Winnisquam Printing's new home has a familiar air to it

In 1982, Richard Higginbotham opened Winnisquam Printing on Messer Street. He had worked for his father's printing business in Manchester, and was ready to start out on his own.

At first his business occupied a third of the building at 17 Messer, then as he grew it expanded into two-thirds of the building. Then the business moved to Pleasant Street, and for the past 12 or so years he's been located at 31 Court Street, a building which Higginbotham owned.

But last week, Higginbotham and his employees found themselves back in the Messer street storefront that they started in 26 years ago. A Walgreen's drug store will soon be moving in to the corner of Court and Main Streets, and the building at 31 Court Street, as well as a few others in the vicinity, will be demolished to make way for the drug store and related parking lot.

That means a bit of a boon to Higginbotham, because the Walgreen's developer paid him for the building, and because the dance studio that was until recently occupying the Messer Street location has vacated, Winnisquam Printing can return to its roots. Only this time, the printing business is leasing the entire building.

"We expect to do well here," said Higginbotham. Walking through the space, it's clear that there's still a good deal of unpacking and arranging to do. That's okay, because the primary goal was to get set up and ready to serve customers first, which is exactly what they did. Despite the still-moving-in appearances, Winnisquam Printing is fully open for business.

"We're in business, offering the same services we've always offered, and I aim to please everyone that wants to give us a call," said Higginbotham. Winnisquam Printing offers printing, bindery and laminating services, as well as fax and copy services. "We've got pretty much all the equipment that anyone needs to get the job done," he said.