Save the date.
We’re turning 40 and doing it the only way we know how … with good people, good work, and a full shop.
6.26.26 | 4–9pm
At Smart Set
Come hang. More soon.
Have you ever seen a modern day guillotine?
Ours slices through stacks of paper like it’s nothing. Clean, precise, a little intimidating the first time you see it.
This is how your prints get those sharp, even edges. No jagged cuts. No weird sizing. Just crisp, consistent stacks every time.
It might look a little intense…but it’s one of the most satisfying parts of the process.
Not every print request needs a formal email.
But if a paper airplane feels right … we support it.
Either way, send us your print project.
Big ideas, half-finished files, “I’m not even sure what I need yet” … we’re into all of it.
We’ll help you figure it out and get it into the real world.
This is Kevin.
Owner of Smart Set.
40 years in the shop.
Decades of experience you can feel in the work.
But more than that, he’s someone who’s always believed
that print can do something bigger.
Document movements.
Carry stories.
Hold onto moments that shouldn’t be forgotten.
Because once something is printed, it exists in a different way.
It can’t just disappear.
And that still matters.
A lot of the files we get from Canva are so close.
Like…you did the hard part. The design is there.
It just needs a couple small tweaks before it goes to print.
Here are the big ones:
• Let your backgrounds and images extend past the edge
If everything stops right at the margin, you risk that tiny white line after trimming
• Download as a PDF
This keeps everything crisp and prints the way you designed it
• CMYK or RGB? Either is fine
Send what you’ve got, we’ll handle the rest on our end
And if you’re ever unsure…send it anyway. We’ll take a look before it goes to print...ALWAYS!
#canva
Wiro bound books don’t get enough credit.
They lay flat.
They hold up.
They actually get used.
And yes … we print em!
Workbooks, manuals, cookbooks, training guides, presentations…if it needs to be flipped through, written in, or used more than once, this is usually the move.
There’s something satisfying about a finished book in your hands.
All your work, organized, printed, and ready to go.
If you’ve been piecing something together … this is your sign to turn it into something real.
there’s something about old engravings, right?
we use images like this throughout our branding
they’ve always stuck with us
before screens and shortcuts
this is how images were made
line by line, carved with intention
you couldn’t fake it
you couldn’t rush it
you had to understand how it would print
how it would hold detail
how it would actually show up in the real world
that kind of care still matters to us
they also just have a lot of personality…
so which one are you??
Meet Your Makers
The people behind Smart Set aren’t just print techs. They’re artists, designers, and problem solvers who care deeply about the work that comes through the shop.
Every project is handled by real humans with real experience, paying attention to the details that matter.
You’ll work with the same person each time, so you’re not starting from scratch or re-explaining your project. We keep your brand, your preferences, and your details on file so things stay consistent and easy.
We’ve got a really good crew over here, and it shows in the work.
We’re not anti-rush job. We’ve all been there.
And the truth is, we can take them on. That’s something a lot of print shops just aren’t set up to do.
But there’s a real trade-off that doesn’t always get talked about.
Less time means less room for proofing, less flexibility in production, and a higher chance that small things get missed.
We’ll always do what we can, but the best results come when the work has time to breathe.
If you have a deadline coming up, reaching out early gives us the best chance to make something really solid together.
Smart Set has been part of the Minneapolis printing community since 1986, and over the years we’ve seen just about every kind of file come through the door.
We work with businesses, nonprofits, artists, and organizations who care about how their work shows up in the world. Not just that it prints, but how it feels, how it reads, and how it holds up once it’s in someone’s hands.
That’s why every file gets a real review.
Our team has backgrounds in art and design, so we’re not just running files through a system. We’re looking at layout, color, resolution, paper choice, and all the small details that can make or break a final piece. Catching those things early is what helps avoid costly mistakes later.
After decades of printing in Minneapolis, you start to understand what works, what doesn’t, and what’s worth slowing down for.
Working with Smart Set feels less like placing an order and more like having a thoughtful production partner in your corner.
Because how your work shows up matters.
