Artist: Jimmy Buffett
Year: 1988
Lyrical relic: Fotomat
In our lackadaisical digital age of instant everything, it’s always fun to look back at what used to pass as a major “convenience.”
When Jimmy Buffet’s “Baby” went shopping in 1988, the Fotomat was a stop on her busy day out.
Baby's gone shoppin' she's lookin' around She's checkin' out the boys and the clothes about town Pick up this drop off that Stares at her pictures from the Fotomat Oh she likes what she sees But she's afraid of what she needs
Fotomat was a retail chain that operated drive-thru kiosks which offered overnight photo development. The first kiosk opened in California in 1965. By 1980, there were more than 4,000 kiosks in mall parking lots throughout the United States. They resembled Tikki huts (seemingly on brand with Jimmy Buffett), just big enough for a staff of one.
Before Fotomat, you would likely have waited up to a week (*GASP*) to get your snapshots developed because the only other options around were drugstores or professional photo shops.
However, by the mid-1980s, mini photo labs came on to the scene, many in shopping centres. They offered lightening speed, 1-hour photo development. It was the beginning of the end for Fotomats. Baby could now go shopping AND get her photos developed at the same time!
Attempting to join the digital age, the last incarnation of the Fotomat brand headed online in 2007, as image processing software, and survived for two years. Fotomat continues to have an online presence today, living on at nostalgic sites like fotomatfans.com
Since their demise, some of the Fotomat locations have been repurposed over the years, many as drive-through cafes. Getting your coffee without having to leave car: now that’s what I call convenience!
Sources:
“Fotomat.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Nov. 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fotomat.
“The rise and fall of Fotomat islands.” PressReader.com – Digital Newspaper & Magazine Subscriptions, http://www.pressreader.com/canada/toronto-star/20141103/281809987173975.
I don’t think the title of your article matches the content lol. Just kidding, mainly because I had some doubts after reading the article.
Can you be more specific about the content of your article? After reading it, I still have some doubts. Hope you can help me.
Can you be more specific about the content of your article? After reading it, I still have some doubts. Hope you can help me.
Thanks for sharing. I read many of your blog posts, cool, your blog is very good.
Your point of view caught my eye and was very interesting. Thanks. I have a question for you.
I don’t think the title of your article matches the content lol. Just kidding, mainly because I had some doubts after reading the article.
Your article helped me a lot, is there any more related content? Thanks!
Can you be more specific about the content of your article? After reading it, I still have some doubts. Hope you can help me.
Thanks for sharing. I read many of your blog posts, cool, your blog is very good.
Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?
Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?
Your article helped me a lot, is there any more related content? Thanks!
I don’t think the title of your article matches the content lol. Just kidding, mainly because I had some doubts after reading the article.
Your article helped me a lot, is there any more related content? Thanks!
Thanks for sharing. I read many of your blog posts, cool, your blog is very good.
I don’t think the title of your article matches the content lol. Just kidding, mainly because I had some doubts after reading the article.
Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?
Your article helped me a lot, is there any more related content? Thanks!
I don’t think the title of your article matches the content lol. Just kidding, mainly because I had some doubts after reading the article.
Can you be more specific about the content of your article? After reading it, I still have some doubts. Hope you can help me.
Your article helped me a lot, is there any more related content? Thanks!
Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?
I don’t think the title of your article matches the content lol. Just kidding, mainly because I had some doubts after reading the article.
Your article helped me a lot, is there any more related content? Thanks!
Thanks for sharing. I read many of your blog posts, cool, your blog is very good.
Can you be more specific about the content of your article? After reading it, I still have some doubts. Hope you can help me.