Yesterday I was saddened to learn about the demise of yet another Shelter Magazine. The latest victim? Another personal favorite of mine, Metropolitan Home. This is the ninth major shelter magazine to fold in the past two years. The first eight being Domino (still not over this loss), House and Garden, Southern Accents, Cottage Living , InStyle Home, Blueprint (why?!), O at Home, and Country Home. It is with a heavy heart I bid Metropolitan Home a farewell. Adios Metropolitan Home!

Aside from my personal feelings of sadness at seeing one magazine fold after another, and knowing how many talented and creative people suddenly find themselves without a job, I’m also a bit concerned about what this means for small retail shops like LAMA. I know for myself and many other shop owners I have spoken to, nothing gives us greater joy or feelings of excitement as seeing a mention of our store or a product featured in print. I attribute much of LAMA’s success last holiday season to a mention we were fortunate enough to receive in Lucky Magazine. It gave LAMA the opportunity to be seen by countless numbers of readers and resulted in sales that have sustained us throughout this turbulent year. So what happens now when our chances of being seen by a new audience of shoppers are being significantly cut every few months? What do we do now? How do we continue to bring new shoppers to our sites? The answer may lie with the emergence of online publications like Lonny Magazine.

I found Lonny Magazine’s mission statement to be quite hopeful. “In a time when shelter publications are turning their last pages… Our mission is to reopen the doors to accessible design.” I was blown away with Lonny’s premiere issue. The stunning photography and design tips were everything that I loved about Domino. In addition to the wonderful articles, I was able to discover a bunch of new stores and websites that I have now added to my favorites folder. I can’t exactly throw a copy of Lonny in my bag and head to the park for some afternoon reading, but I can still read about interesting individuals and their gorgeous spaces, find inspiration and advice on decorating, and discover the best shops around.

While nothing will ever replace the pleasure I derive from sitting down with a great magazine in my hands, Lonny is truly the next best thing. As a lover of independent shops and boutiques, and an advocate of shopping off the beaten path, I look forward to reading about Lonny magazines sources for unique and beautiful objects. I feel some comfort in knowing that small shop owners still have an opportunity for exposure through new publications like Lonny.