Business Details
37 Years
experience
Trusted Letterpress Printing Services in Minneapolis
Founded in 1989, The Nomadic Press stands as a testament to the enduring artistry of letterpress printing. With over three decades of experience, we specialize in transforming digital designs into tactile masterpieces, offering invitations, business cards, posters, and custom presentation boxes. Our studio blends historic craftsmanship with modern precision, utilizing vintage Chandler & Price presses alongside contemporary techniques. Master Printer Kent Aldrich's lifelong dedication to the craft, cultivated from childhood and honed through collaborations with global artisans, ensures every project embodies both tradition and innovation.We prioritize hands-on processes like hand binding limited edition books and constructing clamshell portfolios, maintaining a commitment to quality that has inspired a national letterpress resurgence. From small runs to large-scale productions, our expertise caters to clients seeking dimensionally rich print solutions.
Services
Letterpress Printing
Business Cards
Wedding Invitations
Book Binding
Presentation Boxes
Die Cutting
Embossing
Paper Marbling
Calligraphy
Graphic Design
Details
- Year established: 1989
Highlights and features
- We offer 30+ years of dedicated letterpress expertise.
- Our studio houses historic 19th-century printing presses.
- We specialize in custom clamshell presentation box construction.
- Hand binding limited edition books is a core specialty.
- We provide personalized project consultation services.
Services
Letterpress Printing
We produce premium letterpress prints using traditional techniques. Our 19th-century Chandler & Price presses combine with modern design software to create tactile business cards, stationery, and announcements. Specializing in full-color printing up to 14x22 sheet size, we deliver dimensionally rich results that modern digital methods cannot replicate. Client projects benefit from three decades of accumulated expertise in this specialized craft.
Presentation Boxes
Our bespoke clamshell presentation boxes showcase printed works with archival-quality construction. Using premium materials and hand-crafted techniques, we create protective enclosures for limited edition books, portfolios, and corporate materials. Each box incorporates custom marbled papers and reinforced corners for durability while maintaining aesthetic elegance. These presentation solutions combine functionality with the tactile beauty of traditional bookbinding methods.
Book Binding
Specializing in limited edition bookbinding, we employ time-honored techniques using maple sewing frames and archival materials. Our master printer Kent Aldrich's decades of experience ensures each volume receives meticulous attention to structural integrity and aesthetic detail. Services include case binding, coptic stitching, and creation of decorative endpapers, producing books that withstand generations of handling while maintaining artistic value.
Wedding Invitations
We craft luxury wedding invitations with deep impression letterpress printing. Clients choose from 100+ ink colors and specialty finishes like embossing and foil stamping. Each invitation suite receives personalized attention, with options for custom wax seals and envelope liners. Our process combines digital precision for layout accuracy with traditional hand-fed presswork to create keepsake-quality stationery that reflects each couple's unique style.
Paper Marbling
Our traditional paper marbling technique creates distinctive decorative surfaces for books and stationery. Using centuries-old methods, we produce swirling patterns in archival inks that adhere permanently to premium paper stocks. This artisanal surface treatment adds visual interest to endpapers, invitation accents, and portfolio covers. Each marbled sheet remains unique, offering customers one-of-a-kind design elements for special print projects.
People
Kent Aldrich
Master Printer
Letterpress expert with 30+ years experience, specializing in vintage press restoration and hand binding. Studied at Minneapolis College of Art and Design, pioneered Twin Cities letterpress revival, and owns the studio since 1989.
Emily Aldrich
Co-Owner
Jointly purchased The Nomadic Press building in 1993 with Kent. Managed studio operations while raising their children in the print shop apartment during early business years. Remains involved in client relations.
Questions
What printing methods do you specialize in?
We specialize in letterpress printing using historic Chandler & Price and Vandercook presses. This traditional method creates deep impressions and tactile textures that modern digital printers cannot replicate.
Can you handle both small and large print orders?
Yes. Our equipment handles runs from single pieces to 250,000+ prints. The Vandercook press handles proofs and small runs while the Kluge press efficiently manages large volume projects.
What unique finishing options do you offer?
We provide die cutting, embossing, corner rounding, hole drilling, grommeting, and duplexing. Our specialty includes hand-binding books and constructing custom clamshell presentation boxes with marbled papers.
Do you accept digital files for printing?
Yes, we work with Adobe Illustrator and InDesign files. Our master printer prepares these digital designs for traditional letterpress conversion while maintaining design integrity throughout the physical printing process.
How do your historic presses affect print quality?
Our 19th-century Chandler & Price presses deliver consistent, high-pressure impressions that create deeper textures than modern automated presses. This craftsmanship combined with premium materials produces distinctive luxury print products.
What makes your presentation boxes unique?
Each box combines archival-quality construction with decorative elements like hand-marbled papers and custom embossing. We build them to protect valuable printed materials while maintaining aesthetic appeal through traditional bookbinding techniques.
