Family business helps cherish their memories
by JILL SCHMELZER Ken-Ton Editor

David Burow receives photos from the photo processing printer at DPS Video, 910 Niagara Falls Blvd.

Sixty years ago, a married couple took their love for photography and expanded it into a photo processing laboratory.

The Burows opened DPS Video, 910 Niagara Falls Blvd., Tonawanda, and have remained there since, expanding in services throughout the years - not only creating their own memories, but also preserving other people's memories.

"We mainly focused on weddings and portraits," owner David Burow said of the family business, noting his grandparents started DPS Video.

Up until 1987, the business processed photos in black and white and in color, but then upgraded to video processing.

The Getzville resident said movies, film and slides could be transferred into a VHS tape. And as competition grew, so did the programs DPS Video offered.

In 1990, the store went into video duplication where several videos could be reproduced. This included producing commercials for BMW and Volvo vehicle companies.

Approximately three years ago, the Burows upgraded again to DVD duplication. Now people come in and have their VHS videos transferred to compact discs and DVDs.

"We can now reproduce up to 200,000 copies," Burow added.

The company also focuses on digital imaging, but can still do traditional photo finishing, meaning take the negatives and produce hard copy photographs.

Recently, the video production store moved into the retail end of photo processing, meaning images can be transferred onto mouse pads, calendars and greeting cards.

This past week, Burow said he purchased a digital printing press, which can produce four-color printing for invitations, greeting cards and two-sided fliers.

He added that this is a less expensive way for people to send invitations and fliers to people. He added they produce 1,000 or less for mailing purposes.

"It's for people who do not have an order big enough to go to off-set printing," Burow said, noting off-set printing can process more than 10,000 copies.

"It's all done in house," he said of the services he offers.

DPS also has "Legacy Services" which scans images to a CD or DVD and are printable for scrapbooking and archiving old photographs.

"For $49.95, everyone in the family can have a copy," he said, noting it is helpful especially after a family member dies. "They bring in that shoebox and have their memories preserved."

Co-owner Kenn Gallisdorfer, Burow's cousin, has a degree in photographic technology and makes decisions for video production. John Parascak makes the templates, which can be uploaded from the Web site and sent immediately to the business.

"He's what gets us into the next millennium," Burow said.

Nancy Burow is not only David's mother, but also the secretary. His wife, Brenda, is the account representative. His sister, Debbie , oversees the packaging of the DVDs and VHS tapes.

Gallisdorfer's daughter Kristy DeFranco, inspects the packaging, and Jeff Miller, Burow's brother-in-law organizes the film processing and legacy printing services.

"I guess we do have a lot of family working here," Burow said.

For more information, visit www.DPSVideo.com or www. Davidphotoservice. com.

e-mail: jschmelzer@beenews.com