Sometimes the best things start as only a passing thought. Something that, with careful planning and support, can become wonderful.
Dublin Life started as an idea from a Dubliner who wanted to share the untold stories unfolding in his community. With the backing and support of the City and City Council, the magazine published its first issue in June 1999 and continues to reach thousands of readers today.
Although that very first issue predates my time as editor, I have been overjoyed to see all Dublin has to offer and meet so many of the people that make it the great community it remains today.
As we have sadly seen other publications come and go, we are forever thankful for the immeasurable support we receive from our partners, readers and other members of the community.
Join me as I reflect on 25 years of stories, history and community.
A grand opportunity
Fred Zimmerman was a long-time Dublin resident who had worked in the publishing industry for more than 20 years. His company had been creating The Ohio State University football programs for some time, but when the university chose a different publisher, Zimmerman had to find a new venture.
Dublin Life August/September
That is when he turned his focus to his own community and began to notice the change and growth happening in his backyard. With everything that was happening, there were so many stories that had yet to be shared.
Sandra Puskarcik was working with the City of Dublin when Zimmerman approached her and proposed the idea of a new publication: a magazine centered around Dublin.
“We did have two local newspapers at the time as well,” Puskarcik says. “They were really presenting the journalism side of what was happening in the city and in the community, and Fred really wanted to bring the spirit and the soul of Dublin alive through a quality, four-color magazine.”
Zimmerman wasn’t the only person who saw the potential.
The city wanted to make a name for itself and at the same time, the Memorial Tournament was gaining more national attention than ever. Intending to expand Dublin’s brand and reach, the City Council, and then City Manager Tim Hansley, were very receptive to new ideas as they wanted to foster the city’s growth any way they could.
From day one the project was a collaborative effort, Hansley says, but a big part of the process was honing in on how the partnership would function--that was where Puskarcik came in.
“We had some concerns about it becoming the official magazine and what that meant. In what ways would it be independent? In what ways would we be partners?” Hansley says. “That is why Sandra was (included), so she could listen in the background so we had that presence, but we did not own the magazine.”
Past and present
Dublin Life Feb 2023
When comparing recent issues to the inaugural one side by side, you can still see the influence of those early years.
The city has maintained a presence in the magazine with a letter from the city manager in every issue alongside stories that showcase its programs and accomplishments. But as the city has expanded to include areas such as Emerald Parkway and Bridge Park, the magazine has expanded as well.
In the early days of the publication, the magazine contained only five stories compared to the average of 10 in each issue today. These stories are written by our editorial team and community groups such as the Dublin branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, Dublin Arts Council and the Dublin City Schools.
Each issue would not be the same without our columnist and Dublin resident, Colleen D’Angelo, who shares her personal stories and perspectives in her bimonthly columns.
Capturing stories forever
Throughout its history, Dublin Life has shared countless stories of residents, teachers, city workers, students, businesses and more.
Some of those stories have featured well-known names in the community like David Guion, Shelley Meyers, Margie Amorose and Armin Rahmanian – while others have highlighted extraordinary community members like Reilly Hickey and Deb Papesh.
There are some classic features that make an appearance almost every year – including the Memorial Tournament and Dublin Irish Festival – due to their popularity, but our team always strives to bring novel ideas and perspectives to the magazine as well.
Dublin Life Feb/March 2017 Cover
One such idea was a set of stories called the Storyteller Series that ran from 2016 through 2019. In those issues, the stories of some of the oldest community members were collected and shared to ensure that they were preserved and remembered over time.
With every story we write, we are always looking to honor the stories of those who have impacted Dublin and continue to help it thrive. The community – and this magazine – would not be what they are today without the help, feedback and support of the people in it.
We have loved being your community magazine for 25 years and we look forward to many more years to come.
Dublin Life by the numbers
19,500 copies mailed to Dublin homes
48 pages of editorial and advertising content
6 issues each year
70+ stories per year
Rachel Karas is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at rkaras@cityscenemediagroup.com.
