The Ocon family has always defined and been central to business at Aardvark Letterpress. Their story--and Aardvark's--is a truly contemporary urban American saga.

In 1963, Luis Ocon left Mexico and headed to Los Angeles in search of his American dream. Two years later, while working as a dish washer at the Holland House Café on 3rd and Fairfax he met Helen Kaplan who worked as a waitress there.  Luis spoke no English and Helen didn’t speak Spanish but Helen says that when she met Luis, it was love at first sight. They were married shortly after. Luis adopted Helen’s kids from her first marriage and moved them from their Jewish neighborhood and household into the traditional Mexican life of East L. A.

Established in 1968  Aardvark Typographers was one of the top typographic houses in Los Angeles. It was there that Luis found the work he had trained for as a young man in Mexico City: as a linotype operator setting lead slugs for use in typography and the vintage printing process of letterpress.

In 1978, Luis, who was by then the lead operator purchased and became owner of Aardvark and it continued its prominence as a leader in the industry. Gradually, computers were making their way into printing and the age old process of setting "hot metal" was being pushed out.  Luis saw the looming changes ahead and began to shift the focus from typography to letterpress.  He purchased a 100-year-old Chandler & Price hand-operated printing press and Aardvark Letterpress was born.

As Aardvark's reputation grew, Luis brought Brooks, his eldest adopted son into the business. Brooks demonstrated an intuitive talent and passion for graphic design and the process of letterpress and now oversees all of the printing at Aardvark.  In 1998, Luis’s other son Cary, who had become disillusioned with  the practice of law, happily joined his father and brother.  Today, Aardvark is run by Luis, Brooks and Cary.

All printing is performed onsite by master pressmen Jorge Estrada, Adan  Aragon and Bill Berkuta who between them have over a century of experience. The business still maintains full typesetting capabilities as well as its own fully operational Linotype machine, two Ludlow typesetting machines, and an extensive collection of hand-set type. More than 200 styles can be set "in house" and plates can be made for other completely customized work.

Luis and Helen, all of their children (Brooks, Kim, Cary, Debbie and Francine) and grandchildren (Bruce, Beverly, Bianca, Brandon, Sammy, Enzo and Sophia), are seen with regularity at Aardvark (especially around lunchtime).