Carolina Camera Shop

Carolina Camera Shop was established by Sanford “Sandy” Nathan Aroneck (1917-2007) in 1947. Sandy was born in Syracuse, New York to Russian immigrants, Abraham “Abram” (1889-1960) and Ida Rosenfeld Aroneck (c.1890-1942). He moved to Columbia in 1942 to join the Army Air Corps. After four years of active service and a Distinguished Flying Cross for either an act of heroism or extraordinary achievement, he returned to civilian life and settled down with his bride, Fay Reyner (1921-1957). Soon thereafter he purchased Frank D. Bruns Photographic Supplies store at 1343 Main Street and began working to become the largest independent Kodak Camera dealership in the Southern United States.

To do this, Sandy moved to 1405 Main Street in 1954. This new location was four times larger than his previous store and featured a portrait studio, overnight photo finishing services, and a home-movie department. Newspaper clippings from the time advertised Sandy’s new location as “the South’s largest and most beautiful photographic center” with a Roman brick and redwood exterior, new floor tiling, acoustic ceilings, and air conditioning throughout.₁ Given the camera shop’s growth, Sandy was also able to establish two new companies, Jackson Co. and Sanford Photo Copies Corp, shortly thereafter. Sandy attributed his success in part to “doing business with business,” or in other words marketing his products to families and corporations alike.²

Throughout Sandy’s rise to prominence in the photo community, Fay and Sandy had three children together—Charles, Robert, and Nancy—before Fay passed away in 1957. Three years later, Sandy married Rosyln Silber Sachs Aroneck (1919-2001). In 1967, Sandy sold Carolina Camera Shop and Jackson Co. to Colorcraft.

¹ “Carolina Camera Shop Has New Facilities, Trained Staff,” State, April 15, 1954, 9.
² “Carolina Camera Shop Has New Facilities, Trained Staff,” 9.