Bench Pressed Letterpress
Jane and Andy Shannon founded Bench Pressed, a design and letterpress company, in 2012. They moved into the Seward neighborhood in 2017 and into their current studio/retail space in 2020.
Bench Pressed designs, prints, and packages their products in-house and stocks their shelves with foodstuffs, apparel, and goods made by local artisans and artists from around the world.
Involved with Redesign since 2017
Storefront Improvement Grant Recipient | Redesign Tenant
What does Bench Pressed do?
Bench Pressed is a design and letterpress company. We design, print, and package our products in-house, and stock the shelves of our gift shop with foodstuffs, apparel, and goods made by local artisans and artists from around the world.
If people are looking for saucy and sweet greeting cards, thoughtful and unexpected gifts, snacks they’ve seen on the internet, and a rotating schedule of pop-ups featuring local makers, this is the place!
What inspired you to start your business?
We never wanted to need a LinkedIn profile, and it’s working out!
What has been the most rewarding part of doing what you do?
It’s such a great way to stay connected to the Minneapolis community – especially seeing all the cool sh*t people make and do.
What has been the most challenging part of your work?
Running a for-profit business in the throes of late-stage capitalism is a heckuva task!
How has being a business owner changed you?
We’re still Jenny from the block.
“Running a for-profit business in the throes of late-stage capitalism is a heckuva task!”
How has Redesign been a part of your story?
Redesign made it possible for us to be in the Seward community after renovating the building in ways that met our business’s needs – due to the weight of the presses and energy/wiring they run on, we wouldn’t have been able to operate here without them.
