Elena Mae had shops in Reform Street and Castle Street.
The top ad from 1966 is typical of the kind of stock they'd have on offer - in this case an Asahi Pentax Spotomatic.
The full page ad under it appeared in the Sunday Post in December 1973.
Although the shop specialised in photographic equipment, by the 70's they also sold items such as binoculars, calculators and cassette recorders.
My old man used to favour Elena Mae's when he did photography in the 60's and when my older brother took it up in the 70's, he also shopped there.
I have no memory of myself ever having been in their shops so don't know much else about them.
Click on the ads to enlarge if you want to read the small details.
That brings back memories, I actually got one of the Inablitz 5000 flashguns for my Christmas in the 70s. Lasted for years too.
ReplyDeleteDidn't really like Elena Mae much, every time I went in the counter seemed to blocked by "enthusiasts" who never seemed to buy anything but spent all their time playing with the cameras and sneering at the ordinary folks who wanted to buy stuff.
Must have been a hard job selling Polaroid cameras in Dundee when you could get one from a friend of a friend who worked at Timex
ReplyDeleteElena Mae had shops all over the country. Can't remember when they closed down, but I last bought something from a shop in Glasgow sometime in the early 90s.
ReplyDeleteI think they closed down in the mid to late 80s not long after Jessops established themselves in Dundee. JD Browns must have went about the same time.
ReplyDeleteI remember Elena Mae having a shop in the Wellgate Centre for a short time
I worked in the Reform Street branch in the 60's, not one of my better jobs at all. They had what was the start of the target selling era. I fell ill and had to take a month off work, was basically fired and someone else taken on during the Christmas period.
ReplyDeleteJust "googled" Elena Mae, as I saw it engraved on a stone on kirkcaldys revamped high street. Found your blogspot. Now at least I know what it means. Must have been an Elena Mae shop on the high street at some time in the past. Don't recall the shop myself, as I've only lived here since 1984.
ReplyDeleteshop at 90 high street kdy late60s
DeleteI worked for Elena Mae in Dumfries '80-'89.There were around 30 branches. Based originally in Dundee then laterly in Penicuik. Happy days!
ReplyDeleteMe too.... late 80s Dumfries
DeleteI was the first manager of Princes Street in Edinburgh.Elena Mae was the name of the boss's wife..Elena Mae Cook.As "Tommy" Cook was an undischarged bankrupt he had to set up a business using his wife's maiden name.Business started around 1948/9 when Tommy left his native Hull and after RAF service started with his first shop in Dundee.Any more info..ask.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was Tam Cooks grand daughters name. Did you ever meet a branch manager named Iain Finlayson. I know he was in Princes Street before moving to Falkirk. Is your first name Bill by any chance?
ReplyDeleteI just looked up Elena Mae because she was my grandmother, and yes indeed Tommy Cook was my grandfather so it was named after his wife. I do not know any more about their history but have always loved the name Elena Mae. I only met my grandparents a few times when I was very young. None of his grandchildren took on this name. He had just the one daughter, my mother.
DeleteI was also manager of the Princes Street, Edinburgh branch and was previously involved with developing their HiFi business alongside the photographic and records Business.
ReplyDeleteYou must be Ross Campbell then? Took over from Keith Norman when he went off to Jessops. I’m Jim Hannah... used to be in Glasgow then managed the Ayr Branch before also defecting to Jessops. Enjoying the sun in Australia now!
DeleteIntrigued how was Elena pronounced as just saw the engraving on Kirkcaldy high street this week!
ReplyDeleteYou must be Ross Campbell then? I used to be the Audio manager in Glasgow Sauchiehall St...Jim Hannah. Freaking long time ago now...eh?
ReplyDeleteI used to work in Kirkcaldy branch of Elena Mae, started in 1978.My colleagues were Mark Smith, Ellen Hepburn and the manager was Tony Robb.I moved to the Princes Street branch in the mid 80's,where Ross Campbell was the assistant manager to Keith, who's surname I've forgotten.A few of my colleagues were Brian Michie, David Overton and Diane Smith.Loved my time with the company,but,as with all retail jobs,the wages were pretty crap. Also met a funny,witty and a great guy,Peter Jones,who used to be the manager in Edinburgh,but moved to Fuji Film as a rep.Tom Rolland.
ReplyDeleteGreat days of our youth Tom. We had the some of the best photographic and hi fi equipment around at the time to play with. Remember us listing in augh to the sound from the first CD players on the market.
DeleteI worked in the Dundee, Reform Street branch from 1976-1982. I started as assistant manager and took over as manager when the Wellgate branch opened around 1978. The previous manager, Jim Boag went to the new branch and I stayed in Reform Street, which was now selling more Hi-Fi than photographic. The Reform Street branch dwindled after my departure and the Wellgate branh suffered when Jim Boag moved to Jessops who had opened in Reform Street.
ReplyDeleteI remember purchasing my first 35mm camera, a Zenith E, from Elena Mae in (Union Street ? ) Aberdeen. 1972.
ReplyDeleteI worked in the Falkirk branch part-time in the late 1970's - The manager was Matthew John Finlayson, known as "Ian", and colleagues were Paul Hannan, David Braidwood, and Hasmukh Ambasana... those were the days!
ReplyDelete