STORE: Igloo Letterpress
PROPRIETOR: Allison Chapman
SHOPKEEPER: Beth Dekker
ADDRESS: 39 West New England, Worthington OH 43085
GOOD IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR: Bright, quirky stuff to brighten up someone's day! (Birthdays make me excited, because I have an excuse to go visit Igloo!)
Full disclosure: I adore old-fashioned printing. There's something deeply satisfying about watching paper roll into the colors and turn back out in blazes of red and purple and blue. Plain sheets go in, cards and books and posters come out. Neat! Getting to feature Igloo is quite a treat. (I could wax on and on, but you came for Igloo, not my semi-fanatic ravings about paper. Your loss, dear readers, your loss!)
Igloo Letterpress is a custom printing shop in Worthington, Ohio. They create lovely custom work that sell everywhere from Columbus to England. I got to visit the store and speak with the owner, Allison
Igloo Press opened in Ohio in 2008. We moved to our current location in September 2009.
What are you working on today?
Everything! Baby announcements, business cards, books for an artist exhibition, 1000 notebooks for an event we’re hosting, and thank you cards!
Wow! How do you keep it all straight?
*laughs* Hire Beth! (Shopkeeper of Igloo)
When it was just me, not everything got done as well. I know it can seem like an incredible luxury, but as soon as you have the resources, hire out the jobs you don’t do as well to people who will! Igloo is a group of engaged, creative, driven people who get along. It’s a support group and a good environment.
Why the name Igloo Letterpress?
Igloo Letterpress started in my house! My husband’s family is from Southern California. When we bought our first house in Minnesota, they called it our “igloo!”
The machines here are amazing!
I inherited a lot of printing equipment from my grandfather, who was a hobby printer. They don’t make machines like this anymore, so I have to be an engineer as well as an artist and a printer!
What gave you the idea for a print shop in Ohio?
We moved here for my husband’s job. I wanted to find my community, so I opened Igloo. We built it with an open studio so people could see us work and also come work on their own projects.
How do you develop the designs you feature?
I collaborate with local designers. Sometimes clients bring in their own designs, and we work from those.
What’s your favorite kind of project to work on?
I really enjoy the production and process of bookbinding. It’s really satisfying, knowing we’re helping customers create something they couldn’t make.
Is this what you wanted to be when you grew up?
It’s better!
I was a history major, and pictured myself working in some dusty museum and printing on weekends. I didn’t plan to own a small business. Putting out designs and selling them terrified me.
What I realized was this - If you don’t start the creative process, you don’t get to see what comes next. You have to be committed to making mistakes.
Thanks to Allison, Beth, and the employees of Igloo!
I had a lot of fun learning about the shop and eagerly await the next trip!
You can visit their shop in Clintonville, and at iglooletterpress.com.