Peninsula Press Ltd. was established
in the fall of 1894 by the McComb brothers of Shipman's Corners.
Gil Morris, an accomplished pressman with the firm, offered to purchase
the company from the aging McComb brothers in the late 1920's. He
did just that and soon after brought the talents of his own family
to the firm. Des Morris Sr. began as an apprentice pressman working
after school and on weekends to learn the trade. He also attended
trade and business schools to grasp the difficult business task.
Gerry and Danny Morris entered the business later concentrating
on the stationery and office furniture departments.
The company was an essential part of St. Catharines as it facilitated
business life, similar to a general store in a smaller community,
people depended on Gil for their business supplies.
Family being the corner stone of Peninsula Press, the business
is now managed by the third generation — Des Morris Jr.,
with his two sisters, Pam Dowling (Secretary/Treasurer) and Sherry
Bell (Production Supervisor), and aunt Molly O'Hearn and cousin
Patsy Kazragis in the store. Des Sr. worked until his passing
in December 1993, his fifty-five years of printing knowledge and
craftsmanship are sorely missed. Gerry and Danny Morris retired
and recently passed away.
Our first location was the small basement entrance, still present
today, at 136 St. Paul Street. In the late 1930's we moved to
our own quarters, the Penmor Building on the Market Square, where
we first began to sell office supplies. Customers would ask Gil
to stock pencils and supplies and cut paper so they could pick
it up when they came for their printing - so he felt it would
be a good complement to the printing shop. The store went full
scale when, to make room for the new Post Office, we moved from
the Market Square to the Penmor Building located at 37-39 Ontario
Street.
The unique building was renovated in the early 1950's to house
a modern printing facility and full scale office furniture and
supply store.
Presently, Penisula Press is located in a 15,000 sq. ft. plant
and office space at 217 Bunting Road, just north of the Garden
City Skyway in St. Catharines.
Through all of the innovation and transitions in the graphic industry,
Peninsula Press has been a leader. One of the first in the area
to use hot lead formed type and again a pioneer when lithography,
the process of exposing thin metal, light sensitive plates was
introduced. Today this process is enhanced with computerized pre-press
equipment, faster and more accurate presses and modern bindery
and packaging equipment.
Peninsula Press today is truly a complete shop — equipped
with some of the finest machinery in the business and operators
capable of making them perform to perfection.
