{"id":257113,"date":"2026-08-01T12:26:08","date_gmt":"2026-08-01T12:26:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/257113\/"},"modified":"2026-08-01T12:26:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-01T12:26:08","slug":"retail-watch-dans-camera-city-has-new-owners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/257113\/","title":{"rendered":"Retail Watch: Dan’s Camera City has new owners"},"content":{"rendered":"

A nearly 50-year-old camera shop has changed hands as part of its next chapter in the Lehigh Valley.<\/p>\n

Desmond Rio and Craig Kufta became the new owners of Dan\u2019s Camera City at 1439 W. Fairmont St. in South Whitehall Township, in early July, Rio told The Morning Call.<\/p>\n

The shop offers equipment such as cameras, lenses, tripods, flashes and microphones; classes and workshops; and services such as photography, framing, printing, archiving, repairs and restoration. Some of the changes they have planned, Rio said, included updating the store\u2019s point-of-sale system, adding real-time product and price tracking to the website, and expanding the selection of brands.<\/p>\n

Dan Poresky founded Dan\u2019s Camera City in 1977<\/a> and sold it in 2003 to employees Kevin Harayda and Mike Woodland, who plan to support the new owners as needed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been working at Dan\u2019s for 34 years, we bought it back in 2003 \u2014 Mike and I along with some investors \u2014 and \u2026 it was time for me to move on,\u201d Harayda said. \u201cI didn\u2019t have the same energy. I didn\u2019t have the same drive day to day after all of the changes over the years and such. So we always had a philosophy that \u2026 the staff were very important to Mike and I throughout our entire time, and we wanted to find somebody that would take into account the value of the staff.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added, \u201cIt was a lot of fun. It was a very enjoyable ride. The people, as I said, are the difference. No matter how you look at it, it comes down to the relationships you create with your customers, with your staff, and I think that\u2019s what has made Dan\u2019s successful over the nearly 50 years \u2014 just the respect that you give and that you get.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Woodland, the sale means not having to split attention from the FastSigns business that he and Harayda own in Williams Township, but it still feels bittersweet to say goodbye.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince I was 17-ish, I\u2019ve been involved in the camera-photo industry through a whole lot of change, a whole lot of even turbulence at times as everything shifted from film cameras to digital cameras to cell phone cameras,\u201d Woodland said. \u201cJust a whole lot of different challenges that were really interesting, and in a lot of ways fun, to have to address and navigate and figure out and adapt, and I think Dan\u2019s did that very well. When I started at Dan\u2019s, it was six camera stores here in the Valley and it wasn\u2019t too long after that \u2014 just with industry changes \u2014 that landscape really shrunk, and I\u2019m very happy that Dan\u2019s was able to navigate those challenges and to be able to come out a very strong organization that\u2019s still prospering.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rio and Kufta own other camera stores in Michigan and Wisconsin, including CameraMall, Woodward Camera and Art\u2019s Camera Plus.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been in the photo industry for many years and I had been as \u2026 not really a competitor but in the trade, in the camera store trade, and certainly Dan\u2019s Camera City was well known,\u201d Kufta said. \u201cIt was actually somewhat of a legend in terms of its ability in a relatively small market to have just outside customer patronage and the amount of people that would come and do business with Dan.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked about what he enjoys or values in these camera stores, Dio said he\u2019s passionate about seeing people\u2019s memories come to life.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is so special when you have somebody come in, they haven\u2019t watched a video of a loved one in who knows how long? Maybe it\u2019s been 10 or 15 years. And then we put it in a format that they can actually watch it on \u2014 might\u2019ve been on a VHS tape before, they don\u2019t have a VHS deck \u2014 and then we turn it into a digital format. So we put it on a flash drive or a DVD for them, and they\u2019re able to watch that for the first time, and that\u2019s just such a special moment. Or we restore images and it\u2019s not uncommon for customers to come in to pick up the order and for them to cry at the counter because they\u2019re seeing that for the first time again. It\u2019s a really special part of the business.\u201d<\/p>\n

The shop is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.<\/p>\n

\"New<\/p>\n

New Dan\u2019s Camera City co-owner Desmond Rio stands Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in the South Whitehall Township shop. Rio and Craig Kufta, who co-own camera stores in Michigan and Wisconsin, bought the store, which was founded in 1977, from Mike Woodland and Kevin Harayda. (April Gamiz\/The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Cameras<\/p>\n

Cameras are for sale Tuesday, July 28, 2026, inside Dan\u2019s Camera City in South Whitehall Township. Former co-owners Mike Woodland and Kevin Harayda have sold the store, which was founded in 1977, to Desmond Rio and Craig Kufta, who co-own camera stores in Michigan and Wisconsin. (April Gamiz\/The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The framing department Tuesday, July 28, 2026, inside Dan\u2019s Camera City in South Whitehall Township. Former co-owners Mike Woodland and Kevin Harayda have sold the store, which was founded in 1977, to Desmond Rio and Craig Kufta, who co-own camera stores in Michigan and Wisconsin. (April Gamiz\/The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Cameras<\/p>\n

Cameras are for sale Tuesday, July 28, 2026, inside Dan\u2019s Camera City in South Whitehall Township. Former co-owners Mike Woodland and Kevin Harayda have sold the store, which was founded in 1977, to Desmond Rio and Craig Kufta, who co-own camera stores in Michigan and Wisconsin. (April Gamiz\/The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"35-mm<\/p>\n

35-mm film is sold Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at Dan\u2019s Camera City in South Whitehall Township. Former co-owners Mike Woodland and Kevin Harayda have sold the store, which was founded in 1977, to Desmond Rio and Craig Kufta, who co-own camera stores in Michigan and Wisconsin. (April Gamiz\/The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The framing department Tuesday, July 28, 2026, inside Dan\u2019s Camera City in South Whitehall Township. Former co-owners Mike Woodland and Kevin Harayda have sold the store, which was founded in 1977, to Desmond Rio and Craig Kufta, who co-own camera stores in Michigan and Wisconsin. (April Gamiz\/The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Dan\u2019s<\/p>\n

Dan\u2019s Camera City in South Whitehall Township, on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. Former co-owners Mike Woodland and Kevin Harayda have sold the store, which was founded in 1977, to Desmond Rio and Craig Kufta, who co-own camera stores in Michigan and Wisconsin. (April Gamiz\/The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Cameras<\/p>\n

Cameras are for sale Tuesday, July 28, 2026, inside Dan\u2019s Camera City in South Whitehall Township. Former co-owners Mike Woodland and Kevin Harayda have sold the store, which was founded in 1977, to Desmond Rio and Craig Kufta, who co-own camera stores in Michigan and Wisconsin. (April Gamiz\/The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

1 of 8<\/p>\n

New Dan\u2019s Camera City co-owner Desmond Rio stands Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in the South Whitehall Township shop. Rio and Craig Kufta, who co-own camera stores in Michigan and Wisconsin, bought the store, which was founded in 1977, from Mike Woodland and Kevin Harayda. (April Gamiz\/The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a>
\nLehigh Valley retail and restaurant news in brief<\/p>\n

Toys R Us: A new store will open in September<\/a> at the Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall Township.<\/p>\n

Forman Mills: The discount retailer announced online<\/a> it will relocate its Whitehall Township location from 2150 MacArthur Road to 1123 Whitehall Mall.<\/p>\n

Decor Home Furniture & Mattresses: The store announced a closing sale<\/a> in early July at the Palmer Park Mall in Palmer Township. It opened in June 2022<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Dolly\u2019s Boutique & Studio: The formal wear store will hold its last day<\/a> on Aug. 30 at 2495 Freemansburg Ave. in Wilson.\u00a0Dolly\u2019s Dressing Room will continue to operate at Promenade Saucon Valley in Upper Saucon Township.<\/p>\n

New pizza restaurant opens<\/p>\n

Hot Spot Pizza Shop announced online<\/a> it would host a grand opening and ribbon cutting at 11 a.m. Saturday at 200 Main St. in Tatamy.<\/p>\n

Co-owner Andrea Perez Cruz told The Morning Call the menu would include pizza, calzones, stromboli, wings, pepperoni rolls, fries, fried calamari, chicken fingers, onion rings, garlic knots, pierogies, sandwiches, salads and pasta.<\/p>\n

She owns the restaurant alongside her husband Hector Perez Cruz and his friend Alex Flores.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve actually been in the pizza and Italian restaurant business since they were allowed to work, so it\u2019s their dream and I\u2019m helping them fulfill it,\u201d Andrea said, adding that she liked the chance to work with family.<\/p>\n

The property previously hosted Tony\u2019s Pizza and Restaurant<\/a> and Leo\u2019s Pizza<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In other news<\/p>\n

Promenade Saucon Valley announced it would permanently shut off its pop-jet fountain<\/a> at the shopping center\u2019s Town Square in Upper Saucon Township, as the mechanics behind the water feature \u201chave reached the end of their useful life.\u201d The fountains\u2019 shutoff, the center said, will make way \u201cfor a reimagined Town Square that reflects the evolving needs of our community and continues to provide a welcoming place for guests to gather and connect.\u201d<\/p>\n

Retail Watch is a weekly column covering retail and restaurant news in the Lehigh Valley. Have a question, tip, or want to see something in the area? Contact retail reporter Graysen Golter at retailwatch@mcall.com. Sign up for our weekly Retail Watch newsletter at mcall.com\/retailwatchsignup.<\/p>\n

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