We are enormously saddened to announce that Mendel Mendlowits, the founder of Adorama, passed away on the morning of April 8, 2020. He was 76 years old.
Mr. Mendlowits built a legacy of community, innovation, and creativity. The entire Adorama family mourns this loss.
We Remember Mendel
If you ever had the honor of speaking with Mendel Mendlowits for any more than five minutes, you weren’t likely to forget him. His piercing, curious eyes stayed riveted on you throughout the conversation. His insatiable curiosity could turn a quick “hello” into an hour-long discussion. It was this curiosity, and his unstoppable drive to do what others thought could not be done, that made Mendel Mendlowits such an influential figure in the photography industry for more than 40 years.
Born in 1943, Mendel survived the Holocaust alongside his sister, who hid him in a bunker at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp until they were liberated by Allied forces. Several years later, he came to the United States with his father and sister, settling in the Hasidic enclave of Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
At 17, Mendel and his brother joined his family’s business, Mazel, a small Brooklyn-based wholesaler of film, batteries, and photo finishing equipment. He continued to work in the family business while simultaneously opening the first Adorama store on 34th Street in Manhattan.
When starting his new company in the 1970s, he chose the name “Adorama,” inspired by the Hebrew word “ador,” a tree used to fortify the borders of ancient Israel, and because it would also be listed early in the index. A voracious reader, Mendel was in tune with the photography community of the 1970s, learning and understanding the information photographers were seeking, and began advertising in popular magazines like Modern Photography and Shutterbug. He became an expert in finding the right products and deals, often finding them through word-of-mouth referrals, and knew how to speak the language of photography. Those who knew him would recognize when he had found a great deal or a unique product by the twinkle in his eye and the determination on his face.
When launching his business, and among countless competing retailers, Mendel understood the importance of service to the community. In growing a loyal customer base of photographers and creatives, Mendel built connections with vendors and customers, continuously inquiring about their needs and delivering the equipment they needed.
In the mid-1990s, Mendel recognized the future of retail would be online, and heavily invested in developing the dot-com business.
Mendel diversified his businesses, and started a camera rental division, a photo lab, and a scuba and water sports company. He expanded retail offerings to include wholesale, commercial, and government businesses. With all of this work, he made Adorama unique in its offering to customers: you could buy a new camera online, on the phone, or in the store; you could buy it new or used; you could trade it or rent it. You could also print your photos, and have them sent directly to your home or company.
Throughout all of the work, Mendel understood that at its core, Adorama was in the business of caring for customers’ creativity and their most treasured memories. By enabling customers to capture and forever remember moments in time, he knew Adorama could build a loyal community.
He valued the sacred bond of long-term relationships. He built a staff of hard-working individuals, some of whom continue to work for the company to this day. Current vendor relationships can trace their beginning to the very start of the business. There are customers whose children and grandchildren have since joined the Adorama community.
His passion for the businesses was met by his deep devotion to his family and his faith. He supported Jewish organizations and Talmud study, and remained actively involved in his community, giving generously to charity and championing causes close to his heart.
Mendel retired in 2014, putting the business in the capable hands of his son Eugene. He left a legacy that continues to be built upon, now in partnership with our CEO Michael Amkreutz, and our senior team.
The entire Mendlowits family, as well as the Adorama family, will continue to honor him and his memory. As we mourn this great loss, our gratitude for Mr. Mendlowits grows. We recognize, during this especially uncertain time, how a strong foundation can uphold an organization.
We thank the entire community for the outpouring of love and condolences, and we will honor Mendel and his legacy by continuing to dedicate ourselves to Adorama and its very bright future.
