Philly Photo Spot, a niche photography space on the second floor of the Willow Grove Park Mall, is the only studio of its kind in the greater Philadelphia region to offer a “Selfie Museum” as part of its repertoire. A brainchild of mother-and-son duo Kelly and Mikel Thomas, the Museum is a departure from traditional studio spaces, providing guests with customizable sets to create their own vision.
“It’s something we’ve seen around the country and the world, but not in the northeast corridor. The mall seemed like a perfect space to do it,” Kelly said. “The idea was to keep up with the trends on social media, and still being able to give that authentic feel in a studio. We added a little more self-discovery. Most things on our sets are movable, and we give people green lights to adjust as the sets as they want. We give them a Bluetooth remote control instead of a timer, for example. It’s about you coming in and developing something that’s yours.”
The studio offers a range of picture-perfect possibilities, including professional headshots, family portraits, glamour shots, group visits, and, of course, silly selfies. Event sessions have ranged from birthday parties to wedding engagements to fundraisers to corporate meetings. Guests may use Philly Photo’s props, lighting equipment, backgrounds and installations, or they may bring their own.
“If someone wants to do a fundraiser, we encourage them to bring in additional merchandise for purchase,” Kelly said. “We want people to bring it T-shirts, mugs, and things of that nature. Other places don’t let you do that, but we’ve found that it helps people raise money. It makes sense to have merchandise right there instead of going somewhere else to buy it.”
The family’s skillsets complement each other well: Kelly’s son, Mikel, received a bachelor’s degree in Communications, Production & Media from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2020. Kelly has been the owner of Kelly’s Kloset, an online lingerie brand, for the last 10 years. Her experience has allowed her to guide Mikel through the process of owning a business.
Philly Photo Spot has 15 professional photographers who rent spaces within the studio each month, and one in-house professional photographer in Mikel.
The studio will celebrate its first anniversary with a Halloween Day Party on October 29 from 2:00pm to 6:00pm, an afternoon that will include giveaways, food, beverages, candy, games, music, and a costume contest with several Halloween-themed sets. Tickets are available here.
“The first year has been extremely welcoming. We look to reach out to the schools and work with them in the future. That’s the next thing,” Kelly said.
To learn more about Philly Photo Spot’s offers, galleries, and events, you can check out their website here. The next time you find yourself strolling through Willow Grove Park, be sure to stop in and wish Kelly and Mikel a happy business birthday.
