John Loehr, the founder of Side-by-Side Classics, first visited Mexico in 2020 during the pandemic, taking advantage of the chance to travel. He initially planned to spend just a month in a Spanish-speaking country, and after careful consideration, he chose Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Within weeks, John realized Mexico offered the lifestyle he was seeking, and he decided to stay. Since then, he has also lived in Medellín and Mexico City, traveled extensively, and continues to call Puerto Vallarta home.

While studying in an intensive Spanish immersion program in Medellín, John searched for a book focused purely on Spanish vocabulary but couldn’t find one. This gap in the market inspired him to publish his first book, Nothing but Vocab: Spanish Edition. This initial venture led to the creation of Side-by-Side Classics, a publishing company that brings classic public-domain books to readers in dual-language editions, featuring side-by-side translations. These books make timeless literature accessible to language learners who might otherwise struggle to enjoy them. John takes great pride in the success of his books, finding fulfillment in helping students improve their language skills. He is now expanding into new markets and is offering dual-language editions in additional languages.

John enjoys mountain biking, hiking, weightlifting, indulging in street tacos, and watching a good movie when he’s not working on his next publishing project.