After 56 years in business, a film and camera shop in Falls Church is closing | ARLnow.com

After over 50 years of helping the D.C. area document and preserve memories, Dominion Camera in Falls Church will close next week.

The little camera shop and photography lab in Falls Church has been in business since 1969. After a couple attempts to resell, the shop’s last day of business is Saturday, Sept. 7.

“With heavy hearts and sadness, we must announce that after 56 years of serving the Washington DC metro area, Dominion Camera will be closing its doors in early September 2024,” the shop posted on Facebook. “The reasons for the closing are many, but the change in the business climate and partnership arrangements have made the closing unavoidable.”

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

Henry told ARLnow he is sad to see Dominion Camera’s “fantastic customer base” lose their go-to shop.

“We were in the business of sharing memories and preserving memories,” Henry said. “It was all about preserving memories and making sure you’ll always remember them, because your memory is part of you.”

Longtime employees, Martin Brotsky and Robert MacGregor, who managed the lab and store for 22 and 14 years, will also see their final day at Dominion with the closure.

The shop held a closing sale on tripods, photo albums, frames and other accessories last month. It will continue to process film through Tuesday, Sept. 3 for pickup on its last day.

Dominion Camera’s sister shop, Ace Photo, will remain open at 44710 Cape Court, Suite 122 in Ashburn.