After 15 years working together at photo shop Max Spielmann in Harrogate, Alex Hope and Marisa Towler are two of the best known faces in the town centre.
As soon as you step into the shop on Oxford Street, it’s clear why the two are so highly thought of in the town. Beaming with smiles, the pair can’t wait to help and chat with anyone that comes in.
Alex and Marisa have worked at the store for 15 and 19 years respectively, an anomaly in the retail world where many people choose to move on rapidly. They say they couldn’t imagine doing another job.
‘We’ve seen it all’
After years in the same shop, the pair have shared every key moment in people’s lives, from printing baby photos, to school photos, to even wedding photos for the same families.
They say it is a “pleasure” to be trusted with recording people’s memories but said sometimes they can be a little “wild”.
Alex said:
“We could write books and books of the things you’ve seen, we’ve honestly seen it all. When you work with the public’s photos you really start to get an idea of what people are really like.
“We’ve had to tell best men in the past that some photos are just too far to show at weddings, especially from the stag do!”
Since Alex and Marisa started working together, technology has really advanced. From printing camera film to huge canvas prints, the pair have had to move with the times.
Marisa said:
“It’s just really enjoyable and interesting and of course we get on really well. We learn things everyday, the digital world is always changing and we just have to keep up.”
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‘Customers become an extended family’
Alex and Marisa have built bonds with customers, especially regulars. Over lockdown they said it was really difficult not knowing how some people were doing.
They said attitudes have definitely changed: some became more withdrawn after so long indoors whereas others couldn’t wait to be out again.
Some of the gifts collected at Christmas.
Alex added:
“They do become like an extended family, especially those that are in so often after so long you can’t help but get to know them really well. At Christmas it’s lovely when they bring in gifts for us, we are just doing our jobs at the end of the day but it’s so nice to know it’s appreciated.
“That’s why we’ve stuck around for so long!”
