Los Angeles Camera Shop Faces Backlash After Influencer Claims Heirloom Was Damaged
A photographer's viral TikTok video detailing concerns over her grandmother's vintage camera has led to an influx of negative reviews for a Los Angeles repair shop, drawing parallels to a celebrity dispute.
A Los Angeles camera repair shop is facing online criticism after a photographer claimed the business damaged her grandmother's vintage Rolleiflex camera during a restoration attempt. The incident, documented in a series of viral TikTok videos, has drawn comparisons to a recent dispute involving singer Kelly Clarkson and a New York shop.
Photographer Kai George brought her 1960s Rolleiflex camera to Walter's Camera Video and Digital Repair for a CLA (clean, lubricate, and adjust) and a mirror replacement, an agreement she states was set at $450. However, upon returning to pick up the camera, George alleged that the shop had swapped some of its parts for damaged ones and introduced new cosmetic issues.
In her TikTok videos, George expressed frustration, pointing out new dents and scratches on the camera. She also claimed the camera's serial number had changed, which she presented as evidence that it was not the same unit she had entrusted to the shop. George stated that the shop worker explained the camera required more work than initially anticipated, but she insisted this had not been part of their original discussion.
George ultimately left the shop without the camera and did not pay for the services. She later returned to the shop, at which point she reported that the original parts appeared to have been reinstalled. While she was not charged, George indicated that she does not consider the matter resolved and has since taken the camera to another shop for evaluation.
Walter's Camera Video and Digital Repair has not issued a formal public statement, but ABC 7 reported that an employee's now-deleted Instagram post acknowledged that some components may have been mixed up. The post also included an apology for the initial response that made George feel dismissed.
George's TikToks have garnered millions of views, and some of her followers have begun posting negative reviews for the repair shop online. The situation has drawn parallels to a widely publicized incident where Kelly Clarkson alleged poor treatment at a Brooklyn shop over a $15,000 singing bird. In that case, Clarkson's online complaint also led to her fan base targeting the store with criticism.