Atascadero Printery opens doors for first time in over two decades

By Camille DeVaul · Fri Nov 14 2025

Gala celebrates 110 years and decade of restoration, with fundraising to complete its revival

ATASCADERO — For the first time in more than two decades, the front doors of the Historic Atascadero Printery swung open to the public as the Atascadero Printery Foundation hosted its Gala Celebration on Sunday, Nov. 9. From 4 to 7 p.m., guests stepped inside the landmark building to mark two milestones, the Printery’s 110th anniversary and the Foundation’s 10th year of restoration efforts, during an evening of live music, guided tours, historical exhibits, and community spirit.

The event carried deep significance for the Foundation and the community alike. Once the heartbeat of Atascadero’s early publishing industry, the 1915 structure had stood empty for nearly 22 years following severe damage from the 2003 San Simeon earthquake. Sunday’s gala marked the first public event held inside since then, signaling a tangible step forward in the Foundation’s mission to restore and reopen the historic building as a community hub for arts, education, and culture.

“We’ve had a gala event before, but this was the first time that we could have anything in the building,” said Atascadero Printery Foundation President Karen McNamara. “This was the first time the front doors have been open to the public in over 22 years.”

Guests mingled inside the Printery’s freshly restored room, the first to be fully completed after years of careful seismic retrofit work. The Foundation “prettied it up a little bit” for the occasion, McNamara said, noting that the finished space represents both a symbolic and practical victory for the team of volunteers and donors who have worked tirelessly to preserve the historic landmark.

“What we wanted to accomplish was to show everybody what we were doing with the funds that they have been donating that we’re putting it into the building,” McNamara explained. “We finished the seismic retrofit fit in that room and then we wanted to be able to open the doors, get them to come inside and see because most people haven’t ever been in the building ... and then show them the other rooms that need to be done and raise the funds to help do those other rooms so that we can get the doors open completely.”

The evening’s program honored the Foundation’s founders, the first 100 donors who contributed $1,000 or more to launch the restoration effort a decade ago. A video montage chronicling the Foundation’s 10-year journey highlighted both the challenges and accomplishments that have brought the Printery back to life, from structural stabilization to community engagement and grant funding.

The gala also featured a silent auction, live performances, and tours that allowed attendees to see areas of the building still awaiting repair. Restoration work so far has included brick ties, plaster repair, and ongoing roof replacement. The Foundation’s current end-of-year campaign, "Help Us Open the Doors," aims to raise funds for the final stages of the retrofit so the building can fully reopen to the public.

As of the week following the event, McNamara estimated that the Foundation had raised over $20,000 from the gala alone — with an additional $50,000 grant on the horizon.

“We’re hoping to hit at least $100,000, but maybe more,” she said. “If we raise half a million, I think we could get the doors open.”

That goal, McNamara added, is now within reach thanks to reduced construction estimates and community-driven support.

“We thought it was going to be a lot more than this and it's worked out to be a lot less expensive than the bids that came in originally," she said. "It looks like we'll be able to keep the cost down and hopefully within two years we can raise that additional funds and then we can get it done.”

Beyond the fundraising goals, Sunday’s event was a moment of reflection and gratitude for how far the Printery project has come.

“I saw a lot of wonderful people there," McNamara said. "It was a great time to thank everyone for their support because, as I said in my presentation, they're the ones that have got us this far ... we want to thank everyone that has donated ... it's you that's made us get to this point and helping us go forward.”

The gala also offered visitors a glimpse into the building’s layered history. Once home to the Atascadero News printing presses, the Printery later served as a junior college and community center in the 1920s, complete with a gym and indoor swimming pool — the remains of which the Foundation hopes to uncover and restore.

To learn more about the restoration project or contribute to the "Help Us Open the Doors" campaign, visit atascaderoprintery.org

Feature Image by Rick Evans/ATN