Who remembers getting their film developed at Fotomat? The colorful tiny kiosk with the pyramid-shaped roof in the middle of a strip mall parking lot. Ours was in the middle of the Woolworth’s parking lot on Scotch Road in Ewing, NJ.
Location Unknown. Kodak Fotomat, 1960’s. @Flickr/Allen
The concept was simple. Fotomat offered “drive-thru” service. Drive up, drop your film off, then pick up your pictures the next day.
Fotomat Postcard @Flickr/Michael Kube-McDowell
There used to be thousands dotting parking lots all across America. Most of them were staffed by young women, called “Fotomates,” dressed in hot pants. Male employees were known as “Fotomacs” and wore light blue polo shirts.
West Peabody, MA. @Flickr/Jim
It must have been torture working in one of the kiosks. First off: no bathroom. I guess the Fotomates and Fotomacs had to either hold it, use the bathroom at one of the stores in the strip mall, or have a can handy. And I don’t know if there was any air conditioning or heat in the kiosks. Humid summer days in NJ must have been hell on the employees.
Sadly, the arrival of one-hour film development was the death knell for Fotomat. Some kiosks were repurposed. Others went to where good Fotomats go to die.
Gibbstown, NJ. Abandoned Fotomat @Flickr/Buz Murdock Geotag
Anaheim, CA. @Flickr/Debra Jane Seltzer
Troy, OH. Fotomat in the wild @Flickr/Ken
Hamilton, OH. @Flickr/Debra Jane Seltzer
Freehold, NJ. @Flickr/Dan Asnis
Location Unknown. @Flickr/Tony Girilamo
Oklahoma City, OK @Flickr/Debra Jane Seltzer
