Dundons Press

Bob Dundon and his 16-year-old son Robby operate Dundons Press at his White Oak location. The family firm specializes in middle school yearbooks but recently printed H.T. Hardy’s memoirs “On The Serious Side Of ... Me!” Bob Dundon, foreground, and his son Robby work side by side to produce high quality yearbooks, hard back books and manuals as well as provide customers with stationery, envelopes, business cards and political campaign needs. Bob Dundon carefully sews each of the hard back books he binds at his shop on White Oak. Dundon has run a publishing business for many years but has only had the shop in Estill County for three years. His son Robby works with him every day and his other son, daughter and wife help out in the spring when he puts yearbooks together that he publishes for 18 middle schools. Stephenie Schnittker answers the phone and scans photos at Dundons Press and is the only non-family employee. Sixteen-year old Robby Dundon demonstrates how he brushes on glue before putting the backs on yearbooks. Labors of love Family takes pride in their printing operation by Rhonda Smyth, CV&T News Editor Located in what is generally known as “off the beaten path,” Dundons Press at White Oak is a family operation with perfectionist Bob Dundon at the head. After being a printer all of his adult life and renting buildings to house his company in Lexington, he decided to purchase his own building. Three years ago he found the property at White Oak on the Internet and bought it. But he wasn’t ready to “go public” until recently. “I wanted to wait until I had all the equipment I needed to be a full-service print shop,” Dundon said. He has traveled all over the country buying used machinery and fixing it up. Dundon’s specialty is middle school yearbooks of which he is currently publishing 18. He got the idea from his daughter when she brought home a yearbook in 1999. “It was just a terrible job,” he said. “It was just done so badly.” In order to make a quality product Bob has a hand in every phase of making the yearbooks. “I begin in the fall with cover design. I do all the lay-out myself and then in April and May we put them together and then I deliver them about a week before school is out,” Bob said. The reason he likes to deliver yearbooks himself is to see the looks on the kids’ faces when they see them. Dundon’s 16-year old son, Robby, is being home-schooled this semester so he is at the shop every day helping his dad. “Robby is going to handle the small press for commercial orders,” Bob said. He will make business cards, stationary, envelopes and election materials. In addition to yearbooks, Dundons also prints hardcover books, cookbooks and manuals. Pages in hardcover books are sewn and covers are put on my hand. He not only binds books he prints, but will bind books for other printers. He really enjoys making hardcover books. “I find it fascinating and I think there are a whole lot of people around who have a book in them,” he said. The rest of the Dundon family pitch in and help during busy times and Bob said he will be hiring some local people in the future as his business grows. Currently he has one non-family employee, Stephenie Schnittker, whose duties include answering the phone and scanning photos for yearbooks. Bob and his family look forward to providing all your printing needs. Call him at 723-0833. “I take great personal care with all my customers,” Bob said. This article appeared in the Citizen Voice and Times, Irvine, Kentucky, on February 9 2006, written by Rhonda Smyth. Article and photos copyright Hatfield Newspapers, 108 Court Street, P.O. Box 660, Irvine, Kentucky 40336. Used by permission.