Framing portraits of innovation

Drug Store News, Feb 12, 1996 by Allen Symons

These days, photo departments are as ubiquitous in drug chains as pharmacy--and the presence of one-hour labs is exploding as well, as chains rush to capitalize on this destination category. I

Now some chains are taking their photo departments to the next level, as the search for a competitive edge continues. Take Snyder Drug and Genovese, for example.

These two regional drug chains are testing staff-operated portrait studios in selected stores, at one site for New York's Genovese and two for Minneapolis-based Snyder Drug.

A portrait studio isn't for every chain or every location, as both Dave Reynolds, Genovese's director of photo marketing, and John Hilbert, manager of service operations for Snyder, point out. Store location and demographics are critical considerations. And space is another problem when seeking to add a portrait studio to an existing store.

Holidays are strong

Genovese's Reynolds reported that business in his chain's portrait studio, located in a store in Glen Cove, N.Y. (near Genovese headquarters), is strong around the holidays. Children's portraits are also popular. "We haven't capitalized on the other weeks, and there is a lot more room for growth," said Reynolds.

Snyder Drug offers an in-store portrait studio called Portrait Express in two of its stores and is considering expanding this service. The chain operates the studio as an extension of the Yes, Express service counter, which provides services ranging from fax to pack and ship.

Snyder's first Portrait Express was opened about three years ago; the second, 18 months ago.

Portrait Express requires from 800 to 1,000 square feet to accommodate a counter and two portrait studios, each with a primp room for customers to prepare for a photo session.

"The basic premise is that Portrait Express has to be run with one-hour labs," said Hilbert. The customer gets 8-12 sittings, has the proof back in less than an hour and then makes a determination on print sizes.

Studio results without studio prices

Snyder can process and have the "sheets" (such as 5 x 7's, 8 x 10's, wallet size) back to the customer in three days. The whole package runs around 50-$60, compared with a typical portrait studio cost of over- $200. "It's fast and easy for the consumer and they get a very reasonable price," explained Hilbert.

Portrait Express is promoted with various specials. The regular price of a sitting is $21.95 (for 8-12 proofs). Compared with a professional studio--although Snyder's is a professional studio-portrait Express is not only less expensive, but the customer keeps the proofs and negatives. At most professional studios the customer cannot keep proofs and negatives. With negatives, they could go elsewhere--but they don't. Snyder gets the business.

The studio requires special staff, but there is a dovetail strategy. It is staffed by professionally trained photographers who also work the one-hour lab. The site in Ames, Iowa (home of Iowa State University) provides opportunities to hire student staff from the college's photography department. This store also does a good passport photo business

The Snyder other store with a portrait studio, in Green Bay, Wis., is not yet as successful as the one at Ames. Said Hilbert: 'It takes time to develop this business. It isn't the easiest thing to market because we're a traditional drug store and people aren't accustomed to coming to drug stores for portraits, but once you cross that hurdle, it builds momentum."