BREWSTER - MariePix Photography has a new location, moving from Third Avenue in Worthington to 10th Street in Brewster.
The photography studio’s venue is different, but for store owner Stacey Christoffers, the focus remains the same: creating a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere for her customers.
When customers walk through the front door, they’re greeting by a waiting area consisting of comfortable furniture, kids’ toys, a big screen TV and electric fireplace. After having their pictures taken, customers can sit down and view their photos on the TV, all while snacking on treats and refreshments.
“I want people to be comfortable,” Christoffers said. “I used to hate taking my kids places to get pictures taken because it was always so, ‘sit here, do this, do that.’"
Christoffers left her Worthington location in December and bought the new building in January. From then on, Christoffers and her husband, Adam, worked on renovating the building whenever they had had free time, in between the full-time jobs of farming and taking care of three kids.
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“Piece by piece, little by little, we go things done,” Christoffers said. “It’s been quite the transformation from a storage area to a storefront. It was … not like this at all.”
Beyond the waiting area is a dual-use dressing room and “snuggle-with-your-baby-area.” Past that is the photo studio. The flooring, ceilings and walls have all been redone - all of the building supplies were purchased in Worthington. Christoffers was proud to have bought pretty much everything locally.
Christoffers’ Worthington location served her well for two years, but she wanted a larger store with more room, and one that she actually owned rather than rented. The location is better, too, as Christoffers lives on a farm situated between Brewster and Okabena.
“We live in the country, and I grew up in a small town, so I always wanted to own a place in a small town,” Christoffers said.
In between the transition, Christoffers continued to take photos for customers, working out of her home. Her operation was mostly limited to taking shots outside, as all of her studio equipment was at the house.
“My husband was like, ‘get this junk out of my house!’” Christoffers said with a laugh.
Christoffers hosted a grand opening Tuesday, marking the store’s official first day of operation. She takes photos of everything, including newborns, horses, seniors, families or even pigs, and specializes in heirloom photo albums and personalized wall art.
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