Kmart Portrait Studio

Daytona photo shop thrives by adapting to changing times

DAYTONA BEACH -- The evolution from film to digital photography has meant challenges for photo shops nationwide.

One area business -- Beach Photo and Video Inc. -- has found ways to not only survive but thrive while helping customers preserve family history.

Besides offering commercial photography and framing services, Beach Photo -- a family business that can trace its roots back to 1922 -- has carved out a niche for itself by restoring old photos and copying old VHS tapes and 8 millimeter films to DVD format.

"When they first came out with black-and-white film, it was estimated that photos would last 100 years," said Beach Photo co-owner Mark Robertson during an interview at his store on Main Street in a 9,500-square-foot retail space that formerly housed a restaurant.

While advances in technology have made it possible to enjoy photos and videos at a quicker pace, it still comes with a price.

Digital CDs, for example, may not last 15 years, Robertson said. Even if they did, the equipment needed to play them may not be around anymore.

"We started that (transfer to digital format) in the mid-1980s," he said, adding it has been a big part of his business's success and ability to thrive even during the recession.

As time marches on, a lot of family history could be lost unless the "custodians" take steps to preserve it, Robertson said. One way, he said, is by continually transferring images to the latest media available.

Beach Photo is one of several small, independent businesses that offer photo-to-video transfer services. Others include Carlson's Video in South Daytona and Modern Nostalgia in Holly Hill.

Robertson also credited a steady clientele looking for custom framing with playing a big role in keeping the business, which he co-owns with his sister Louise Robertson. The siblings inherited the shop from their parents.

Kevin Kilian, a vice president with the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce, worked with Alan Robertson, who is the father of Mark Robertson and his sister, Louise.

Alan Robertson was part of a partnership that purchased Beach Photo Services in 1963, which evolved from Beach Photo and Lending. He subsequently bought out his partners and sometime during the 1970s, he changed the name of the business to Beach Photo and Video Inc.

"Alan was the first chairman of the Bike Week Task Force in 1988," Kilian said, referring to the annual event that attracts hundreds of thousands of people here.

Finding the Best Portrait Studio - Photography - Families.com

Finding the Best Portrait Studio

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

29 Jan 2011 11:12 PM

I have been a loyal patron of Sears Portrait Studio since my first grader was a year-old. However, recently, I have been getting a flood of coupons from other portrait studios, including Kmart. I didn't realize that Kmart photo studio is owned and operated by Olan Mills. What's more, Kmart stores are not the only place you can take your kids to get professional photos taken. According to the coupon, Olan Mills/Kmart has more than 500 branches throughout the nation. Most are located inside Kmart, Value City and Toys R Us stores, though Olan Mills portrait studios can also be found in department stores such as Macy's and Meijer. In addition, the company has freestanding studios in select areas around the country.

I was shocked that Kmart partnered with Olan Mills. I've had wonderful experiences taking family photos with Olan Mills, but that was decades ago. Still, Olan Mills is one of the most well respected names in portrait photography, so I figured I would look into taking my daughter there to get her birthday photos done.

Here's what I discovered: Kmart photo studio offers the largest size range of images than any national portrait studio (according to its website). Selections include:

2x3 (wallet size)

5x7

3.5x5

8x10

10x13

11x14

10x20

16x20

20x24

30x40

In addition, Kmart also offers a wide array of photo gifts and other photo-related items, such as pillows, mugs, totes, mouse pads, jackets, towels and key chains. What's more, you can have the items personalized so that grandma and grandpa can get a set of photo playing cards featuring their grandkids' mugs.

Kmart also sells greeting cards, photo invitations and massive canvas-mounted portraits. These expensive art pieces with upgraded finishes allow you to get your favorite portrait permanently mounted on stretched canvas. The end result is gorgeous and your portrait appears more like an upscale oil painting.

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