Call me old-fashioned, but I’m a big believer in the importance of the office.
Back in 2008, way before at-home work became a thing, we considered all working virtually, mostly to save money as a bootstrapping startup.
However, I felt that having a physical office in Harrisburg was important, so I bought a building on Front Street, which became our first location.
It took several moves to get properly situated, but our current, central location on N. 3rd Street seems exactly right for us.
People pop in all the time to meet with us, to pick up a magazine, to buy a Burg T-shirt, and, sometimes, just for the heck of it. Several times each day, someone—an old woman, a young man, kids—will peer into our large, plate-glass window. I think I’ve disappointed more than a few folks who discover that the only thing to see is some bald guy (me) sitting behind a desk.
But I like our office because it invokes the spirit of a true community newspaper.
Back in the day, nearly every town had a local paper and, often, it occupied a prominent storefront on Main Street or on the main square. It was a hub of activity as reporters came and went, local bigwigs dropped in, and ordinary folks swung by to pay for a subscription or take out a classified ad.
Unfortunately, times have changed, and most towns have lost their local papers, and, with them, the offices that once served as community hubs and sources of identity. The loss of the hometown newspaper has been felt not only in terms of ink and paper but of brick and mortar.
To be honest—our small full-time staff easily could work virtually, and we’d save a ton on monthly rent. But we believe that we’d lose more than we’d gain, in terms of community, identity and camaraderie.
Actually, this month, you get a special chance to see our storefront office as, for a third straight year, we plan to host a band for the annual Jazz Walk, which takes place on Sept. 8. It’s part of our longstanding commitment to local arts and culture, as also evidenced by our arts-themed issue this month.
So, drop in, say, “hi” and experience some great music, all in one visit. We’ll leave the door open for you.
Lawrance Binda
Publisher/Editor
Click here to read the digital version of our September issue.
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