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| Q&A: Michael Brooke - Publisher, Concrete Wave Magazine (7141 Posts)
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CW in the Dallas area
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On 10/5/2003 Haim Rubinstein
wrote in from
(80.230.nnn.nnn)
Hey Stubbs,
I just found out about CW a month ago and would love to buy that Vol. 2 No. 1 copy from you, including postage, since I missed it and no back issues are available. I've got some catchin' up to do. You can email me directly at slfhr@*nospam*yahoo.com. (Just take out the *nospam* from the address.)
Haim
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CW in the Dallas area
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On 10/5/2003 Stubbs
wrote in from
(65.69.nnn.nnn)
I just cleaned out the B&N on N. Macarthur in IRVING, TX. Even found one issue left of Vol. 2, No. 1 and I took that too. Buy 'em up and send 'em to your friends, people!
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distribution...and the growth of the magazine
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On 10/5/2003
Michael Brooke
wrote in from
(209.29.nnn.nnn)
Both of these posts raise some very interesting points.
Right now, CW is growing due to the support of many different people: advertisers, editors, photographers, subscribers and of course those folks who buy the mag on the shelf.
It is truly a collective effort, but one that is needed in order to change the face of skateboarding.
If you enjoy the mag and spot it at Barnes and Noble (or anywhere else for that matter), buy a copy... this way, our sell thru improves and the chain orders more mags for distribution.
Subscribing to the magazine helps me move things along. Advertisers are willing to commit to mags when they see there is a good number of subscribers.
Right now, we are on target to hit 25,000 copies by June. This is 1/10 of what Transworld has out there and by estimation, it is the right number. I keep overhead really low...scary low! So low that I don't just operate on a shoestring budget, I operate on the little plastic thing at the end of the shoestring!
That being said, I want to publish a truly remarkable magazine - with the highest possible quality.
Bottom line, if you're into the type of skateboarding that concrete wave showcases, then become a part of the magazine by spreading the word. If you spend $20 buying 5 mags and handing them out to friends...then that really helps.
The other thing is to let shops know the magazine is available on a special program - $200 gets them a 1/8 color ad and 25 copies...I figure in most cities in the USA, there must be some skateshops interested in what CW is about!!
Spread the word on Concrete Wave...every little bit helps The skate revolution is happening faster than even I anticipated!
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Newstand or subscription
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On 10/4/2003 Haim Rubinstein
wrote in from
(80.230.nnn.nnn)
Michael,
Does it help the mag more if I buy each copy off the shelf or if I get a subscription? I'm ready to pay more if it will support the effort.
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This just in:
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On 10/4/2003
Andre
wrote in from
(12.237.nnn.nnn)
I just now heard on NPR:
Double take magazine has once again suspended publication... For those of you unfamiliar with Doubletake, it is a venue for photographers and other social observers to get their work published. Doubletake has given many photographers their first opportunity to publish, and had content and quality like few other mags out there today.
Much like Concrete Wave.
Doubletake has always been a tough mag to find, even though it won many awards. Lately I could not find one at all, and now I know why. Like CW, it was a small mag, definatelly not mainstream... But it did have about 90,000 subscribers at one time.
This is a sad time for photographers and publishers alike. People, it's time to support CW!!! For the rich folks out there, please make a donation for doubletake...
BTW go to http://www.doubletakemagazine.org , and see for yourself what a great mag we might loose.
Michael, sorry if this is off topic, but I thought it somehow related to your mag
Andre de Avillez
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Barnes and Noble and distribution....
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On 10/4/2003 michael brooke
wrote in from
(209.29.nnn.nnn)
As you can surmise, not all Barnes and Noble's carry Concrete Wave just yet... with folks like Stubbs cracking heads, they should start taking notice.
Basically, every magazine you see out there on the shelf is on consignment...I get em printed...they rack em and hopefully, folks go out and buy them.
To have your magazine racked upfront or displayed in a special way costs ten's of thousands of dollars...per week!
Seriously. Newsstand is a very expensive game!
However, I am committed to getting the mag out there. We started at 10,000 circulation. Our 8th issue will be at 17,500. By number 9 (January) we will have hit the magic figure of 20,000.
After this, I plan on increasing circulation to 25,000 by the time the June issue hits. The bottom line is that if you spot the magazine at Barnes and Noble, or any other retailer (they were upside down at Loblaws grocery store when I spied them last night!) BUY A COPY.
If you keep buying copies, Barnes and Noble will keep ordering more. The more they order, the easier it will be to find it. I have deliberately priced Concrete Wave at a very competitive price.
By the way, we do have a new program - any shop can get a 1/8 page ad for $200 and this gets them 25 copies. If they sell the 25 copies at $4 each, then the ad actually costs them $100. Not a bad deal.
The button is going down on distribution. The first goal was to make Concrete Wave a worthy magazine. I think we are achieving this...the next goal was to fix subscriptions ...we have fixed this. So, the final piece of the puzzle is making it easier to find.
I don't have the deep pockets of Time Warner, Primedia, Flynt Publications and High Speed Productions - all I have is my passion - and that's what you see in every issue. All the money raised from newsstand sales goes right back into printing more copies. If you buy Concrete Wave consider yourself a "shareholder."
Word of mouth is the strongest ad campaign money CAN'T buy. You guys have been outstanding in spreading the word...thank you!
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All Right
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On 10/3/2003
Joe
wrote in from
(67.39.nnn.nnn)
Mike - I'm glad to hear that you quit your day job to pursue your passion. Concrete Wave is quickly becoming to skateboarding what Surfers Journal is to surfing. I salute you man! Keep on doin' it! I look forward to it.
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The employees at Barnes & Noble hate me...
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On 10/3/2003 Stubbs
wrote in from
(207.86.nnn.nnn)
...and run when they see me coming. I have become a regular at a couple. I can now walk in, raise my eyebrows in a questioning manner to the person behind the reference desk and they give me the yea or ney. They have to be thinking "What is so special about this mag???"
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not working...
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On 10/3/2003
michael brooke
wrote in from
(209.183.nnn.nnn)
well, I think this is more a case of jumping from the frying pan into the fire...
gang, if you see the mag out there, buy it...
: )
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Congrats on not working anymore!!!
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On 10/3/2003
Mike Moore
wrote in from
(66.196.nnn.nnn)
Michael-
Congrats on leaving the day job today!!! I suggest walking around the office today with your naughty bits out. What are they gonna do, fire you?
Have a good one today bro! You've earned it!!!
Mike
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Morro Bay ...Pipes... Shoes...etc. !
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On 10/3/2003
Rene' SCARFACE Carrasco
wrote in from
(66.81.nnn.nnn)
***Michael -
...I got some photo highlites on my web site from
2003 Morro Bay - Sunday's race..Luca, Stride, Richy, etc.
- - -to see 'em ,
... go to www.renecarrasco.com
... then click on "Morro Bay 2003" on menu button ...
Mike - BIG THANKS for producing such a "STOKER"
Skateboarding Magazine ...........
.........that DOESN'T look like a SHOE CATALOG ! ! !
....your Mag gets BETTER and BETTER !
I met Farid @ Morro Bay....cool guy,
who does great photography work !
People were blown away by the CW Mag at Morro Bay.
Buddy Carr's PIPE LAUNCH in that Bulldog Skates AD,
has got to be one of the best ad's I've ever seen.
..........Keep up the great work bro. !
See you @ Jan. ASR SHOW....- Rene' "Cannonball" Carrasco!
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Good Luck
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On 10/2/2003
Claude Regnier
wrote in from
(24.157.nnn.nnn)
I just read your post and want to wish you all the best Mike!
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CW rules
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On 10/2/2003
gus
wrote in from
(12.237.nnn.nnn)
Dude me and Andre (my bro) love the mag. First of all, like Andre said, its a down to earth approach to the sport. However, I love the sense of it being a documentary of a lifestyle that seems to be disapearing.The whole idea of living for your passion instead of living to work... Hope I'm making some sense...
Also, the portfolio part of the mag is just amazing. Combining art and skate in one mag, it cant get any cooler than that.
And how about the articles, and how they give the reader a glimpse into new worlds of skateboarding, as every place presents an unique environment and communities for boarding.
CW is just a great mag period.
Keep it up.
Gus.
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Canadian Gatehring 2003
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On 10/2/2003
Claude Regnier
wrote in from
(24.157.nnn.nnn)
Mike are you available the weekend of October 24,03.
It would be a nice touch if you could make it. Check out the Canada Link for more info or contact me.
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F&#%in A!!!!!
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On 10/2/2003
Stillboardin
wrote in from
(66.185.nnn.nnn)
YEH!!!
Where is the lineup for the CW Army!!
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the soul of the mag
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On 10/2/2003
michael brooke
wrote in from
(209.29.nnn.nnn)
Thanks for your last post Andre.
It meant a great deal to me and you've inspired me to write this missive...sorry it's so long.
Concrete Wave is committed to becoming one of the greatest skateboard magazines that have ever been published. For me it has become a quest that has brought me closer to skateboarding and has introduced me to a whole host of people I would never had the opportunity to meet up with.
As some of you may know, I turned down an ad last month because I felt it didn't fit with the magazines philosophy of 100% skateboarding. Considering all the stuff that's happened at Transworld, I think my decision was a good one. But I didn't do it to spite Transworld - I did it for the betterment of the Concrete Wave.
Everything I do with Concrete Wave is extremely personal. We slave over every page...making sure that it's as good as it can be....
Sure, we make mistakes, but ultimately, when things go off the rails, the buck stops with me... not a corporation or a suit in an office who's never skated. It's my responsibility to ensure that readers, advertisers and of course subscribers are kept happy.
The reason why the mag works is that we will NEVER EVER take our sight off the mantra of 100% skateboarding. The team that helps build Concrete Wave is committed to this.
For every person that comes into contact with Concrete Wave there is the promise that the magazine will contain something different, something unique and of course something that helps to change the face of skateboarding.
Why I am going on about this?
Tomorrow is my last day at work at the office I go to from 9 to 5. I work selling advertising for a trade magazine. Some of you may not know that Concrete Wave, for the last year or so, has been a PART TIME job.
So,as of Monday, it becomes a FULL TIME job. To say that I am excited, is the understatement of the century. I am bursting!
I believe that I have been able to accomplish quite a lot with these first 7 issues...however, now that things move to full time, my gut tells me things are going to explode.
However, they will "explode" within the context of 100% skateboarding. We will continue to show all types of skateboarding and celebrate our skate legends both past and present.
There is a soul to the magazine that will never be compromised. No matter what kind of crap you see floating out there in cyberspace on message boards, or the horrendous delivery of 3rd class mail - nothing will stop me in my quest to publish the best skateboard magazine I can.
Tomorrow will be a hell of a day. Wish I could skip out and just go skate!
I know that I speak on behalf of the entire concrete wave team when I say that our mission is an honorable one and we are glad that so many folks are digging what we're doing.
You ain't seen nothing yet!
Seriously...it's going to get mental!
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Skatopia????
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On 10/2/2003
Andre
wrote in from
(12.237.nnn.nnn)
I`m honestly not sure what skatopia is (I`ve been out of it for a while, college...), but I do have skate shots. Look under "skateboarding" on my website:
home.comcast.net/~avillez
It's very much under construction and tweaking, so enter at your own risk!!! Nah, It should be pretty straight-foward, just dealing with image size issues at the moment.
Well, I hope this blatant post of self glorification is forgiven, and please let me know what you think of it.
Michael, thanks for the great mag, and for looking out for us, the readers. Even when my mag threatened not to arrive you were quicker than quick to respond. Please keep the mag this personal, it's part of the reson why I enjoy it so much. Most mags out there show another reality, "their" world. Your mag portraits a reality much closer to home, if you catch my drift. Keep it up.
I meant to write a letter (or email) to you eventually, but I guess this post does the job just as well.
Andre de Avillez
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NEED PHOTOS
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On 10/2/2003
Mike Moore
wrote in from
(66.196.nnn.nnn)
We need KILLER quality photos of Skatopia action!
Post up or email me.
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mail...and email...
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On 10/2/2003
michael brooke
wrote in from
(209.183.nnn.nnn)
We will resend ANY mag that has not arrived...of that you have my word.
We are changing our delivery system to FIRST CLASS AIRMAIL.
It's costing me a ton, but I want to ensure that subscribers are happy.
3rd class mail SUCKS!
Nick, your copy is on its way (it has been resent)
please email me with your mailing address - maybe there's a problem with my database)
As for Bill, please email me your full name and address. You might
have subscribed between issues, if that is the case, you should buy the current copy at B&N and wait till early November when the next issue hits.
visit concretewavemagazine.com to learn more about subscriptions...and of course, if you don't have the mag, let me know!! I want subscribers to be happy.
As for Barnes and Noble, Borders and other chain stores...go in there and BLAST em! Tell the magazine manager you DEMAND concrete wave be stocked! Eventually, it will make it's way up the chain...
The only thing I can say with regards to distribution is look at our history with respect to how the magazine has changed over 7 issues. We are constantly tweaking and fixing.. You gotta believe me, there will be a new era in postal service with the next issue.
Whew, now get out there and skate!
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email
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On 10/2/2003
Mike Moore
wrote in from
(66.196.nnn.nnn)
Michael,
The emails I'm sending you at work are getting kicked back. The end is here. hahahaha
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greetings from Italy
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On 10/2/2003
gianluca ferrero
wrote in from
(62.101.nnn.nnn)
have a look to www.stream-games.com that will be held in Italy
it's a cool 4th edition for pro racers involved in slalom,buttboards,luge.
There we have setted an interwiew with lLuca GIAMMARCO.
If you s would like to need one for your mag ,you could send the answers and ask for the pics you could print on your mag. in our direct mail.
lAST THING: WE HAVE UPGRADING OUR WEBSITE....THERE YOU COULD ALSO MEEET SOME MPEGS OF THE FASTES RACERS ON 1993 IN ACTION ON wORLD cUP iTALY pro fila sPEEDSLALOM CHAMPIONSHIP
http://spazioinwind.iol.it/coniskate.
take care
gianluca ferrero
Pres. of Italian S8brd Olimpic Fed.-
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Still no mag
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On 10/1/2003
Nick
wrote in from
(66.87.nnn.nnn)
Still no subscription copy here in NorCal.
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Subscriber
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On 10/1/2003 Bill
wrote in from
(12.38.nnn.nnn)
Gee, I did what I thought was a supportive thing and subscribed weeks ago, and it seems everyone has the new issue but me! Do I get first class mail? Or did I get grandfathered in to the mule service.
I subscribed, man! I don't want to have to go buy it at B&N just to actually get it! Or have to beat up on Kuiack next time I see him!
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CW in SoCal
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On 10/1/2003 msk
wrote in from
(66.214.nnn.nnn)
willieleon,
I picked up my copy the other day at B&N. Don't know if this is close to you, but it was the B&N right off the 605 in the big shopping center on Carson St (just north of El Dorado Park in Long Beach). There were a few copies in stock, but I don't know if they still have any left...
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CW Crankin'
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On 10/1/2003
Mark
wrote in from
(65.202.nnn.nnn)
As far as we're concerned CW is top of the heap, and we're glad we are along for the ride.
Michael's been excellent to deal with- stay close to the soul as they say over at Dewey Weber.
Thanks!
Mark
JAM Longboards
www.longboard.net
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