By: Aaron Heth
SCAD courses present plenty of situations where you’ll end up in a print shop. Savannah presents a wide variety of print shops, all suited for slightly different purposes and times. They all present pros and cons, obviously, so here are a few things to remember when looking for the next place to print.
Before any store descriptions, one of the most important aspects of print shops is when they’re open. Of the following stores, only FedEx Kinko’s and OfficeMax are open on the weekends, with slightly shortened hours. Don’t count on heading to Creative Approach or Image is Everything with a tight Monday morning deadline. Now, to the descriptions.
First off is my personal favorite, FedEx Kinko’s on Broughton St. It’s close and is easily accessible to the residence halls. They are incredibly cheap for most things, including 8.5 x 11 and 11 x 17 prints. They do not, however, do large format printing (the FedEx Kinko’s on Abercorn St. does, although it is a few days wait for your print). They’re also fairly flexible depending on what exactly you need printed. The faces are friendly and familiar, and there is a SCAD discount; remember to mention that when you’re paying, they won’t ask you. For almost any project, I recommend going here.
Next, you have another big favorite amongst students – Creative Approach, and the newly created but not affiliated, Ink Branding. Creative Approach is located on Liberty St., just a bit east of Montgomery St. Ink Branding is in Johnson Square on Bull St., just north of Liberty St. Both provide a very knowledgeable staff with experience in professional graphic design and printing. Their prices are a bit higher for the basics (such as 8.5 x 11 and 11 x 17 documents), but they have slightly better paper choices and a relaxed environment. Some argue the quality is better, while others attest to a red, over-saturated tint that always appears. They are, however, very speedy with large format printing, having your document ready immediately (unlike FedEx Kinko’s). Ink Branding is still getting on its feet, but it’s learning quickly. Either of these options are good choices.
Next, we have OfficeMax, a special case. The most prominent reason to go here over the other print shops is for their large format printing options. Unlike FedEx, Kinko’s Creative Approach, and Ink Branding, OfficeMax allows you to print large format on most any paper you bring in (FedEx Kinko’s has a wide variety to choose from, Creative Approach has a very limited variety of large format papers to choose from and you may not use your own for either). Bring a few sheets, as the staff here does not have the same experience you’ll find at other print shops. While they have a very good SCAD discount, which again, must be asked for, the wait is usually long and the environment isn’t the friendliest. Not a particular favorite, but it has its purpose.
Finally, there is Image is Everything, a print shop in very close proximity to the residence halls. They can be very, very overpriced and have a reputation with professors for not printing things correctly. While the comments I have heard of it have never been too gracious, I have never printed there. All the more reason for you to give them a try and judge for yourself!
All in all, there is no such thing as a perfect place to print. It very much can depend on the project and personal preference. While FedEx Kinko’s and Creative Approach are usually the favorite, it’s important to at least pay them all a visit, as they all offer different things. Happy printing!
