Another new business is coming to the renovated space at Douglas and Seneca in Delano

Carrie Rengers
·2 min read

Delano and downtown Wichita are popular spots for shooting outdoor photography, but what about inside photos?

“There’s not a lot of places to do indoor photography in Wichita,” said longtime photographer Andrew Montano.

So he and his cousin, Mario Montano, are opening Signature Studios in Tony Abdayem’s renovated 1910 building at the southeast corner of Douglas and Seneca.

Andrew Montano said it will be a shared photography space for photographers to use as well as others.

“It’s designed for photographers, but it’s open to anybody.”

The space, which is about 3,100 square feet on the ground floor, will have lighting, backdrops and a boudoir room.

“I mean, the works,” Montano said.

Cousins Mario Montano, left, and Andrew Montano are opening Signature Studios, a shared photography studio, next month at Douglas and Seneca in Delano.
Cousins Mario Montano, left, and Andrew Montano are opening Signature Studios, a shared photography studio, next month at Douglas and Seneca in Delano.

The business will open in early December and be available to lease for $50 an hour from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

There also will be memberships with no hourly limit for $300 a month.

Montano said the first 200 people to sign up will get the space for $200 a month for 12 months.

“We wanted to provide an affordable place,” Montano said.

The business’ website at www.signaturestudioswichita.com will begin accepting bookings on Dec. 3.

There will be a free community event from noon to 7 p.m. on Dec. 2 with Santa and the Grinch for people to come get photos and check out the space.

“It’s a great place for . . . family pictures,” Montano said.

He said it’s nice to have an indoor option for photos since Kansas can be so hot, so cold and so windy.

“That can be challenging at times.”

Montano said he’s happy to be on ground floor space.

Lola Candle Co. is now open next to where Signature Studios is opening, and 10 of the 15 office spaces upstairs are available for lease.

Jake Ramstack of InSite Real Estate Group handled the deal for the photography space and handles all leasing at the building.

“To be associated with Delano is awesome,” Montano said.

Like Abdayem, Montano said he considers that building to be the start of Delano.

“You have to pass us to get through everything.”