SHUTTERBOOTH DETROIT UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP

Royal Oak, MI – July 17, 2012 –

ShutterBooth, the leading provider of photo booth rentals for weddings, corporate functions and other special events, announced today the sale of its Detroit office to Sara and Mike Robins of Ann Arbor. Founded by Kim and Nolan Gottschalk in 2005, ShutterBooth now features 44 licensed offices nationwide, all locally owned and operated in order to best serve their individual markets. However, throughout the expansion, the Gottschalks retained ownership of the original Detroit location.  This sale will allow the Gottschalks to focus more aggressively on additional expansion, product development and greater strategic support for all offices. It will also allow the Robins to focus on increasing local market share, streamlining internal operations and expanding more aggressively in additional markets, such as Lansing and Toledo.

“For a few years, we’ve wanted to spend much more time developing new products and supporting the sales initiatives of our licensees,” says Nolan. “Sara and Mike offer the right combination of skills to be successful in the Detroit marketplace and build upon the solid foundation we’ve built.”

The ownership transfer actually took place in mid-April, but the Gottschalks and Robins spent the first 90 days collaborating closely on a smooth transition.

Seven years ago, Kim and Nolan Gottschalk founded ShutterBooth after attending Kim’s brother’s wedding and identifying a gap in the wedding marketplace. “We thought it would be fun to have a photo booth at the wedding,” remembers Kim. “However, when we started searching for a photo booth vendor, we quickly discovered that one didn’t exist.” The Gottschalks turned this discovery into an opportunity, designing and constructing their own photo booth for the event. The booth was such a hit with guests that the Gottschalks were inspired to start their own business.

“Many special event professionals join the industry almost by accident,” says Kim. “We happened to find a way to capture the fun and spontaneity of a special event, while also creating an experience that guests can share forever.”

Sara Robins initially joined ShutterBooth in 2009 as a part-time Event Host. With a corporate background in Human Resources and Marketing, Sara was soon promoted to Host Manager, while also assuming strategic sales and marketing responsibilities over the ensuing three years. During that time,
she also developed relationships with many local venues, vendors and event planners. The experience positioned her well to assume ownership of the Detroit location.

“We look forward to working with Kim and Nolan to create and promote new service offerings,” says Sara. “I’m also very excited for the opportunity to develop new marketing approaches so that we may increase our business outside the immediate Detroit Metro area.”

Sara will manage the business with her husband Mike, an M.B.A. with more than 15 years experience in service business operations. Most recently, he served as Director of Operations for Dynamic Edge, Inc., an Ann Arbor-based IT consulting firm. Before that, he was the Director of Managed Services for Konica Minolta Business Solutions, where he managed service delivery to 80 U.S. markets.

“ShutterBooth is unique in its commitment to quality and client satisfaction,” says Mike. “I’m excited to make certain that each and every client enjoys a memorable experience with their friends, family and colleagues.”