“We would go to thrift stores and find cameras that still had a few shots left.”

Kori Fuerst is a co-owner of Retrospekt, a Wisconsin-based company that restores and sells vintage technology. Fuerst and her husband, Adam, started the business in 2015 due to their love for Polaroid cameras. The company’s mission is to preserve and share the magic of retro technology. Retrospekt specializes in vintage cameras, portable cassette players, and classic gaming consoles. 

Allie Mitchell: You are one of the owners here at Retrospekt. What drew you into starting this business? 

Kori Fuerst: My husband, Adam, and I started this business together back in 2015. We were collectors of cameras—specifically when Polaroid stopped manufacturing Polaroid film. We would go to thrift stores and find cameras that still had a few shots left, which we used when we wanted to shoot film. That created the problem of suddenly having way too many cameras. So, we started selling them. We were big fans of Polaroid, and when a group of investors bought out Polaroid and wanted to make the film again, they did so successfully but needed cameras to sell. We had those. That kicked off the whole thing, and since then it has ballooned into something much bigger. 

Allie Mitchell: What would you say is one of the biggest challenges you face when working with vintage and retro technology? 

Kori Fuerst: It can be difficult to scale. When we source things, one piece might be broken one way while another can be broken in a different way. We’re trying to be efficient and scalable, and to make it profitable sometimes creates a whole new challenge. We sometimes get too deep into a repair project and, quite frankly, aren’t making money when you consider sourcing and labor costs. We’ve done a lot of work to streamline things as much as possible to make it a viable business. 

Allie Mitchell: Is this your first year participating in Doors Open Milwaukee? 

Kori Fuerst: This is our second year, and it occurred to me that I might never get to go to another Doors Open, but that’s okay. I love showing up for this space, and I’m always amazed by how many people come by. I think last year, since it was our first year, we had about 500 people come through, which is incredible. I’m always amazed that people choose us as a stop. 

Allie Mitchell: What is your favorite product that you have here? 

Kori Fuerst: I am enjoying VCRs and VHS tapes. I have a three-year-old daughter, and it’s been really fun showing her old Disney movies on VHS. It’s very nostalgic for me, so I’m liking that right now.