Our Story
From a single press in a family garage to a full-service print shop in Anaheim—more than five decades of ink, paper, craftsmanship, and family.
A Press, a Garage & a Dream
J&W Printing began in 1970 with Joe Wilhite, a young printer who learned the trade at Gardena High School and sharpened his skills at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College. Printing wasn't just a job to Joe—it was a craft he wanted to build a life around.
With help from his father, J.R. Wilhite, Joe purchased his first printing press and set it up in his garage. His early customers included Wynn's Oil, where his father worked, and Skeels Hardware. Joe printed manuals, built relationships, and proved that good work and a strong reputation could grow a business one job at a time.
Before long, the garage gave way to J&W's first storefront in Gardena, California.
Joe & Debbie
As J&W Printing grew, Joe and Debbie were also building a life together. Their family became part of the company's story, from its early years in Gardena to the move to Orange County.
This photograph captures Joe and Debbie enjoying a night out together, away from the busy print shop.
A Family Business Finds Its Home
In 1977, Joe moved J&W Printing to Anaheim. That same year, he and his wife Debbie bought a home in Placentia and began a new chapter for their family. Their son Sean had been born in 1971, and daughter Kelley arrived in 1977.
And while balancing the demands of a growing family and running a business, Joe pursued another passion: professional bowling. In 1980, he won a Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) title—a remarkable achievement alongside everything he was building at home and at the shop.
As the family grew, so did the print shop. Joe's dedication to the business laid the foundation for something lasting: a local printing company built on personal service, practical know-how, and pride in every finished piece.
Same family values. A growing printing tradition.
A Champion on the Lanes
Joe wasn't just building a printing business. He was also competing as a professional bowler, winning a PBA regional title while balancing work and family.
These original clippings preserve the moment, including the tournament report and final standings with Joe at the top.
Built by Joe. Carried forward by Sean.
Keeping the Presses Running
After graduating from California State University, Fullerton in 1995, Sean Wilhite joined J&W Printing as a pressman. He learned the business from the production floor up, gradually taking on more responsibility and a larger role in managing day-to-day operations.
In 2020, Sean assumed full control of J&W Printing, carrying forward the company his father started half a century earlier.
These days, Joe enjoys spending plenty of time on the golf course at Alta Vista Country Club, where he has also served as Men’s Club President. After decades of hard work building the business—and a PBA title along the way—he has certainly earned a few more rounds of golf.
Old-School Knowledge. Modern Printing.
We've seen the printing industry change from hands-on typesetting, film negatives, and traditional presswork to today's fully digital workflows and wide-format production. We've lived that evolution—not just read about it.
That experience matters. It means we understand how a project should be designed, prepared, printed, finished, and delivered, whether it's a short-run booklet, a training manual, business stationery, or a large-format sign.
More than 50 years after Joe bought that first press, J&W Printing is still family owned and operated, still proud to call Anaheim home, and still focused on doing right by the people who trust us with their printing.
We don't just print things. We know printing.
Family, Then & Now
Sean and his wife Lisa have two children: Cade, a registered nurse working in Anaheim, and Brooke, a student at Arizona State University studying speech-language pathology.
Let's Make Something Great.
2796 E Miraloma Ave, Anaheim, CA 92806 · 714-630-0882
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