There is an ironic nature about the Manner brand. As much as our company is forward thinking in curation and our process in general, nearly everyone on our team has a passion for the bygone. I find it crucial to look back at our predecessors so you can properly see how to move the needle forward. That way of thinking was never more resonant than when I entered Otto Print Shop in Newport, KY. 

The first thing you notice when you step foot in an old school print shop is the whoosh of machinery and the smell of hot ink. It’s invigorating. Sam is the owner of the shop who is carrying on the storied tradition of the shop's previous and original owners. As she walked us through the shop to show us exactly how each of the Manner print pieces were created, I felt a warm sense of reality setting in. So much of the Manner experience takes place digitally, which I love in its own right, but to feel a Manner Monthly pamphlet hot off the press gave me a three dimensional sort of excitement. 

Sam also took the time to walk us through the intentionality that has gone into the decision to remain one of the only facilities in the area that operates with historical machinery that creates a timeless effect that you simply can’t get from modern printing technology. To hear her heart behind the shop and the popping energy from each of the printers gave us the impression that we were working with the exact right group for our print pieces. 

As someone who loves Mom & Pop shops, seeing both of Sam’s daughters handling some of the day to day operations did my heart well. Another fantastic part of the work we get to do comes in the form of collaborations with the companies and people we love to support, and we hope you as a Manner Man will see the value in every small piece of intention they have executed to help make the Manner brand what it is.