MANNING + DAUGHTERS:

FAMILY OWNED + OPERATED PRINTING + GRAPHICS SINCE 1981

Welcome to The Printworx! Our family has been in the business of print since 1981, and we’ve employed just about everyone in it over our 40 years in business. We’ve changed names a few times and whittled down to a staff of just three, but one thing has always remained the same: Sean, our dad. He’s the heart of this business. He has instilled in us a great pride in our work, a drive to take on projects that others have turned away, and most importantly, family. We may not be Olive Garden in the 90s, but when you’re here, you are family. Our business is your business, we’re here to help every step of the way.

On a hot June day in 1981, “Manning Old Town Press” opened in Old Town Pasadena. Mike Manning, the oldest of 8 children, had convinced all 7 of his siblings including Sean, the youngest, to go into the business of printing, advertisements, and graphics. Offset printing, paste boards, lettering - all done by hand. It wasn’t until 1986 that we got our first computer. If you’re ever in Old Town, stop by The Dog Haus on Green and Raymond to see where we started.

1981 - 1987

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1981 - 1987 •

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1988-1993

• 1988-1993

When Pasadena’s business district started changing shape in 1988, it was time for us to change too. We headed North to Altadena, the place where our grandfather and Sean’s father, built the family home in 1947. Sean bought the business from Mike, changed our name to “Manning Press” and shifted focus to building and serving our community in Altadena. In 1990, Irene was born and soon started spending her afternoons running around “The Shop.”

1994 - 2011

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1994 - 2011 •

In 1994, not long after Brigid was born, Manning Press headed even further North and closer to our homestead roots at the top of Lake Avenue. In 1998, after more family members had come and gone, it was time to rebrand to “M&M Printing”. We started offering embroidery in 2003 and in 2009, Irene went from years of doing homework on the shop floor to working full time. Brigid joined her in 2011 and we’ve never left!

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2012 - 2021

• 2012 - 2021

In 2012, as online media continued to grow ever present, we started shifting our focus to embroidery and apparel. We changed our name to The Printworks, invested in a 6-head embroidery machine, working off of floppy disks, and started honing our craft of in-house digitizing.  It was here that, after all of the familial comings and goings, our staff became just the three of us, not including our adventurous shop cat, Pip.

2021 - NOW

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2021 - NOW •

Like most small businesses, the pandemic changed life as we knew it. After 33 years in our hometown of Altadena, it was time to move onward and Eastward. As a family, we chose Upland as our fresh start. Matcha joined the team in 2022, we started going by “The Printworx” (aka The PWX), and we’ve been here ever since. So, how can we help you, Upland?

  • SEAN, C. 1994 in his "Manning Press" Tee

  • IRENE + BRIDGE, C. 1995

  • Irene, C. 1999, Still Answering Our Phones to This Day

  • Sean in Pasadena Star News, C. 1994

  • Sean, right, In Altadena's Old Fashioned Days Parade, C. 1989

  • Look close and you might spot a wild Matcha!

  • The Fam, C. 1997