Sedona Main Street
Program nominates Rollies Camera Shop for Arizona Main Street 2006 Best
Medium Scale Renovation Project. This project involved the front entry
and the rear of the store.
When Bud and Linda
Johnson purchased Rollies Camera in August 2005, they saw the
opportunity that a renovation could provide. Centrally located in Uptown
Sedona, the building has housed a camera shop since it was built in 1949
by renowned
Arizona
photographer Bob Bradshaw. Over the years, both this site and this
business have become a Sedona landmark.
The Johnson’s
became inspired to renovate when they discovered historic photos of the
original building depicting a warm and inviting living space at the
back, glowing with redwood plank walls, oak floors and a native red rock
fireplace. While not the owners of the building, they decided to make
the financial commitment in order to restore the look and feel of the
original building while providing an attractive and functional space for
their camera shop. Bud and Linda feel like their general contractor
instantly bought into their vision and provided not only construction
services, but sensitive and helpful assistance in making the right
decisions about alternatives during the basically design-build approach
to the store’s renovation. Together, they set about restoring the
original character-defining features to create a rich and authentic
environment for customers.
A past remodel had
relocated the store’s main entrance to the middle of the building
façade, and put a window in its place. Bud and Linda felt that restoring
the site of the original front door was essential to bringing back the
feeling of the past and crucial to improving the orientation of the
store façade to visitor circulation in this area, particularly in light
of the recent installation of a City plaza and crosswalk in front of the
building. When the window installed in the old doorway was removed, they
were delighted to find the original door hinges still in place.
Over the years
renovations covered over wood interior finishes and a stone fireplace,
and added utilitarian lighting that de-emphasized the wood ceiling beams
- all in the name of ‘modernization’. With removal of the standard
retail “slat wall” system and carpet, they found the original elements
mostly intact. After some replacement and repair, cleaning and
refinishing, the fireplace with it’s flagstone hearth is once more the
centerpiece for the rear of the store; the redwood v-groove plank walls
are a dramatic backdrop for high quality merchandise; built-in lighting
allows the rhythm and richness of the ceiling beams to be seen; an
original display shelf once again houses antique camera equipment; and
the replacement wood side door of a style in keeping with the era of the
building allows access to a side paseo. A new wood counter at the back
of the space follows the lines of the long-gone step-up kitchen and
creates a transition from the old wood floors to the new.
Rollies Camera has
a long history and is currently the only privately owned camera store in
northern
Arizona.
The Johnson’s believe that the camera business is the business of
preserving memories; they wanted this renovation to bring back to life a
memory of a past place - Rollies Camera - that has helped so many people
preserve their memories with camera equipment, supplies and services.
Their experiences since completing the renovation are confirmation that
their instincts were right about visitors’ desire to do business in a
place where they have a sense of trust and comfort. One customer
actually arrived at the newly renovated store with his son to show this
member of the latest generation the place where “dad” had purchased
camera equipment years ago. A friend came to see their renovation,
shared memories about Rollies and photography, and decided on the spot
to purchase a camera and bring an old hobby back to life – since then he
has come back to purchase filters and later for additional lenses.
Several others have commented on how good it feels to have Rollies back
as they remember it.
