Bruno Press proves example of Joetown success

Walking into a small business shop, one has the privilege of discovering the hidden nooks and crannies, a past that created the present—and for Mary C. Bruno, it is a past with many different pieces that contribute to where she is today.

Though Bruno Press originated in 2005, its roots started in the ‘80s. Bruno’s father established himself in the St. Joe area, first as an art professor at St. Ben’s and later for the St. John’s Liturgical Press while also doing graphic design freelancing. When printing technology outgrew the current machinery, he was able to salvage the machines from friends who didn’t see their need.

“Over the course of a summer, he built a studio onto the garage… he worked freelance doing letterpress and doing design stuff in there for a bunch of years,” Bruno said, motioning to the presses situated around the room.

Throughout high school, Bruno took advantage of the opportunity to learn printmaking from her father but never thought it a career path. After receiving a BFA at St. Cloud State for printmaking, she moved to Wisconsin, still coming home once a month to print with her father. That changed in 2003 when her father suddenly passed away.

“I moved home…I decided to give [printmaking] a go,” Bruno said, picking up the Bruno Press logo display. “The story of my logo…the rooster was Don Bruno’s design. And then, you know, add me, and then I kind of design my logo around his.”

The design speaks for the quality and love put into their products and, as with any work, clientele and business appeared slowly but mightily. The now-closed Electric Fetus in St. Cloud had asked to stock Bruno’s cards, and she went to trade shows in New York and Manhattan that catered to hundreds of card makers—but hers stood out.

“Most of the prints that sell out are ones where I’m trying to print something I believe in… the Amanda Gorman one I wanted to be more inclusive with the kind of people and faces that I honored,” Bruno said. “[Prints] that have feeling and intention behind it—those are the best ones.”

People in St. Joe and beyond feel these intentions. Bruno gave a percentage of her sales on her Ukrainian print to help Ukrainians near the border, and she worked with other community members to brand St. Joe as a place independent of the larger cities around them.

“I designed this sort of Joetown. And then we set out to be about cross-promoting each other and being…a community of businesses,” Bruno said.

Bruno’s efforts to build community extend to CSB+SJU as well. Bruno has worked alongside CSB+SJU business major interns and E-scholars, and her biggest project yet developed in collaboration with the schools. Taking over a year to complete, Bruno worked to create the Rule of St. Benedict from print and linoleum blocks.

“It ended up being 30 pages letterpress printed and assembled to form this beautiful scroll made on cherry wood that another local guy, Jeff Thompson, made. We worked… on making these images to be about community, about the monastery and about artists,” Bruno said.

Collaborating directly with Richard Bresnahan, the scroll was included in a time capsule on the SJU campus, along with other items that tell a story of the community and Minnesota. Since the letterpress scroll was created during the height of the COVID pandemic, the ability to show the scroll was limited.

However, Bruno has since gained recognition for her work by displaying her scroll in monasteries around the country.

“I’ve started this tour…I had the guys from the St. John’s Abbey woodworking build a traveling display that would fit,” Bruno said.

Beyond all of this, Bruno believes more can be done to create a connection between CSB+SJU and the St. Joe businesses.

“I’ve always been a big advocate of trying to incorporate the students in a more meaningful way. Because it’s the students. It’s your home for four years,” Bruno said.

One way Bruno has realized this hope is by holding an open house at her shop a few times a year, having her machines run to connect the students, the schools and the greater St. Joe area to the business. These open houses will occur on March 9 and April 13 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Bruno invites everyone to stop by. For more information about Mary Bruno and Bruno Press, visit mcbrunopress.com.