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CPI Corp.'s Overview

Total employees786
HeadquartersSt. Louis
Founded

CPI Corp. (Consumer Programs Incorporated) was a leading operator of portrait studios, primarily located within major retail chains such as Sears and Walmart across the United States and Canada. Founded in 1947, the company provided photography services to millions of families for decades. It operated under various brands, including Sears Portrait Studio, Walmart Portrait Studio, Kiddie Kandids, and PictureMe. Facing financial difficulties, CPI Corp. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2013, subsequently leading to the sale of its Canadian assets to Lifetouch and the wind-down of its U.S. operations.

Where is CPI Corp.'s Headquarters?

HQ Function

The St. Louis headquarters served as the central hub for all corporate functions, including administration, operations management for its vast network of studios, marketing, finance, and strategic planning.

Notable Features:

Located in a commercial district, the headquarters likely comprised standard corporate office spaces, meeting rooms, and administrative facilities necessary to manage a large, distributed workforce and retail presence.

Work Culture:

The work culture at CPI Corp.'s headquarters would have likely been focused on supporting a large retail service operation, emphasizing operational efficiency, customer service standards, marketing campaign execution, and financial oversight for its numerous studio locations.

HQ Significance:

This headquarters was significant as the command center for one of North America's largest portrait studio operators, coordinating activities across hundreds of locations and managing partnerships with major retailers.

Values Reflected in HQ: The headquarters would have aimed to reflect values necessary for a large-scale retail service provider, such as operational excellence, brand consistency across its studio network, and a focus on delivering memorable photographic experiences to customers.

Location:

CPI Corp.'s operations were primarily concentrated in North America, with an extensive network of portrait studios across the United States and Canada. Its 'global' reach was defined by its presence in these two countries, supporting retail photography services, marketing initiatives, and studio operations management for its brands.

Street Address:

1706 Washington Ave

City:

St. Louis

State/Province:

Missouri

Country:

USA

CPI Corp.'s Global Presence

Various locations across USA & Canada

Address: N/A (Primarily operated studios within host retail stores like Sears, Walmart, and Toys 'R' Us)

To offer accessible and affordable portrait photography services to families and individuals in local communities, leveraging the high foot traffic of their retail partners.

Buying Intent Signals for CPI Corp.

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
*Example signal, not calculated in real time

Executive Team of CPI Corp.

As of April 2025, CPI Corp.' leadership includes:

Russell Isaak - Former President and Chief Executive Officer (at time of bankruptcy)
Paul H. Scheib - Former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Jack Krings - Former Chief Executive Officer
Alyn Essman - Co-founder and Former Chairman

Investors of CPI Corp.

CPI Corp. has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

Public shareholders (Formerly traded on the NYSE under the ticker CPY)
Post-bankruptcy, assets were acquired by various entities, including Lifetouch (for Canadian operations).

Executive New Hires/Exits in the Last 12 Months

Hire0
Exits0

CPI Corp. ceased independent operations following its bankruptcy filing in 2013 and subsequent asset sales. As the company is no longer active, there have been no executive new hires or exits in the last 12 months or in recent years for CPI Corp. itself.

Technology (Tech Stack) used by CPI Corp.

Discover the tools CPI Corp. uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

CPI Corp. Email Formats and Examples

As CPI Corp. is no longer an operational entity, its email domain (cpi-corp.com) is defunct. Historically, companies of its structure and era commonly used formats such as first initial followed by last name, or first name separated by a dot from the last name.

Likely [first_initial][last]@cpi-corp.com or [first].[last]@cpi-corp.com (historical)

Format

jsmith@cpi-corp.com (hypothetical example, domain is defunct)

Example

0%

Success rate

News and media

St. Louis Post-DispatchMarch 20, 2013

CPI Corp. files for bankruptcy protection

CPI Corp., the St. Louis-based operator of portrait studios in Sears and Walmart stores, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company cited declining sales and the costs of new digital studios....more

ReutersMay 17, 2013

CPI says Lifetouch to buy its Canadian portrait studio business

CPI Corp announced that Lifetouch Inc. would acquire substantially all the assets of its Canadian portrait studio business. This sale was part of CPI's restructuring efforts under bankruptcy protection....more

MarketWatchJanuary 31, 2013

CPI Corp. Receives NYSE Delisting Notice

CPI Corp. announced it had received a notice from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) that the exchange had determined to commence proceedings to delist the company's common stock due to its low selling price....more

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