What Greenspring Media LLC does

Greenspring Media LLC is a privately-held, multi-platform communications company headquartered in Bloomington, Minnesota, operating since 1967 and currently a subsidiary of Hour Media LLC (acquired from American Public Media Group in July 2013). The company produces and distributes content across 18+ print and digital publications targeting both regional consumer audiences and national B2B verticals, with flagship titles including Minnesota Monthly (a 50+ year regional lifestyle magazine), Midwest Design (architecture and luxury home design authority, 25+ years), Meetings + Events (a portfolio of 10 regional B2B trade titles reaching 114,000+ print readers), and Group Tour Magazine (described as the world's largest travel resource for the group tour industry). Its core technology stack is a conventional multi-channel publishing platform combining print production, digital properties, email newsletters, social channels, and an in-house Digital Marketing Studio offering programmatic, SEO/SEM, paid social, video/OTT, remarketing, and analytics services.

Greenspring generates revenue through five primary streams: print and digital advertising across its magazine portfolio, consumer subscriptions (print and digital), event sponsorships and ticketing from signature consumer events (Food & Wine Experience with 8,000+ guests, GrillFest with 6,000+ guests, Fine Spirits Classic, Luxury Home Tour, Rhythm & Brews, CannaFest, Midwest Design Awards), custom publishing and content marketing services for destination marketing organizations and corporate clients (Mall of America, US Bank, Bush Foundation, Meet Minneapolis, Explore Minnesota, AAA Minneapolis), and digital marketing services through its Digital Marketing Studio. Distribution spans regional subscription and newsstand channels, national direct-to-enterprise for B2B titles, and live event venues.

The go-to-market motion combines sales-led integrated advertising package sales to B2B advertisers, event-driven sponsorship and ticket revenue, and custom publishing partnerships with associations, tourism bureaus, and corporations. The customer base spans affluent Midwest consumers, tourism boards and CVBs, financial and retail enterprises, and national meeting planning professionals served through the Meetings + Events portfolio. Notable operating geography is Minnesota and the broader Midwest, with national reach through specialty B2B titles (Meetings + Events across 10 states, Group Tour Magazine globally) and digital properties.

Name

Greenspring Media LLC

Legal name

Greenspring Media, LLC

Website

https://greenspring.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Greenspring Media LLC is a privately-held, multi-platform communications company in Bloomington, Minnesota, operating 18+ regional and national publications (including Minnesota Monthly and Midwest Design), signature consumer events, custom publishing services, and a digital marketing studio serving advertisers, tourism boards, and corporate clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Lifestyle Publishing

NAICS

Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Food, Cooking & Beverage Magazines (MPAJAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Home, Garden & DIY Magazines (MPAJAEAG)

Keywords

• Regional publishing
• Lifestyle magazines
• Custom publishing services
• Digital marketing agency
• Consumer event management

Headquarters

HQ city

Bloomington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Print and Digital Advertising: Primary revenue stream from selling advertising space across 18+ publications including Minnesota Monthly, Midwest Design, Meetings + Events, and Group Tour Magazine. Offers integrated advertising packages combining print, digital, and social placements.
2. Magazine Subscriptions: Subscription revenue from consumer publications including Minnesota Monthly, Midwest Design, and specialty magazines. Print and digital subscription models.
3. Event Sponsorships and Exhibitor Fees: Revenue from signature events including Food & Wine Experience (8,000+ guests), GrillFest (6,000+ guests), Luxury Home Tour, Fine Spirits Classic, and Rhythm & Brews. Includes sponsorship packages, exhibitor fees, and ticket sales.
4. Custom Publishing Services: Content marketing and custom publication services for destination marketing organizations, associations, and corporate clients. Includes visitor guides, member publications, and branded content.
5. Digital Marketing Services: Agency-style digital marketing services including SEO/SEM, social media advertising, programmatic advertising, and digital consultation for clients across various industry segments.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Greenspring Media LLC is a multi-platform communications company that publishes regional consumer and B2B magazines (Minnesota Monthly, Midwest Design, Group Tour Magazine, Meetings + Events), produces signature consumer events (Food & Wine Experience, GrillFest, Luxury Home Tour, Midwest Design Awards, Fine Spirits Classic, Rhythm & Brews, CannaFest), and provides custom publishing and digital marketing services (SEO, SEM, programmatic advertising, paid social, content creation) for advertisers, destination marketing organizations, and corporate clients in Minnesota and the broader Midwest.

Product overview

Greenspring Media operates a multi-platform publishing and events business organized around three pillars: consumer and B2B magazine publications, signature consumer and trade events, and digital/content marketing services. Core publications include Minnesota Monthly (lifestyle magazine, 50+ years), Midwest Design (architecture and design magazine), Group Tour Magazine (B2B group travel), and Meetings + Events (10 regional trade titles). Signature events include Food & Wine Experience, GrillFest, Fine Spirits Classic, Luxury Home Tour, Midwest Design Awards, Rhythm & Brews, and CannaFest. Digital Marketing Studio provides SEO, SEM, paid social, programmatic advertising, video/OTT, and email marketing services. Content Marketing creates visitor guides, association publications, and syndicated magazines. An Ad Uploader enables secure file transfers for advertisers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Minnesota Monthly: Flaghship regional lifestyle magazine covering travel, health, food, arts, and entertainment in Minnesota.
• Midwest Design
• Group Tour Magazine
• Meetings + Events
• Digital Marketing Studio
• Content Marketing

Products and services

• Minnesota Monthly Subscription-based consumer lifestyle magazine covering travel, health and wellness, food and drinks, arts and entertainment, people and places, outdoor adventures, and fashion in Minnesota. The company's flagship publication with over 50 years of award-winning journalism distributed via print, online, and social channels.
• Midwest Design Regional consumer magazine serving as the foremost authority on design trends, architecture, and luxury home content in the Midwest, targeting affluent homeowners who spend $414 million+ annually on home improvements.
• Group Tour Magazine Wholly-owned subsidiary publication serving as the world's largest travel resource for the group tour industry, connecting decision makers within the group travel industry worldwide through regional and niche publications and digital solutions.
• Meetings + Events Portfolio of 10 regional B2B trade publications serving professional meeting planners and industry professionals across multiple states, covering venues, catering, decor trends, and industry resources; reaches 114,000+ print readers and 26,600+ newsletter subscribers nationally.
• Food & Wine Experience Signature multi-day consumer event featuring wine, food, beer, and spirits sampling with award-winning culinarians, held at the Omni Viking Lakes Hotel and drawing approximately 8,000 guests over three days.
• GrillFest Seasonal food and beverage consumer event featuring grilled foods, wines, specialty beers, grilling equipment demonstrations, recipes, and live entertainment; held annually at CHS Field with approximately 6,000 guests as the kickoff to summer.
• Luxury Home Tour Annual consumer home showcase event featuring multi-million-dollar homes in the Twin Cities, explorable over three weekends each summer for fully-immersive consumer inspiration.
• Midwest Design Awards

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50% of Midwest Design readers own more than one home and spend $414 million+ annually on home improvements
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Texas Monthly: National-scale regional lifestyle magazine that operates a directly comparable model but at materially larger scale and with stronger brand recognition. Useful benchmark for upper-bound scaling potential of a regional lifestyle publisher.
• Boston Magazine: Larger regional lifestyle publisher serving metro Boston under a directly comparable multi-platform model (consumer magazine, custom publishing, signature events). Comparable operating model but at meaningfully larger scale.
• Hour Detroit: Sister publication under common parent Hour Media LLC, serving the Detroit metro with a directly comparable regional lifestyle model. Provides useful operational benchmark but is not a market competitor since Greenspring operates in Minnesota.

Direct peers

• Cleveland Magazine: Ohio-based regional lifestyle magazine with parallel mix of consumer editorial, custom publishing for tourism clients, and signature events. Comparable Midwest regional publisher with similar revenue diversification.
• Mpls.St.Paul Magazine: The leading Twin Cities regional lifestyle magazine, directly competing with Minnesota Monthly for the same affluent Minneapolis-St. Paul readership, advertising base, and event sponsorships. Most direct local competitor given shared geography and audience.
• Indianapolis Monthly: City-focused regional lifestyle magazine covering dining, culture, home, and events in Indianapolis. Operates with a comparable multi-platform structure and serves an analogous Midwest affluent audience.
• Cincinnati Magazine: Long-established regional lifestyle magazine serving the Cincinnati metro with a similar mix of editorial content, dining coverage, and signature events. Directly comparable operating model, scale, and audience demographic to Greenspring's flagship.
• Atlanta Magazine: Established regional lifestyle magazine serving metro Atlanta with dining, home, and event coverage under a similar multi-platform publishing model. Comparable scale and audience demographic.
• Tiger Oak Media: Independent Twin Cities-based publisher of regional lifestyle, food, and events titles including Mpls.St.Paul Magazine. Directly comparable mid-market regional publishing peer; Greenspring acquired Tiger Oak's meetings/events portfolio in 2022.
• St. Louis Magazine: Regional lifestyle magazine serving the St. Louis metro with similar editorial verticals, custom publishing services, and signature events. Closely comparable in geographic focus, scale, and operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/greenspringmn
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/GreenspringMediaGrp
• Facebookfacebook.com/MinnesotaMonthly
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/greenspring-media
• Instagraminstagram.com/mnmomag

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A2 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Greenspring Media LLC