Why I Launched Here

My husband and I started this photography business in 1998 in Auburn, Opelika's sister city. We started small, renting a space, but then looked to buy a building. When we saw the one in Opelika, we fell in love with it. We rented for a couple years then moved up the walk a few stores and bought the building. We love it so much we live upstairs.

There are a lot of great little businesses on this renovated street. There are gift shops and a great consignment shop. People are proud to live here and are faithful to downtown. They shop locally.

Right now we have three full time employees and about 20 contractors. We shoot everything, all over the world. We do weddings and portraits and some agency work. My husband's the photographer -- that's all he's ever done. We were one of the first photographers in Alabama to go digital.

The numbers really benefit us. It only takes one college student to find the shop and spread the word. And a lot of professors prefer to live in Opelika -- it's more adult friendly and the college students aren't everywhere. Our school system benefits because the Auburn folks put their kids into our schools.

Business has been very good. We've grown every year since 1998. -Barbara Darrow

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