FujiFilm North America previewed its Wonder Photo Shop in New York’s historic Flatiron District on Monday.
The store is set to open to the public on July 22.
The store is designed to bring the message of “Photo Renaissance” and the joy of photography to all aspects of peoples’ lives, according to the company. It is located across the street from the Flatiron Building at 176 Fifth Avenue, in an area long known as Manhattan’s photography district.
The first-of-its-kind retail store in the U.S. adds to Fujifilm’s other global Wonder Photo Shop locations in Tokyo, Barcelona, Bogata, Manila and Shanghai. In addition to these Wonder Photo Shops, there are eight affiliate Wonder Photo Shops in Singapore, Australia, Brazil, Vietnam, Russia, Turkey, Thailand and Germany.
The store is designed to present a “one-of-a kind creative space made specifically to reacquaint them with the joy and wonder of photography, and how they can bring their favorite images from smartphones and social media to life, through prints, personalized and wall decoration photo products, and unique DIY photo creations,” the company said in a statement.
Mark Yamamoto, president/CEO of FujiFilm North America, told TWICE that with all the technological changes in the photography industry and the glut of picture generated by smartphones, consumers — especially the younger generations — need to be inspired about the possibilities of fine photography and what they could do with their images.
FujiFilm North America’s president/CEO Masa Yamamoto at the Wonder Photo Shop in Manhattan.
Photography is now “part of everyday life,” Yamamoto noted, and that “everyone is a consumer … everyone is a photographer.”
In that vein, consumers who visit the Wonder Photo Shop will experience new, cutting-edge Fujifilm products and will be “encouraged to provide feedback and share their ideas for using photos in their everyday lives,” the company said.
Fujifilm said it hopes to gain a better understanding of what the market wants, ultimately enhancing the customer experience.
The store will feature a full range of Fujifilm’s Instax instant print cameras, the Share Printer SP-2, and the line of X-series digital cameras and high-quality lenses on display for consumers to try.
The store features quick print kiosks with connectivity to mobile devices, print stations with a wide range of product capabilities and a photo booth. There will also be various specialized stations for comfortable, creative crafting, the company said.
Products and services include:
*Shuffle Print, a personalized collage print with a shuffle creation feature on the kiosk;
*exclusive NYC-themed Instax film, a selection of patriotic accessories for X-series cameras, and ship-to-home capabilities for gifting products; and
*a line of interchangeable print wall collage accessories and unique print product bundles including DIY supplies for one-of-a-kind gifting.
The store will also feature a DIY lounge where in-house experts and special guest crafters will lead classes, lectures and exhibitions to provide inspiration and teach new techniques. Customers can share their creations through personalized photo products such as photo books, wall décor and printed keepsakes.
The Wonder Photo Shop is on Instagram and Facebook. New events, products and specialized photo classes are being planned. It will be open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
