Just as its name suggests, Merritt Printing and Office Supplies is the go-to for all that you need to keep your business running smoothly. With an extensive catalogue of products and services, Merritt Printing can provide everything from business cards to lamination, magnetic vehicle signs to self-inking stamps and even custom engraved plaques and awards.

Tod Dean, owner of Merritt Printing and Donna Morrison, a long-time employee and fixture of the community, sat down with the Herald to discuss the history of Merritt Printing and what it can provide to people even in the ever-changing world of technology, which has never successfully rendered pen and paper obsolete.

We’re very fortunate that the business we get locally has been phenomenal,” said Morrison.

“From pretty well all of the other local businesses, the bands, the schools, along with just the average person, that sometimes still doesn’t realize we’re here, but once we get them in, they come back.”

Morrison credits this success to the personalized service Merritt Printing offers, including home delivery from Donna herself, something you aren’t likely to get from a corporate store or a big-city merchant.

“I do all the deliveries, and if they can’t get here, we’ll even deliver it to their homes, which is nice,” Morrison explained.

“It doesn’t matter what it is, if it’s an ink cartridge, or a chair, or a desk, we’ll deliver it. Whatever volume, fifty boxes, one box, whatever you need it’s delivered. A lot of people I’ve delivered to their house, which they like, especially older people.”

While commercial printing is the staple of the business, personal items such as wedding invitations, Christmas cards, and T-shirt transfers can all be designed and printed on site.

“Kim is our expert on that, she does all the layout,” said Morrison, referring to Kim Leclair, who manages design at Merritt Printing and also publishes the Merritt Morning Market.

“We can make them personalized, we do cards, we do postcards, we do invitations, wine labels, you name it we can do it all. Day-timers and planners, calendars, you can buy them, or we can make them personalized, anything you need, from small to big. We really put a personal touch in with Kim’s graphic design, she does a remarkable job.”

Although Tod Deane only took over the business in 2007, Merritt Printing has been serving the community for nearly 90 years, first establishing itself in the thirties.

“The office supplies, or stationary business as it was called then, and the print shop started in 1931,” said Deane.

In the beginning, the stationary store and print shop were part of the Merritt Herald, and they are still the Herald’s neighbours, although the businesses have been separate for many years.

Deane got started by helping the previous owners of the print shop, Jane and John Robertson.

“Friends of mine bought the place in ’92-’93,” said Deane.

“Shortly after that I got involved helping them, I used to go out and supervise when they owned it and staff was running the office supply store, and the print shop. They moved the presses out and started a big press in Vancouver. They used to run the flats down on the bus, and the newspaper came back on the bus in the afternoon. In 2000 they sold the print business to Jane Robertson who was the pre-press person. I just generally helped her in the business end of it because she had no experience. And when she wanted to sell, she told me I had to buy it.”

However, at that time Deane admitted his own experience was limited.

“I didn’t have any,” Deane joked.

“I had a little bit in Burnaby, they had a branch of Merritt Printing in Burnaby and I helped with that… I learned the business on the run.”

Adapting and “learning on the run” as Deane described it, has become the reason Merritt Printing is able to compete with big retailers and offer top notch service.

“People think that the big box stores will do them better, but we are competitive with the big box stores, and we offer the same things,” said Deane.

“If we don’t have it in our small stock here, we have a huge warehouse in Vancouver, with the supplier. If we get our order in early enough we have the product here by 9:30 the next morning ready for you. That’s as good as any big box store could do, or better. And then we’ll deliver it.”

It can be difficult to move people away from retail giants such as Staples, WalMart, or Amazon, but in many cases Merritt Printing will have a matched or lower price, offered with personable, small town service.

“We’re a one-stop shop, we’re a full printing service,” said Deane.

“All your forms, letterheads and envelopes to your signage and promotional products, the office supplies, it’s all right here. And we have Donna!”