The Camera Company

Ownership

Ward Lundgren is the owner, and Edmund Erickson and Ward Lundgren opened the first store in 1977. The business appears to be independently owned rather than part of a corporate chain or franchise.

Local Sourcing

The business ships products throughout the U.S. and offers photo lab services, but there is no visible information about local or regional supplier relationships in the search results. Product sourcing appears to be primarily through national/corporate supply chains for camera gear.

Community Involvement

The store has a strong focus on community engagement and support for local shoppers, and they offer classes. However, there's limited specific evidence of sponsorships or deep nonprofit/school partnerships in the available information.

Local Workforce

Employee reviews mention heavy micromanagement, pay concerns (suggesting wages below $15/hr in an expert role), and lack of respect from management. However, customers consistently praise knowledgeable and helpful staff, suggesting skilled employees despite workplace concerns.

Revenue Retention

Annual revenue was $20.5 million in 2025 for the multi-location business, but as an independently owned retailer with online shipping nationwide, significant revenue likely flows to national suppliers and online operations rather than staying primarily in Madison.

Local Presence

The site displays strong corporate signals including template boilerplate copy ('Unleashing your creativity,' 'Elevating your experience'), generic product descriptions, and references to 'each of our locations' suggesting multiple branches. Local signals are minimal: while the Madison address and local phone number are present, there are no owner/staff names, personality-driven copy, or Madison-specific references beyond the contact details.