The Legacy of Print: A Field Trip to the Grand Rapids Public Museum
Photo credit: Delany Lemke, Marketing Director, GRPM
Yesterday, our team took a memorable field trip to the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM), a visit that turned out to be much more than just a fun outing.
A few weeks ago, Mo Fleming from the museum reached out to invite us to see the Anthony Van Dort Print Shop. For those of you with little ones, you might be familiar with this classic exhibit located in the museum's historic section—affectionately referred to as the "scary part" by my kids!
For 30 years, Swift Printing has been donating paper to the museum, a relationship whose origins remain a bit of a mystery. (Larry Biles & Walt Gutowski Sr. started it, but we don’t know how.) If anyone knows more information to how this partnership began, please reach out! What we do know is that it has been since the new museum opened in 1994. This history, though elusive, underscores the importance of documenting our past before all the people who could share those stories are no longer with us.
That’s why this blog is so near and dear to my heart; I cherish anecdotal history and hope my children and grandchildren can reference it someday.
Photo credit: Delany Lemke, Marketing Director, GRPM
As we embarked on this tour, I anticipated a simple outing sharing our mutual love for print. However, I returned with a profound appreciation for our industry and a deep honor in being part of this business. The Old Gordon press featured in the Print Museum originally cost $165 when it was released, providing a good living for someone willing to make that investment.
Photo credit: Delany Lemke, Marketing Director, GRPM
Today, that sentiment still holds true. The printing business is challenging—like any business, it requires nourishment, care, and commitment to thrive. Reflecting on the history of printing and its impact on my life, I am grateful for the livelihood it has provided not only for me but for our entire team. As a third-generation printing business, we take pride in our craft.
The Anthony Van Dort Print Shop continues to operate thanks to our donation of paper—paper that we could more easily just recycle, but that we choose to save for a purpose. These donations allow the GRPM to print over 10,000 bookmarks each year, brightening people’s days and teaching others about the history of our craft. This realization hit me hard; it truly emphasizes our mission.
Photo credit: Delany Lemke, Marketing Director, GRPM
During our visit, Adam, who coordinates the paper donations, shared a heartwarming story about the late Larry Biles, who used to cut our paper on an old-school paper cutter in the Van Dort Print Shop. One day, Adam asked if Larry could use a different size. Larry was surprised to learn that Adam could cut the paper down to the size they needed. This adaptability is just one of the many talents our team possesses. We are always striving to help others, use what we have and make the most of every resource. This philosophy aligns perfectly with our B Corp certification—it’s simply who we are.
I know I am getting sentimental here, but I can’t express enough how excited I was on this field trip. Instead of just enjoying an hour out of the office, I returned with a renewed appreciation for our past and gratitude for being a third-generation printer.
Marcie and Margaret (the women who run the Van Dort Print Shop) were incredibly welcoming during our visit, (turns out it was their idea to invite us!) and we look forward to hosting them at our Grand Rapids print shop for a tour of our facility someday.
Photo credit: Delany Lemke, Marketing Director, GRPM
The experience of visiting the Grand Rapids Public Museum reinforced the rich history of printing and its significance in our lives. As we continue to foster our relationship with the museum and educate future generations about our craft. I am so appreciative for the GRPM reaching out and helping us more deeply understand our history.
Pictured is all three Walt's in the Van Dort Print Shop circa 1994
And as always, I’m incredibly grateful to our Swift Printing team and you - our amazing customers!
P.S. A special shout-out to my dad, Walt Gutowski Jr., for holding down the fort while we went on the field trip!
