Preserving Minnesota Memories: Family Media Transfer Reaches Six Twin Cities Drop-Off Locations

A box of home movies can hold a whole chapter of a family's life: a birthday, a familiar voice, an ordinary afternoon that means more with time.

Helping people see and hear those moments again is why we do this work.

Today, we're marking a milestone: Family Media Transfer has grown to six Twin Cities drop-off locations in about a year and a half.

We're a locally owned family business, and behind every transfer is a story that reaches back through decades of Minneapolis music and video production.

It Started With Recording Studios at the Grain Belt Brewery

In 1996, I started A440 Studios and later built a recording complex inside the historic Grain Belt Brewery in Northeast Minneapolis. What began as a space to support my own music grew into years of helping other artists bring their recordings to life.

In 2010, I joined forces with filmmaker and producer Nick Nichols, and we expanded into live music video and multi-camera performance content.

In 2016, we opened a 3,500-square-foot production and performance studio in New Hope. Touring artists, including Neil Young, later used that facility for rehearsal and production.

During the pandemic, more of our work began to involve archival projects for families and organizations. What started as occasional archival work quickly became something much bigger, and that experience helped lay the foundation for Family Media Transfer.

From Family Collections to Minnesota History

That production experience now goes into home movies, photographs, and audio recordings entrusted to us by Minnesota families.

A tape or reel may be small, but what it holds can be deeply personal.

We've also completed projects for Grandma's Marathon, AMSOIL, and Grand Casino. Our work for Grandma's Marathon included anniversary footage and footage from two additional years, helping preserve a connection to Minnesota's running history.

Whether we're working with an organization's archive or a family's collection, the purpose is the same: to make older recordings accessible again — movies to watch, voices to hear, and photographs to share with another generation.

Six Local Places to Bring Your Memories

Our drop-off counters are located inside local partner businesses throughout the Twin Cities.

Bloomington

Groth Music

Golden Valley

Down in The Valley

Eden Prairie

Prairie View Framing & Home

Northeast Minneapolis

Steller Handcrafted Goods

Maple Grove

Down In The Valley

Forest Lake

Music Connection

Find your nearest drop-off counter and check its address and hours before you visit.

Our team digitizes the media in Minneapolis, and you receive digital files along with your original materials back. Mail-in service is also available.

A New Chapter for the Recordings You Already Have

We digitize:

• VHS and camcorder tapes
• 16mm, 8mm and Super 8 film
  
• Photographs
• Slides
• Negatives
• Audio tapes

If you've been meaning to open that box in the closet, you can start with the formats you recognize and a rough idea of how much you have.

Get an estimate for your collection, or get in touch if you need help identifying something.

You can also call or text (612) 649-4707.

Thank You for Trusting Us With Your Memories

To the families, businesses, and local partners who have trusted us during our first year and a half: thank you.

You've helped a business with roots in Minneapolis music grow into a place where Minnesota memories can be watched, heard, and shared again.