Pike Street Press
We all love the convenience and connection modern technology affords us, but do you ever yearn for the old-school ethos of doing things slowly and with great intention? Not many trades call for the high-level of skill and precision as much as letterpress does, and Pike Street Press is doing it the right way.
Pike Street Press is a commercial craft letterpress printing company headquartered in Seattle. Lucky for patrons, they recently opened a second small storefront nestled into the downtown Kirkland waterfront scene that draws locals and tourists alike.
The small space is bathed in natural light afforded by a giant front window and white walls with light wood shelving and floors. This clean backdrop sets the scene for the company’s amazing work. Floor-to-ceiling shelves are lined with original prints, from cards to posters to wedding invitation samples.
“Our printing is done in Seattle, but we have a good selection of those products here,” said Mallory Erickson, a Pike Street Press employee.
Many prints in the shop are Pacific Northwest themed. There are cards that feature moose antlers and ones that silhouette some of the many iconic Seattle area mountains. For out-of-town friends and family, there are cards with quips about the Seattle rain or postcard style prints that read, “Greetings from Seattle!” All are done in bold, saturated colors and whimsical fonts and illustrations.
“I love how unique everything is that we sell. I’m especially drawn to cards that are funny and clever,” Erickson said.
While their Kirkland space itself may be small, Pike Street Press is no small-name company. Their work has been celebrated by magazines, award shows and design blogs, and has even been sold at Nordstrom. Their success is partially because they work with vintage, 1950s- and ‘60s-era machines, considered by some the height of letterpress printing technology. To keep their work fresh and up-to-date, Pike Street uses modern letterpress techniques.
Other in-house specialty services Pike Street offers include foil stamping, die cutting, and edge coloring. All are done with the unique skill and consciousness it takes to make this company stand out in an increasingly digital world.
In an era of quick texts and monotonous emails, there’s something special about holding a physical paper product in your hands. And rest assured — if there’s any you want to be holding, it’s a vibrantly designed, precisely crafted Pike Street Press card.
