Legacy 50+ year established San Diego camera service business - film and digital cameras, lenses, and related equipment for individual photographers, retail dealers, schools, and government clients — with a national mail-in program. $95k down with the remainder on a generous seller note (no bank).

***Top Highlights***
- Owner absentee — current owners spend fewer than 5 hours per week overseeing operations remotely
- No technical skills required — a fully trained staff of skilled technicians handles all repairs, along with a key training person
- Generous seller financing — only $95K down, with the balance carried over 3 years at 6% interest
- Long-tenured staff — three repair techs (4th in training) with a combined 100 years of experience; one has been with the shop 16 years, another since 2004 (business is 50+ years old)
- Loyal repeat customer base with nationwide reach — walk-in customers from across San Diego
County plus a national mail-in program generating over 2,000 service tickets per year
- Very little direct competition — one of the only dedicated camera repair shops in Southern California; manufacturer repair centers charge significantly more and take twice as long
- Film and digital camera markets are growing — film photography is experiencing a major cultural revival, driving increased demand for repair services
- 51-year brand with hundreds of 5-star reviews — 4.6 on Google and 4.5 on Yelp across hundreds of reviews

Business Overview
Founded in 1974, this is San Diego's most trusted camera repair institution, operating continuously for over 51 years. The business has changed hands only twice in its history and is now offered for sale by current owners who stabilized, modernized, and grew the operation before deciding to return to their full-time careers.

The shop handles film and digital camera repairs as well as lenses, serving individual photographers, retail camera dealers, school districts, government agencies, police and fire departments, and military clients. The business is an authorized warranty repair center for a major lens manufacturer and services equipment from virtually every major brand. The national mail-in program extends geographic reach well beyond Southern California.

Repair technicians are paid on commission only (40% of labor billed), which means payroll costs flex downward during slower months — a structural advantage for cash flow management.

The business runs on modern cloud-based systems including a dedicated repair CRM, QuickBooks Online, and an online payroll platform, making day-to-day oversight simple and fully remote.

Financial Summary

2025 Revenue: $489,700
2024 Revenue: $454,239
SDE (owner-absentee scenario): $56,435 average
SDE (absorption scenario — buyer eliminates rent): $151,124 average

Current rent: $3,815/month | Lease expires August 2026 (3-year renewal typical)


Growth Opportunities

Only 3 of 6 repair benches are currently in use — capacity exists to double ticket volume by adding 1-2 technicians with minimal investment

National retail dealer outreach — most camera retailers subcontract repair work; this business is positioned to become their outsourced solution

School and municipal outreach — school photography programs operate on committed purchase order budgets, representing recurring contract revenue

Camera rental department — in-house repair capability creates a structural advantage over competitors who lose margin to damaged rental equipment

Marketing is essentially untapped — no active PPC or SEO spend; a modest digital budget could meaningfully grow the national mail-in business


Transaction Details

Asking Price: $295,000
Down Payment: $95,000
Seller Financing: 3-year note at 6% interest with personal guarantee
Sale Structure: Asset sale, cash-free and debt-free at close
All furniture, fixtures, and equipment included
Training and transition: as negotiated
Non-compete available