the Informer

The Copy Shoppe will now be known as Howie’s Printery, located on the first floor of Hillyer. (Suzie Hunter)

Along with its new title, Howie’s Printery, formerly known as the “Copy Shoppe,” is revamping its reputation as the go-to place for students and faculty to fulfill all their printing needs.

Last semester, at the start of the Copy Shoppe’s reformation, a “Name Our Shoppe” contest was held. “As we continue to evolve, we decided that our name needed to reflect more of what we are and what we can offer to the university,” said Beth Strong, manager and graphic designer of Howie’s Printery.

Students and faculty alike were asked to submit their best attempt at giving the Copy Shoppe a more creative and practical connotation, and this past week a winner was finally chosen.

Samantha Cahill, Special Events Coordinator from Alumni Relations, beat out over 50 other applicants with her idea of “Howie’s Printery.” Along with the new label, Strong designed a new logo as well, giving the shop a new image more relevant to the university as a whole.

While surprised by the news of her win, Cahill said she decided on the name because, “it best characterized the Copy Shoppe’s purpose as well as pulled in a major part of the University of Hartford’s identity.”

Becoming a more integral part of the Hartford community is exactly what the new and improved Howie’s Printery is looking to do. By providing an accessible and affordable resource for the university, its “mission is to bring the funds back to campus,” said Strong, instead of having that money go to external vendors.

In the coming months, Howie’s Printery is planning on spreading the word throughout the Hartford community about its improved capabilities. Because they provide so many more services than just making copies, Strong and her co-workers find it increasingly important to make their ability and expediency known to the entirety of the campus.

And convenience is key with the upcoming launch of their new Web site featuring the new name, along with a user-friendly online ordering system. The Web site will also make available all of the Printery’s resources.

Besides copies, Howie’s Printery can now provide additional services such as printing banners and signs, sending and receiving faxes, name plates and engraving, t-shirts, vehicle and window lettering, and even graphic design and consulting.

With the new image, Howie’s Printery is also getting more involved by hosting workshops for a how-to on creating print-ready files, as well as an Open House for members of the university to learn more about the services provided.

Students and faculty can take advantage of the convenience Howie’s Printery has to offer by stopping by Room 135 on the bottom floor of Hillyer to check it out.