St. Augustine's Press
St. Augustine's Press is an independent academic publisher founded in 1996, specializing in scholarly books on philosophy, theology, and cultural and intellectual history, serving scholars, students, and general readers interested in the Catholic intellectual tradition and Western civilization.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersSouth Bend, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What St. Augustine's Press does
St. Augustine's Press is an independent, privately held academic publishing company founded in 1996 by Bruce Michael Fingerhut in South Bend, Indiana, and now operating without its founder following his death in May 2023. The press specializes in scholarly books in philosophy, theology, and cultural and intellectual history, with a thematic emphasis on the Catholic intellectual tradition, classical thought, and Western civilization. It has built a backlist of more than 500 titles across categories including philosophy, theology, history, literary criticism, biography, and political science, with curated series such as the Weight of Words Series (British literary criticism) and a co-publishing program with the International Churchill Society producing definitive annotated editions of Churchill's works (The River War, My Early Life).
The press operates on a traditional book publishing model with no proprietary technology platform. Its website (staugustine.net) is powered by Supadu, and wholesale and retail order fulfillment is handled through a partnership with the Chicago Distribution Center, with additional sales through academic bookstores and online retailers. Books are sold as one-time purchases at set retail prices: hardcovers typically priced at $50 (with premium multi-volume editions such as River War 2V at $150), paperbacks in the $15–$24 range, and eBooks at roughly $12. There is no subscription, SaaS, or recurring revenue component.
Customer segments are individual consumers — academic scholars and researchers in philosophy/theology/intellectual history as the primary segment, plus a secondary segment of general intellectually curious readers — served through direct website sales, catalog distribution, a mailing list, and a content blog. Marketing channels include the company website, email newsletter, printed seasonal catalogs, blog content, and earned media coverage in outlets such as First Things, National Review, The Catholic World Report, and the Claremont Review of Books. The press maintains a small operating team (1–10 employees) and reports no external funding, parent company, or institutional ownership; rights and licensing are handled out of a Phoenix, Arizona office, and the Chicago Distribution Center handles warehouse and order operations.
St. Augustine's Press firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- St. Augustine's Press
- Legal name
- St. Augustine's Press
- Website
- https://staugustine.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- St. Augustine's Press is an independent academic publisher founded in 1996, specializing in scholarly books on philosophy, theology, and cultural and intellectual history, serving scholars, students, and general readers interested in the Catholic intellectual tradition and Western civilization.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
St. Augustine's Press industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Academic Book Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (51313)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Research Monographs & University Press Publishing (MPAJABAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Religious Nonfiction & Theology Publishing (Apologetics, Doctrine, Ethics) (MPAJAHAG), Social Sciences Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAD)
Keywords
Where St. Augustine's Press is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- South Bend
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
St. Augustine's Press business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Book Sales: The primary revenue stream comes from selling physical books (hardcover and paperback) and eBooks directly through the company website and through distribution partnerships. Each book is sold as a one-time purchase at set retail prices.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Standard hardcover editions |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Paperback editions |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | eBook editions |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
St. Augustine's Press product offering
Product offeringCore offering
St. Augustine's Press is an independent academic publisher that produces and sells scholarly books in philosophy, theology, and cultural and intellectual history. The press has published more than 500 titles across categories including philosophy, theology, history, literary criticism, biography, and political science, offering hardcover, paperback, and eBook editions. Books are sold directly through the company website and distributed via the Chicago Distribution Center to academic bookstores and retailers.
Product overview
St. Augustine's Press is an academic publisher specializing in scholarly books primarily in philosophy, theology, and cultural and intellectual history. The company publishes a diverse portfolio of books organized across multiple categories including philosophy, theology, history, literary criticism, and biography. Notable publications include the Weight of Words Series featuring literary criticism works, Winston Churchill editions edited by James W. Muller, and various theological works. The press also publishes works in political science and fiction. Founded in 1996, the company distributes through Chicago Distribution Center and powers its website with Supadu technology.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Weight of Words Series: A book series focused on preserving and presenting Britain's literary genius, featuring works on literary criticism and British cultural history
Products and services
- The Weight of Words Series A literary criticism book series that presents and preserves British literary genius, featuring works by Jeremy Black on authors such as Agatha Christie, Henry Fielding, Tobias Smollett, and Gothic novelists; aimed at scholars and general readers interested in British literary and cultural history.
- Philosophy Publications Scholarly books in philosophy including works by St. Thomas Aquinas, Étienne Gilson, Alexandre Kojève, and Brian Kemple covering Thomism, metaphysics, and philosophical principles; targeted at academic scholars, students, and intellectually curious readers.
- Theology Publications Religious and theological works including titles by Georg Gänswein, Roberto Regoli, and Ernest Fortin covering Catholic theology, Church history, and philosophical culture; targeted at scholars, students, and lay readers interested in Catholic intellectual tradition.
- History Publications Historical works covering military history, British history, American history, and intellectual history by authors including Jeremy Black, Winston Churchill, and Marcel van Herpen; aimed at scholars, students, and general readers interested in Western history.
- Literary Criticism Publications Literary analysis and criticism works including Shakespeare studies, poetry collections, and critical essays on literature; targeted at academic literary scholars and general readers.
- Biography and Autobiography Publications Biographical works including studies of Pope Benedict XVI, Winston Churchill, and prominent Catholic figures; aimed at readers of political, religious, and intellectual history.
- Political Science Publications Political theory and analysis works covering American politics, political philosophy, and public policy; targeted at political science scholars, students, and informed general readers.
Companies that use St. Augustine's Press
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
St. Augustine's Press technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
St. Augustine's Press partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- International Churchill SocietycoreCollaboration with the International Churchill Society to publish definitive editions of Winston Churchill's works, including The River War (2 volumes, 2021) and My Early Life (2025). The society provides editorial guidance and scholarly support for accurate annotated editions.
- Chicago Distribution CentercorePrimary distribution partner handling order fulfillment for wholesale and retail orders. Located at 11030 S. Langley Avenue, Chicago, IL 60628. Phone: (800) 621-2736.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
St. Augustine's Press competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Liberty Fund: Liberty Fund publishes scholarly editions of foundational works in political philosophy, economics, and intellectual history — highly comparable in mission (preserving and reissuing classics) and backlist orientation.
- Angelico Press: Angelico Press is a small Catholic/traditional publisher covering theology, philosophy, and cultural criticism, comparable in niche positioning, backlist depth, and editorial sensibility.
- University of Notre Dame Press: Notre Dame Press publishes scholarly books in theology, philosophy, and intellectual history rooted in the Catholic intellectual tradition — comparable editorial niche and academic library channel.
- Tan Books: Tan Books is a Catholic publisher with a deep backlist in theology, philosophy, and classical Catholic literature, including reissues of perennial classics — directly comparable mission and catalog strategy.
- Sophia Institute Press: Sophia Institute Press publishes Catholic philosophy, theology, and moral/cultural commentary — a direct peer in subject focus, scale, and non-academic-but-scholarly positioning.
- Catholic University of America Press: Catholic University of America Press publishes scholarly works in theology, philosophy, Church history, and canon law — directly overlapping St. Augustine's Press's Catholic intellectual tradition focus and academic library channel.
- Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI Books): ISI Books publishes scholarly and intellectual works in political philosophy, Western civilization, and conservative thought — overlapping St. Augustine's Press on intellectual history and political theory titles.
- St. Ignatius Press: St. Ignatius Press is a Catholic publisher producing scholarly theology, philosophy, and Catholic fiction — closely comparable in subject matter, author profile, and trade/academic hybrid distribution model.
Broad incumbents
- Regnery Publishing: Regnery is a long-established conservative publisher with broader political/intellectual scope than St. Augustine's Press but overlapping audience and authors in political philosophy and cultural commentary.
- Encounter Books: Encounter Books publishes intellectual and political titles across conservatism, political philosophy, and culture — comparable author pool and audience, with broader trade reach than a niche academic press.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
St. Augustine's Press social profiles
Digital presenceSt. Augustine's Press financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
St. Augustine's Press leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
St. Augustine's Press funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
St. Augustine's Press M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about St. Augustine's Press
What does St. Augustine's Press do?
St. Augustine's Press is an independent academic publisher that produces and sells scholarly books in philosophy, theology, and cultural and intellectual history. The press has published more than 500 titles across categories including philosophy, theology, history, literary criticism, biography, and political science, offering hardcover, paperback, and eBook editions. Books are sold directly through the company website and distributed via the Chicago Distribution Center to academic bookstores and retailers.
Is St. Augustine's Press a public or private company?
St. Augustine's Press is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was St. Augustine's Press founded?
St. Augustine's Press was founded in 1996. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is St. Augustine's Press based?
St. Augustine's Press is headquartered in South Bend, United States, in the North America region.
How does St. Augustine's Press make money?
One revenue line is on record: book Sales.
Who are St. Augustine's Press's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Liberty Fund, Angelico Press, University of Notre Dame Press, Tan Books, Sophia Institute Press, Catholic University of America Press, Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI Books) and St. Ignatius Press. Broad incumbents are Regnery Publishing and Encounter Books.
Does St. Augustine's Press have an API?
No public API is recorded for St. Augustine's Press.
What industry is St. Augustine's Press in?
St. Augustine's Press's product category is Academic Book Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJABAJ, Research Monographs & University Press Publishing, with a secondary code of MPAJAHAG, Religious Nonfiction & Theology Publishing (Apologetics, Doctrine, Ethics). Its NAICS code is 51313 and its SIC code is 2731.