Print shop & PC repair aims to please with affordable pricing and community spirit

Gary Francis and Kassandra Wood in their new Prints Charming Repair store at 312 E. Second Ave., Suite A in The Dalles.

By Tom Peterson

The Dalles, Ore., Nov. 11, 2025 — After years of handling printing and repair work at Staples, Kassandra Wood and Gary Francis have opened Prints Charming Repair, a mom-and-pop shop built on affordability, fast turnaround, and a deep sense of service to the community they grew up in.

The couple are familiar faces to many local customers who relied on them at Staples. Francis served as a general manager, overseeing printing, PC repair, merchandising, scheduling, hiring, firing, and training. Wood supervised the print department, handling blueprints, document jobs, and specialty requests. They both said those years made it clear how much unmet demand existed in The Dalles for quick, custom printing and repair work.

Their new shop at 312 E. Second Ave., Suite A, offers apparel printing, PC repair, document printing, laser engraving, indoor and outdoor banners, business cards, posters, and inexpensive photo printing. 

Gary and Kassandra standing at left had some fun showing off their handiwork at the Granada Theatre on Friday, Nov. 7 when they handed out these awesome paddles of John, Gorge, Paul and Ringo for a Beatles tribute concert at TD’s iconic venue. Classic!

“We can do whatever you want, from flyers to iron-transfer logos for shoes,” Francis said.

The couple’s personal histories have deepened their commitment in the Gorge. Francis spent his childhood moving around  — The Dalles, Mosier, Lyle, Wishram, Goldendale, and towns across Sherman County. 

“My mom moved a lot,” he said. That pattern continued when she moved the family to Potlatch, Idaho, for his senior year of high school. He finished school there before eventually returning to The Dalles.

Wood’s path was different but just as rooted. She was born in The Dalles, raised in Hood River, and later spent 12 years in North Pole, Alaska, before returning. Coming home, she said, “felt natural because this is where most of my life has always been.”

Their shared history came full circle in 2021, when both had separated from previous partners and reconnected on Tinder. Only later did they realize they had crossed paths years earlier. “She actually went to my high school graduation,” Francis said. At the time, Wood was dating his brother, and Francis once picked wildflowers to give her. They said that kind of overlap feels typical of life in the Gorge, where people’s stories tend to weave together over time.

Both were carrying heavy load-bearing chapters when they met again. Wood spent three months stuck in bed after an ankle injury, then endured the loss of her brother, their dog, and her mother, Shawna Rider, who died at 60. “It hit pretty hard,” she said. She stepped back from work to grieve and care for her children. Francis, meanwhile, was dealing with professional turmoil with a difficult work schedule at T/A Express Travel Center in Biggs Junction.  

This summer, the idea for Prints Charming surfaced when the family gathered around a campfire. 

“It came up jokingly,” Wood said. Their kids later tossed around names until she teased Francis by calling him her “Prints Charming.” The pun stuck, and adding “Repair” rounded out a vision for a one-stop local shop.

Turning the idea into reality required persistence. Many commercial spaces they looked at were priced out of reach, some ranging  from $12,000 to $50,000 a month. They eventually secured a 900-square-foot unit with basement storage from Kelly, the former owner of Canton Wok, who recognized them from childhood. Renovating the space with fresh paint., lights and flooring became their first big project together.

The equipment followed — and almost broke them. 

“Every machine that showed up wasn’t working,” Francis said. “Every single one.” They troubleshot six different machines. Wood remembers staring at a faulty card cutter thinking, “What am I going to do with this?” The company sent them a replacement - however it was a size larger and they had to get larger sized card stock. But Francis was able to fix the original machine, diversifying their offerings.  

The storefront and entrance of Prints Charming Repair at 312 E. Second Street, Suite A, in The Dalles is between Canton Wok and the Gorge Pokeshop.

Once the doors opened, a new challenge appeared: being found. “People walked past us a couple times and went into Canton Wok and then came back like, ‘Wait a minute,’” Francis said. Even so, word of mouth is spreading. “People definitely are kind of getting a good idea as far as us being here,” he said.

Affordability remains the heart of the business. Both grew up in families without much money, and they said that experience shapes how they operate. They want Prints Charming Repair to offer reliable services without pricing out local residents. The couple originally considered launching with a third partner but decided to run the shop themselves so they could focus on what they believed the community needed most.

One idea is already gaining traction: live-event shirt printing. Francis said the shop can print shirts featuring a band while the band is performing. Afterward, musicians can sign the shirts and auction them off to raise funds. “It may attract a little bit more as far as fundraising, throwing in some shirts,” he said.

Through setbacks, grief, machine failures, and tight finances, Wood and Francis said what keeps them committed is simple. “It’s seeing customers leave happy,” they said. “That’s what keeps you going, knowing you’re doing a good job for the community.”

Prints Charming Repair can be reached at 541-769-0110 or printscharmingrepairllc@gmail.com.