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Many Chisago Lakes Residents have no idea we have a camera repair shop in our own backyard.  In fact, it has been a staple of downtown Lindstrom for decades.  Northwest Camera Repair and its owner Gus Gulbrandson are celebrating 30 years in business this year and we caught up with him recently to discuss his achievement.

Just how you got into the business in the first place?

As a teenager, I worked for my dad at the Time Gift Shop repairing Timex watches and adding clock repair. Following two years of college, in which I had been taking photography courses, I started a correspondence course in camera repair, before completion of the course, I was employed as a camera repair tech at Northwest Camera Repair, Inc. in downtown Minneapolis in April of 1985.

Why did you end up settling your business in Lindstrom?

I and two other technicians purchased the assets of Northwest Camera Repair, Inc. on September 1, 1994. Following nine years in a location in Maplewood and nine years in White Bear Lake, both of the other technician/owners had left the company and the decision was made to move Northwest Camera & Video Repair to Lindstrom, into the rear of the old Time Gift Shop, now Goldstar Printworks building. owned by my brother Ki Gulbranson.

Over the years, the business model has changed from having multiple dealers sending work to us to mainly walk-in customers, as the dealers closed their doors. Our customers are mainly from  Minnesota and western Wisconsin, but do reach across the United States as customers find us through our website northwestcamera.com. Many of our customers are referred to us from the two remaining camera stores in the Twin Cities and from the photographic community from amateurs to professionals.

Northwest is one of only a few shops that repair the Swiss made Sinar large format camera system, as such, we get cameras from across the country.

What is your draw to cameras?

I have a passion for camera repair and love to repair due to the nature of always having a “puzzle” to solve and for the satisfaction of being able to repair the equipment and getting the customer back out shooting.

Give us a little background on your history in Lindstrom

I grew up in Lindstrom and have lived my whole life in one of two houses two blocks apart. My parents moved to Lindstrom in 1955 and purchased the building that became the home to the Time Gift Shop in 1956, which now houses Goldstar Printworks and Northwest Camera Repair.

How do you see the next 5-10 years play out, your succession plan and retirement plan?

The camera repair business has changed drastically since I started in 1985. The advent of digital cameras totally changed the face of camera repair until about four years ago when film cameras started to make a comeback in popularity. Until 2020, Northwest would see maybe one film camera a month, now it is up to 10 or more. My customers keep telling me; because Northwest is the only camera repair shop in Minnesota and for roughly 300 miles in any direction, that I can't retire. Do I see myself retiring? Maybe someday, but for the near future 5-10 years, I don't see that happening. As to passing the business on, I haven't figured out how to go about training someone that is equitable and makes sense dollar wise. So until I can figure that part out, my customers will have me to be there to help them with their cameras, lenses and other photographic equipment.

Gus and Northwest Camera are at 12720 Lake Blvd. in Lindstrom or reach out by email at [email protected].

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