After 56 years in business, a film and camera store in Falls Church is closing

After helping document and preserve memories for more than 50 years, Dominion Camera in Falls Church will close next week.

The small camera shop and photo lab in Falls Church has been in business since 1969. After several attempts to resell the unit, Saturday, September 7, will be the store’s last day of business.

“It is with a heavy heart and deep sadness that we announce that after 56 years in the Washington DC metropolitan area, Dominion Camera will close its doors in early September 2024,” the store posted on Facebook. “The reasons for the closure are varied, but changing business climates and partnership agreements have made the closure inevitable.”

Dominion Camera first appeared on Wilson Boulevard in Arlington. Two years later, founder Tony Socarras moved the store to its current location at 112 W. Broad Street, formerly Porter’s Photography Studio. In 2014, he sold the store to current owners Gary Henry and Mohsen Jalali.

Henry told ARLnow it was sad that Dominion Camera’s “fantastic customer base” was losing their regular store.

“Our business was about sharing and preserving memories,” Henry said. “It was about preserving memories and making sure you always remember them, because the memory is a part of you.”

Longtime employees Martin Brotsky and Robert MacGregor, who managed the laboratory and the store for 22 and 14 years respectively, will also experience their last day of work at Dominion with the closure.

The store held a clearance sale of tripods, photo albums, frames and other accessories last month. They are still developing film through Tuesday, September 3rd, and will be available for pickup on the last day.

Dominion Camera’s sister store, Ace Photo, remains open at 44710 Cape Court, Suite 122 in Ashburn.