Regardie's
 Cover of September 1987 issue, featuring popular annual Top 100 list of richest Washingtonians | |
| Categories | Business |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Monthly through February 1991, then bi-monthly |
| Total circulation (1991) | 50,000 (38,000 unpaid) |
| Founded | 1980 |
| Final issue | December 1992 |
| Based in | Washington, D.C. |
| Language | English |
| ISSN | 0279-5965 |
Regardie's (1980–1992) was a Washington, D.C. business magazine that was published from 1980 through 1992. It was distinguished by its quirky nature, but was also able to boast about breaking a number of significant financial stories such as a 1990 story on First American Bank and the Bank of Credit and Commerce International.[1][2]
History
[edit]In 1973, William A. Regardie and his wife Renay Nadler used $5,000 to start a real estate research publication called Housing Data Reports. By 1975 they also began publishing a New Homes Guide for house listings. In 1979 they started a publication called Real Estate Washington. This was re-vamped by Regardie, in partnership with Randy Bartow and Michael A. DeSimone, to become Regardie's: The Business of Washington in 1980.[1][3][4]
Popular features in Regardie's included a list of the top 100 richest people in Washington, and the "Capital Offenses" column that ran down scandals of the year.[5]
The magazine's revenue was largely dependent on advertising. At its height, issues often reached 300 pages. By 1991, it was publishing 50,000 copies of each issue, but 38,000 were being distributed for free, and issues had been reduced to around 100 pages. A drop in ad revenue also caused the magazine to move from monthly publication to bi-monthly in February 1991. Regardie asked free subscribers to pay, remarking in his trademark irreverent fashion, "if you want to keep Regardie's in business, either subscribe to Regardie's today, or I'm going to mothball this sucker."[5][4] The plea was unsuccessful, however, and Regardie announced he was shutting down the magazine in December 1992.
People
[edit]Brian Kelly, who would become editor of U.S. News & World Report in 2007, was editor of the magazine from 1985 to 1992.[6]
Richard Blow worked at the magazine in the 1980s, and served as editor-in-chief for the 1994-95 version of the magazine.
Resurrections
[edit]Regardie resurrected the magazine in a black-and-white format, again in bi-monthly form and edited by Richard Blow, in 1994,[7] but it shut down again in 1995.[8]
In September 1999, after selling their other publications, Regardie and Nadler started Regardie's Power, which lasted for 18 months, ending with its March/April 2001 issue.[8][9]
References
[edit]- ^ a b (17 December 1992). Regardie's Magazine Closes Down, The New York Times
- ^ Cassel, Andrew (6 November 1993). Symposium Is Asked: "Was This The Most Criminal Bank In The World? Or Just The Most Investigated Bank In The World?", Philadelphia Inquirer (noting that May 1990 article in Regardie's by Larry Gurwin broke the BCCI story)
- ^ Nash, Nathaniel C. (7 February 1986). D.C. enfant terrible finds his niche, Lawrence Journal-World (New York Times news service report)
- ^ a b (28 March 1984). And a Successful Newcomer, The New York Times
- ^ a b (11 December 1991). Regardie's Magazine Asks Readers to Pay, The New York Times
- ^ Heath, Thomas (28 April 2013). Value Added: U.S. News & World Report returns to the ranks of profitability, The Washington Post
- ^ Steinberg, Brian (21 November 1994). In an Idea Town, Publications Rush to Fill Niches, The New York Times
- ^ a b Carr, David (7 May 1999). Regardie's 3.0, Washington City Paper
- ^ Byrne, Richard (23-29 March 2001). Power Down: It's not always true that the third time is the charm, Washington City Paper