Foto Source is closing its doors after 30 years in the community.
Over the years, the business offered professional equipment and photo services such as graduation photos, wedding shoots, and more at their location in the River City Centre.
Owner Dan Sorensen tells Mix News they took big financial hits from multiple economic downturns and the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, April’s flood was the tipping point.
“Not all companies, and ours being one of them, weren’t covered for the overland flood, and trying to recover from that was a difficult task just for us to consider.”
Sorensen says they believed they would have been able to survive the pandemic, but the extra costs coming from the flood were too much to overcome.
After opening up a temporary location in Gregoire and moving some operations online, they knew this wouldn’t be sustainable.
For Sorensen, the aftermath will be just as hard as the decision to close.
“In those 30 years, your customers become your friends… people you’ve known and took their kindergarten pictures, and next thing you know you’re taking their wedding pictures.”
Meanwhile, some of the services provided by Foto Source will still be offered.
A small section of Speedpro Signs, Foto Sources’ sister-business, will be dedicated to things like school and sports photos.
The business also received some damage from April’s flood, however, they were able to obtain insurance for the property.
They’re hoping to reopen Speedpro Signs downtown in December, but for now, you can find them in at their temporary location in Gregoire.
