Selfie museum opens in New Hartford

NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. — The Mohawk Valley’s first selfie museum, Selfie City CNY, is now open in the Avenue Plaza at 4697 Commercial Drive in New Hartford.

Selfie museum is a term for an art gallery or installation full of backdrops. Visitors can pose for photos they can share on their social-media sites.

Owner John Baker got the idea after his niece visited a selfie museum in North Carolina. “When I saw the pictures she took there, I thought that would be wonderful here,” he says.

Baker leased the 4,200-square-foot former Avenue store and spent the month of April getting the space ready with help from his brother-in-law Chris Stevens, who built a lot of the sets.

Baker’s startup costs totaled $50,000 to $60,000, which included supplies for the rooms/backdrops, the lights, hiring an artist to paint a mural, getting a logo designed, and merchandise. Selfie City CNY opened in early May with 20 different rooms and backdrops full of vibrant colors and fun props. Each one is equipped with a ring light.

Want to make it rain cash? There’s a room for that. Ever wanted to be the prize in a claw machine? You can do that. There’s a selfie grocery store, a phone booth, and even selfie jail, but those looks might not be around for long.

 “Every couple of months, I’ll switch some [rooms] out,” Baker says, because he wants to keep things fresh and new. He also plans on having seasonal and holiday looks as well. Along with providing a space for people to be creative, the business also offers a creative outlet for Baker, who worked at Pacemaker Steel before opening the museum.

“I have changing rooms so people can bring different outfits,” Baker notes. Visitors can use a camera or their phones and capture as many pictures with as many backdrops as they like for a fee of $20 for adults and $15 for kids age 12 and under. Professional photographers can also use the space as a studio for the same fee.

“I think it has the opportunity to be something for so many different things,” Baker says of the Selfie City concept. His overall goal is for the museum to be a positive space where people can come in, be themselves, and love themselves. The museum is for all ages and genders, he says. “It’s something for everybody to have their moment to be free.”

With an open floor in the middle, the space can also host events and has already hosted several drag shows. People can book events like birthday parties or bachelor/bachelorette parties. Selfie City CNY can even host corporate events like meetings for companies looking to try something a little different, he adds.

Baker promotes the museum on social media including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. He’s big on word of mouth and encourages visitors to tag Selfie City CNY and share their pictures.

“Everyone who has come in has raved about it,” Baker says.

He also joined the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce and held a ribbon-cutting event with the chamber. Baker is also working on a promotional flyer. He expects business to increase as summer ends and people look for more things to do indoors.

Ultimately, Baker would love to be able to add a few employees — right now he works the business by himself — and have a full calendar of parties and events.

Selfie City CNY (www.selfiecitycny.com) is open Wednesday through Saturday from 2-10 p.m. and Sunday from 12-6 p.m.