Partner Spotlight: Wolf & Wren Press

Partner Spotlight is a series designed to highlight the vendors that partner with ABA to offer discounted products, services, and business opportunities to ABA members. Each installment, we interview a different partner to learn more about their organization and why indie bookstores matter to them. 

Wolf & Wren Press specializes in thoughtfully designed, high-quality letterpress and digitally printed goods that blend timeless charm with a modern touch. Their collection includes greeting cards, notebooks, stickers, tote bags, and more. 

Bookselling This Week spoke with Wolf & Wren Press co-founder Lauren Stapleton to learn more. 

Bookselling This Week: Why don’t you tell us a little bit about Wolf & Wren Press and its origin?

Lauren Stapleton: My background is in printmaking, bookbinding, and book conservation.  After working with books at Colorado State University's Morgan Library while in college, I became fascinated by the process of how they were printed. With an undergraduate degree in printmaking, I realized letterpress was the perfect intersection of my interests.

I moved to the Bay Area, worked at Taurus Bookbindery in San Francisco, and took letterpress classes at the Center for the Book. Then I joined Hello!Lucky as a printer, where I realized I wanted to run my own business focused on letterpress. Around the same time, my business partner, Liz, was finishing her MA in Book Arts, and we both saw a resurgence of letterpress as an exciting opportunity for collaboration.

In 2012, I moved back to Colorado, bought my first press, and we printed our first five greeting cards while working full-time jobs. Our big break came in 2014 when a Paper Source buyer discovered us at the Chicago Renegade Craft Fair. They placed a large order and that gave us the confidence to pursue Wolf & Wren full-time. We officially registered the business that year, and in 2019, I was able to leave my full-time job to focus on it exclusively!

In 2022, we opened a small greeting card and stationery store in Longmont, a new chapter in our journey to spread more joy and positivity through our work. It’s been a slow and steady growth over the last decade, and I feel incredibly lucky to witness how our products bring joy to our customers.

BTW: You're best friends, but also co-running this business, right? How do you divide responsibilities? How do you think you complement each other?

LS: I handle the majority of the day-to-day operations of running Wolf & Wren, from managing production and wholesale accounts, letterpress printing the cards, and overseeing our brand’s direction. Liz contributes the artwork, and her style is truly the heart of our brand. It’s important to us that everything looks cohesive and feels like it’s been touched by Liz’s hand.

Even though Liz has taken a step back from the operational side of the business, her creative contributions continue to be essential. Our partnership works because we each bring something different to the table. I thrive on the logistical side, while Liz’s artistic vision gives life to the brand. Together, we’ve built something that reflects both of us in a way that feels balanced and intentional.

BTW: What do you think sets you apart from your competitors?

LS: Wolf & Wren stands out because we’re dedicated to creating greeting cards that are truly special. Our cards are crafted using the art of letterpress, which gives them a beautiful, tactile quality you can’t find in mass-produced products. We also focus on interesting color choices, and short and sweet messaging that is meaningful and impactful.

Our design aesthetic is another thing that makes us unique. We’ve developed a style that blends timeless elegance with a modern, playful twist, creating cards that feel fresh while still being classic. Beyond greeting cards, we also make notebooks, stickers, and prints, which allows us to offer cohesive collections that retailers and customers love.

Quality is at the heart of everything we do, from the paper we choose to the details in our designs. We also pride ourselves on being a trusted partner for our wholesale clients. Building strong relationships with retailers has allowed us to share our work with a wide audience, which is something we’re incredibly proud of.

At the end of the day, we’re not just creating greeting cards; we’re creating opportunities for connection. Whether it’s a heartfelt thank-you or a quick birthday note, we design our cards to help people share moments that matter.

BTW: What prompted Wolf & Wren to partner with ABA and our members? Are you already working with many bookstores?

LS: We were inspired to partner with ABA and its members because bookstores align so naturally with our values and products. Bookstores are community hubs — places where people come to connect, discover, and be inspired — and that’s exactly what we hope our greeting cards can do for people. Our partnership with ABA gives us the opportunity to reach more booksellers who share that mission.

We are already working with many wonderful bookstores! One of the things we love most about booksellers is their ability to curate unique experiences for their customers. They approach their shelves with thoughtfulness, and we’re honored that our cards are often included in that mix. Booksellers have a special knack for storytelling, whether it’s through books or beautifully merchandised stationery, and it’s exciting to see how our products become part of those stories.

We also appreciate the close relationships bookstores build with their communities. When our cards are displayed in a bookstore, it feels like they’re part of something bigger — a space where readers, writers, and creatives come together. Being a small business ourselves, we value that sense of connection and the opportunity to support independent retailers through our work.

BTW: Would you tell us a little about the role of books and indie bookstores in your lives? Do you have any book recommendations for us?

LS: Books have always played a significant role in my life, both personally and professionally. As someone who has worked in printmaking and bookbinding, I have a deep appreciation for how books are made, and I’m always drawn to the atmosphere (and smell!) of a good bookstore. There’s something about the quiet space, the shelves of carefully chosen stories, and the opportunity to discover something new that I find so inspiring.

Indie bookstores hold a special place in my heart because they bring a unique curation of books to their communities. I think there’s something truly magical about the way independent bookstores foster a sense of discovery and connection for readers.

While I don’t have as much time to read as I’d like, I make it a priority when I can. Some of my favorite books last year were Demon Copperhead and Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver and The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese.

ABA members are eligible for a 10% discount on orders over $150. Learn more about the discount for ABA members on BookWeb.