Enriching and Inspiring Humankind, One Book at a Time
— The Gibbs Smith, Publisher Story
The Beginning
Gibbs M. Smith always wanted to be a history professor. But while in pursuit of his master’s degree, Smith wrote a dissertation on Joe Hill–American labor martyr, proletarian folk hero, and songwriter–that profoundly changed his life. After the book was published by the University of Utah press and made into a movie, Gibbs started entertaining the idea of starting his own publishing company. While riding a cable car in San Francisco and contemplating this venture, he wrote Alfred Knopf a letter. "In my view, he was the greatest publisher in America," reflects Smith. Knopf wrote back with words of encouragement; later they spoke over the phone. Gibbs now had the inspiration needed to embark upon this extraordinary entrepreneurial adventure. In 1969, Gibbs and his wife, Catherine, started the company known today as Gibbs Smith, Publisher. With $12,000 in cash earned from the Smiths’ work on the movie Joe Hill, the company published four initial books, which would be used as supplementary texts in college history classes. The first few years were tough, as Gibbs and his wife, Cathy, ran the company out of their studio apartment in Santa Barbara.
The Barn
In 1973, the company relocated to Utah, where Gibbs and Cathy reinvested profits back into the business and lived on savings. They spent the first summer there converting an old barn (built in 1916) on the family farm into offices. It was a race against time, as the barn had no roof and winter was rapidly approaching. During that summer they also managed to publish a new textbook, Utah’s Heritage. This proved to be a very wise decision, as the company’s textbook division provided financial stability during the early years.
Working in a semi-converted barn was challenging at times. Madge Baird, who joined the company in 1974 and now serves as Managing Editor, recalls a meeting with an author that was interrupted by the birth of a lamb. "When I heard the news I jumped up, ran outside, and started ‘lambing,’" she said.
Gibbs will never forget sharing the barn with cows those first few years. "You could hear them mooing through the walls," he says with a smile. "People could hear them over the phone, too." When he would explain the ruckus, the response on the other end of the line was always the same: "You do what . . .from where?"
Today, many of the employees of Gibbs Smith, Publisher continue to work in the small but rustic and charming barn, and thankfully, the cows are long gone.
The Books
If you’re not familiar with Gibbs Smith, Publisher titles, think smart. Think stylish. Think sophisticated. Think original. This not only describes the company’s focus on design and architecture books, but also encompasses every category the trade division publishes in, which includes business, cooking, western, holiday, children’s, and sports. Both the company and its impressive collection of titles are nationally renowned and respected.
Gibbs still believes that this unique working environment stimulates the creative side of the business, which has always been its dominant strength. "Each day, our spirits are renewed and refreshed by the sound of running water outside our windows, the feel of old log cabins located on our farm, the subtle hues of weathered barnwood, the smell of hayfields, the sight of sheep outside our windows," he says. "We feel our feet are on the earth and our minds and spirits are seeking to express only the best in the pages of our books."
Indeed they do.