, we do not take this responsibility lightly. Because more than anything, we want to highlight dealers who are not standing still but rather are moving in new and exciting directions.
What’s most interesting to us is that as we look at our recent Dealer of the Year
recipients, we recognize that their successes may be due to completely different reasons. Mike’s Camera a few years ago was all about expansion and the incredible fortitude it took to buy new stores in what was a down market. The following year, our friends at Roberts Camera recognized the power of Internet sales and how expanding into the used and rental markets online was a powerful new source of revenue for them.
The pages of this issue will give you a peek under the hood at Midwest Photo, so you can understand what has driven their success. We hope our choice each year can inspire those in our industry to try new things or, as Moishe Appelbaum says, to change and diversify. And given that many photo specialty dealers are part of the PRO group, whose members share their successes (and challenges) as learning tools, Moishe is happy to speak with anyone who would like to reach out with questions about his business. He can be reached at Moishe@mpex.com.
Selective Focus
While we’re talking about success, please check out George Schaub’s Selective Focus column in this issue. We’ve been very lucky to have George as one of our columnists for the last five years. (It all started with a conversation in a cab in Las Vegas. Right, George?) As a photographer, editor and teacher, his perspectives have been incredibly valuable to this industry for too many years to count. And his predictions about our future might just warm our readers’ hearts.
We hope that you are all having an incredible holiday season. And we wish all of you the best for a healthy and successful 2018.
