The Garage Press was founded in a South London garage in 2018 by Simon Trewin. Simon has spent the last twenty-five years working with internationally renowned musicians, authors and brands on furthering their literary and publishing ambitions, so the attraction of running a little side-project through The Garage Press was irresistible. The aim was simple: to have fun with ink, paper, words and images.
Simon’s first press was a 1950’s desktop Adana, with the collection soon growing to include ‘Gloria’, an 1880’s Cropper Minerva Treadle Press. ‘Gloria’ was acquired from the brilliant creatives Harrington Squires in Kentish Town, who were hugely generous with their time and energy in the early days of The Garage Press.
Recently relocated to the Brixton Beneficiary building in South London, The Garage Press also boasts a huge collection of wooden type, metal type, polymer plates and vintage illustration blocks, with many acquired from the old Unite and Type shop in Portobello Road. Simon has suitable illustrations for many needs; from farm animals to 1920’s dance bands.
“I remember one rather emotional moment, when I put this dirty little block onto the press, inked up and put a scrap of paper over the top. When I printed it and took a close look it was a beautiful little figure of a boy holding a lump of coal and saying HAPPY 1914. I love the fact I am bringing these little slices of life back from the dead and re-purposing them for a new audience.”
Still run as a hobby, The Garage Press is enjoying designing and selling cards, handmade books and posters; combining vintage images with modern text with an undercurrent of humour.
Simon runs workshops and little tours of the press by appointment. He is very keen on creative collaborations and would love to hear from anyone with an interest in unlocking the potential of letterpress.
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