When Dominick Lewis launched a GoFundMe in July 2020 to support his dream of opening a camera store in Brooklyn, he set a modest target of $25,000. However, within just a few days, he had nearly doubled that amount.
“A lot of people were supportive of the efforts to make something that was Black-owned and very personal to the community that we served,” he told CNBC Make It. “Being a photographer, to me, means responsibility because with that camera you have a responsibility to tell the truth.”
The campaign ultimately raised nearly $40,000 — enough to kickstart Photodom, a brick-and-mortar camera store that generated more than $1.1 million in revenue in 2024.
By the end of 2021, the shop had earned $726,910 in sales. That figure grew to $1,096,319 in 2023 and $1,146,737 in 2024, as Lewis expanded his team to 10 employees and increased his salary to $97,000. Here’s how he did it.
Inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs
The timing of the store’s launch proved pivotal. In 2020, amid ongoing COVID-19 lockdowns and protests surrounding the murder of George Floyd, Lewis felt there was an opportunity to address a sustained local interest in analog photography — and the stories a camera could tell.
“I felt that starting something at that time, especially a physical camera store, could have been very impactful for the community,” he said.
Photodom has since expanded into a 1,400-square-foot space that includes retail, workshops, and a gallery.
Its success highlights how lived experience can spark powerful business ideas. Lewis didn’t just build a store — he created a community hub that reflects local needs and provides resources often lacking in historically underserved neighborhoods.
“Being one of the only Black-owned camera stores is a big responsibility,” he explained. “I feel like it’s a very important thing to have this belonging because, in the past, it could mean violence if you went to a space that was not meant for you.”
Location plays a critical role in small business success, with access to talent, community engagement, and market demand all contributing. For Lewis, Brooklyn — home to more than 2.7 million people and a growing hub for Black entrepreneurship — offered the ideal environment.
There is also power in agglomeration economies: the benefits businesses gain when clustered in dense urban areas with strong talent pools, suppliers, and overlapping customer bases.
This clustering effect lowers costs, fosters innovation, and strengthens market appeal — advantages that cities like Brooklyn consistently deliver.
The takeaway
Looking ahead, Lewis plans to add a darkroom and is exploring a second location in Harlem or the South Bronx.
His top advice for aspiring entrepreneurs? Learn every aspect of the business you’re building — which is exactly what he did. “Don’t depend on a singular person to do it,” he said, adding that he immersed himself in everything from sourcing products to creating websites.