Selfie WRLD photo studio coming to Streets of Woodfield
Born from a pandemic-caused layoff, a new do-it-yourself photo studio at Streets of Woodfield in Schaumburg aims to be a source of fun for those emerging from their own cocoons of the past year.
Selfie WRLD Schaumburg will open May 1 at 601 N. Martingale Road, Suite 340, right behind the Starbucks at Streets of Woodfield.
Owner Victoria Wiechow and her husband Patrick Thilberg of Roselle hit upon the idea n early February, shortly after Wiechow's second layoff in a year from the same Schaumburg restaurant due to COVID-19 restrictions.
She came across a TikTok video about the original Selfie WRLD in Des Moines, Iowa, which was started by a photographer after a cancer fight.
The idea that a Selfie WRLD franchise could be a new start for the 30-year-old popped into her mind almost as fast as the location where she thought it would best work.
"I feel that it's something new and positive to bring to the area and I wanted to be behind it," Wiechow said. "Something about Streets of Woodfield really did it for me."
Her own location will have 15 dedicated photo stations, as well as some additional backgrounds. The company requires six stations to be part of every location, including a diner setting and one with old-fashioned pay phones on the wall.
But there was plenty of space left over many ideas of Wiechow's own, including a Chicago Bulls theme and one incorporating an amusement park bumper car. Several of these will rotate during the year, and she's already looking forward to Halloween and other holiday-themed backgrounds.
Patrons can browse around the stations and borrow ring lights and a remote control for their cameras. Staff may be able to assist with photos if available, but the basic intent is for visitors to be as self-reliant as with any selfie.
Though undoubtedly focused on a youth market, Wiechow remarked that many of the things young people find visually cool for their photos are old-fashioned, like the bumper car, diner, pay phones and gumball machines.
Capacity and social-distancing restrictions currently make the online purchase of a ticket at selfiewrldschaumburg.com the only way to guarantee availability at the time of one's choosing, Wiechow said. That includes the first 100 customers and the giveaways they'll receive.
Beyond the fun she hopes to provide for residents of the Northwest suburbs, Wiechow believes she can be an example for those considering taking a chance on a new chapter in their lives.
"I didn't want to stick with the restaurant industry for the rest of my life," she said of her plunge into business ownership. "It was a lot to learn. It's just little things, like getting a building permit. But it's doable. We got through it. You have to go after your dreams."