The library at Style Weekly is in a state of disarray. Unwieldy red hardcover books are out of place, stacked here and there, on tables and the floor, on an old sofa and throughout the newsroom.
Our editorial staff has been poring through these books in preparation for the issue you’re holding — or reading online — which marks the 25th anniversary of Style.
The books contain nearly all of Style’s 1,213 issues, including the first one that hit Richmond distribution points in November 1982, the one that declared aerobics to be a West End rage. The pages are faded and dated, but they are also full of optimism about the future of this new publication that founder Lorna Wyckoff put together on a kitchen table.
It’s difficult to imagine such optimism today, considering the publishing landscape: declines in daily newspaper circulation, layoffs and eroding stock prices, media consolidation and the downfall of many good, small newspapers.
But here we are, hundreds of stories, thousands of pages and millions of words later, celebrating a milestone. Thank you for reading us and supporting us with your advertising. Thank you for engaging in the discussion of our city and region, for exploring our local arts and culture with us, for getting to know Richmond through its people.
While the big red books all over our office contain pages of the past, we can’t help but maintain Wyckoff’s original optimism about our future. Since we kicked off our 25th anniversary in January, you may have noticed some physical improvements, as well:
Stay tuned for the changes to come. Our challenge is to continue to build on the efforts of the many hardworking and talented people who helped Style grow in these last 25 years. Thank you for allowing us to tell the story of Richmond. There’s much more ahead.
Lori Collier Waran
Publisher
Jason Roop
Editor
