Today we are speaking with Kath Axline, Owner of Symbiosis Printing. Symbiosis Printing is one of Southwest Portland's great local businesses focusing on the community residents and their specific needs as artists and entrepreneurs.
Phil: When did Symbiosis Printing get started in our community and what differentiates you from other print shops?
Kath: We started about seven years ago in 2013. We are a family-owned business that focuses on the special printing needs of artists and entrepreneurs. Our customers tend to be socially and eco-conscientious.
Phil: How did you decide to open a print shop in South West Portland?
Kath: Jeff, my husband and co-owner, was working with another print shop that the owner decided to close down. Both Jeff and I have a love for art and we have art backgrounds, so we knew there was a need for a shop that offers heirloom quality art prints, photo reproduction, and the other portfolio prints artists depend on such as postcards greeting cards, posters, and stickers.
Phil: I have old black and white family photos that are starting to fade. Can you help with that?
Kath: Absolutely! We can reproduce them so they will last for many more years. We can also make them any size you want so you can put them in frames.
Phil: How has the current economic situation in Portland been affecting the business?
Kath: When the Stay-At-Home order happened I got really scared. Business dropped because art shows got cancelled. We've grown by word-of-mouth, and by staying focused on our customers during this time we have continued to have an amazing response from our past customers. We're so grateful for our community!
Phil: How has Symbiosis been supporting the community?
Kath: Well, art is healing, so we promote the artwork as much as possible. We support the greenHAUS Gallery which focuses on women and black-owned businesses. For all BLM art we are donating all the profits to the Black Resilience Fund. Many artists are retired and older in age so we are very careful with our customer's health by offering 6 ft. apart consultation areas, curbside/no-touch pickup, online payments, and many other services to keep everyone safe.
You can find Symbiosis Printing at 6325 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland. You can contact Kath and Jeff at 503-477-6181. Visit Symbiosisprinting.com