In 1937, Joseph-Henry Savard (second to the right in the picture) and his wife, Simonne Desautels used their savings to buy Studio Rivoli, a black & white photo development laboratory. They ran their business from their basement on St-Denis Street for several years before moving to their current address in Old Montréal.
Several years later, Photo Service had nearly 100 employees and offered a complete range of photography services, running a store, a photography school, a photo development laboratory and a repair service.
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Joseph-Henry Savard died suddenly in 1961. Simonne continued to run the business with the help of her three children. After several years and more intense competition, Photo Service decided to concentrate on the retail trade.
That is when Monique (better known as Miss Savard), one of the first women to be a member of the Montréal Chamber of Commerce, managed the company by consolidating its bases. About twenty years later, Pierre-Henri took his turn managing the company, in which he is still active.
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In the last two years (…and for another twenty years!), the third generation’s influence is starting to be felt… Jean-Charles, drawing from over 10 years of marketing and security experience, has decided to begin a new career by taking his turn at running the company. He breathed new life in the company by renovating the entire store and equipping it with a top-of-the-line digital minilab. His sister Mireille, who met several challenges in the fashion design industry, is taking advantage of the minilab’s arrival to join the team, taking over the laboratory’s management.
Experience has a Name
At Photo Service, every customer who enters the store feels at home and can also take advantage of the largest pool of photo expertise in Quebec. Several employees have been with the company for many years. Who has never spoken to Yves, Michel, Jean-Marc, Albert or Jean-Yves, to name but those who have worked here the longest? That is one of the reasons why professionals, semi-professionals and photography lovers have adopted the store. In addition to an informal and unpretentious atmosphere, all of our customers can rest assured that their questions will be answered.
Moreover, our customers especially appreciate being able to count on people who are ready to serve them at all times. To meet its clientele’s needs, Photo Service has invested in photographic, studio and digital equipment over the last several years for its rental service. Photo Service also has the enviable reputation of having the largest selection of refrigerated professional films in store.
Photo Service’s primary goal is to be a professional resource. We also want everyone who comes through our doors to have a pleasant time. Welcome to Photo Service, you are part of the family… and have been for already 65 years.
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