50 years is a milestone in any endeavor. Especially when serving the public and making the community a better place to be, not as a volunteer or an elected person or a even man of cloth, but as a retail outlet. Most businesses that maintain for half a century are either small mom and pop shops, or become parts of larger corporations and lose their identity. Yesterday Roberts Distributors stood on the summit, and looked out and back on 50 years of retail, growth, and investment in itself, its employees and a community. I've been there since just after the 31st anniversary, saw the store go from a catalog showroom entity (like Service Merchandise) to Nationally recognized and respected camera store with connections to nearly all the 'big' players, shooters and imaging professionals out there. From a mom and pop where you could get your film, toaster, luggage and a nice wedding band, to a company where you could get the latest amateur, hobbyist or professional camera gear at competitive prices from a real person with more than just a passing knowledge of the operation and function of the product. Happy Birthday to Roberts. Many more happy anniversaries to come (I won't say returns, as that is a retail no-no).
Chuck Pace © 2007
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