Forever 29

Yes, we’re for sale. Advertising in print and online, eblasts and posts have long been among our sales portfolio but now, sadly, Reunions magazine is for sale. We will entertain any offers to buy any of our assets. Those include the magazine you’re holding in your hands or reading online, our online assets on the web and Pinterest and also our rich and lengthy lists of qualified reunion planners. Contact editor@reunionsmag.com, 414-263-4567 or write Reunions magazine, PO Box 11727, Milwaukee WI 53211.

These two pictures are taken almost 30 years apart. The black and white taken in spring 1990 includes two who are still here while the other three have all moved away …. far away. The second is our current intrepid team (left to right) Karla Lavin, Edith Wagner, Sarah Christiaansen, Roberta McLoud and Jennifer Rueth. 2019 Photo by Ashley Glad Michaels.

FOREVER 29 …

For almost 30 years, Reunions magazine has been the love of my life. It started as a kernel of an idea and grew and grew. Hundreds of issues, thousands of reunions and an exciting nationwide audience. It was added to the web very early when none of us, or you, could even fathom yet what lay ahead. Looking back, our web presence was rudimentary at best but it was anybody’s guess what that was all about. Some said: whadda waste of time! We thought: get a handle on this … what a great way to reach our readers! Our web presence has migrated from oh-so-simple to now hundreds of pages about thousands of reunions presented in categories of interest to reunion planners. Then we added a Pinterest page with dozens of boards featuring more reunion-related categories and pins (ideas) that has become a great driver of reunion planners to our website and the magazine.

But, as with all magazines, it has become overwhelmingly expensive to print and mail, and so we must, like so many other publications, face our future.

We have always enjoyed enthusiastic supporters/ advertisers for our issues, as we have with this one. Advertisers paid to reach reunion planners and that’s what we deliver. And because we offer a readership of reunion planners, we have essentially provided the magazine and web material free to planners. And now, loyal advertisers are still supporting us, while some are looking to new markets, as they looked to reunions for almost 30 years.

I can’t deny that this feels like a serious loss in the family. Everyone is sad and lamenting an end, but not without thoughts of praise we’ve received over the years and a sadness that new reunion planners coming up and those who have come to depend on us might be wondering where to turn now. We will leave our web assets online as long as we can and continue to add to them for the time being. We will continue to send newsletters twice a month, so if you’ve not subscribed, sign up online now to receive reunion news regularly.

People who know magazines, know publishing, have wondered at how long we’ve held on. But it’s not been without sacrifice, and now financial issues which we’ll have to face head on.

We have run out of time, but more important, we’ve not only run out of money but we owe a lot that will keep what little income there is in jeopardy for the months and perhaps years to come. Then, sadly, like so many other publications, bankruptcy is a consideration.Not, of course, the way we’d hoped to go out, but a reality that’s been biting at our heals for the last several years. The sadness is one of a close family slowly disintegrating, but not without little glimmers of hope though not for the product.

For all these years, our employees have all become close friends. The younger ones were encouraged to leave the nest as their skills grew and their creativity flourished. We stay in touch and get together regularly, which I hope will continue. Perhaps most unique, we are mostly neighbors so no one will be far away as we each pursue our next adventures on someone else’s nickel. While neighborly and good, good friends, we have never become so close that we spend a lot of time together outside of work. We’ve welcomed births (mostly grandchildren), marveled at growth, cheered graduations and advancing careers, celebrated weddings (no divorces), mourned deaths and been there for one another without injecting ourselves in each other’s personal lives. Recently, someone asked whether you have to be a neighbor to work here and after some thought I said, “I guess so!”

So the fact that we became a recognized national publication might seem a bit of a mystery but it was an idea that took root and spread and was welcomed by reunion planners throughout the land. It’s that phenomenon that always caused curiosity and wonder, along with working with both supporter/advertisers and readers who never knew that we were not located somewhere in a fancy office complex but rather ensconced in a converted living and dining room just north of downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the Riverwest neighborhood. Most everyone walks to work and going home for lunch took no longer to walk than to the lunchroom in most office buildings. Longevity reigns. Once they started, they stayed. It’s comfortable. And, sadly, I have no idea what the cats and I will do without the constant traffic of people coming and going.

There’s no dress code and comfort has always been the watchword. Once years ago, a salesperson started and boy, was she out of place with her fancy salesperson outfits, perfect hair and makeup and high heels! Rather than demur to our standards, she soon found this not to her liking and left. That was rare because over our almost 30 years we’ve really had very few employees. Most everyone has been part-time, mothers with kids at home and then in school, student interns who stayed on after graduation and subcontractors for specific projects.

And so, we have several pleas for you to consider. First, don’t forget our amazing longevity. We braved and survived the long economic downturn of earlier this century when many niche publications managed to soldier through with their dedicated audiences and advertising supporters. Second, continue to visit our web, Pinterest and facebook pages, which we will support as long as we can and sustain for as long as possible.

And now, a bit of a BEG, which we’ve always resisted but now given what seems like a last chance, we can’t pass up. Imagine this is our gofundme page. If you feel you’ve gotten something from our efforts that has helped you plan and stage your reunion, we will thank you heartily for a contribution. Recently, we received an Etsy order from Joyce M. Rucker of Rancho Cucamonga, California (near where I lived many years ago!) saying that she was receiving a complimentary subscription and that she would like to contribute by paying for a subscription because Reunions magazine is AWESOME! Her emphasis, not mine. I have collected hundreds of pages of kudos and comments, only a few of which appear on our webpages. And it was often those comments that kept smiles on our faces and joy in our hearts to continue in good and not so good times.

You will not be demeaned for shedding a tear with us, as we are very sad to be in this position, having to abandon a long-time love without an apparent final reward. We are not above declaring that should anyone of you, or anyone you know, want to buy our product, we are eager to hear from you. We would love to keep working on the product if that interests anyone. We will be updating and polishing our mailing list (NOT email list) for sale.

And back issues we still have are FREE … speak up soon because even those will have to be moved beyond our control. If your reunion has been featured and you want copies for everyone, or if you want copies to hand out at your reunion, or to encourage members with ideas to help you plan your reunion, now’s your chance because later you’ll be outta luck. We will ask you to pay the small amount of shipping. Contact Karla (414-263-4567 or klavin@reunionsmag) to determine the amount.

HERE’S WHAT WON’T STOP

We’ll try to keep these going as long as we can, so stay tuned and in touch on www.reunionsmag.com, podcasts, ISSUU, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Etsy. Reunion Reports: we’ll add your reunion report and pictures to reunionsmag.com as we receive them. Reunion resources: listings from reunion hosts and services; search the listings to help find places and venues for your reunion and follow links to their websites. Upcoming reunions: we’ll continue to list them. Reunion Photo Gallery: add your reunion to the hundreds of others celebrated online! Giveaways and contests! Reunion Freebies: we’ll add new offerings as we find them. Reunionsmag.hotelplanner.com for free hotel search. Myevent.com 20% discount for Reunions magazine readers. Monthly newsletters with news, reminders, links and offers for your reunion so if you’re not receiving it, sign up now. Back issues: as long as they last, we’ll continue to give back issues free for the cost of shipping. Planning Podcasts: listen to reunion planning ideas. Reunion Planning Workshops: we will continue to add info as we learn about workshops.

We thank readers, contributors, advertisers, sponsors, supporters and employees who have been a part of Reunions magazine over these 29 years for making this a happy, joyful enterprise. Reunions rule! EW