North Avenue News circulation now covers almost all of Burlington

Editor's note: In a time of decreased circulation for both paid and free newspapers due to the high cost of printing, declining advertising etc., it is encouraging to read of a paper with a steadily growing circulation. The submission below was printed on the front page of the Feb. 4 issue of the North Avenue News.

My wife Diane and I started the North Avenue News in 1992 (I think) after "That Paper" had ceased publication after many years of dedicated efforts by publishers such as Jean and Joe Popecki and Howard Stearns. My advertisers wanted access to readers in "South Colchester," and the family-oriented neighborhoods on the New North End received with gladness the new monthly TMC publication. A couple of years and two adoptions later, Diane and I realized that hmmm, one full time employee doing two newspapers, should be the other way around," we sold the North Avenue News to Anne Clark.
Several publishers later the paper landed with Cliff and Ellen Cooper. Cliff is a former Levi Strauss marketing exec who exudes community spirit and cheerfulness, Ellen a calm and capable "details" person. From Day One they clearly had "A Plan for the NAN." Congratulations to the Coopers for their  decade-plus of publication, and to the City of Burlington, which finally has a true community newspaper for the entire city. I used to muse about making this happen with other media entrepreneurs (remember, Shay?). Now it finally has.

Forty years ago, "That Paper" began in the City of Burlington. We know this because we just found one of the paperboys that made house to house deliveries way back then.

We, the Cooper Family, began our association with this monthly paper in June of 2000, printing the first issue of 12 pages, in July. The circulation at that time was 4,600 in just the New North End of this beautiful City (Wards 4 & 7). The first year we added the area down to the Boathouse, then we were asked to send this "goodnewspaper" into Ward 5 by Bill Keogh - City Councilor. The natural progression into Ward 6 soon followed as well as areas around Wards 2 & 3.

Back in 2009, we added all of Ward 1. The circulation was at 12,900 mailed into Burlington homes, like yours, and we drop 600 into area businesses - total of 13,500. 

We are now mailing into most every home in this beautiful City! About 15,500 of them by direct U.S. Postal Mail for the Feb. 4 issue. We could not have done this without the support of our advertisers & writers.