A camera purchased for just a few dollars at a liquidation store in Wichita, Kansas, uncovered family memories that had been lost for over twenty years, allowing a family to reconnect with cherished forgotten moments.
An Unexpected Discovery at a Liquidation Sale
Seth Boles, a resident of Derby, Kansas, visited Moler’s Camera during its closure to look for good deals. Among the discounted items, he bought a camera for $5, not realizing it still contained a roll of film. After getting the film developed, he was astonished to find photos from a family Christmas gathering, likely from December 2000. The pictures captured a warm atmosphere: children opening presents and family members gathered in a cozy living room.
Remarkably Preserved Image Quality Over Time
Despite being stored under far from ideal conditions for two decades, the photos remarkably retained their quality. This discovery surprised both Boles and Bob Moler, the store’s owner. Moler, who had been running the family business since 1946, initially doubted that the people in the photos could be identified due to the time elapsed. However, Boles continued his investigation, hoping that media coverage would help locate the relatives of the individuals in the photos.
Identification Through the Media
Unexpectedly, a former employee of the local KSN channel, Kevin Crockett, recognized the photos as belonging to his own family. Alerted by the news stories, he contacted the channel, solving the mystery. For his family, the discovery brought back precious and unseen memories, including moments shared across multiple generations.
The End of an Era for Moler’s Camera
This story highlights the memories that a shop like Moler’s Camera helped create over its 80 years of business. Founded in the 1940s, this family-owned business has touched the lives of many families in Wichita. Today, the store’s closure not only marks the end of an era but also the chance to revive forgotten memories, as evidenced by this touching story.
Through this rediscovery, Boles not only provided a family with invaluable memories, but he also highlighted the importance of photographs in preserving connections and commemorating shared moments.
Do you still have analog cameras? Do you still use them, and more importantly, do you still get photos printed on photographic paper?