Petroglyph Press: 60 Years of Sharing Local Culture, History, and Storytelling

By Nancy S. Kahalewai

For six decades, the Reed family has been busy printing and publishing in downtown Hilo. Petroglyph Press, Ltd. owners David and Christine Reed are now celebrating the 60th anniversary of the business that David’s parents, Steve and Frances Reed, opened in September 1962.

It was early 1958—while the Hawaiian Islands were known as the “Territory of Hawaii”—when the Reed family moved to Hilo after a three-year stay in California. They had left behind their farming business in Pennsylvania when Steve Reed accepted an engineering position with Pittsburgh Steel. From there he was recruited as an engineer for Hilo Sugar Company. They arrived in time to endure two Big Island volcanic eruptions (Kīlauea Iki and Kapoho) and the 1960 Hilo tsunami, all within two years’ time.

A Deep Fascination with Hawaiian Culture

Frances Reed became the children’s librarian at Hilo Library in 1958. A natural storyteller, she and her eldest son, Stephen, a skilled photographer, became interested in Hawaiian petroglyphs and their possible meanings. At that time, the entire leeward coastline between Kawaihae and the Kona airport was a remote lava field, consisting of many untouched acres abundant with Hawaiian petroglyphs, springs, fishponds, cultural artifacts, and stories of the past. The family often camped out, spending countless hours exploring what is now the Mauna Lani resort area, reflecting on the fact that this was the only form of graphic communication left by the ancient Hawaiians. As a young teenager, David helped document and map the Puako petroglyphs with Dr. Bonk, a University of Hawai‘i professor, and his college students.

It didn’t take too long for Steve’s entrepreneurial spirit to inspire him to leave his plantation position and launch a family business. David was a student at Hilo Intermediate School when his father flew to Honolulu one day, bought a printing press, and took a one-week crash course on how to operate it. At that time, the only other local printing operations in Hilo were the Tribune Herald and Hilo Printers. Steve opened shop in the Goo Building on the corner of Haili and Kino‘ole streets, and began offering business and personal printing services to the Hilo community. Inspired by Hawai‘i Island’s ancient rock carvings, the family chose to name the business Petroglyph Press. In addition to the offset press that produced most of the printing jobs, Steve acquired an old cast-iron letterpress for specialty jobs that represented an earlier method of printing, more like the presses that produced the early Hawaiian language materials 200 years ago.

Early Days in Hilo

Eventually, Steve and Frances became the managers of the Goo Building. They moved the presses to the sub-basement in 1968, which had bay doors that let in fresh air and sunlight. They later expanded the business to a street-level storefront, and included publishing some culturally important out-of-print books such as Hilo Legends, Ghosts of the Hilo Hills, and Kona Legends, as well as retailing books by other publishers. 

Christine Reed recalls the history of some of Petroglyph Press’s early titles. “One of the first books created by Petroglyph Press in 1969 was Maui, Mischievous Hero by Barbara Baldwin Lyons, from a collection of stories previously printed in island newspapers. After a decade of passionate and popular storytelling, Frances retired as the children’s librarian in 1968. Following four years of prep school in Pennsylvania and a year at University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, David returned to Hilo in 1970, where he helped in the family business.”

About her own arrival in Hawai‘i, Christine continues, “It was September of 1972 when I arrived in Hilo from San Francisco looking for adventure, new experiences, and a new life,” she remembers. David was living upstairs in the Goo Building, and within a year, “the book-loving girl and the book-making boy found each other, fell in love, and created a partnership in life and business that is still going strong.” Christine brought her background in photography and design, and her avid curiosity to the business. By 1974 the elder Reeds retired, passing management of Petroglyph Press to David, who brought experience as well as meticulous craftsmanship to the business. David and Christine were married in 1976 at the home they had built in the ‘ōhia forest of Fern Acres.

While the printing operation remained in the basement, a new retail arm was created in 1985 named Basically Books. It showcased Hawai‘i-themed books, maps, music, and gifts, and remains part of the parent company of Petroglyph Press, Ltd. By 1997, both Basically Books and Petroglyph Press relocated to a large shared space on Kamehameha Avenue facing scenic Hilo Bay. At this point in time, digital printing and technology had evolved. Both of their businesses endured, sharing culturally rich stories to a local and global market.

Persevering in Downtown Hilo

By then, both David and Christine were deeply involved with promoting Hilo as a worthy destination. David volunteered as the promotion chairman for several years and served a term as president of the Hilo Downtown Improvement Association (DIA). He has also been a board member of Destination Hilo, while Christine was active in organizing and supporting downtown events. “Basically Books became a popular downtown gathering place during Merrie Monarch Festivals, Black & White Nights, First Fridays, and other holidays,” Christine explains. “We also hosted many talented authors, artists, crafters, and musicians, and provided the community a place to interact and exchange ideas.”  

An outstanding highlight occurred during their 40th year when Petroglyph Press and Basically Books received the Hawaii Retail Merchant Association’s Ho‘okela Award as the Big Island Retailer of the Year in 2002. “We were also honored among the Pacific Business News ‘Fastest 50’ in 2004 and 2005. Thanks to our customers, beginning in 2011 Basically Books has been voted the Hawai‘i Tribune Herald’s Best Bookstore of East Hawai‘i every year since,” Christine shared.

When reflecting on their relationship with the late Dietrich Varez, she was grateful. “Our 20-year-long collaboration with Varez, a beloved Hawai‘i Island artist, resulted in illustrations for three original books: Hina, The Goddess; Pele and Hiiaka; and an award-winning children’s book about Iwa, The Hawaiian Legend, as well as illustrations for three other titles: Hawaiian Legends of Volcanoes, Legends of Maui, and Pele, Volcano Goddess of Hawaii.” She has dozens of other memories with many very-missed late artists and authors they have known and worked with over the years.

A dedication to perpetuating literacy and Hawaiian culture, combined with successfully navigating decades of changes, has required a lot of work, David Reed admits. “As a family-run small business, sometimes life meant ‘all hands on deck.’ Our children, Alex and Stacey, grew up involved in the business, and helped in supporting the family legacy while caring for their aging grandparents. In 2015, we invested in modern digital equipment that gave us the ability to do all the printing in-house, including color illustrations inside the books as well as the covers.”

In 2017, on the cusp of the 55th anniversary of Petroglyph Press, State Senator Lorraine Inouye presented them with a Senate Proclamation honoring their years in business.

Post-Pandemic Changes

“Then the year 2020 brought many changes,” Christine reflects. “The pandemic forced the shutting of Hilo businesses. But the guiding hand of the third generation, our daughter Stacey Reed, facilitated the leap into new computerized avenues of commerce and online marketing.” 

With assistance from the Small Business Administration and County loans and grants, Petroglyph Press purchased new bindery equipment and relocated to a more manageable space. What also saved the business was a Survive to Thrive grant from the Book Industry Charitable Foundation (BINC). A new high-speed printer, paperback bookbinder, and hydraulic paper cutter have now streamlined production of their own titles and kept them afloat. What a technical contrast to the early days of printing!

In October 2021, Basically Books returned to downtown Hilo, less than five blocks from where it all began. Newly located across from Ben Franklin Crafts on Kilauea, the bookstore continues to serve local readers and visitors with an eclectic mix of books, maps, music, toys, and gifts. Christine shares, “In response to a growing availability and demand, our selection of books in ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i [the Hawaiian language] continues to expand as interest in the language reaches new heights.”

It’s a great time to celebrate a well-earned anniversary! Today they continue perpetuating literacy and storytelling in their new location that still delivers a curated array of unique specialty items. Basically Books is now 37 years old. Over the past 60 years, Petroglyph Press has published 50 titles, with 20 currently in print. Online ordering and several new projects are in the works, including a book of Hawaiian proverbs and riddles, more folktales, a classic book of ancient prayers, and a coloring book. Petroglyph Press creates, prints, binds, and distributes its books to bookstores, gift shops, and distributors throughout Hawai‘i and beyond—every aspect of production still accomplished right here in downtown Hilo! ❖

All photos courtesy of the Reed family collection

For more information: petroglyphpress.com, basicallybooks.com