What Gingko Press does

Gingko Press is an independent book publisher and online retailer specializing in visual culture titles spanning art, graphic design, architecture, photography, street art, fashion, typography, literature, popular culture, and children's creative content. Founded approximately 30 years ago (firmographics cite 1985 while company history cites 1990 as the founding year based on a 2020 milestone), the company is headquartered in Richmond, California and operates a secondary retail/street-sales location in Berkeley. The product line includes hundreds of titles across categories such as art and design reference books (including the bestselling Palette color-themed series from partner Victionary), national design showcases (Made in Japan, Made in Korea), craft and technique instructional titles, children's activity books (Paper Toys, What's That Face?), and high-margin limited editions featuring artists such as Ryan McGinness, R. Crumb, and Michael (GIANT) LeSage. The firm holds exclusive publishing rights to Marshall McLuhan materials and distributes select international imprints.

The business model is direct-to-consumer e-commerce as the primary channel, supplemented by independent bookstore distribution across the U.S. and periodic street sales at the Berkeley showroom. Pricing spans $12.95 to $55 for standard books and activity products, with limited/signed editions priced up to $3,000 (e.g., the Bukowski/Crumb collaboration). Marketing is conducted via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, an email newsletter, and the company's website storefront. The firm employs 1-10 people, operates as a privately-held corporation (Gingko Press, Inc.), has no disclosed funding rounds, and has no identified parent company or institutional investment.

Core publishing partnerships include Victionary (Palette series), Black Sparrow Press (Bukowski literary titles), and Sandu Publishing (It's a Match! and other design titles). The company has no disclosed technology platform, no AI/ML capabilities, no app, and no public API. Customer segments are horizontal, spanning design professionals, creative hobbyists, and children/families, with primary use cases covering reference, creative inspiration, and educational activity materials.

Name

Gingko Press

Legal name

Gingko Press, Inc.

Website

https://gingkopress.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Gingko Press is an independent Richmond, California-based book publisher specializing in visual culture titles—art, graphic design, architecture, photography, street art, literature, and pop culture—sold direct-to-consumer online and through independent bookstores globally, with exclusive Marshall McLuhan rights and premium artist limited editions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: Primary revenue from selling published books across various categories including art, graphic design, architecture, photography, and children's books. Products range from standard editions to limited/signed editions at premium prices.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Gingko Press is an independent book publisher and online retailer that publishes, curates, and sells books and creative activity products focused on visual culture, including art, graphic design, architecture, photography, typography, street art, fashion, children's books, and pop culture. The catalog includes standard trade editions, reference series (Palette, Packaged for Life, Made in Japan/Korea), craft and technique titles, and exclusive limited/signed editions from notable artists.

Product overview

Gingko Press is an independent book publisher and online bookstore specializing in art, design, graphic design, architecture, photography, and pop culture publications. The company operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform selling physical books and creative activity products. Their core product is their book catalog, which spans diverse categories including Art, Architecture & Interiors, Design, Graphic Design, Fashion, Photography, Literature, Typography, Street Art & Graffiti, Children's Books, Coloring Books, Crafts, Popular Culture, Travel, and McLuhan-related titles. Beyond books, they offer a Goodies line of creative activity products including journals, sketchbooks, coloring books, flip books, card games, and paper craft toys (Paper Toys series, What's That Face? series). The Palette series provides color-themed design references, while national design showcases cover Made in Japan and Made in Korea. They also publish limited edition works by notable artists including Ryan McGinness, R. Crumb, and Mike GIANT LeSage. The company distributes internationally and partners with various publishing imprints including viction:ary, Black Sparrow Press, and others.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Art and Design Book Catalog Core publishing catalog spanning Art, Architecture & Interiors, Design, Graphic Design, Fashion, Photography, Literature, Typography, Street Art & Graffiti, Children's Books, Coloring Books, Crafts, Popular Culture, Travel, Antiques & Collectibles, and McLuhan-related titles, distributed to readers and creative professionals worldwide.
• Goodies (Creative Activity Products) Creative activity product line including journals, sketchbooks, coloring books, flip books, card games, storytelling games, and calendars for children and creative adults.
• Limited Editions Exclusive numbered and signed editions of select publications featuring renowned artists such as Ryan McGinness, R. Crumb, and Mike GIANT LeSage, with unique production characteristics including signed copies, hand-painted covers, and special print runs.
• Journals & Sketchbooks Stationery products including the Palette Mini Series Sketchbook featuring colorful pages, bookmark ribbons, and compact designs for creative and everyday use.
• Paper Toys Series Die-cut paper craft books for children that allow building of paper creatures including Animals, Monsters, Robots, Aliens, Fantasy Creatures, and Super Heroes without requiring glue or scissors.
• What's That Face? Series Interactive activity books for children featuring creatures (monsters, animals, robots) with detachable mask templates and sticker sheets for drawing, coloring, and role-playing.
• Palette Series Color-themed design reference books including Palette Mini editions covering Black & White, Multicolour, Gold & Silver, Neon, Pastel, Transparent, Monotone, Iridescent, Nature, and Nude themes, distributed in partnership with Victionary.
• Packaged for Life Series Packaging design showcase books featuring Beer Wine & Spirits, Chocolate, Coffee & Tea, and Scent categories highlighting creative packaging design from around the world.
• Made in Japan / Made in Korea National design showcase books highlighting creative talent and design aesthetics from Japan and Korea across graphic design, branding, illustration, fashion, product, and spatial design.
• GIANT Eternal (Signed Limited Edition) A 320-page hardcover monograph by graffiti artist Michael (GIANT) LeSage featuring tattoo artwork, drawings, hand lettering, and worldwide travel documentation. Limited to 235 individually spray-painted and signed copies.
• No Sin / No Future – Ryan McGinness (Limited Edition) A 168-page limited edition featuring snapshots, sketches, and scans from artist Ryan McGinness's studio archives. Limited to 2,500 copies with 200 color illustrations.
• The Captain is Out to Lunch (Limited Edition) Charles Bukowski's unpublished journals illustrated by R. Crumb, produced with five hand-printed serigraphs and six black-and-white illustrations. Printed with over 2,000 presses in 51 colors.
• Craft & Technique Books Instructional books covering crafting techniques including Paperists (paper art), Embroidery, From Thread to Needle, Woven Together (weaving), Carve! (wood carving), Leatherworking, Terrariums, Knots, and Ballpoint Art.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• VictionarycoreTechnology or IntegrationPublishing partner for the Palette series - color-themed design reference books that are among Gingko Press's bestsellers. Victionary provides design content that Gingko distributes through their platform.
• Independent BookstorescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKey distribution partners for 30 years. Independent bookstores work to get Gingko Press titles into customers' hands, forming the backbone of their retail distribution.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Rizzoli International Publications: Publisher of illustrated books on art, architecture, design, fashion, photography, and lifestyle. Comparable to Gingko in niche visual-culture focus, premium pricing, and gift/coffee-table book positioning.
• Chronicle Books: Independent publisher of books, gift products, and stationery across design, art, food, pop culture, and children's categories. Comparable to Gingko in design-forward independent publishing approach, stationery/journals line, and direct-to-consumer strength.
• Prestel Publishing: Publisher of illustrated art, architecture, design, photography, and children's books. Comparable to Gingko Press in product mix, visual-culture editorial direction, and international author base.
• Thames & Hudson: Independent publisher of illustrated books on art, architecture, design, and visual culture with global distribution. Closely aligned with Gingko Press in editorial mission and product type.
• Phaidon Press: Publisher of high-quality books on art, architecture, design, photography, fashion, food, and visual culture. Comparable to Gingko in editorial focus on visual culture reference and similar target buyer segments.
• Victionary: Hong Kong-based design publisher of color-themed reference books (Palette, etc.) and design anthologies. Direct partner of Gingko Press and direct peer in color/design reference publishing category.
• Abrams Books: Publisher of high-quality illustrated books on art, photography, architecture, graphic design, and pop culture. Comparable to Gingko Press in visual-culture editorial focus and premium illustrated book positioning.
• Taschen: Global art book publisher specializing in visual culture, design, architecture, photography, and pop culture. Directly comparable to Gingko Press in target audience (design professionals, collectors, hobbyists), product type (high-quality illustrated books), and premium limited-edition strategy.

Broad incumbents

• MIT Press: University publisher with leading design, architecture, and visual studies lists. Comparable to Gingko Press in design/architecture book publishing but serves an academic-leaning audience at larger scale.
• Yale University Press: Academic publisher with strong art, architecture, and design lists. Comparable to Gingko Press in art/architecture reference publishing but operates at larger scale with broader academic mandate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/gingkopress
• Facebookfacebook.com/gingkopressofficial
• Instagraminstagram.com/gingkopress
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gingko-press-incorporated

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gingko Press