Express Prints in Baltimore: Same-Day Business Printing and Direct Mail on Fells Point
Express Prints is a small-format print shop on Fells Point that handles rush orders for business cards, letterhead, flyers, and postcards, with same-day turnaround available on select jobs placed before noon and a focus on direct-mail preparation for local nonprofits and contractors.
What Express Prints actually is
Located on South Broadway, Express Prints occupies a street-level storefront in a neighborhood where quick turnaround and walk-in convenience matter to the mix of small offices, nonprofits, and service businesses. The shop prints offset and digital jobs in-house, maintains stock of cardstock and envelope sizes, and offers mail-merge and list-cleaning services that appeal to organizations sending targeted campaigns. It does not handle large-format printing (banners, signage) or binding beyond saddle-stitching, and it does not do promotional product decoration or embroidery.
Services and pricing
Business cards start at $35 for 500 copies in black ink on standard white stock, with full-color options at $65 for the same quantity. Letterhead runs $45 to $75 per 250 sheets depending on finish. Postcard printing (4x6, a standard size for local nonprofits announcing events) costs $50 per 500 in full color. Custom envelope printing is available but requires a 250-unit minimum order at $40 to $60 depending on size and ink colors. Design services are available at $40 per hour if artwork arrives unfinished. Same-day service adds 20 percent to the standard price and applies only to simple, one- or two-color jobs; verify current capacity before relying on it, as volume changes weekly. The shop offers a 10 percent discount for standing orders of 500+ units placed on a monthly or quarterly cycle, a meaningful savings for nonprofits and small contractors who mail regularly.
How Express Prints compares to other Baltimore options
The main alternative for small businesses is UPS Store locations across Baltimore, which offer printing through a national network but with longer turnaround (typically 3 to 5 business days), no in-house capability, and less negotiating room on price for high-volume repeat jobs. For nonprofits needing mail-merge or data-cleaning alongside printing, Allegra Network Print Centers (two locations in the Baltimore area) offer similar services but at higher minimums and with less flexibility on rush fees. For businesses prioritizing design consultation and branded collateral packages, larger agencies like Vistaprint operate online-only with lower per-unit costs but require digital uploads and offer no walk-in option. Choose Express Prints if you need a printed sample or proof within hours, work within Fells Point or nearby Canton, or manage a nonprofit mailing with irregular quantities; choose UPS Store for basic business cards and convenience; choose an online service if you have artwork ready and can wait a week.
Who it suits and who it does not suit
Express Prints works best for small-business owners, freelancers, and nonprofit program directors who need modest quantities (250 to 2,000 pieces) on unpredictable schedules. Contractors handing out cards on job sites, local nonprofits promoting events month-to-month, and consulting practices needing fresh letterhead without bulk waste all fit the typical customer base. It does not suit large organizations with annual printing budgets and standing contracts, graphic design shops needing to white-label printing, or anyone requiring specialized finishing like foil stamping, embossing, or die-cutting. It is not cost-competitive for runs over 5,000 units where offset printing at a larger facility would yield economies of scale.
What the first visit involves
Walk in with a finished PDF or artwork file if possible; the shop can also scan a physical sample if you want to match an existing design. If you do not have digital files, the designer can build one from scratch at $40 per hour. You will discuss quantities, ink colors, paper stock, and whether you need a proof before the full run. If the job is simple and the shop is not overbooked, you can pick up business cards or postcards the same day; more complex jobs or larger quantities typically print within 2 to 3 business days. Payment is cash or card; the shop does not require a deposit on orders under $200.
Hours, parking, and logistics
Express Prints is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed weekends. Parking on South Broadway is metered and limited; nearby lots include the Fells Point garage a two-block walk east. Verify current hours by phone before stopping in on a Friday afternoon, as the shop sometimes closes early if the owner is managing production in the back. The shop is accessible by foot from the Broadway-Fells light rail stop, about eight minutes south.
Express Prints fills a gap for Baltimore small-business owners and nonprofits who cannot wait a week and do not need industrial-scale production, making it the logical choice for same-day or next-day local printing.
