A Unique History

Bernard Sweetwood was driven by the American Dream. A determined and hard-working individual, Bernard, and his new wife Harriet, opened a wholesale photographic supply outlet with dreams of running a business that could take them from their relatively humble beginnings to opportunities that would satisfy Bernard's lifelong passion for photography. His dreams would indeed become reality as the small storefront blossomed into what Unique Photo is today, one of the largest and most successful wholesale suppliers of its kind. Enviable accounts with Macy's and the Westinghouse Electric Company solidified Unique Photo's future as an industry leader. The path to that success was not always without roadblocks, but through the strength of the Sweetwood family and with a clear vision of the future, Unique Photo grew beyond even what Bernard thought was possible. The company moved across the Hudson in 1965 and established its current location in Florham Park, New Jersey in 1996. The modern facility was conceived by Jonathan and Matthew Sweetwood, who took over the daily operations in the 1980s after obtaining advanced degrees from Seton Hall Law School and the University of Pennsylvania respectively. The Sweetwoods' today boast close ties with all the major suppliers of film and equipment in world, including Kodak, Fuji, Ilford, Agfa, Nikon, Canon, and others. As Unique Photo continues to grow and prosper, Jonathan and Matthew still maintain the forward thinking and determined attitude typified by their parents and are proud that the little storefront in Brooklyn gave birth to the opportunity to pursue their dreams.