Abar Imaging Center of Providence has acquired arch rival, Colorlab, with whom it competed head to head for Southern New England’s photo finishing market for nearly 30 years.
The purchase – for an undisclosed price was effective April 1 – at which time the company was renamed Abar Colorlab. Operations were consolidated this week at Abar’s 35,000-square-foot facility on Corliss Street location, across from the U.S. Postal Office.
Abar was founded in 1955 as a color film developing lab, catering to photographers across the country. By 1967, the company had five full-time employees including owners George and Irene Champagne. The founders’ son George R. Champagne and his wife, Nancy, bought Abar in 1989. Today the company has 58 employees and offers more than 2,000 products and services.
“We are pleased to have acquired Colorlab, a well-respected provider of high-quality commercial photographic imaging services,” Champagne said. “Consolidating Colorlab’s operations into Abar is in keeping with our goal of providing our current customers with high-quality, end to end photographic and digital imaging services while enabling us to offer expanded services to former Colorlab customers.”
Uosis Juodvalkis, owner of Colorlabs, now works as an imaging consultant for Abar Colorlabs.
“The work done before the sale by George Champagne and myself should make this a seamless transition for Colorlab customers,” Juodvalkis said. “I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience as owner of Colorlab and I’m looking forward to my new association with Abar.”
