January Letterpress
On a cold, rainy Wednesday I sat down with Jon Mark and Michelle Buckner, owners of January Letterpress. Jon Mark and Michelle are college sweethearts who have brought creativity and inspiration to Waco.
As I complained about the weather walking in, Jon Mark differed in opinion and said he loved the weather. He said that while drinking his coffee that morning he enjoyed watching the rain fall. This is who Jon Mark and Michelle are, people who enjoy simple moments in life and who celebrate all occasions.
Their business, January Letterpress, is a stationary shop and custom letterpress studio located in downtown Waco. Their shop feels a little bit like a home. With wide-open windows, a wide table in the center of the space, and their smiling faces one instantly feels welcome when entering.
During our conversation, I asked the couple a few questions about their business and lives. I hope you are as inspired from this dialogue as I was.
How did your business begin?
Michelle: The shop opened in August of 2019. The business began a long time before we opened the shop. We bought a letterpress in the summer of 2018 from a family friend. I had done graphic design but I didn’t want a job where I just sat behind a computer. I wanted to be able to make things with my hands. I knew about letterpress and thought it would be a good combination of my skills.
The letterpress was sitting in our garage for a while. I watched a lot of youtube videos and learned how to use it. Then we decided I didn’t want to work out of my garage, but it would be fun to have a studio space downtown. And then it spiraled into a shop. We found this space a year ago in January.
We spent about six months building this space, and then we were able to open. It was a long process, but we got here one step at a time.
What’s the story behind the name?
Michelle: Both of our birthdays are in January.
Jon Mark: Also, January is the start of new things. It’s the season we look forward to.
What is the mission of the store?
Jon Mark: Our mission statement is creativity and hospitality. We want to be creative people who make beautiful things that make other people’s lives more beautiful.
Where do you see January Letterpress in 5 years?
Michelle: We see January Letterpress growing and expanding. We are launching into wholesale. We are hoping for more product development and creating our own line of goods.
Jon Mark: We are in the process of buying a second letterpress. The five year plan is to release a candle line and notebooks and journals designed by us.
How do you stay inspired?
Michelle: Stationary designers and brands inspire us. Also, the fact that we have a store means we see customers everyday. We see what they want and what they are buying. That inspires me everyday to be here and be face-to-face with the customers. I get to see “Oh, here is the kind of product you want for your life.” That inspires me to make those things if they don’t already exist.
What is your favorite part about being located in Waco?
Jon Mark: We love everything about being located in Waco. We get to bring our unique style to the city and community. In a city the size of Waco, you can be connected but not lost in a large crowd. It’s easy to be involved on many levels. Another big thing is this is a wonderful time to be in Waco.
Michelle: You get to be part of building a city. In downtown, there’s a lot of new businesses that have come in and taken over these spaces that have been previously abandoned. You get to breathe life back into an old city.
I also love the customers and the people. We love getting to be around Baylor. It’s not too small and not too big.
Written by: Avery Owens
Photographed by: Kaylee Greenlee
Edited by: Abby Sowder