AVENUE magazine publisher Julie Dannenberg, editor-in-chief Peter Davis and creative director Cricket Burns are leaving the 35-year-old Manhattan Media-owned glossy to form their own title, which will be backed by Jared Kushner (who is also the owner of Observer Media Group, which owns The New York Observer). The yet-to-be-named lifestyle magazine will target an audience beyond AVENUE’s traditional Upper East Side domain.
“Manhattan is an ever-evolving island, especially when it comes to real estate,” e-mailed Ms. Dannenberg, who will serve as the new publication’s CEO and publisher. “In the days of Henry James, the social set lived in what is now known as Greenwich Village and from there they moved to Edith Wharton’s Chelsea and onward to the Upper East Side. [But] we are no longer defined by where we live. We are not an Upper East Side magazine, but a magazine for the affluent household, not defined by neighborhood or by age but by mutual interests and similar demographics. What Manhattan needs is a magazine written and styled for the affluent, stylish, intelligent and savvy man or woman who can and does only exist in New York.”
The new publication will cover social events, luxury style and New York personalities. “We will be at every movie premiere, black tie charity benefit, hot night club opening and in the front row of every fashion show from Alexander Wang to Oscar de la Renta to tell who said what to who, and why they said it,” said Mr. Davis, via email. “News breaks by the tweet in Manhattan, so expect updates on the digital horizon as well as print. We are fascinated with what’s next, whether it be a hotel (we already have the insider scoop on The Standard’s new East Village location), to a handbag, to the girl of the second that has the style world swooning. We will keep you talking and guessing all year, and all night long.”
“The three of us are thrilled to be given the opportunity to create and entirely unique and unexpected magazine,” added Ms. Burns, via email.
Ms. Dannenberg, Mr. Davis and Ms. Burns are all Manhattan natives and Ms. Dannenberg pointed out that they’re all ostensibly part of the demographic they’re also targeting. “Peter Davis is a Buckley boy, has over 15,000 Facebook followers, and has written for every prestigious magazine on the planet,” said Ms. Dannenberg. “He is always the most popular man at the party. Cricket Burns is herself a Sacred Heart girl with two Sacred Heart girls of her own. She has worked at Harper’s Baazar, Seventeen, Quest, Luxury Finder.com. and AVENUE magazine.”
Ms. Dannenberg spent over 23 years at AVENUE with breaks in-between to work as Publisher at start-ups Manhattan File,and Luxury Finder.com and in-between, she was Publisher at Quest.
“I’m excited to work with a team that has already demonstrated success,” Mr. Kushner said, “And I look forward to seeing what I know will be a creative, smart and stylish publication.”
