Toronto Photography Meetup Group

TPMG.CA
It is currently Wed Oct 22, 2025 6:16 pm

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 50 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 11:25 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 11:18 am
Posts: 71
Location: Toronto, ON
Has thanked: 2 times
Have thanks: 1 time
The one with the crotchedy old man and the lovely neglected, dust covered beauties (Hasselblads and Arca Swiss 4x5s that are in the window and on the shelf, you know the place that smells like cigarettes and lost dreams.

Has anyone ever had any success at buying something there?
Does that guy kick everyone out empty handed, or is this something that only happens to females?


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 11:39 pm 
Offline
TPMG Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jan 15, 2007 3:52 am
Posts: 4022
Location: Newmarket
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 2 times
Flickr: http://goo.gl/RJbMu
Which one? http://g.co/maps/udm62, or one around the corner on Church?

Those pawn shops have in general indicated they don't know the first thing about the street price of the camera equipment, and it seemed in my experience they don't actually care to be told otherwise.

I've had similar experience at the camera shows that used to be at the Thornhill Community Centre, and now at the Don Valley Hotel. There are a few characters there, like the guy who dressed like he just stepped out of the Vietnam War... can't talk sense him that the camera remote is worth 10 bucks, and in the condition of the specimen at hand, 10 bucks a generous offer.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 12:33 am 
Offline
TPMG ARISTOCRAT
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jan 31, 2009 6:45 pm
Posts: 5371
Location: Etobicoke
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 10 times
Flickr: www.flickr.com/potatoeye/
I am pretty sure they think this amount of dust adds to the value


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 12:36 am 
Offline
TPMG Administrator
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jan 27, 2010 5:26 pm
Posts: 3379
Location: Burlington
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 11 times
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/christopherbrian/
PotatoEYE wrote:
I am pretty sure they think this amount of dust adds to the value


Oh man! My parent's basement has millions of dollars in it then!


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 1:20 am 
Offline
TPMG ARISTOCRAT
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jan 31, 2009 6:45 pm
Posts: 5371
Location: Etobicoke
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 10 times
Flickr: www.flickr.com/potatoeye/
ions wrote:
PotatoEYE wrote:
I am pretty sure they think this amount of dust adds to the value


Oh man! My parent's basement has millions of dollars in it then!

you'll have to get that 'crotchedy old man' in there then


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 1:25 am 
Offline
TPMG Administrator
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jan 27, 2010 5:26 pm
Posts: 3379
Location: Burlington
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 11 times
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/christopherbrian/
I take partial exception to "old" :P.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 8:48 am 
Offline
Official TPMG Contributor
User avatar

Joined: Thu May 04, 2006 4:18 pm
Posts: 4691
Has thanked: 3 times
Have thanks: 19 times
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/metrix_feet/
Being a crotchedy old man I can say it's not just females. I've been in the store a few times out of curiosity so far I never seen them actually doing any pawn business. But the last time I had a rolleiflex around my neck and he offered to buy it at a price just slightly lower then market value and then he did a high pressure sales job on trying to sell a slightly over priced hasselblad. The cameras in the front window are not the good ones, they can be found on the back shelf. They do know their old cameras but don't really seem that interested in selling them.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 11:08 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 11:18 am
Posts: 71
Location: Toronto, ON
Has thanked: 2 times
Have thanks: 1 time
I'm talking about the pawn shop directly across the street from Henry's with the black and yellow sign.

I'm not talking about them trying to get more than the camera is worth, I'm just talking about the fact the guy there had no interest at all in dealing with me.

When I asked him about a Hasselblad he give me a really hard time and wouldn't discuss price telling me that that camera is for professionals and not little girls. He kicked me out once I gave up on that and turned my attention to the arca swiss on the shelf behind him. I was flabbergasted, really.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 11:19 am 
Offline
TPMG Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Thu May 11, 2006 3:50 pm
Posts: 8965
Location: Ajax
Has thanked: 3 times
Have thanks: 25 times
Flickr: www.flickr.com/lxdesign
Professionals and not little girls ... wow, I don't blame you for being peeved. That would turn me off for sure.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 11:23 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 11:18 am
Posts: 71
Location: Toronto, ON
Has thanked: 2 times
Have thanks: 1 time
Well, I am little.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 11:52 am 
Offline
Official TPMG Contributor
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2009 7:37 pm
Posts: 468
Location: Burlington
Has thanked: 1 time
Have thanks: 3 times
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/eastyorkphotography/
hollysayso wrote:
Well, I am little.

Little or not, that's still not a cool attitude. I won't start a debate here about 'the old boys club' but I doubt a place like that will change it's tune. Shame since a sale is a sale, little girl or not.

I haven't been in the place myself but have seen a few mom and pop camera stores (Merkle in Scarborough & Burlington Camera in, well, Burlington) that seem to have nice little collections and are far more willing to chat about gear.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 1:22 pm 
Offline
TPMG ARISTOCRAT
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jan 31, 2009 6:45 pm
Posts: 5371
Location: Etobicoke
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 10 times
Flickr: www.flickr.com/potatoeye/
if you were a big girl, you'd tell the man what Ashley's saying here. However, I understand your side, I'd probably do the same thing you did, well maybe after dropping a sarcastic reply of some sort.... :)


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 1:40 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 11:18 am
Posts: 71
Location: Toronto, ON
Has thanked: 2 times
Have thanks: 1 time
Don't get me wrong I got upset and all but he literally yelled at me telling me to get out of his store. Never in my life have I experienced such a thing, some other friends have gone in with similar results so I thought I would ask if this is just his way of doing business or not.

My guess is he doesn't sell much of anything and something else pays the bills.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 2:29 pm 
Offline
THE GODFATHER
User avatar

Joined: Wed Dec 20, 2006 9:22 pm
Posts: 989
Location: North York
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 1 time
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/timras
There are a couple of "characters" in that area. One told me if I want to test the camera he was going to take out the battery and I would have to provide my own. This was for a Bronica 645. Another time I was told I had to put a deposit on a Mamiya RB67 just to hold it.
Better off dealing with a reputable camera shop. Besides the asking prices at the pawn shops were not good to start with and the chance of bargaining after their comments well......

Tim


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 2:34 pm 
Offline
TPMG SUPERSTAR
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 4:29 am
Posts: 3415
Location: James in RH
Has thanked: 2 times
Have thanks: 2 times
Flickr: http://goo.gl/cahhK
Perhaps their business model is just to buy cheap off desperate folks and sell on ebay so they shoo off walk in buyers. Or in your case, demean and tick you off so you don't walk in again.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 3:48 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:58 am
Posts: 825
Location: Guelph
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 0 time
I've only gone in there once and didn't get the impression that he wanted my business. The aforementioned dust and cigarette smoke didn't give me a very good feeling about the place either.... sorry you had such a horrible experience there! There is NO excuse for such awful customer service.

On the other hand, one of the largest pawn brokers around the corner on Church st usually has some stuff on hand. I bought a Hasselblad lens there for roughly half of what Vistek was asking for the same lens in the same condition... they were willing to negotiate and dropped the price by a few hundred when I said the shutter needed service.

Coolest part of this particular store was that they packed the cash and sales receipt into a little brass tube and stuck it into the (still operational) pneumatic tube system they have going on.... felt like I stepped into a time warp.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 6:58 pm 
Offline

Joined: Wed Jul 08, 2009 12:19 pm
Posts: 512
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 1 time
I got my 4x5 holders there.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 11:51 pm 
Offline

Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2009 5:50 pm
Posts: 113
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 0 time
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jscottharrison/
hollysayso wrote:
Don't get me wrong I got upset and all but he literally yelled at me telling me to get out of his store. Never in my life have I experienced such a thing, some other friends have gone in with similar results so I thought I would ask if this is just his way of doing business or not.

My guess is he doesn't sell much of anything and something else pays the bills.


Go before he's drunk...long before noon. :)


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 9:13 am 
Offline

Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2009 9:18 pm
Posts: 27
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 0 time
hollysayso wrote:
My guess is he doesn't sell much of anything and something else pays the bills.


money laundering?
drug dealing?
day trading?
oil painting portraiture?

sorry you had a bad experience! no excuse for treating you like that.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 10:02 am 
Offline
Official TPMG Contributor
User avatar

Joined: Thu May 04, 2006 4:18 pm
Posts: 4691
Has thanked: 3 times
Have thanks: 19 times
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/metrix_feet/
aw237 wrote:
hollysayso wrote:
My guess is he doesn't sell much of anything and something else pays the bills.


money laundering?
drug dealing?
day trading?
oil painting portraiture?

sorry you had a bad experience! no excuse for treating you like that.


I don't see them as oil painters or day traders 8)


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 10:57 am 
Offline
TPMG ADDICT
User avatar

Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2007 9:41 pm
Posts: 1753
Has thanked: 2 times
Have thanks: 1 time
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/delsorbo/c ... 448542755/
It would be funny if this lead to some investigation and arrest.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 4:12 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 1:04 am
Posts: 925
Location: The Sky Dome, Toronto
Has thanked: 30 times
Have thanks: 10 times
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahosking/
There must be hundreds of laundering/drug ops in this city.
Places with gear like this, fur "dealers" and "leather" designers that seem content NEVER selling anything, and yet year after year they are in "business".


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 4:31 pm 
Offline

Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2006 8:53 am
Posts: 111
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 0 time
Not sure about that store but I do remember reading that Pawn shops make the majority of their money on the interest from loans - the items are at the store as security for the loan and most people go back to reclaim their stuff when they repay their loan + the interest.

Of course the interest rate is not the same as what you would get at the local bank...


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 6:28 pm 
Offline
I'm on TPMG way too much

Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 8:55 am
Posts: 1200
Location: Mississauga
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 0 time
I went in once to speak with the drunk Russian (I don't actually know if he is Russian, but man he was loaded). Wanted to buy one of the 4x5 cameras he had on a top shelf and he flat out said that he wouldn't sell it to me because I wasn't good enough. Touché.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 6:42 pm 
Offline
TPMG ARISTOCRAT
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jan 31, 2009 6:45 pm
Posts: 5371
Location: Etobicoke
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 10 times
Flickr: www.flickr.com/potatoeye/
maybe i should go give it a shot in that case then


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 6:47 pm 
Offline
TPMG ADDICT
User avatar

Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2007 9:41 pm
Posts: 1753
Has thanked: 2 times
Have thanks: 1 time
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/delsorbo/c ... 448542755/
dmitri he's gonna shut you down hard, and i'd love to be there to see it :D


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 6:49 pm 
Offline
I'm on TPMG way too much

Joined: Mon May 26, 2008 11:39 am
Posts: 1007
Location: Downtown, Toronto
Has thanked: 0 time
Have thanks: 3 times
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/qualdoth/
PotatoEYE wrote:
maybe i should go give it a shot in that case then


He only sells to people who have ample images of the Leuty guard house.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 7:10 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 11:18 am
Posts: 71
Location: Toronto, ON
Has thanked: 2 times
Have thanks: 1 time
smlg.ca wrote:
I went in once to speak with the drunk Russian (I don't actually know if he is Russian, but man he was loaded). Wanted to buy one of the 4x5 cameras he had on a top shelf and he flat out said that he wouldn't sell it to me because I wasn't good enough. Touché.


YES, this is the same place. Probably the same camera I had a look at in 2009....gathering dust..


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:17 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Wed May 20, 2009 8:52 pm
Posts: 304
Location: Toronto (Leslieville)
Has thanked: 6 times
Have thanks: 0 time
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/roninbmo/
Oh yes, the one that opens late and is closed way too early. Looked in the window and saw the dust on the gear and kept on walking,


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 9:40 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sun Dec 19, 2010 12:22 pm
Posts: 128
Location: mississauga
Has thanked: 1 time
Have thanks: 0 time
That guy is jackass. I ask him about hasselblad we looked at me and say - You cant afford it :) hehehe


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 50 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 23 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group