Browsing through Indigo or the World’s Biggest Bookstore (rest in peace, sweet angel), I’d always come across many industry or niche interest magazines. Perhaps a breed-specific dog rag, a newsletter all about ghouls or one geared specifically for fans of early 1920s black-and-white films.
Who really reads these? Who makes this? Why? I’d flip the pages of the oddly specific publications and wonder if lumberjacks actually read Wood Business, and if the name was meant to sound like an innuendo (insert wink emoji here). Here’s a few more titles that caught my eye:
Pulp & Paper Canada
This publication has been “serving the industry” for over 100 years, which takes on another meaning when your readers are providing the the paper you’re printing on.
Small Farm Canada
Forget cute and quaint. Small Farm Canada brags about its truly cross-Canada endeavours—its main office is in B.C., the magazine is assembled in Newfoundland, and then it’s printed in Winnipeg. Six times a year, it’s distributed across the country. The most recent issue showcases articles such as “I Love Hornets” and offers tips on how to “declare your farm a rat-free zone.” Essential reading for everyone with a backyard garden.
Greenhouse Canada
If you’re interested in what’s happening next with green horticulture, you need to check out “the only national business magazine published exclusively for commercial greenhouse growers in Canada.” It might also double as a great gift idea for anyone who already subscribes to Cannabis Culture.
Wings
For anything and everything to do with commercial, corporate and military aviation, Wings is your go-to. Do pilots read this, or is this just one of those magazines you get in the plane pocket whenever you go on a long flight? I mean, if this was in my plane seat, I’d take a gander. I don’t know. I miss SkyMall.
Real Estate Magazine
I’ve always felt bad for real estate agents the way I’ve always felt bad for used car salesmen– they just seem so fake happy/real unhappy, like the mom from American Beauty. REM’s been in business for over 25 years, reporting on the latest real estate news and answering questions like “WHY CAN’T I FIND AN APARTMENT IN TORONTO” and “WHAT AREA OF THE MURDER CAPITAL WON’T GET ME KILLED.” My only question: Is their content written by agents moonlighting as journalists, or by journalism grads moonlighting as real estate agents?
About the author
Sofia was a copy editor for the Spring 2015 issue of the Review.