Not sure who everyone is dealing with when they say they had bad customer service in their reviews. I just drove 40 minutes to finally check out Relics and I am very happy with my experience. I have been doing film photography for 5 years now and ready for a new camera, easy and lightweight for travel but still have that quality feel. Drake the owner knew exactly what I needed, showed me a few options, then showed me the photos the camera produced so I could see the quality each photo presented. Sure, I could have bought it online from eBay for maybe $50-100 cheaper, but I wanted that guidance and trust while also supporting a small business. It comes with a 6 month warranty in the event anything happens too! I will report back once I take it for a spin, but if you want to be valued and heard and time spent on making a decision on your next film camera I highly recommend Drake & Relics. read more

Relics Film Lab - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Long Beach, California

This business owner is stealing the film community's money. Not just mine but seems like EVERYONE else based on the reviews. Taking peoples money for film developing and never sending them their photos. Taking peoples money for buying cameras but never actually shipping the camera. Taking peoples money for fixing cameras but never actually fixing cameras, just keeping them and never giving them their cameras back. Instead of constantly running discounts how about you actually provide the proper service for people who already spent money here instead of trying to steal more money from people!!! Multiple reports have been made and will keep being made to the Better Business Bureau. Drake Woodson is a scammer. Hope he gets what's coming to him one day. read more

Zero stars. Absolutely zero. First time I brought film in to be developed, I was told the prints were ready and when I came to pick them up, Drake said someone forgot to print them and had me wait an additional 30 mins DESPITE being told it was ready for pick up. He offered me a 25% discount and said he would email me the offer due to the delay in service. Little did I know this was just the beginning of the many lies he would eventually tell me. Second time around, I figured I would give them another chance because all businesses have off days and I thought Drake would honor the 25% off discount (fyi he never emailed me that discount code). I dropped my film off at Coffee Drunk December 12. Today is February 6 and I have not received my negatives or prints. I have sent multiple emails, DMs, and even chats on their website and it was full of excuses and lies and no accountability. On Jan 5 I was asked to confirm my address was correct to ship my film, I verified and then Drake told me he couldn't ship it because he didn't have my apartment address and then said it was "returned to sender" . So many lies and no accountability. I will be reporting this business to the BBB and I do hope to everyone else who has had issues with them do the same. This is not a small business to support. Edit: I have reported them to the BBB. Their website reports 1-3 day film turn around time once received and 24-48 hour responses with Chat being the fastest response. I have not been responded to and it has been almost 60 days since sending them my film. read more

I was initially really excited to discover a film camera shop so close to my house -- just a 3-minute drive. The space itself is very cool, with a solid selection of used cameras and a small film inventory. As an avid film shooter who's constantly experimenting, I started visiting often to drop off rolls for development. The owner is friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely enjoyable to talk to. I've even purchased a lens from the shop directly with no issues there. Unfortunately, when it comes to film development and overall management, my experience was extremely disappointing. When you trust a film lab, you're trusting them with irreplaceable moments. In my case, that trust was broken. My honeymoon rolls were mishandled, and film I shot documenting a friend's wedding was also ruined. The color was completely off -- beyond saving -- and some rolls came back completely blank. It genuinely felt like the film wasn't developed properly. Communication was also an issue. Development took far longer than expected, and I had to repeatedly check in for updates. While they did eventually text to offer a refund, that doesn't replace lost images or peace of mind. If you're looking for a reliable, professional film lab, I would not recommend this place. Film is expensive, and many of us are working on meaningful, once-in-a-lifetime projects -- it's simply too precious to risk. If you shoot casually, don't need your film quickly, and aren't relying on the results for important work, this shop may be fine. But for serious shooters, I'd strongly suggest looking elsewhere. Very disappointed. read more

This place is a scam, and I regret not checking the reviews before buying. I wanted to buy a 300 dollar camera for my birthday in December, expecting it to arrive in late January, and since I purchased it, I have been met with excuses and silence. December became January, then February, then March, and now April. No camera, no clarification. They are taking money from people and never even shipping the cameras they claim to have. And the audacity to hold a tight grip on my money after scamming me is crazy, over here fighting with my bank after I disputed the transaction. Don't waste your money or time with these people. Relics is begging for money to keep their business afloat when they're pulling these stunts; they should shut down this place and lock up Drake Woodson for playing in my face. read more

I ordered a camera on August 27 and was told repeatedly that it was "on its way" for over a month. Whenever I asked for clarification through email, my questions went unanswered or were met with vague, unhelpful replies. Out of frustration I tried contacting them on Instagram, but their responses there were minimal at best and provided no real information. By October 2, the item still had not been shipped. I was told I would receive a refund, but I have yet to receive my money. Instead of addressing the issue, the seller chose to block me on social media!!!! This entire experience has been unprofessional, frustrating, and dishonest. A trustworthy business does not ignore customers, provide vague excuses for weeks, withhold refunds, and then cut off communication entirely. I would strongly advise anyone considering this seller to look elsewhere!!!! read more

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As a LB native, this is one of my favorite stores to come to when I visit town. About 2 years ago I bought my first point and shoot from their old location, my Olympus infinity stylus. Today at their new location, I bought my first film SLR, the Minolta X7A. Alex was the most kind and helpful dude!! I honestly know nothing about SLRs and it was intimidating to choose a new camera but I really wanted to make the step up into this hobby. Alex had helped show me different SLRs and the different parts to them while also putting in his two cents on what he likes to find in cameras. I didn't feel rushed at all when choosing a camera and I got the family vibe just like when I got help choosing my first point and shoot from their old location. They are also all fairly priced cameras. Thank you so much Alex for your fantastic customer service and hang! Shoutout to Leah and Drake as well who always give great service! See you guys soon!! read more

Since they removed my google review: SCAMMERS!!! DO NOT SUPPORT THIS BUSINESS!! I purchased a camera for their Black Friday online sale and never recieved the item. Apparently this is a reoccurring issue as I found reviews from the past stating the same thing. I wanted to support a local business but instead I was scammed of almost 300 dollars. They don't respond to emails, or answer their phone and when they text they will respond once and never again. DO NOT PURCHASE FROM THEIR ONLINE UNLESS YOU WANT TO GET SCAMMED. I had to dispute the charge because I couldn't even get a hold of them and when I asked for a refund I got no response. Also to just give a frame of reference I had ordered this item on December 2nd, it is now Febuary 9th and I live in the same state. It shouldn't take two months for an item to be shipped out. I am incredibly disappointed because I had friends recommend this place and say only the best things, I really wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt but unfortunately I basically got scammed. If i could give negative stars I would. Idk how this place is still in business. Its incredibly disappointing how they run this business. read more

I've been meaning to leave a review for a while, but life gets busy! Relics Film Lab is a true gem in Long Beach, California. Drake and his team have created an exceptional experience. Every time I drop off film for development, I find myself chatting away for thirty minutes, building a great artistic rapport with Drake. The associates are also knowledgeable and friendly, making every visit enjoyable. I always have a 10/10 experience, whether I'm there in person or connecting via text or phone call. read more

Ive lost hope i will get my film back. No communication. Its been months. Those photos were irreplaceable

Relics charged me for a diagnostic, took my camera and never reached out to me with the diagnostic. It has been 2 months and they're still in possession of my camera, not sure if I'll ever get it back. I emailed, even IG direct messaged them inquiring and requesting they communicate via IG since they claim they emailed me (I never received anything, even after providing an alternative email to the original) and they chose to be unresponsive and still not send me my diagnostic. Do not trust this business!! They don't even have a store front anymore where you can pull up to. Terrible service. read more

Business hours really aren't clear. I saw 3 different times listed on Google, Yelp, and their front door. Unfortunately this business seems very exclusive and not welcoming at all. Such a bummer because I live down the street. Won't be going back again read more

-they make you pay online, even if you're in person. Weird, but ok -they say they have a 1-2 day turn around. They don't. -they DO NOT ANSWER THEIR PHONE -they occasionally answer their texts, but refused to answer my questions and GHOSTED ME -they didn't even wrap my film. They just put it in a paper bag. I reached into the bag to make sure my negatives were there (because up to this point I had no reason to trust their word) and I'm just grabbing the negatives themselves. No other lab I've gone to has done that. Looks cool and boutique, but clearly does not care about customer service. Look through the other reviews and you'll see people who can attest to the fact that communication is impossible with them and what they have to offer is nothing special. Especially with the headache it comes with. read more

Came in here to develop film for some disposable cameras! Unfortunately it was $18 per camera - which is extremely expensive and kind of cancels out a lot of "fun" for these types of things. Especially because I only ordered digital - the prints were even MORE! But the attendant was nice and made the process easy! read more

Relics Film Lab - Outside view - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Long Beach, California

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In the market for a film camera and came across Relics. A lot of cool stuff here and Drake is super knowledgeable. I told him what I was kinda looking for and he took the time to chat about different cameras and recommendations on some films and I truly appreciate the recommendations. I purchased an Olympus Stylus and love it. Been coming here to get my films scanned and developed which is cool that they offer those services as well. I'd definitely recommend checking them out! read more

Relics Film Lab - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Long Beach, California

Sad to post a negative review on a small business. But its been months and i still havent gotten my film back. The film i took of my wedding. I dont know if ill ever get it. Ive gotten no response. I paid good money to lose the most important photos. I have such deep regret for choosing to develop locally. I hope i some day get my pictures but im not hopeful. I lost money. I lost memories. read more

My order was never delivered. We reached out to the owner and he claimed he'll send it out but never did. It's been nearly two months.

Horrible customer service! Over promises & they ship months late. They give you the runaround and don't take their customer seriously. Any business that doesn't prioritize their orders, but are quick to take your money can't be trusted. Wish business is like this would take their business practices more serious. read more

Scam company, tried buying a camera from their online store last September and they took my money and never sent me anything. They ignored 4 emails and never picked up the phone. I had to issue a refund through my bank which took 3 months to straighten out. Reposting this on yelp to warn people because it appears they somehow got all their google reviews deleted. read more

I dropped off a camera for repair on October 4th 2025 and i still haven't received it hahah Drake is literally a fraud. This is what happens when people try to open a business and have no idea what they're doing. I'm sorry but how can your customer service be this bad? No responses to texts, emails, or calls. I eventually traveled to long beach in December to try and speak with someone in person...turns out this guy closed the entire storefront and is only doing business online? I've already reported this guy to the Better Business Bureau and I recommend everyone do the same. If Drake replies to this review with some BS gaslighting, don't listen to him. He has no clue what accountability means and always blames the customer. Drake, give me my camera back man this is outrageous!! read more

Purchased a camera, $400+ and never got it. Called several times and spoke to someone different each time who told me it was "being packaged" "ready for shipping to pick up" "going out tomorrow" but alas, like many others, did not get that camera... finally had to dispute it with my bank. I waited weeks before I reached out to my bank. Then my friend got an email saying the camera I purchased was back in stock. Seems like a trend based on other reviews. My sister bought a camera here years ago ago and had a great experience, but I cannot say the same. Would not recommend this place at all. At one point I had to call from different numbers to get them to answer. So they either save numbers in an effort to avoid them or they just have lousy customer service? It's unfortunate because I'd prefer to my money to small business, but seems like Amazon would a safer bet. read more

(Posted December 17, not December 18 as indicated) What a surprise that a photo lab has opened next to Black Dog Cafe on Third Street and Alamitos. It seems quite charming and sells many accessories for the not-on-the-phone camera. It's a very different thing from the often gruff labs into which professionals ran their rolls expecting rush, rush, rush turnover then sped to a client on a bike messenger. This is a boutique lab and shop for the camera and camera publications etc. But wait a minute, in the few moments that we were exploring, people were coming in to get their film processed. I'm not sure if this is yet another trend which has come about or the industry is making a comeback. Relics definitely deserves a visit, who knows what will develop. read more

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Anyone who is new or is just getting into film photography knows that this can be an expensive hobby - film, cameras, repairs, etc. Given this information, getting scans and negatives at $20 per roll (35MM) was very affordable and a great deal. I came in to buy film once and the staff was very helpful in helping me pick out film suitable for my camera and experience level. They also have helpful tips and tricks. I've also come in to help fix a kink in my camera (thank you again to the staff for this!) Lastly I've had my film scanned and developed here for a total of $40 for two 35mm rolls. It was pretty quick turnaround. I turned them in on a Friday afternoon and received my scanned pictures Monday night. There's a lot here besides great (tested) vintage cameras. They sell film, lenses, cleaning tools, and accessories. 10/10. I'm glad this gem is here in Long Beach. read more

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Dropped my film off a month ago, still haven't gotten it back. They don't answer the phone or respond to emails..

would be so cool if you answered your phone! needed some film expeditiously; showed up and was told they were out. paid for an uber to get there before their early closing time and was extremely disappointed upon arrival and at a lo$s. can't really rely on this place in a pinch but probably great for photographers who leisure pursuit or for beginners read more

I ordered my camera in July 9th and it is currently 10/31 and I still haven't received my camera I paid for already I keep calling and no one ever picks up anymore and I just don't understand either you have the camera or you don't they keep saying it'll be shipped out next week but never does read more

Wow, I'm really feeling the love from the Relics staff today. I previously purchased a film camera last year from Relics, but after a couple of months ran into some battery issues with the camera. Came in a few times so we could figure out the issue when they encouraged me to come in and trade in my camera for a different one. Mind you it's been almost a whole year and other businesses would want to capitalize or send me away with the loss but not Relics. The owner was super kind when I chose a camera. I've never been treated so generously by a business and I highly recommend this shop to anyone considering getting a film camera. And understand it doesn't stop when you purchase the camera, they will definitely have your back if there's any issues, you need to buy film, or simply wanna chat about the beauty of film photography. Thank you guys! read more

Relics Film Lab - Samsung Maxima - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Long Beach, California

I really wanted to like this place but the customer service is SO BAD. I ordered a camera and it's been over 2 months and I still haven't received it. I have emailed over 12 times and called and have gotten little to no response. They say they are going to ship and days go by and nothing happens. I keep following up on an update and it takes 3 emails to even get one response but no action takes place. My camera still hasn't been shipped. They also never apologized for lack of communication. I will never order from here again. read more

I really wanted to like this place but the customer service is so bad. No one ever picks up the phone and you basically have to keep pushing them or go in person to get an eta on your order. A wait time of 16 days would've been fine if we weren't told that turn around is 1-2 days. On top of that it took so long to even get a response. Probably not gonna come back. read more

WARNING: DO NOT BUY FROM THIS STORE!! Do not support this business! I ordered a camera from Relics over 6 weeks ago, expecting delivery within 2-4 weeks as promised. It still hasn't arrived. For the past two weeks, I've emailed multiple times--zero response. I've also called multiple times per day for two weeks, but no one ever answers. Their customer service is absolutely terrible, and at this point, I have no idea if I'll ever receive my order. After weeks of trying, I finally got an answer. The owner admitted it was an error on his end and claimed they had the camera ready for weeks. He promised to ship it that day--that was 10 days ago. Still no shipment, and now he's ignoring emails and calls again. Avoid this business at all costs! Shop elsewhere! read more

Most of my photos turned out well, but the turnaround time was several days slower than they had said it would be. The service in the store was nice, friendly, and helpful, although you have to complete orders on your phone or on a tablet in store, and I don't really see why you can't just pay in store directly. It adds unnecessary steps, but might be convenient if you go there all the time or prefer to purchase things in advance. read more

Last year I wanted to take up photography as a small hobby and stumbled upon this Relics website. I had some disposable income, so I bought a camera from their site. I paid for the camera on December 21, 2024, it is now January 18th 2025. I have gotten only one email response stating high amounts of orders or something, but that was over a week ago and now I just want my money back. Unfortunately, it seems like I wont get my $190 back at all. And now that I see this yelp page saying the store is closed completely, I am now a mix of pissed off and disappointed. I feel like I was defrauded and I would suggest to everyone who googles Relics or goes to their site to immediately leave the site because it seems these people are thieves. read more

They'll tell you it takes "a couple days" to get your film developed. The automated voicemail even says it'll take 1-2 days, but this is a lie. On two occasions, it took over 2 weeks for them to send us our scans. Communication needs major improvement. They rarely answer texts, calls and emails. They even lock the door before the advertised closing time. My biggest complaint is the lack of communication, and when I showed up in person and said the door was locked earlier, the owner said "we have a doorbell." Why not put a sign on the door? Why not keep your customers updated about the excessively long turnaround times? I wanted to support the local camera shop but will be going elsewhere now. I tried Fromex and got my scans the same day. Listen to the bad reviews!! read more

I dropped my camera off at Relics for a repair diagnostic on July 30th 2023. They had told me one month turnaround for diagnostic, no problem. Eight months later and I had received no communication from them. I tried calling, leaving a voicemail, and emailing but no one ever answered or got back to me. It wasn't until I left a one star google review that I heard back from someone. In their response on my review, they said their team is all caught up on repairs and that everything is ready for pickup, and that they emailed and texted me that my order was ready. I doubled checked my order details and I had used the correct phone number and e-mail. I receive all of their promotional emails, but never received any sort of communication about my order. I understand that mistakes happen, but this business took no accountability for the lack of communication from when I first dropped off my camera until I left a negative google review. I was finally able to get my camera back, after eight months. No diagnostic or repairs performed. No apologies for the lack of communication. If you look at their old yelp page (3.4 rating) and other reviewers here, this appears to be a common problem. read more

Relics Film Lab - Order details - Photography Stores & Services Near Me - Long Beach, California

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This store is a very exciting one to have around in the mission to keep film photography alive and well. There is a lot of potential here to create a place that welcomes and encourages film photography as an enjoyable experience with a growing community. But truthfully, my retail experience here was the worst I've had in my life and was far from where it could have been. I worked in retail, and in a small business restaurant as a young student so I understand the experience to an extent. I know things with customers go wrong and it's difficult to manage. Customers get upset and the issues with the product are not always your fault but get taken out on you. Especially when the staff takes pride in backing the product it might come off as personal. However, this is not an excuse to act irrational. My issues weren't personal. My sole issue was with the non-functioning product I was given. I was patient and wanted to make sure I was given the correct camera to replace my non-functioning one. I asked questions about the cameras available which irritated the staff. p.s. *I am saying "non-functioning" because the correct word, broken, is said by the store to be inaccurate* On the day to return my dysfunctional camera, the woman made me feel completely miserable and embarrassed about walking into the store. She attempted to guilt trip me for returning a broken camera. I've never treated anybody like she has treated me even with how dastardly some people have been to me. There is no reason someone that represents Relics as well as the stores upper faculty should treat a customer this way. Much less one my age (21) who's enthusiastic about getting into photography. I am a very mild-mannered person and the way she reacted was very unprofessional. The environment here is not hostile because of the customers, it is a reflection on the staff and management. She made numerous sarcastic remarks that were directed at me for confronting the store about a non-functioning camera sold to me at full price. Also- over the phone Wednesday, I was prepared to pick up a Nikon 50mm camera that was sold to me over the phone which I was very excited about picking up ! But once I got there they acted like had no idea about this. So I understood, as I knew already that the customer service was poor, so I just let it be. Although, I was still interested in the specs of the camera that were mentioned, so I asked if they could get me the name of it so I can research it (as I am beginning my journey into learning about film!!) In response to this, the employees mocked me and told me that I misunderstood the words and that they have no idea what I was talking about. Lastly, it was mentioned because of all my endless hassle, and because that I was still open to purchasing a replacement camera, that I would be offered a "generous discount. at least 25%, I want to make things right with you". These are the exact words. The staff was unaware of this as well and wasn't able to assure me that this was going to be reflected on my account. As having very limited funds as a college student, I was very worried this wouldn't occur. After politely asking her to speak to the owner about this (the one who offered me the credit) she forcefully told me to leave the premises and that if I ask again she will contact the police... The way this played out was unprofessional, made me feel very uncomfortable, and most of all I felt unwelcome in your store. It threatened all my friends who are into photography who might've been interested in visiting this store one day. Is there a way to make this right? What will happen to this employee? And then today I was called about the steps to take regarding my experience and she complained to me that she had to call me on her day off when someone else could have easily done it for her. She scoffed at my question about the $25 I was promised. I was told that the poor yelp reviews were "made my trolls" which was pretty funny. They're invalidating not only mine but everyone else's poor experience. Their prices are greedy and inhumane. I only knew I was being taken advantage of after I returned back to my university classmates and professors who told me how I was ripped off. They fed off my inexperience as a camera buyer to make insane profit margin then turned it back on me about how much money they're apparently losing by replacing my broken camera. Needless to say I spent over $100 in gas money during this entire ordeal. But of course, they couldn't care less about my experience. After reading further yelp reviews, I can't mentally do this anymore. The words are out there. There needs to be change. I believe this store can turn it around under new faculty. The current staffs reluctance to criticism and accountability is unmatched. Please make this right. Thank you. I'm sure I'll be victim blamed in the replied comments but oh well. It's the oldest abusers trick. read more

never written a bad review before but i feel like i have to make this to warn potential customers. i saw the negative reviews about film not being returned to people until weeks later and the lack of response when people ask for updates so i was prepared to wait. i was in no rush to receive my photos. but it has been over 4 months and nothing. no news. i've followed up multiple times by phone and email and i got an email response from someone once and then never again. i spoke to drake in person when i first dropped off my cameras and he admitted some of his staff have bad customer service. idk what's going on with this place but don't even risk it. go somewhere else. read more

Honestly really disappointed with my experience bc I wanted to support a small business & heard good things about Relics from friends. I ordered a film camera online last month and didn't see any order updates since, order didn't even get shipped. I figured they're busy with online & in-store orders, I get it, gave them benefit of the doubt. But I emailed them and asked if there was any update on my order & it was CRICKETS from them (even tho they're posting on Instagram like normal and sending automated promo emails) . I checked Google & Yelp reviews and found out I'm not the only person experiencing this. Wish I checked reviews before buying online. Ppl wanting to spend their money at your business and then not delivering a product in a timely manner or just communicating that you need time...is not cool. Please do better. read more

So much potential. Nice Community events, good location, and a cute interior. But, the execution is off. I don't know if they are understaffed, but it seems like it. Too many times i've made the drive and the front is closed during store hours. Also, the texting feature is a BRILLIANT idea. But sometimes, i don't get a reply until days later, or not even at all! Great ideas...but need to execute them much better. i will still be a customer, but i hope for change. i really want them to succeed read more

Great place to develop film. They're able to do color, b&w, and cross process e-6; I've brought all 3 types of film to them before and they do a great job. Also, they return the developed film uncut, just a nice long strip read more

Drakes Always very helpful, I come all the time, if u need film developed or scanned whatever u need come here for all ur film needs, sometimes the film takes a while but its a small business with few people so kept that in mind, remember to always support small businesses like this, have everything from Polaroid to point and shoots and professional SLR's read more