A new chapter: Longtime bookbinder retires, sells business | Arts & Entertainment

URBANA — A little over a half-century ago, college student Chris Hohn was looking for work to help cover the cost of school when he heard that Lincoln Press Book Bindery might need an extra pair of hands.

Just six years later, in 1978, Hohn would buy the business from Paul and Shirley Hursey and turn a part-time job into a long-lasting passion.

“I like craftsmanship,” he said. “I like putting something together, and I like putting something together well. And it’s also turned out to be a wonderful way to meet people.”

Now, after more than 52 years at the business and 46 years as its owner, Hohn has decided to retire and has sold the bindery to Dixon Graphics.

Lincoln Bookbindery’s shop at 1601 N. Coler Ave. closed in late February, and the business’ services will soon be available in the printing company’s location at 105 W. John St., Champaign.

Owner Lance Dixon said that he is still working to install the equipment and expects to have the bindery business up and running by March 14 at the latest.

Lincoln Bookbindery customers can also expect to see the familiar face of bookbinder Tedra Ashley-Wannemuehler at the shop.

When asked how he knew it was time to retire, Hohn said that, at the age of 73, he is “slowing down.”

“It’s bittersweet for sure,” he said. “But I don’t think it was ever going to be easy, whatever age I did it at. But I like the circumstances. I like the fact that I can sell it to Lance Dixon, and I like the fact that my longtime employee’s going to go with it and still have a job.”

Dixon said that his business has been collaborating with Lincoln Bookbindery for over 20 years as their preferred printer.

Over the past year, he had been in discussion with with Hohn and Ashley-Wannemuehler about the bindery’s future.

“They weren’t sure if they wanted to continue the company because it’s kind of a declining industry,” he said. “It’s kind of rare for someone to want that type of binding.”

Dixon explained that Lincoln Bookbindery specializes in sewn case binding, which involves sewing the pages together and then attaching them to the book cover.

While wraparound or glued-on covers are more common, Dixon said that sewn case binding is “much more durable.” He estimated that only a handful of companies across the nation still practice this craft.

As someone who values this kind of craftsmanship, he didn’t want to see the bindery go away completely, so he suggested folding it in to his own business.

“The big thing is keeping it in this community,” he said. “I really wanted to keep this type of binding service alive. And it’s one of the things that makes Champaign-Urbana unique, and I wanted to keep it that way.”

Urbana Alderman Shirese Hursey said the bindery has been a part of Urbana for over 60 years.

“The owner of Lincoln Bindery, Chris Hohn, bought it from my parents when I was in high school,” she said at Monday’s committee of the whole meeting. “And before that, there was this very small, little piece of a business that was owned by a man named Donald Alexander who sold it to my dad. But bookbinderies and binding books is an art.”