![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Lakeland-Film-Labs-2-225x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\nTake a picture, it\u2019ll last longer.<\/p>\n
Lakeland Film Lab, which recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of its flagship store (in Lakeland), is opening a St. Petersburg location this summer, at 2821 Central Avenue in the Grand Central District.<\/p>\n
Like the Lakeland location, St. Pete\u2019s shop will offer film processing and scanning services as well as a diverse selection of film \u2013 the current inventory includes 17 different types of 35 mm film and 10 varieties of 120 film.\u00a0 The Grand Central location will have classes and community events, and will expand its offerings to include a community darkroom and camera rentals.<\/p>\n
Nick Buttrey, who owns the company with his wife Elizabeth, explained the decision to expand into Pinellas County:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The St. Pete location will have a branded photo booth (like this one in Lakeland) where customers can stop in and snap pictures.<\/p>\n
\u201cSt. Pete is just a very different vibe, and we felt like it really matched the energy of Lakeland, but we also saw that there\u2019s something missing,\u201d Buttrey said. \u201cWe had a lot of customers, surprisingly from St. Pete, so we knew that what we were doing in Lakeland is something that people in St. Pete were wanting.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a world that is becoming increasingly tech-dependent, a store dedicated to the analog art of film photography may seem archaic, but worldwide trends prove otherwise \u2014 wholesale film sales increased by 126% from 2020 to 2026. Buttrey believes that the \u201cfelt experience\u201d of film is what\u2019s fueling the renewed interest in the craft.<\/p>\n
\u201cFilm photography has been around for a long time,\u201d he said. \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019ll ever go away. As we approach this age of AI, I think there\u2019s going to be a stronger need for something that\u2019s real.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I think that\u2019s film photography, because you have a very physical medium where you can look at \u2014 you can take a look at the negative, and you can see for a fact that it was real, and I think that\u2019s important.\u201d<\/p>\n
The storefront in St. Pete fills a void in the film development market in the city. While Zebra-Color on Central offers some film services, Lakeland Films will be the only full-service lab exclusively dedicated to film photography.<\/p>\n
The self-proclaimed \u201ceveryday film lab for the everyday shooter,\u201d Lakeland Film Lab\u2019s mission to make photography more accessible for the community.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe main goal from the beginning was just to keep film processing prices as low as possible, so we don\u2019t price people out of this hobby and this passion that we all share for film photography,\u201d explained Buttrey.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just felt like the prices were continuing to rise, and if the goal is to get more people to shoot film and to keep film photography alive, I felt like we were just pricing people out of wanting to continue to shoot film or even just get started shooting.\u201d<\/p>\n
The store is designed to provide a place for people to gather and talk shop. There will be seating and a rotating cast of beverage pop-ups throughout the year, and the shop will have the colorful aesthetic of its popular Lakeland location.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want it to be a spot where somebody can come in, they can learn about film photography, they can ask questions,\u201d said Buttrey. \u201cThey can buy film or buy a camera, sit down, get a drink, load their camera and kind of just hang around.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite expanding into St. Pete, Lakeland Film Lab is adamant about keeping its name as a testament to its roots.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re proud of where we started. I love the city, I\u2019ve given a lot to the city, and I\u2019ve learned a lot from the city. With opening in St. Pete, [we\u2019re] bringing that identity with us, so that\u2019s why we\u2019re not changing the name. Lakeland is the brand.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lakeland Film Lab\u2019s Instagram at @LakelandFilmLab. Opening date announcement coming soon.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
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