Get-To-Know: Larry Chase of LCI Paper

LCI Paper, Established in 1995
Hudson, MA USA

When people ask you what you do, how do you describe your business?
LCI Paper offers high quality stationery products and unparalleled customer service to paper professionals and amateur enthusiasts alike.

Stationery professionals turn to LCI as their one-stop shop for all of their paper needs. We offer a wide selection of specialty papers, envelopes, card stock, and reception accessories for print and design. Our highly rated customer service team is here to help you every step of the way. Whether you are a do-it-yourself bride, event planner, graphic designer, letterpress printer, custom invitation designer, or are planning a corporate event, we have you covered.

Tell us about your business. Who are your primary clients? What services do you offer? How many employees do you have?
LCI Paper is staffed by 20 genuine paper, print and snail mail loving people. We know paper, we love paper and we feel this what sets us apart. Our owner comes from generations of family-owned paper businesses. Our customer service manager helped her father with his backyard printing business throughout her childhood. Our marketing team still mails unique cards and invites for every occasion (e-vites, yeah right!). Our warehouse staff decorates shelves with origami and paper flowers. We could go on, but we prefer to "talk paper" with you to show us what we are really about!

Our clients run the gamut from paper crafters and artists, to brides, to professional stationers, printers and graphic designers. We offer fine paper and print and more importantly, expert knowledge and advice.

What originally drew you to the business? What is your connection to letterpress? Who were your mentors along the way?
Some might say that LCI Paper owner and founder Larry Chase was born into the paper business. His father and uncle started a paper business of their own back in 1948. At the start they sold wedding invitation stock to printers; eventually the company designed, converted, and printed invitations for stationers and printers. When the company was sold in 1995, Larry was left with a schooling on the ways of business management and, naturally, the ins and outs of the paper and print industry.

How has your business changed over the last few years? How do you expect it to change moving forward?
When LCI Paper opened its doors decades ago, we worked mainly with paper hobbyists and do-it-yourselfers. Though we still have hundreds of crafty customers like this, we have also taken on large professional clientele over the last few years. New stationers, printers, calligraphers and graphic designers are popping up daily and we love it! We anticipate and look forward to this trend continuing and will continue to expand our product line and services to meet all customers' needs.

What is your most popular product line?
Our core Color System is probably our most popular product line. Consisting of 48 complementary colors, 4 finishes, papers and envelopes, it is made to mix, match and simplify luxury design. It is great for letterpress, engraving, foil stamping and other conventional print methods as well as digital printing.

The unique colors and versatility of the line is likely what makes it so popular. We have seen it used for invites, packaging, mailings, book covers, you name it!

What are you most excited about when it comes to your business? Anything new coming down the pipe?
Trends and customer needs are always evolving and we get excited about adding new products and services to meet these needs. We currently offer digital printing but have been getting many requests for letterpress and foil stamping. This is definitely on our radar!

Tell us what you like most about your job?
As mentioned above, we are staffed by a group who truly know and love paper and are fortunate enough to offer some of the finest papers in the world. We find that people who love paper REALLY love paper, and it is always great to connect with customers in this way. We love to talk about print, design and paper specs and to help customers choose just the right paper for their projects. It is even greater when we get to see the finished pieces on customers' social media pages! For us, it brings the paper to life and inspires us as well.

What are some of your challenges?
Paper in the modern world is tricky. We are passionate about paper and know countless others are as well. Paper and print are not dead, but many will argue it is headed that way. Though we feel nothing compares to a luxe letterpress invitation, others feel Facebook invites are good enough. Though we are sentimental about hand written thank you notes, others opt for text messages.

In our modern world of instant communication, stationery is no longer mainstream, it is nostalgic. This has made it more challenging to sell fine paper, but has also made us more creative. We are consistently evolving to stay in the niche and do not plan on going away anytime soon!

What's one thing you wished you learned faster when you were just getting started?
When starting a business, printing or any, you aren't going to know everything out of the gate and that is ok! Be patient, remind yourself there will be ups and downs and that sometimes you just need to learn as you go.

What other advice do you have for aspiring printers?
Letterpress is an ageless art form. It takes patience, creativity and talent. If you have those things and paper and print are your passion, go for it! Few people are lucky enough to love what they do.

If you could add anything to your business today, what would it be? Why?
A Heidelberg press, perhaps? Digital printing is convenient but nothing compares to letterpress and foil (and we have been getting requests)!

What is your paper superpower? Being a living paper dictionary. Throw any paper or print term at us, we'll define it!  
Favorite Typeface: Anything sans serif - clean and simple is best!
Favorite Paper: Call us partial, but we love our own!

Visit Larry Chase and the LCI Paper team at: www.lcipaper.com