Edwin Mellen Press

Following its founding in 1972, the publishing house was initially meant to publish specialized scholarship produced in Richardson's department at the University of St Michael's College, Early publications included bibliographies, translations, and dissertations completed by faculty and doctoral students at the University of Toronto. The house was named after Richardson's grandfather, Edwin Mellen, whom he describes as a lover of books, as was Edwin Mellen University, a private university located on Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands operated by Richardson since 1992.

Under Richardson, the publishing house grew and began publishing works by scholars outside of the University of Toronto, widening its range of topics to the broader humanities and social sciences. By 1979 it had moved to new locations in Lewiston, New York and Queenston, Canada. Its office in Lampeter, Wales opened in 1987. By 1990 it was publishing up to 150 titles a year. Following Richardson's professional parting with St. Michael's College following a gross misconduct investigation and subsequent dismissal in October 1994, he expanded his publishing business, raising the annual number of works published to 350.