This year we have a fine crop of new Leica stores in London. In addition to Leica’s own store and gallery in Duke Street, long-time Leica specialist, Aperture, has opened a magnificent new place north of Oxford Street.
Old-established
Aperture is an old established retailer and used-camera specialist based in Rathbone Place at the Tottenham Court-road end of Oxford’s street. That store will continue, by the way.
The new premises, like the Leica Store in Burton place, comprises two adjacent shops opening up as gallery, retailer and repair specialist.
Aperture, under the direction of Patrick Tang, is now an official Leica dealer, offering the full range of new cameras in addition to an eclectic mix of pre-owned film and digital cameras, plus a wide range of accessories.
Camera repairs
One of the main features of the new store is the repair workshop presided over by long-time Aperture associate, Kriton Krimitsos. He was hard at work when I called yesterday.
Kriton says that he can undertake most repairs to mechanical cameras but does not handle digitals.
The new store, at 17 Riding House Street, is best approached from Tottenham Court Road or Upper Regent Street (at the corner of All Souls Church ). It is just a few minutes’ stroll from Broadcasting House, home of the BBC.
All images by Mike Evans and the Leica D-Lux 7
Looks a lot more interesting than the boutique style Leica Store which has just moved within Mayfair. It is great that Kriton is in-house with his repair set up. You really do need to talk to a repair person. My CLA/repair person in Dublin, Noel P Young, is somebody that I see at least once a month. He is currently working on a Reid IIIa for me. While the external look of the camera is similar to that of a Leica IIIb, the internals, including the screws, are quite different to those in a Leica and Noel and I are able to discuss what needs to be done on a regular basis. He also did wonderful jobs on my father’s Super Baldina and a Zorki (also a Leica copy). I have a lot of cameras that need a bit of work, but I have decided to have them done one or two at a time. I believe that Kriton’s presence in-house will be a real boost for Aperture.
William