Can you help me locate Johnston Photo Co? (Edina, Golden Valley: purchasing, live)

[DarlaFudge]

I'm hoping that you Golden Valley locals can help me find a company that seems to no longer be in business. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

My newborn daughter's hospital photo was taken by "Baby's Birth Day Portraits", a service provided by the Johnston Photo Company. She is now 10 so the brochure to order photos that I was given by the hospital staff is also that old. When I attempted to place an order, I got my letter back from the post office as "undeliverable as addressed" and "forwarding order expired." This is what I know:

The phone numbers listed on the order form (a metro # and toll-free #) are no longer in service and when I called information for new numbers they were unable to help.

My order form states that Johnston Photo Co. has been around for 40+ years.

Baby's Birth Day Portraits was located at 715 Florida Ave. S., Suite 103, Golden Valley, MN.

Of course, this was all ten years ago. I have no way of knowing if the company went out of business, moved out of state or is operating under a new name. I called my local hospital and talked to the head of the volunteer office but she stated they no longer use this photo company and nobody could recall when they stopped. My local postmaster told me a forwarding order expires after 18 months so I know the address changed before 2006. All internet searches have yielded nothing. I considered calling the Golden Valley chamber of commerce but don't even know if there is one.

Just in case you are wondering why I waited so long to order...? This slipped my mind and I just happened to be going through a box of baby items I had in storage. I feel terribly guilty towards my daughter because her older siblings both have their newborn photo. I think I recall being told once that the negatives are kept for about ten years and if that is the case, I am running out of time.

Does anyone know a Johnston that had a photo company in Golden Valley? There are hundreds of listings in the metro area. Are there any interested sleuths who wish to take up my cause?

Darla

[mudmuffin]

I googled and came up with this on the MN Historical Society web site. MNHS.ORG | Directory of Minnesota Photographers Scroll down to Harry Johnston and Merrien Johnston.

I guess 40 years is long for a photography business. Sorry.

[swanee]

If these photographers came to the hospital and took the portraits, maybe someone at the hospital would know what happened to all the negatives or proofs. Sometimes, when places go out of business, all the existing stuff gets passed on to another company.

[DarlaFudge]

Thank You!

Okay, so if Harry died in 1985 and his wife in 1993 and my daughter was born in 1997, someone else was operating the business. Does anyone know of a way to search who their children are?

Darla

[DarlaFudge]

Well actually, it's a volunteer or a staff nurse at the hospital who takes the pics but the film must be sent to the studio for development.
Thanks for your post.
Darla

[Choua Cheng]

HI There! I'm actually trying to track my son's baby photo's also. He was born in 2000, and I guess Johnston Photo was the company they were using. I called the hospital but didn't get much info or help there. I've been searching online, but like you said I found many local photographers. Any luck in finding who might have the negatives or proofs of these pictures? I regret not purchasing them at the time or sooner, but it was just something that I didn't remember doing. If you have any information please let me know. I would greatly appreciate it. I thought I was the only one trying to track baby pictures of my children.
-Choua

[Andy K.]

I was a friend of the son of the (apparently previous) owners of Johnston Photo - Alan and Trudy Johnston. They lived in Edina for years but I've lost track of them. Not sure if this'll help you at all - good luck!