By Tammy Daniels - April 29, 2008 iBerkshires Staff
Mayor John Barrett III cuts the ribbon opening TGL Photoworks on Holden Street.
NORTH ADAMS — Howard Levitz has seen plenty of changes in the printing and photography business over his career. Friday, however, marked a significant turning point in Levitz's life — a change of place and a break with the past.
Levitz and his wife, Dale, operated TGL Photoworks on Water Street in Williamstown for three decades. But when the right buyer came along for the building, the couple packed up and moved the business to North Adams.
On Friday night, well-wishers dropped by to sip champagne and congratulate the newest members of the city's business community. Mayor John Barrett III cut the ribbon opening the 12 Holden St. shop.
The space is tiny compared to the building they left behind but is a better design, said Dale Levitz, because the darkroom that had filled the old building's basement is no longer needed. But the new space couldn't contain all the stuff the couple accumulated over a period of 30 years: "A third came here, a third to the dump and a third's in my basement," she laughed.
With no darkroom or chemicals, the long narrow space contains plenty of room for the printing equipment necessary for a digital-age framing and photography studio and still leaves room for a small gallery space.
The Levitzes, who met while working on the Hofstra University newspaper, she as an editor and he as a photographer, said they were excited to be beginning this new chapter.
Howie Levitz recalled how his father, a printer, didn't want him to follow in his footsteps.
"He didn't want me to get into photography because it was too messy, too dirty, too hard," said Levitz. "But I had to, I guess, it's in my blood."
Levitz said his father would be astonished at how digital advances have revolutionized photography and printing. Those changes have informed the business's name, which Levitz has tweaked slightly with the times over the years. Thus TGL, for T diGitaL, reflecting the shop's abilities.
Photoworks offers photo restoration, fine arts giclee printing, portraiture and commercial photograpy, photographic printing and framing.
With the growing community of artists in North Adams and their proximity to Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, the Levitzes are confident they've chosen the perfect location to continue their photography operation.
"It's such a welcoming community. People have come and said, 'hello, welcome, good luck,'" said Howie Levitz. "It's just surprisingly vibrant. We're very happy to be here."
TGL Photoworks is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 to 5, Saturdays 10 to 1.
