The Courtesy Press - Combining 1917 Machinery with Modern Technology!

Thea Kincaid and I had the pleasure of visiting The Courtesy Press in Pollocksville, NC.

Wondering why New Bern Now is writing about a Pollocksville business? As far as I know, this is the only business in the area that uses a 1917 letterpress to create one-of-a-kind products in our region and I believe New Bern businesses and residents may benefit from their unique services!

Owners, Joshua Norman and April Lambert, gave us the grand tour of this exclusive print operation. Joshua is experienced in painting, drawing, and printmaking and April’s background is in business management and accounting. With their talents combined, April and Joshua can only prosper with the discovery of their new niche in Eastern NC!

They credited Bob Erickson with Craven Community College’s Small Business Center for assisting them with their business plan and the NC Economic Development Center for providing financial support and guidance in opening The Courtesy Press.

April and Joshua purchased a 1917 Chandler and Price Press in West Virginia in February and opened their business in March 2011.

Their antique letterpress was designed for lead and wood typesets that were used to create books, signs, and other materials.

The Courtesy Press expanded the use of the historic typesetting of the Chandler and Price into modern day use. They figured out how to combine traditional typesets and modern digital designs onto specialized plates. When the plates are processed on the press, the outcome is remarkable!

Joshua stated, “The quality of print is exceptional and you could never get that kind of resolution with an inkjet printer”. He gave us a demonstration and we agree!

Visit The Courtesy Press at 127 Main St. (Route 17 South) in Pollocksville to see their own line of designed greeting cards, gift tags, and more! They also work with clients to create business cards, invitations, brochures, gift boxes, inserts, and much more!

The Chandler and Price Letterpress isn’t the only historical aspect of The Courtesy Press. The studio is located in the “Pollocksville Bank and Trust” built in 1907. The building is still owned by the family and has original tiles, ceiling, and vault.

They are working with the community to provide historical and educational tours of this “ole’ time” printing operation!

For more information about The Courtesy Press, give them a call or visit their website to see their work or order online.

One last thing, The Courtesy Press is not a "copier business" in case you're wondering.

Thank you, Joshua and April, for the educational tour and terrific conversation! We will be back.

Wendy Card, Publisher of New Bern Now's Community Website, Ledger Publication, and Blog