Dodd Camera, the Cleveland-based owner of Click Camera, has agreed to purchase the Fairborn retailer’s inventory and operate a Click store in the same location, Rybolt said. The store will continue to focus on cameras and equipment for the amateur and professional segments, such as faster lenses and better lighting equipment said Mark Leonard, president of Click Camera and Dodd Camera.
“We’re going to have inventory that will appeal to those people, more like our commercial store in Cleveland,” Leonard said.
Rybolt said Mike Petrose, who co-manages Fairborn Camera with him, will retire at the end of April. While Rybolt will remain during the transition, he also will retire soon after the store changes hands, he said.
Rybolt said his and Petrose’s retirements are driving the change.
“We’re going out on top and that’s a good feeling,” he said.
Dennis Phillips, whose family founded the store, retired 15 years ago.
In addition to cameras, the Fairborn store carries photo paper, film, chemicals for developing and software, according to the company’s Website. The company has sold supplies and provided training to area police departments, high schools and other institutional clients, Rybolt said.
Dodd bought Click Camera in 2005 and continues to operate stores under the Click nameplate.
Click will honor Fairborn Camera and Video gift certificates and continue to service items sold by Fairborn Camera, said Rybolt, who plans to continue photography as a hobby once he retires.
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