225 Magazine

What 225 Magazine does

225 Magazine is a monthly regional lifestyle magazine serving the Baton Rouge Capital Region, identified by the 225 telephone area code that anchors both the brand and its distribution geography. Founded in 2005 and operated under Louisiana Business Inc. within the Melara Enterprises media portfolio, it is distributed free of charge at more than 200 newsstand and pickup locations across the 225 area code on the first of each month, supplemented by the 225batonrouge.com website and two email newsletters (225 Dine on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 225 Daily). Editorial coverage spans local food and drink, city life, arts and entertainment, sports and recreation, homes and fashion, and community news, supported by a small staff of approximately 13 including a publisher, editor-in-chief, managing editor, writers, a CTO, and a sales team of a sales director plus four multimedia marketing consultants.

The product surface consists of the monthly print magazine, themed special issues (Best of 225 keepsake, Tiger Pride, School Guide, and seasonal editions), the website, two email newsletters, social channels on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X, and the annual Best of 225 Awards reader's-choice program (since 2006, 73+ categories). The underlying technology stack is a conventional digital publishing platform with a CMS-driven website and email newsletter distribution system; no AI/ML capabilities, APIs, or proprietary technology are disclosed. A year-round internship program provides editorial and photography talent at low marginal cost.

The business model is advertising-led: the magazine is free to readers and revenue is generated through print advertising, digital advertising, and event sponsorship sales targeting Baton Rouge-area local and regional businesses. Distribution to readers operates on a freemium model (free at newsstands), while the sales motion is sales-led and event-driven, with the annual Best of 225 Awards functioning as both a community engagement vehicle and a premium advertising package. The company also benefits from cross-brand advertising bundling opportunities with sibling Melara Enterprises publications including Business Report, 1012 Industry Report, and inRegister.

Name

225 Magazine

Legal name

Louisiana Business Inc.

Website

https://225batonrouge.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

225 Magazine is a free monthly lifestyle magazine covering the Baton Rouge 225 area code since 2005, distributed at 200+ newsstands and online, monetized primarily through print, digital, and event sponsorship advertising targeting local and regional businesses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Lifestyle Media

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (51312)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Consumer Lifestyle & Fashion Magazines (MPAJAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food, Cooking & Beverage Magazines (MPAJAEAF), Arts, Culture & Literary Magazines (MPAJAEAN)

Keywords

• Regional lifestyle magazine
• Print and digital media
• Local advertising sales
• Event sponsorship marketing
• City guide content

Headquarters

HQ city

Baton Rouge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Print and Digital Advertising: Revenue generated from businesses purchasing print advertising space, digital advertising on the website, and event sponsorship opportunities within the magazine and its associated events like the Best of 225 Awards.
2. Newsletter Subscriptions: Weekly email newsletter 225 Dine published Tuesdays and Thursdays, potentially with premium subscription features for exclusive content access.
3. Special Issue Advertising: Premium advertising placements in special issues such as Best of 225 Awards keepsake issue, Tiger Pride edition, School Guide, and other themed publications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

225 Magazine is a monthly lifestyle magazine and associated digital media brand serving the Baton Rouge, Louisiana Capital Region. It publishes 12 print issues per year, free to readers across the 225 area code, and operates a content website, weekly email newsletters (225 Dine and 225 Daily), and the Best of 225 Awards program. Its commercial offering to businesses includes print advertising, digital advertising, and event sponsorship across the magazine, its website, and its community events.

Product overview

225 Magazine is a single lifestyle magazine brand that serves Baton Rouge and the Capital Region of Louisiana. The publication operates as a unified print and digital media product published 12 times per year since 2005. The core offering is the print magazine, supplemented by digital content on 225batonrouge.com and two email newsletters (225 Dine and 225 Daily). An annual Best of 225 Awards program generates a special keepsake issue each July. The company also derives revenue from advertising (print, digital, and event sponsorship) and operates a year-round internship program for journalism and photography students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Best of 225: Annual reader's choice awards program launched in 2006, recognizing top local businesses, personalities and things to do in the Greater Baton Rouge area

Products and services

• 225 Magazine Monthly print and digital lifestyle magazine covering local events, entertainment, food, drink, city life, culture, sports and recreation, and things to do in the Baton Rouge Capital Region; free to readers and distributed at newsstands across the 225 area code.
• 225 Dine Newsletter Weekly e-newsletter published every Tuesday and Thursday, delivering curated local dining, event, and lifestyle recommendations to subscribers.
• 225 Daily Newsletter Free weekly email newsletter providing local event recommendations, dining suggestions, and lifestyle coverage to email subscribers.
• Best of 225 Awards Annual reader's choice poll and awards program recognizing top businesses, personalities, and things to do in the Baton Rouge Capital Region across 73+ categories; winners determined by public nominations and reader voting, accompanied by a keepsake issue.
• Print Advertising Advertising placements in the print edition of 225 Magazine, including special issues such as Tiger Pride, School Guide, and the Best of 225 Awards keepsake issue, sold to local and regional businesses.
• Digital Advertising Online advertising solutions on 225batonrouge.com, including display ads, sponsored content, and digital marketing opportunities sold to local and regional businesses.
• Event Sponsorship Sponsorship and partnership opportunities for brand activation at 225 Magazine events and community programming, including the annual Best of 225 Awards.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 nominations typically received for Twenty in their 20s feature
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Business ReportminorOthersSibling publication under the Melara Enterprises umbrella; advertising partnership opportunities available across both brands for expanded regional reach.
• 1012 Industry ReportminorOthersIndustry-focused sibling publication offering additional advertising opportunities for B2B advertisers in the regional market.
• inRegisterminorOthersLuxury lifestyle sibling publication; advertising partnerships available for reaching higher-end consumer demographics in the Baton Rouge area.
• The Walls ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit organization hosting community events; 225 Magazine covers MLK Fest and other community initiatives through editorial coverage and event promotion.
• Southern University and A&M CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor local university; 225 Magazine covers campus events, athletics, and community programs; collaborative coverage of university news and student activities.
• BREC (Baton Rouge Recreation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParks and recreation department; 225 Magazine covers community events, parks, and recreational activities across East Baton Rouge Parish.
• East Baton Rouge Parish LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic library system; 225 Magazine covers library programs and community resources; joint promotion of local educational initiatives.
• Melara EnterprisescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company of 225 Magazine; provides corporate infrastructure, advertising sales support, and shared services across multiple regional publications.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• New Orleans Magazine: Long-running monthly lifestyle magazine covering New Orleans. Comparable as a Gulf South regional lifestyle publication with the same print + digital + events business model, but serving a different city market.
• H Magazine (Houston): Houston-area lifestyle magazine covering dining, culture, and city life. Comparable as a free, advertising-supported monthly city lifestyle publication, but operating in a different and larger Gulf-adjacent market.

Direct peers

• Baton Rouge Business Report: Sibling publication under Melara Enterprises covering Baton Rouge's business community. Most directly comparable on business model (regional advertising-supported magazine, shared parent infrastructure, overlapping advertiser base) and audience geography.
• inRegister: Sibling luxury lifestyle magazine under Melara Enterprises serving the Baton Rouge/Capital Region. Comparable as a sister regional magazine sharing ad sales, distribution, and editorial infrastructure with overlapping audiences.
• 5280 Magazine: Long-running Denver regional lifestyle magazine with a free-distribution print product plus digital newsletters, events, and advertising packages. Closest model match in terms of being a free monthly city lifestyle magazine monetized through advertising and events.
• Indianapolis Monthly: Established monthly city lifestyle magazine covering Indianapolis. Closely comparable on product type (monthly print + digital + events + newsletters) and audience (local readers and advertisers in a mid-size metro).
• Nashville Scene: Weekly alternative/local lifestyle publication in Nashville covering food, arts, and city life. Comparable as an advertising-supported regional lifestyle outlet with print, digital, and events monetization.

Broad incumbents

• Southern Living: National flagship Southern lifestyle magazine from Dotdash Meredith. Comparable in editorial category (food, culture, homes, travel) but operates at vastly larger national scale and competes for the same regional advertiser spend at the household-brand level.
• American City Business Journals: Owns Business Report, 225's sibling. Comparable as a regional business/lifestyle publisher monetized through advertising and events to local SMBs, but operating across 40+ U.S. markets at much greater scale.

Emerging players

• Axios Local: Digital-native local news newsletters in multiple U.S. metros. Comparable as a newer-format local publisher monetizing engaged audiences through advertising and events, but without a print product and competing for the same local advertiser dollars.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/225batonrouge
• Facebookfacebook.com/225magazine
• Instagraminstagram.com/225batonrouge
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/225magazine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 225 Magazine