Uptown Press History

Uptown Press began serving the Baltimore/Washington business community with quality printing services nearly 60 years ago. Founder Louis Prahl, Sr. started the company in the basement of his East 36th Street home with a small Heidelberg letterpress. Through the 50s, 60s and 70s, Mr. Prahl grew the business -- and outgrew the basement and a subsequent storefront location -- before retiring in 1979, turning the reigns of the company over to son, Louis Prahl, Jr., and Louis Jr.’s childhood friend, Jack Weber.

Our company continued to grow through the 80s and 90’s, expanding to larger and larger locations, with more equipment and capabilities, first in the Govans neighborhood of Baltimore City, then in the Hamilton area, and most recently to the current 28,000 sq. ft. building in Remington, just off Howard street in North Baltimore City. (Uptown Press was one of the first to introduce digital pre-press and printing capabilities to the Baltimore market in the 90s.)

Uptown Press Today

Today, Uptown Press continues to provide value to every client – delivering high quality printed products and top-notch customer service at an affordable price. Uptown Press is one of the largest printing companies in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area serving over 1,000 loyal clients with 2007 sales in excess $3 million. Capabilities today include:

• advanced digital graphic design/pre-press department
• small format conventional and digital sheetfed printing
• large format (40”) 5-color digital to plate sheetfed printing
• roll-fed, high volume 6-color web printing
• comprehensive bindery and finishing services
• direct mail list development, mailpiece design and mailshop services

Leadership

Our President, Jack Weber, has lead the rapid growth and capabilities of Uptown Press in recent years through corporate acquisition of other print companies, research and purchase of state-of-the-art equipment. Jack is also the 2007-2008 Chairman of Printing & Graphics Association MidAtlantic (PGAMA), the trade association serving the graphic communications industry in Maryland, the Greater Washington DC area, and Southern Pennsylvania. Jack also has a passion to serve others, manifested in his 20-year effort to assist formerly incarcerated individuals through employment and counseling, helping them earn a second chance at a normal, productive life. Uptown has employed over thirty ex-offenders over the last 20 years, two of whom have gone on to become Christian Pastors.

Our Vice President, Louis Prahl, Jr., oversees our Pre-press, Database and Mailing departments. Lou is the driving force in the research, sourcing, installation and integration of new equipment, software and training programs in these departments. Print Production Manager Chet Ruby has over thirty years of experience in the printing field, and oversees a staff of over twenty pressmen, bindery specialists and other print production professionals, providing them with ongoing training, and ensuring quality control. Rick Gieseler is Uptown’s Director of Client Service & Development, a title that speaks not to his sales role, but rather, to his consultive role in assisting Uptown’s clients by making their jobs easier while helping them grow their businesses in a cost-effective manner. Rick does so thanks to his 25 years of in-house and ad agency experience in marketing research, strategic marketing planning, branding, creative planning, graphic design, and direct mail implementation.

Clients

Our current Client roster includes the Smithsonian Institute, The Baltimore Sun, the Municipal Employees Credit Union (MECU), Goodwill Industries, RSM McGladrey, Habitat for Humanity, The City of Baltimore, The State of Maryland, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Referral contact information is available upon request.

Mission Statement

“We will perform our duties as a trusted partner in our clients’ quest for quality, efficiency and success by listening, planning and performing professionally on every required task, endeavoring always to exceed expectations!”