In a city where traditional shopfronts have increasingly given way to bars and restaurants, Photocity remains an enduring exception.

The only photo shop left in Valletta, it has kept its doors open since December 22, 1974. Its founder, Mario Mintoff, 68, attributes this remarkable longevity to two key factors: a love of people and an ability to adapt to changing trends and technologies.

“You need to be a people person,” Mintoff said, smiling warmly outside his shop on South Street. “It doesn’t matter how smart you are; it matters how you get along with people and them with you.”

Mintoff also credits his early adoption of new technology for keeping the business relevant. Despite starting in an era of darkroom photography, he embraced the mini-lab system in the 1990s, allowing customers to develop and print film in an hour. By the 2000s, Photocity had shifted its focus to digital services.

“Every time something new comes out, you need to adapt to it,” he said. “We would have closed so many years ago if we stayed with our old system.”

Photography has been an active part of Mintoff’s life since the age of 18, when he opened his first studio in a two-by-three-metre space at the entrance of his family’s home, which is where the luxury hotel Rosselli is.

Mario Mintoff at 16 in his dark room. Photo: Mario Mintoff

Encouraged by his father, Pawlu, a fellow photography enthusiast, he took evening classes as a teenager and quickly turned his passion into a career.

Over the years, Mintoff has photographed multiple prominent figures, including royalty, popes and presidents and was the official photographer for key religious events.

Running a family business for half a century has required immense dedication and sacrifice. Mintoff often worked weekends and public holidays, missing family moments like his children’s parents’ days. Reflecting on those sacrifices, he said, “When you get older, you regret things like that, but what can you do?” noting that such moments were unavoidable for someone determined to succeed in a small business.

Mintoff’s three children – Stephen, Karl, and Erika – have all contributed to the business over the years. Lately, Erika and Karl have taken a more active role in the shop, with an eye on keeping Photocity alive for the next generation.

To Mintoff, the secret behind his business’s success is the passion he and his children have for photography. He explained the magic of photography, saying, “A photo remains. No matter what happens to you, your memory will remain in a photo.”

This enduring belief in the power of photography has been the heart of Photocity’s success – proof that even in a rapidly changing world, some traditions can last.

The store in South Street in 1987. Photo: Mario Mintoff