Find a printer for your job.

How to choose a print shop

Start with the finished piece, not the nearest shop. Crown Label makes roll labels; LedBetter handles signs and applied graphics; Franklin Web prints publications on a non-heatset web press; Hatch Show Print produces limited-run letterpress posters. Those are different production paths, so name the piece, quantity, size, material, and delivery date before asking for a quote.

Ask what stays in-house. Folding, stitching, die cutting, binding, mailing, and fulfillment may happen at the printer or with a partner. That's Printing and Pollock both list in-house finishing capabilities. When comparing quotes, ask who owns each handoff and whether the quoted schedule includes it.

If color must match, ask how it is controlled. Phillips reports G7 Master certification and a six-color Heidelberg press with in-line coating. Ask any bidding shop what proof it recommends, whether a press check is available, and what it keeps on file for a future reprint.

For mail, define the delivery work too. Joyner & Hogan lists direct mail, Franklin Web lists ink-jet addressing and inserting, Pollock lists mailing and fulfillment, and Oliver lists Every Door Direct Mail. Ask who checks the list, prepares postal paperwork, provides the permit, and confirms the drop.

What to send your printer

• Finished size, quantity, material or stock, and delivery date.
• The printer's preferred file format; press-ready PDF is common, but ask first.
• Artwork at the final printed size and the resolution the shop requests.
• Bleed on any edge where color or an image runs through the trim.
• Critical text and logos kept inside the shop's recommended safe area.
• Fonts embedded or outlined if the printer requests it.
• PMS or other spot-color references when an exact brand color matters.
• Finishing, mailing, packaging, and delivery requirements in the quote request.

Questions worth asking before a first order

• Is the bindery in this building, or does the job leave?
• Can I see a hard proof, and can I stand at the press?
• What is the real turnaround, and what does rush actually cost?
• Who handles the mail drop and the postal permit?
• What file format, bleed, safe area, and proof do you want from me?

Frequently asked questions

Digital or offset — which do I want?

Digital printing is often useful for shorter or variable-data work; offset can make sense as quantity rises or when the job calls for a particular press, stock, or color process. The crossover depends on the full specification. Ask the printer to quote the suitable process and explain the choice.

What is a bleed, and why does my printer keep asking about it?

It is artwork extending past the trim line, usually by 0.125 inches, so that when the guillotine wanders by a hair you get color to the edge instead of a white sliver. Trimming is never perfect. Bleed is how you make imperfect trimming invisible.

Is there a minimum order?

There is no directory-wide minimum. It depends on the shop, process, finishing, and stock. Give the exact quantity and ask whether a different quantity changes the production method or unit cost enough to matter.

Can I supply my own paper?

Sometimes. Ask before buying it. The printer needs to confirm the sheet size, grain, coating, weight, press compatibility, required overs, and who carries the risk if supplied stock causes waste or delay.

How is a print job actually quoted?

Quantity, flat and finished size, color process, stock, proofing, finishing, mailing or fulfillment, delivery, and schedule all affect a quote. That is why this directory does not publish a starting price for custom commercial work.

Do any of these shops sponsor this list?

No. No shop pays to appear, and no link is an affiliate link. Oliver Printing Company is owned by the publisher, so its single Featured placement is publisher-selected and unsold. That placement does not affect the descriptions or order of the other shops.