ComoPhoto.com
Title
Como Photo: Welcome
Description
Como Photo is the oldest film processing lab still in operation in the state of Wisconsin. Begun in 1918 by Lloyd Cook and Harris Montgomery, CO-MO PHOTO, as it was known back then, started as a firm that photographed city scenes, then developed and sold them all over the state as post cards. Originally the company was located in Lake Mills, Wisconsin. Later, the lab took in film for processing from the general public, and began servicing area drug stores. It was at this time the move was made to Watertown - a larger city about 12 miles away.
By the mid-twenties, the lab was out of the post card business, and concentrated on film developing only. Cook had expanded to a larger lab in Milwaukee, while Montgomery, and Bernard Schaufler who joined CO-MO in 1920, continued to run the business. In 1933, Cook and Montgomery sold the business to Schaufler, who continued to run it until 1946 when he sold out to Bill Welch, an employee of the Milwaukee plant since his return from World War II where he served in the Air Force in Europe.
Bill, along with his son Jim, who joined the business in 1976, ran Como Photo until 2003 when long-time employee Paul Strohbusch acquired the company.
