Office -vs- Gallery -vs- Studio

mmmatt · March 13, 2012

Hey guys. Sorry I haven't been around much lately. As per my norm I slow down on my dgrinnin' during the winter and start flappin my gums about this time of year!

So anyways, I'm at a point where I want to get my business out of my home and am in a position to do it financially. I don't really need a studio space because I really only dig the location stuff. I don't need a boardroom or a waiting room or a work area or any of that. I still intend on doing most of my editing at home and working from my home most days. What I DO want is a business address, the exposure and validity of a storefront, and a place to do client meetings that is covered in my work. For this reason, I'm thinking I want to set up a gallery.

What I envision, is a large room with wood floors and maybe some exposed brick. Maybe do a larger version of my bridal show booth with more barnwood? Back and side walls with a large print every few feet and a spotlight on the ceiling pointing at each one. Almost startk and minimalistic I think. Maybe one side set up with some book samples and whatnot. Center of the room with a couch or sectional facing the front windows of the store and a flat screen facing the couch. Big lighted sign on the front of the building, and big windows so all the passer bys can see inside.

I'm sure many people have offices and studios, but I am wondering if anyone has ever tried this storefront gallery approach? Any insight or brainstorming with me on this one would be great. I just viewed a property yesterday that would fit the bill perfectly so my wheels are turning pretty hard right now.

Thanks in advance for any advice!!!

pinkymaling · March 14, 2012

Matt,

We own a photography gallery in heart of the town we live in. It's pretty much exactly like you explained. Wood floors white walls and prints of all kinds displayed. Plus it displays our books. Has it worked out for us? 99% of our business is via our gallery or word of mouth and we don't rely on the internet anymore. Sure we keep up with that site, but it has really allowed us to ditch anything digital and sell all prints and books. The gallery works for us when we are not there because we have a corner lot and it is mostly window frontage. We work there Tues - Fri. Finishing photos and doing our book designs from 10:00 - 6:00. People like to look in and see us working. We don't work at home anymore - that is a dream. We do love our jobs but - we like living much more.

Check it out when you get the chance --- there is a photograph of if on our contact page.

Good Luck Matt
PS. I don't know if you remember - but we embraced side lighting because of you. Since then we have gone through major batteries lol. That was a while back.

Evelyn Grace and KLinh

mmmatt · March 14, 2012

pinkymaling wrote: »

Matt,

We own a photography gallery in heart of the town we live in. It's pretty much exactly like you explained. Wood floors white walls and prints of all kinds displayed. Plus it displays our books. Has it worked out for us? 99% of our business is via our gallery or word of mouth and we don't rely on the internet anymore. Sure we keep up with that site, but it has really allowed us to ditch anything digital and sell all prints and books. The gallery works for us when we are not there because we have a corner lot and it is mostly window frontage. We work there Tues - Fri. Finishing photos and doing our book designs from 10:00 - 6:00. People like to look in and see us working. We don't work at home anymore - that is a dream. We do love our jobs but - we like living much more.

Check it out when you get the chance --- there is a photograph of if on our contact page.

Good Luck Matt
PS. I don't know if you remember - but we embraced side lighting because of you. Since then we have gone through major batteries lol. That was a while back.

Evelyn Grace and KLinh

See how great minds think alike? Your space is almost exactly what I had in mind!!! And yes I remember talking to you guys about the side bounce thing. Batteries are defiantly the down side. Glad to hear you are still doing it and it is working out for you.

Thanks for insight on the property. The place I am looking at isn't the high rent district so maybe not as good of exposure as yourself, but convenient, with some exposure and a safe area. I will have to think more about the open hours but I have gotten pretty fond of rolling out of bed, putting on sweat pants and going to work in my living room!!

Hmmm... Glad to see the overall concept is in use!!!

Ed911 · March 14, 2012

Nice gallery. It looks like you did everything right. Location looks like you couldn't have done better. Happy to hear that everything is working out for you.

Congratulations on your step up...

pinkymaling · March 14, 2012

Ed911 wrote: »

Nice gallery. It looks like you did everything right. Location looks like you couldn't have done better. Happy to hear that everything is working out for you.

Congratulations on your step up...

Thanks Ed!! we can say that the one main thing we've learned from this is that the public is dying to have physical prints. Since we've had the storefront and been showing everything physical our clientele don't even come to us anymore for digital. So when Matt say's he is looking for something to truly represent his works - it will do just that and it will do it in a purely physical sense. It's sooooo refreshing - and you know what? because of this we shoot a lot less and sell a lot more. We think it's because when we mainly used the internet as our storefront we started off just showing digital. That was the viewers first perception of us, even though we claimed bold on our website that we represent and encourage physical. It didn't matter - they saw digital and wanted digital. Also - the internet gave us a very little chance to stand out from the rest. Our physical gallery turned the tables on that. That's the only reason we can possibly come up with. Everything has just gotten better especially when you are only shooting for a couple of high end framed prints - we don't find ourselves running and gunning during the photo sessions any more. Instead we are able to slow down breathe and shoot for quality. Sorry for rambling on. Thanks Ed!!

VayCayMom · March 22, 2012

Pinky... nice place !!!

Kinkajou · March 22, 2012

This is awesome. I found a space for rent here that I'd love to turn into something like this in a perfect world. One day! Mark my words!

Glad to hear that it is working well for you.

mmmatt · March 22, 2012

pinkymaling wrote: »

Thanks Ed!! we can say that the one main thing we've learned from this is that the public is dying to have physical prints. Since we've had the storefront and been showing everything physical our clientele don't even come to us anymore for digital. So when Matt say's he is looking for something to truly represent his works - it will do just that and it will do it in a purely physical sense. It's sooooo refreshing - and you know what? because of this we shoot a lot less and sell a lot more. We think it's because when we mainly used the internet as our storefront we started off just showing digital. That was the viewers first perception of us, even though we claimed bold on our website that we represent and encourage physical. It didn't matter - they saw digital and wanted digital. Also - the internet gave us a very little chance to stand out from the rest. Our physical gallery turned the tables on that. That's the only reason we can possibly come up with. Everything has just gotten better especially when you are only shooting for a couple of high end framed prints - we don't find ourselves running and gunning during the photo sessions any more. Instead we are able to slow down breathe and shoot for quality. Sorry for rambling on. Thanks Ed!!

I appreciate this insight, but I don't really care about selling prints and albums and I LOVE to shoot and run around like a crazy man by the seat of my pants. Not sure that what you see as a benefit would be a benefit to me. My reasoning for a storefront is to book more gigs and charge more money by adding more legitimacy and stability to my business name. I could care less about prints and books other than they are another way for people to appreciate my work and then want to hire me.

As an aside... I currently live in Milwaukee but I am looking to move into the burbs by June. I have been thinking all along that I want to keep my business address as Milwaukee, and that is part of the reason for wanting a storefront. If I was going to do a storefront in Milwaukee that was in a trendy area where my target clientele would walk past it would be downtown, and would be way out of my reach especially if I want to buy a building which is the current plan. My plan is to buy a "mixed use" building that would provide me an income from residential rental units and then a "free" space for my business. Downtown I could rent a 200sq ft office space for about $350-500 and a parking spot for about $50-100. Then my clients would have to find parking for $10 or whatever and it is a pita for all involved to drive in and out of downtown. So, since I'm not willing to live downtown it makes no sense to me to have my business downtown and fight all the traffic every time I need to be there. The fringe areas make more sense and provide better access to the interstate but wont give me the trendy walk-by traffic like Evelyn and Klinh are enjoying.

There are areas in the suburbs however that would be more trendy and affordable but I loose the big city address that is an excuse for people to find me in a search for "Milwaukee photographer" or whatever. I get work that way all the time. Am I loosing out by leaving the big city address?

Matt

avangardphoto · April 6, 2012

This is great. Congrats!

Matthew Saville · April 7, 2012

mmmatt wrote: »

I appreciate this insight, but I don't really care about selling prints and albums and I LOVE to shoot and run around like a crazy man by the seat of my pants. Not sure that what you see as a benefit would be a benefit to me. My reasoning for a storefront is to book more gigs and charge more money by adding more legitimacy and stability to my business name. I could care less about prints and books other than they are another way for people to appreciate my work and then want to hire me.

As an aside... I currently live in Milwaukee but I am looking to move into the burbs by June. I have been thinking all along that I want to keep my business address as Milwaukee, and that is part of the reason for wanting a storefront. If I was going to do a storefront in Milwaukee that was in a trendy area where my target clientele would walk past it would be downtown, and would be way out of my reach especially if I want to buy a building which is the current plan. My plan is to buy a "mixed use" building that would provide me an income from residential rental units and then a "free" space for my business. Downtown I could rent a 200sq ft office space for about $350-500 and a parking spot for about $50-100. Then my clients would have to find parking for $10 or whatever and it is a pita for all involved to drive in and out of downtown. So, since I'm not willing to live downtown it makes no sense to me to have my business downtown and fight all the traffic every time I need to be there. The fringe areas make more sense and provide better access to the interstate but wont give me the trendy walk-by traffic like Evelyn and Klinh are enjoying.

There are areas in the suburbs however that would be more trendy and affordable but I loose the big city address that is an excuse for people to find me in a search for "Milwaukee photographer" or whatever. I get work that way all the time. Am I loosing out by leaving the big city address?

Matt

You don't care about selling prints or albums? I understand your aversion to that "upsell" feeling, but honestly I think this is selling your client short on memories. Unless ALL your past brides are out there making their own gorgeous albums and wall pieces, which I doubt.

The bottom line is that I lost track of how many brides I ran into 2-3 years after their wedding and they STILL hadn't printed a single photo, or they just had a cheap 8x10 here or there. I just couldn't stand it.

Forgive me for bashing "digital-only" delivery for a second- but for example, I'm quite in shock when people talk about how they deliver wedding photos on things like an iPad etc, and their clients "love" it. Really???? An electronic device that is going to be obsolete within 5 years, let alone "out of style" within like, TWO? I dunno, that's just not timeless enough for me.

Don't get me wrong, Matt, I think that it is VERY good to embrace all the latest digital delivery options, to at least present them to the client. However nothing is as timeless as a physical, no-batteries-required product. Every friend and family who comes through that couple's door, for the next 5, 10, or 20+ years will thumb through that album, or see that piece on the wall.

=Matt=

Demian · April 24, 2012

Be careful about the mixed-use idea. Being a landlord is quite a nuisance... with the work you have to do finding tenants, keeping up the place, and collecting rent from deadbeats, it can cost quite a bit. Not to mention the drain when you have no tenants. Obviously, these problems can be dealt with... but it's a lot easier to handle when you're approaching it as a business in itself (esp. with multiple units).

And yeah, downtown isn't the best place for a storefront... have you considered the third ward or bayshore/whitefish bay? The former is definitely more trendy, but bayshore has money :X

I wouldn't worry too much about your mailing address. Everybody in SE Wisconsin is a "Milwaukee" wedding photographer. Branding and advertising will help you more than keeping your shop in city borders

Office -vs- Gallery -vs- Studio

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