I think Chip must be on vacation; I seem to remember him having mentioned a while back that he was planning to go somewhere this summer.... He usually does work Saturdays, from what I remember, but I'm not sure if it is every Saturday or if they rotate their weekend schedule. Unlike mall stores, Penn closes at 6:00 PM on Saturdays, by the way, so keep that in mind when planning your visit.
If Chip is not going to be there, let me suggest that another good and knowledgeable person there is Arlene. She's been there as long as I've been shopping at that store and knows more about cameras, photography and the store's merchandise than you can imagine.... Actually, anyone there is really helpful and knowledgeable.... I just usually gravitate to Chip or Arlene.
You'll have fun "doing" Tysons, what with the huge Tysons Mall and all its stores, including of course, the Apple store (which maybe will be filled with new goodies about which we'll know more tomorrow) and the almost as large Tysons Galleria just across from it..... The Galleria has the best restaurants (IMHO): Lebananese Taverna, Maggiano's, Legal Seafood, Daily Grill..... My favorite restaurant in Tysons itself is California Pizza Kitchen, but I also dearly love Brio Tuscan Grill.
If you need any computer stuff (printer paper, inkjet cartridges, etc.), CompUSA is in the same shopping plaza as Penn Camera. They have Apple products, too, but as I've mentioned, with the Apple store right around the corner at Tysons, I buy anything Apple there rather than at an authorized reseller.
Oh, yes: if you need anything in the way of appliances or electronics, Circuit City is right adjacent to the Tysons Mall, or if you are looking for home furnishings such as glassware and china, Crate and Barrel has a huge freestanding store just across from Tysons Mall. Best Buy and Borders are also along the Rte 7 corridor very near to the mall, and if you're in the mood for pizza, Bertucci's is right there, too. Looking for something more upscale? Tiffany's, Hermes and Louis Vuitton are in another small shopping area of their own on Rte 7 directly across from the Tysons Mall and there is a restaurant in there as well, but I don't know what it is....Primi Piatti used to be there a long time ago but I think it is gone now.
...And there you have it, my impromptu guide to the Tysons shopping region!
With the internet it's easy now to look online and see which specific stores are in which of the two malls; in some cases there are duplications. Macy's, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue are the "anchor" stores at the Galleria, while at Tysons Mall you've got Hecht's, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's and Lord & Taylor. The space where Woodward & Lothrop used to be is now fllled with new stores, restaurants and movie theatres.
Have fun on your excursion to the Tysons area!
