On 1st March 2023, imagex was 10 Years Old !

So where did this imagex creation begin ?

In January 2013, the previous company known as Jessops* announced their collapse into administration, and a few days later declared that all their 200+ stores across the UK were to close.

(*not to be confused with the current, much smaller company known as Jessops ....)

On Sheep Street in Bicester, Jessops had one of their smaller stores that had previously been a successful independent photographic shop for many years before they acquired it.

I immediately saw a great opportunity to acquire this successful established photographic business in my home town, in a retail sector I know very well.

So with some assistance from local investors, I refitted and opened the first branch of imagex on 1st March 2013

At its opening, imagex was the first all-new photographic shop in the UK for over 10 years, and we won various awards for customer service and retail excellence during the first few years of trading.

But I knew for the business to survive in the long-term, it had to grow, which simply wasn't going to be possible in the small premises on Sheep Street.

So I started seeking an alternative property

In early 2019, a suitable property in Pioneer Square became available, just a one minute walk from the previous store, so I set about acquiring and refurbishing this excellent 2-storey premises, to apparently become one of the largest independent photographic retail stores in the UK, with a 1000 sq.ft fully equipped photographic studio and event space on the upper floor.

After the move to Pioneer Square there were some changes in personnel, the brilliant current team have now been working together for almost two years - pictured left at the Cherwell Business Awards in 2022, from L to R:

Gill Peckham joined us in 2021 as our Manager of the Studio & Event Space, and she is also my wife

Maggie Slade joined us in 2020, she is our Lab Services Manager, is a very good photographer and also a true master of Photoshop

Robert Peckham - apparently I run the show ...

Jon Dodd joined us in 2021, is our main Retail frontman, a follower and fan of traditional film photography, and he also manages our large (and growing) used equipment sales operations

In 2020, just before the first Pandemic Lockdown, I entered imagex and won the  Cherwell Business Awards  Retail Business Award  accolade

During the Pandemic of 2020-22 the business survived and thrived by moving sales significantly on-line, and was able to remain open for our local customers thanks to our offering a range of 'essential services' like document printing and ID / Passport / Visa photography

In 2021, imagex opened our upper floor Photographic Studio and Event Space, now used by many local photographers & video production companies, and other organisations for a wide range of different uses.

In 2022, imagex were once again finalists in the  Cherwell Business Awards  for the  Small Business of the Year  title

... and on March 1st 2023

imagex were officially

TEN YEARS OLD !