Stevens Bros. Retire, Merge with The Printing Co.

After forty-four years of sweeping changes to the print industry, Sterlyn, Joe and John Stevens have merged with The Printing Co., which has offices in Farmington, Cape Girardeau and Perryville. The Stevens Brothers have worked tirelessly to find a compatible company with the same goals and commitment their clients have come to expect.

Owners Sterlyn, John and Joe Stevens agree, "Like everyone, we look forward to retirement, but it will also be a sad time for us. We have had some customers for forty-four years, and through the years nearly every member of our family has helped out. As we enter our exit strategy, we will miss the friendships we have formed and the challenges that we have faced. We are very grateful to everyone who has helped to make our business a success and are excited about the new transition taking place with The Printing Co. It is a great feeling to know that our loyal customers will be taken care of in a way we would want."

The three brothers purchased the Park Hills weekly newspaper, The Lead Belt News/News Sun Printing Co., in 1969 from W.L. and Mattie Bouchard. The operation was also a commercial print shop, so the new owners changed the name to Stevens Brothers Printing Co. The operation went from hand-set type utilizing linotype and letterpress to converting all presses to offset. New computers and a darkroom were added, followed by celebrating the paper's 75th anniversary in 1973. The brothers continued to publish the weekly paper until 1985 when they sold it to The Farmington Press.

On August 1 operations for Stevens Brothers Printing Co. will move from Park Hills' oldest business on Main Street to St. Francois County Seat in Farmington into the recently renovated offices of The Printing Co. at 235 East Columbia Street. The Stevens brothers will continue to assist The Printing Co. staff through the transition to ensure it is seamless for their valued customers. As a result of the merger, local customers can expect to see an abundance of new capabilities and product offerings.

Jason Coalter, owner and president of The Printing Co., adds, "We and The Stevens Brothers have been looking for a good fit that made sense for our customers. Stevens Brothers wanted to be sure their customers would be well taken care of, while we want to continue our dedication to delivering top-notch customer service as we grow. Going 'above and beyond' is what our customers have come to expect from us; this is the norm for us, not the exception. As with the Stevens, we have built long-standing customer relationships by remaining vigilant to this commitment and will for all of our customers. I have enjoyed getting to know The Stevens Brothers and their families. Their commitment to each other as well as their community is something we should all strive for."