Hi all. I'm looking into starting a small camera shop in Southern California and I'm having trouble finding the proper channels to go through to become a Canon or Nikon authorized dealer. I've searched far and near for any information and I'm getting the run around. I understand that this is a photography forum (as I've been lurking for years!) but hopefully someone on here can point me in the right direction.

Any help is greatly appreciated! TIA

Just an idea, but you might want to head over to Las Vegas for the annual PMA show Jan 31st through Feb 2nd. You may have to pay for an exhibit hall pass and getting to talk to the manufacturer reps you'll need could be a hassle since they're booking appointments already, but you'll certainly get a flavor for the arena in which you want to wade.
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Henry Posner
B&H Photo-Video

thanks for the info! this looks promising. hopefully it's not too late to find a hotel room at a decent rate. =)