Creve Coeur Camera

Two weeks ago, I’d have given Creve Coeur Camera (I’ve only been to the Ladue location) four or five stars, because I’ve had film processed here for over a dozen years and they’ve always done a great job. Plus, they still offer old school options like borders on prints and matte finishes. I should say offered. Past Tense.
I stopped by to drop off a roll of film on January 30, and it was Creve Coeur’s last day for processing film (though they will continue to sell it for a little while longer) because it is «obsolete.» The lonely salesman in the store tried very hard to get me to purchase a digital camera (had he bothered to check the computer, he’d have known I’ve already purchased two — a little point & shoot and a major purchase — from this store) and join the 21^st century, which I found quite presumptuous. Just because a person is over 30 doesn’t mean they don’t know what «digital» means!
In any case, call me a Luddite (and I’m sure the salesman would have, if he knew what a Luddite was), but I still like film photography and I always will. Doesn’t mean I don’t also love digital, but film isn’t dead any more than vinyl records are.
What ever happened to Loren, the nicest employee in the shop, who never made fun of customers for the technology they use? Ugh. Well, the Saturday guy says no one in St. Louis processes film anymore, with the possible exception of Walgreen’s, but I’m not sure I believe him. In any case, I’m sorely disappointed in the dismissive attitude Creve Coeur Camera has toward long-​term customers who have LOVED what they had to offer for so many years.
I was essentially given my walking papers! I guess you’ll like this place as long as you are a digital-​only photographer. Don’t go near the place if you still like to experiment with film — unless, of course, you like to collect sneers from sales people. In that case, you’ll be in for a windfall.

Fantastic service. We took an old Nikon in for a new battery. They had the battery and helped. Then Jay took time to educate us on this vintage camera. He was great. We decided to buy a camera bag and some more film. I highly recommend this store.

I went there four years ago with a very basic, low-​end Cannon camera that was missing the battery that enabled it to start correctly and store the date, etc. Neither the clerk nor the manager could even FIND the battery for the camera and after wasting an hour of my time they actually TRIED HARD to sell me some AA batteries — I GUESS hoping that I just wanted to blow my money on ANY battery no matter the failed outcome. Well four years after that stupid excursion some stranger in a grocery line tells me that what I need is a battery door and it ends up that that battery door lists the battery size I need. I ordered them both from EBAY for less than $ 10 and now my camera is working perfectly. I have always heard GREAT things about Creve Coeur Camera but from what I’VE seen, it’s a gamble because the staff is not always competent. If you need help with your camera, take it to a grocery store and ask the guy buying the frozen dinners and dental floss… he’s likely to be more knowledgeable.

I had an excellent experience while buying my first «real» camera at CCC. I didn’t have a ton of time and I really didn’t know exactly what I was looking for, so I was pretty much at the mercy of whatever salesperson decided to help me. I’m sure most people do some research before making such a big purchase, but that’s not really how I roll. Jay made the experience easy and educational, and I absolutely love my new camera.
When I walked in and saw the parade of cameras, accessories, tripods, and other gadgets, I was hopeful that someone would be able to listen to details of the project I was working on and would be able to recommend a camera based on what I told them. As soon as I told Jay what I needed it for, he brought me right over and handed me «the camera for me.» I trusted him, and it turns out he was right. While I was at the store, he showed me everything I needed to know, how to work it all, and let me play around with it for a while before I made a purchase. The best part was how it all fit into my price range, which was the first thing I told him.
He got me all set up before I left with the case, strap, accessories, etc., and it ended up being one of the easiest purchases I’ve ever made. I’m grateful for Jay and how great he made the whole process, and I’m completely obsessed with my new camera!

I am really disappointed with CCC, and am starting to see why literally everyone I know told me not to buy my camera here.
Have returned probably four or five times for various reasons, and on most return visits staff were rude, pretentious, unprofessional, and unhelpful. They have also given me a LOT of conflicting information.
Most aggravating to me was coming in to get my camera cleaned. I was looked at like I was a total moron, even though an internal cleaning is included in the warranty they hard sold me on, and I was advised to do this yearly. They said it was only necessary if there was something wrong with the camera. I was told different information when I bought it and they were trying to sell me on the warranty. I said this and they said oh, Jay never would have told you that.
Yeah. I’m sure Jay does know more about cameras and CCC than I do. However, he DID tell me that. He also told me I could take any class for free, but come to find out
the «free» class is just a seminar about the specific camera you bought. Could I have heard wrong? Sure. I’m a dumbass coming in to buy a camera I know nothing about and am blowing an entire month’s paycheck and getting overwhelmed with decisions and information. It is YOUR job to make sure I understand. And if I remember wrong, instead of making me feel like a dumbass, and instead of telling me «there is no way» one of your employees could have possibly made a mistake or given misleading/​false information, maybe give me the benefit of the doubt, or at least not be totally rude about it.
I realized that one of the problems is that I dealt with two different salespeople when I bought my camera because on the day I came in to make my actual purchase, Jay wasn’t there.
I really do not think I will buy anything else from this place. I came here originally to get better service and to have a family to work with in the pursuit of my photography hobby. Have not felt the love once they got my money, which to them is peanuts, but to me one of the biggest investments I’ve ever made.
P. S. I stand by my original review and still had a great experience with Jay actually deciding on the camera and purchasing the camera. My negative experiences only happened with other staff members after I bought my camera.

You know, as a professional photographer and teacher I’ve had a bad attitude about CCC in the past, but I recently revisited the store in Ladue/​Clayton and found the staff very pleasant and helpful. They seem to have a decent inventory for the shutterbug and even have some black and white printing materials. It’s still not the place for professionals but for those needing basic stuff or those who are just needing a set of prints, this place is good enough, still they aren’t giving anything away here pricewise.

These guys are clowns. You bring them a used camera and they tell you it will take them five days to figure out if it’s worth anything to them. Four weeks later and they still hadn’t bothered to call me back to let me know that it had no value to them … I had to call them and ask them what the deal was. I wonder how long before they would have put my «no value» camera in the display case with a price tag. Good luck to you if you decide to do business with these people.

I gave them 2 stars only because they were polite. I wanted to like them, I wanted to spend my money there (a local business) instead of Amazon, but seriously… they wanted to charge me $ 60 for a $ 25 battery. I asked about price matching and said that I would go as high as $ 36 plus tax, but that did nothing. The store looked nice, the staff was nice, but seriously… buy your electronics online and save much more. I can’t imagine any reason why one would want to buy something there unless they were nervous about purchasing a big ticket item and wanted some reassurance.

I’m giving them five stars for their Passport Photo services. Not only was it fast, but they look great and they even checked with me to see if I liked it before printing. Hurray for the digital age! Passport photos are $ 10 even there, but worth the money!