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 letterpress + design 
A pretty good letterpress shop.

Hello, we are Annie and Brandon! In 2018, We started our letterpress printing company, Pretty Good Co. with a simple goal: To make some pretty good things.

After years building brands and handling presses for studios and clients, we thought we would try to build something for ourselves. Our combined skills and passion for quality and craft turned into a letterpress shop and design studio aimed at quality custom letterpress printing and thoughtful design for everyone.

 

"Annie was awesome to work with! She was always available and willing to talk through ideas for my wedding save-the-dates and invitations...She was so helpful and the prices were really reasonable as well. I would highly recommend Pretty Good Co!"
Stephanie Staack
Stephanie Staack
"Anyone wanting something truly elegant or professional must patronize Pretty Good Co! I know I will continue to do so — and will continue to do so very happily!"
Jesse Swan
Jesse Swan
Pretty Good Co. is doing beautiful, hands-on work here. If you're in search of a range of personalized letter-pressed products for yourself or just a a gift, look no further. If you have no idea what letterpress is or what they are doing in this little shop, come check it out. You might be surprised by what you find. They're the best!"
Steve Wheeler
Steve Wheeler
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THE PRETTY GOOD TEAM

Annie Alvarado

Annie Alvarado

printer, letterer, cat lady

Annie is the press operator extraordinaire at Pretty Good Co. She discovered letterpress printing while studying graphic design and never looked back. After working and learning at several printing companies, she finally took the plunge and started her own shop in her hometown in the Cedar Valley. Annie works alongside her husband, Brandon, where they are often found laughing at their own dumb inside jokes.

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Brandon Alvarado

designer, illustrator, art-person

Brandon is a designer and illustrator, building brands, packaging, and solutions for a range of clients before starting Pretty Good Co with Annie. His great loves include: typography, printmaking, and comic zines (and also Annie). A California transplant to the midwest, Brandon is still unable to cope with the winters.

Photo of Sam Hughes, our Public Relations and Social Media Intern

Sam Hughes

PR AND SOCIaL MEDIA INTERN

We are excited to have Sam Hughes on our team as our first ever Public Relations and Social Media Intern. He is a 4th year Public Relations major with a minor in Marketing at the University of Northern Iowa. Originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, he has a passion for working with small businesses. We're happy to have him bring his skills to the table and help us thrive!

MEET THE PRESSES

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Red


Heidelberg Windmill

Say hello to Red. She's our workhorse here at the shop. She's tough, she's works hard, and she looks good while doing it.

Pony Boy

C+P

Pony boy is the oldest of our presses. Nonetheless, he is steady and reliable. His fancy gold paint job doesn't hurt either.

Kelsey model X press

Kelsey

kelsey excelsior

Kelsey is our smallest press but our biggest showman. Its charm and size makes it wonderful for workshop and demos.

 what is letterpress? 
What is letterpress printing?

Letterpress is a form of relief printing in which the raised surface of text and images is inked and then pushed into paper. The resulting print can be a deep impression, easily felt and seen, or a gentle kiss of ink on paper. Despite, the growth of desktop publishing and digital printing, the quality and effect of letterpress printing is difficult to match and continues to thrive for invitations, stationery, business cards, and art. See some examples of letterpress printing by viewing some of our work here.
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Have a question? Ask away!

We would love to answer your questions or discuss your next project.

Contact Us!

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