Mohammad Chanaa goes through estate sales and online auctions during his lunch breaks, searching for vintage cameras that others have written off as broken. What started as curiosity about how things work has grown into a thriving passion project that has made him a trusted figure at Virginia flea markets, where customers know they can count on his personal guarantee that every camera he sells will function properly.
"I am a big believer in learning by attempting new things, particularly when it comes to repair and restoration," Chanaa says. "Oftentimes, I like to start small and work my way up. In terms of camera repair, this came in the form of starting with simple problems like battery corrosion and gradually attempting more complicated repairs like broken gears, stuck shutters, and so on."
His business, MoCollects, operates as what he calls a passion project rather than a profit-driven venture. Chanaa spends his evenings at home cleaning and repairing items he has acquired, shipping purchases to online buyers, and preparing for weekend markets. The routine has become second nature, allowing him to balance his full-time job with his growing reputation as a camera restoration specialist.
The journey that led Chanaa to become a fixture at local flea markets began with a forgotten discovery. Years ago, he took a trip to Lebanon and shot six rolls of film, then stored them away and forgot about them. When he rediscovered the undeveloped rolls long after the trip, it sparked his fascination with expired film recovery and old photo restoration.
Chanaa has cultivated a customer base built on transparency and communication. In the months he has been selling at flea markets, he has developed regular customers, frequent visitors, and friendships with fellow vendors. His approach differs markedly from the typical flea market experience, where buyers often gamble on untested equipment.
"The toughest call I made was to ensure that everything electronic I sell is guaranteed to be functional," Chanaa says. "Sites like eBay and in-person flea markets often rely on selling 'untested' cameras, which can mean anything from not being able to physically test the camera to knowingly selling a broken camera under pretenses."
This commitment to quality means Chanaa sometimes loses money when cameras prove too damaged to repair. Rather than sell broken equipment, he parts out cameras that cannot be restored, maintaining his reputation for honesty even when it hurts his bottom line. His MoCollects YouTube and Instagram channels document the cleaning and repair process, giving customers confidence in their purchases.
The collaborative spirit that Mohammad Chanaa George Mason brings to flea markets has created unexpected opportunities. Other vendors now leave cameras with him to sell at his table, trusting him to handle the transaction and split the profits. Some bring him boxes of electronics in need of repair, which he either fixes and sells or repairs and returns to the original owner.
His unofficial business partner, who specializes in pop culture items, has become both an influence and an inspiration. Together, they create variety at their shared tables and bounce ideas off each other during their sourcing and shopping expeditions. This partnership exemplifies Chanaa's belief in spreading positivity in what can be a highly competitive environment.
Chanaa's approach to learning new restoration techniques centers on gradual skill-building and methodical problem-solving. He believes that mindset and thought process matter more than existing knowledge when approaching repair challenges. This philosophy has served him well as he has expanded from simple electronics repairs to complex camera mechanisms and circuit board work.
One of his most challenging projects involved helping a friend recover film from his grandmother's camera. The camera had been damaged by exposure to the elements, and the corroded gears would not allow the film to be wound. Mohammad Chanaa Virginia spent six hours in complete darkness, carefully and methodically opening the camera door to extract the half-used roll of film without damaging it.
"This was a family's potential history that I was trying to extract and preserve," Chanaa says. "Eventually, through patience and purposefully executing careful and methodical movements, I was able to open the camera door in complete darkness and extract the film, which I then developed carefully and slowly using a milder concentration of developer for a longer period to reduce any chance of spoiling the film."
The successful recovery of those family photographs proved to be one of his most rewarding experiences. The project required him to combine his growing technical skills with the patience and care needed when handling irreplaceable memories.
Small electronics repair presented Chanaa with his biggest learning challenge. Having avoided soldering and circuit board work for years, he eventually realized that camera repair required these skills. He approached the learning process cautiously, teaching himself to solder and desolder components. While he can now handle basic soldering work, he continues learning to read electrical diagrams and locate specific components on circuit boards.
Mohammad Chanaa's interests extend beyond vintage cameras to include typewriters, general electronics, and sports memorabilia. His passion for NASCAR driver Ross Chastain and basketball collecting adds variety to his inventory and creates additional conversation starters with customers at flea markets.
The decision to expand beyond cameras came from practical experience. Chanaa learned that personal interest does not always translate to market demand. Items that fascinated him would sometimes sit unsold, tying up both money and limited storage space. Without a brick-and-mortar store, inventory management became crucial to maintaining a sustainable operation.
"The first question I ask myself is whether or not I am the only person interested in the item I am about to purchase," Chanaa says. "This was a bigger problem when I was starting the selling side of this hobby, as oftentimes, what I found interesting would sit and sit and sit, costing me money."
His solution involves working toward a storage unit-based model that will allow better inventory management while still following his interests. Chanaa lets his curiosity guide his focus, spending weeks concentrating on cameras before a particular typewriter catches his attention and shifts his energy in a new direction.
The variety keeps the work fresh and engaging. Mohammad Chanaa George Mason finds satisfaction in the meditative aspects of restoration work, whether he is cleaning a seized shutter mechanism or working to restore the smooth action of typewriter keys. Each project presents unique challenges that require different approaches and techniques.
Chanaa's time at George Mason University provided him with a foundation in analytical thinking that serves him well in his restoration work. The methodical approach he applies to camera repair reflects the same systematic thinking he developed during his academic studies.
His success at flea markets stems from more than technical skills. Mohammad Chanaa has discovered that honesty remains the most important quality for building lasting relationships with customers and vendors. He takes time to explain how vintage equipment works, even when conversations do not result in sales.
"Nothing brings me more joy than 'talking shop,' even if it does not result in a sale," Chanaa says. "Spreading positivity in a highly competitive environment, such as flea markets, is important to me. As someone who is doing this for fun and not for profit, the last thing I want to do is feel like I am fighting with others for a sale."
This attitude has created a network of customers who return not just to buy but to chat and ask questions about items they have purchased or are considering. Chanaa's willingness to share knowledge and offer honest assessments has built trust that extends beyond individual transactions.
The collaborative relationships he has built with other vendors demonstrate how his approach creates value for the entire flea market community. By helping others sell their camera equipment and sharing his skills, Mohammad Chanaa Virginia has fostered an environment where cooperation trumps pure competition.
Chanaa's journey into camera restoration and vintage collecting illustrates how authentic passion can create unexpected opportunities. His willingness to guarantee his work and document his processes has differentiated him in a market where "buyer beware" often dominates.
His advice to others looking to turn hobbies into businesses emphasizes the importance of genuine knowledge and emotional investment. Chanaa believes customers can sense when someone lacks familiarity with their products or fails to share their passion. Building trust requires demonstrating real skill, knowledge, and authentic enthusiasm.
The success of MoCollects proves that there is still room for personal service and guaranteed quality in an increasingly impersonal marketplace. His story demonstrates that sometimes the most rewarding paths emerge from curiosity and the willingness to learn new skills. Mohammad Chanaa George Mason transformed a simple interest in how things work into a reputation for bringing forgotten cameras back to life, one careful restoration at a time.