Fratelli Bonvini: A Cool Working Museum for Printing and Stationery

If you know anything about me, you know one of my favorite things to do in Milan is to stroll through the streets to discover all the small shops with long histories throughout the city. Living in a city with such incredible architecture, museums and parks, it’s easy to overlook all the small vibrant shops that give Milan it’s own personality in Italy. One of those shops is Fratelli Bonvini.

Celebrating their 110th birthday this year, Fratelli Bonvini is a gem outside of the usual vis-a-vis of the city. Started as a stationery shop in 1909, the shop soon evolved to provide typography services to the various businesses in the area using three machines: a 19th-century platen press, an Imperial Cylinder Press, and a Heindelbery Stella. You will still find these machines in the shop. The store remained in the family run by the founder’s daughter and her husband until 2011. Concerned about losing this bit of history, a group of friends and enthusiasts took over the place performing a historic restoration to maintain all of its period charm. Thanks to their endeavors, Fratelli Bonvini is still around for us to enjoy. 

Besides their stationery, letterpress, and bookbinding services, they also do workshops about once a month. Some of the workshops in the past have included typography workshops, handwriting with an Italian focus (obviously), and simple bookbinding workshops. Although it’s definitely a niche market, it’s something very cool for those who still enjoy an old-fashioned feel for (some aspects) of their life. 

If you’re passionate about printing and stationery, or even if you’re not, pop in this shop to see all the cool art and exhibits. It’s very local, and definitely not something you can experience just anywhere, any day. 

Photos by the talented Rhianna May.