Ritz Camera is the largest camera specialty store in the United States, it also has photofinishing services. A total of around 800 stores are located across 40 states and in the District of Columbia. It is probably the next big casualty of the recession, next to Circuit City which closed its doors last month.

Liquidation sales on closing stores are expected to start tomorrow. Camera equipment bargain hunters rejoice, while Ritz Camera employees countdown to the final days of their jobs.

It is unclear whether there are 300 or 400 stores that will be closing, but either number is a large amount of stores. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on February 22, 2009.

List of stores closing can be found here.

[via Neutralday and CoStar Group]