Uptown Press Direct 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 Direct... providing services and results beyond the sum of their parts!
Recently, Lewis Direct and Uptown Press merged to form Uptown Direct. The merger of two of Baltimore's most stalwart businesses (over 150 years of service) significantly enhances the marketing capacities offered to its clients. With services collectively spanning all sectors of commercial business, non-profit organizations, associations, government agencies, political entities, public and private educational systems throughout the Baltimore-Washington Region, Uptown Direct is THE go-to marketing heavy-weight that produces to results you can rely on.
Uptown Direct Today
Today, Uptown Direct continues to provide value to every client – delivering high quality printed products and top-notch customer service at an affordable price. Uptown Direct is one of the largest printing companies in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area serving over 1,000 loyal clients with 2010 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 Direct 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, and General Manager 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. Lou also operates as our Print Production Manager and has over thirty years of experience in the printing field, He oversees a staff of over twenty pressmen, bindery specialists and other print production professionals, providing them with ongoing training, and ensuring quality control.
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!"
