11/02/2018
Dreams do come true and I cannot wait any longer to share big news with you! Thanks to all of you, once in a while, amidst the craziness of life, a dream becomes reality. So my today is the stuff dreams are made of ...
Please meet Howard Pyle, *newly retired* proprietor of The Village Press. I am Lydia Evans, proprietor of Letterpress by Lydia ... AND *newest* proprietor of The Village Press.
That's right, I am joining the Pyle family as the newest owner/operator of this incredible print shop, and first and foremost, it wouldn't be possible without ALL OF YOU! Truly. Thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Without your excitement for letterpress, and joy in planning paper for your weddings and celebrations, I wouldn't be able to share this dream with you today. Thank you most of all to my clients, friends, and my incredible family, especially my parents, sister, and husband. My life is what is it is because of you. A sincere thank you to the Howard, Stuart, and the entire Pyle family for welcoming me into your business and lives. I am honored to learn from you and preserve the printing tradition you've so carefully crafted. You all make my inky cup runneth over, and I cannot begin to express my heartfelt gratitude.
Please stay tuned as this story unfolds, but here is a little history about Howard and The Village Press -- Howard grew up working in this print shop with his siblings. He is an avid typist (trained in the Marines!), and every invoice The Village Press was typewritten on carbon copy, foil stamped letterhead until his retirement this year. He is still the only pressman I've seen run a Heidi in a suit and tie (!). He is not the only pressman I know who believes the internet is a passing fad, though :)
The story of The Village Press began when Howard's father returned from the war hoping to run a newspaper, and his mom wanted a bookstore. They compromised and bought a print shop in 1947. In 1949 they re-named it The Village Press. This family run trade shop has an impeccable reputation, community-minded spirit, and a commitment to the tradition of letterpress printing. It's a perfect fit for this print nerd!