Hinkle Printing reinvents itself after 55 years

A beloved local business will be receiving a “fresh start” after 55 years in business.

Bryan and Jessica Hinkle announced the closure of Hinkle Printing in June.

The business, which has served the tri-county area for 55 years, will become part of the Hinkle Ink Spot Print Shop.

The Hinkle Printing location has closed, but two new locations for the Ink Spot Print Shop have opened. There is a location in downtown Corbin and Pineville.

The Ink Spot Print Shop will continue to offer the same diverse range of products, such as graphic design, letterhead, brochures, banners, screen printing and more.

Hinkle’s Print Shop was started by Bryan Hinkle’s grandfather, and it was located in the old Piggly Wiggly Grocery store.

“Once he passed, my father took over, and once he passed, my mother took over,” said Hinkle. “She is wanting to retire.”

“It’s just a new name, a new generation,” said Hinkle. “My wife and I decided to keep on going, we love this. Kind of do the same things, but we are going to change it just a little bit and maybe take out things that aren’t really cost efficient, and [we will] just kind of focus on the things that we do really well.”

“People are asking us why we changed the name and changed the location, and well, a fresh start and fresh look, it is kind of the idea also,” explained Hinkle.

Hinkle said things like walk in copies are some of the services the business will stop offering. In addition, several of the services that people would have normally needed to come into the office to complete will be able to be completed through an online service.

“Basically, what I am trying to do is simplify the industry for small towns to have good quality printing,” said Hinkle.

Hinkle said one of the ways he hopes to accomplish that goal is through an e-commerce site.

People will be able to go online to purchase a design template for a period of time and customize it to meet their needs. People will then be able to print it at home or have it printed at the shop.

People will also be able to walk in and use a touch screen tablet to design a product, see it on a big screen and then order it to be printed at the office While Hinkle Ink Spot Print Shop will be the next two locations the husband and wife team open, Hinkle said that there are plans to pursue additional enterprises, such as an art gallery and a clothing line.

For now, the front of the Corbin office will serve as a walk-through art gallery filled with Hinkle’s paintings.

He said his artistic endeavors have been a recent experience.

“It was after my father passed,” said Hinkle. “My wife was painting something at the time and she said why don’t you sit down and try this and I haven’t stopped.”

“I absolutely love it,” said Hinkle. “I was at a point where I was doing something every night and that’s how I accumulated probably 225 or 226 paintings pretty quick. Things have slowed down and I have a little over 300 [paintings] right now.”

Hinkle’s works have quickly gained recognition throughout the community.

“I have been blessed to get quite a few commissions,” said Hinkle. “I have been blessed to donate paintings to raise money for hospitals and certain foundations.”

“It has been a wild ride,” Hinkle said when describing his painting career.

Paint, however, is not the only medium Hinkle uses to make his masterpieces. He said he ventured into starting a fashion line. He said he made several designs and had received samples. He was getting ready to start trying to get his designs into athletic stores – many of his designs are yoga pants or similar items – but he said that goal will hopefully be achieved after he and his wife get the two Hinkle Ink Spot Print Shop locations and an art gallery, which is planned to be open for other artists, open.