Ritz Camera Centers
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| Ritz Camera Centers | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1918 |
| Headquarters | Beltsville, Maryland, United States |
| Key people | David M. Ritz (CEO) Wade Mayberry (President) Curtis J. Scheel (CFO) |
| Industry | Photographic products and services |
| Website | www.ritzpix.com |
Beltsville, Maryland-based Ritz Camera Centers operates a chain of approximately 1,100 photography stores located in 45 states and the District of Columbia. These stores offer a variety of photography products and services, including one-hour photofinishing, digital imaging, and equipment. The chain includes Ritz Camera, Wolf Camera, Kit's Camera, Inkley's, Cameras West, and the Camera Shop. The company also owns Boater's World Marine Centers, a chain of 125 stores that sells fishing, water speed motors, marine electronics, and other boating supplies.
Carmen Electra is the current spokesmodel for the company, appearing in their television and print ads with CEO David Ritz.
The family-owned company was founded as a portrait studio in 1918 by Benjamin Ritz, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Ritz Camera took over Wolf Camera in 2001 from Chuck Wolf, a cousin of David Ritz.
Ritz Camera was one of the first chain photo processing stores to offer 4x6 prints from 35mm film. Ritz Camera is also the first to offer 4.5x6 prints that are full-frame (no cropping) for most digital cameras. Photo-albums and frames for this 4.5x6 size are not yet widely available, though 5x7 albums can be used as well as 4.5x6 frame mattes, which Ritz now carries. Much like their popular "bordered" prints which Ritz is also known for, this 4.5x6 print size serves to distinguish Ritz in the market.
