Cary Magazine

What Cary Magazine does

Cary Magazine is a local lifestyle magazine publication serving Western Wake County, North Carolina, including Cary, Apex, Morrisville, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, and surrounding communities. The publication has been operating since at least 2005 (with firmographic year_founded listed as 1988) and is owned by Cherokee Media Group (also doing business as S&A Cherokee), a private media holding company that also publishes Wake Living, Main & Broad, LookWest, Auto Remarketing, Auto Remarketing Canada, Subprime Finance News, and BHPH Report. Cary Magazine publishes nine issues per year covering features, food and dining, home and garden, local events, and community resources, with supplemental products including the WhatsUpWAKE podcast, the Dining Guide (255+ restaurants), the Preschool Directory (100+ preschools), and the Nonprofit Directory (200+ nonprofits).

The publication operates on a hybrid print and digital platform built on WordPress CMS, with digital edition hosting via Issuu, email newsletter distribution, and social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Distribution is multi-channel: paid mail subscriptions (1-year at $20, 2-year at $31, 3-year at $38), a network of 125+ pickup locations across the region, and an accessible digital edition. The core product is supported by an editorial staff of 1–10 employees including a publisher, editor, managing editor & creative director, chief photographer, senior editor, copy editor, circulation manager, and social media coordinator, supplemented by freelance contributors.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: print and digital advertising sales to local small and medium businesses targeting the 125,000+ per-issue readership, recurring magazine subscriptions with multi-year discount tiers, and event sponsorship and ticket sales from signature events including the Maggy Awards Party, Women of Western Wake Forum, and Hoppy Holidays. The go-to-market motion is sales-led and event-driven, with the publisher (Kris Schultz) overseeing advertising partnerships across Cherokee Media Group's Local & Regional properties. The customer base is bifurcated between consumer readers (Western Wake County residents and families) and SMB advertisers (restaurants, retailers, service providers, and hospitality businesses) seeking local brand awareness.

Name

Cary Magazine

Legal name

Cary Magazine

Website

https://carymagazine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cary Magazine is a private lifestyle magazine serving Western Wake County, North Carolina, publishing nine print issues per year plus digital editions, directories, and signature community events for local residents and SMB advertisers. It is owned by Cherokee Media Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local 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 industry

Home, Garden & DIY Magazines (MPAJAEAG)

Keywords

• Lifestyle magazine
• Local print publication
• Community editorial content
• Regional lifestyle media
• Local advertising sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Cary

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

Revenue model

1. Magazine Subscriptions: Print magazine subscription sales offering 9 issues per year (monthly with combined issues). Subscribers pay upfront for 1, 2, or 3-year terms. Delivered by mail to subscribers or available for pickup at distribution locations.
2. Print and Digital Advertising: Local businesses purchase advertising space in the print magazine and on CaryMagazine.com to reach the Western Wake County audience of over 125,000 readers per issue. Advertising media kit available through Publisher Kris Schultz.
3. Event Sponsorships and Tickets: Revenue from signature events including Maggy Awards Party, Women of Western Wake Forum, and Hoppy Holidays. Events offer sponsorship packages to local businesses and ticket sales to attendees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cary Magazine is a local lifestyle magazine published nine times per year for Western Wake County, North Carolina. It sells print and digital subscriptions, print and digital advertising space, and hosts signature community events. The publication covers features, food and dining, home and garden, photo galleries, and local events, supported by searchable online directories for restaurants, preschools, and nonprofits.

Product overview

Cary Magazine is a lifestyle magazine publication for Western Wake County, published nine times per year, delivered both in print (via subscription and physical pickup locations) and digitally (via Issuu). The magazine's product portfolio centers on the core Cary Magazine publication, which encompasses editorial departments including Features, Food & Dining, Now & Next, Home & Garden, and Photo Galleries. The magazine extends its reach through the WhatsUpWAKE Podcast distributed on YouTube, a shared CM Events community calendar co-branded with sister publications Wake Living and Main & Broad, and the Dining Guide, Preschool Directory, and Nonprofit Directory — three searchable resource directories covering local restaurants, preschools, and community organizations respectively. Revenue streams include print subscriptions (1-year, 2-year, and 3-year plans) and advertising services across print and digital formats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cary Magazine (Print) Lifestyle magazine for Western Wake County, published nine times per year, covering features, food and dining, home and garden, local events, photo galleries, and community resources.
• Print Subscription

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 125,000 readers per issue
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• The Umstead Hotel & SpaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2026Venue partner for the Women of Western Wake Forum annual event. The forum celebrates honorees with a day of networking and empowerment, with The Umstead providing the event space. This represents a co-branded signature event that positions both brands in front of Western Wake County's professional women.
• FentonflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for the Maggy Awards Party, the magazine's signature celebration of best local businesses across Cary Magazine, Wake Living, and Main & Broad. Event features tastings, drinks, live music, and networking with winners from all publications.
• Bond Brothers Beer CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Hoppy Holidays celebration, the eighth annual holiday event featuring Santa photos and beer tasting. Bond Brothers is also a pickup location for the magazine and featured in editorial content.
• Cherokee Media Group (Parent Company)coreOthersCary Magazine is owned and operated by Cherokee Media Group (also doing business as S&A Cherokee). Cherokee Media Group also publishes Main & Broad Magazine and LookWest. The company is led by Publisher Kris Schultz and includes publications Auto Remarketing, Auto Remarketing Canada, Subprime Finance News, and BHPH Report.
• The Bark BarminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured as a dog-friendly destination in editorial coverage. Open-air pavilion adjacent to Barkyard dog park in Downtown Cary Park. Serves NC beer, wine, and snacks with dog-friendly atmosphere.
• South Line Brewing Co.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured in Liquid Assets column. Collaborated with The Bark Bar to craft Tail Chaser beer, perfect for warm North Carolina weather enjoyment.
• Boxyard RTPminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTwo-level outdoor food hall with repurposed shipping containers featured as dog-friendly destination. Live events, music, and family/dog-friendly atmosphere. Adjacent Barkyard dog park.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Charlotte Magazine: North Carolina's largest city lifestyle magazine, published monthly with print, digital, and event-driven revenue model. Analogous consumer-lifestyle product serving a different NC metro, with comparable department structure and advertising sales motion.
• Midtown Magazine: Raleigh-based lifestyle magazine focused on the mid-Triangle market. Comparable audience and SMB advertiser base; competes with Cary Magazine for local lifestyle ad dollars in the Wake County region.
• Raleigh Magazine: Raleigh-based monthly lifestyle magazine covering the City of Oaks with similar departments (dining, features, events, home). Direct Triangle-region competitor to Cary Magazine for both readers and Raleigh/Wake advertisers.
• Walter Magazine: Raleigh-based lifestyle and culture magazine covering the Triangle area. Comparable product offering (features, food, culture) and overlapping reader demographic; competes for the same advertising spend.
• Durham Magazine: Durham-based consumer lifestyle magazine serving the broader Triangle market with print + digital + event model. Direct peer competing for the same advertiser base active across Wake, Durham, and Orange counties.

Broad incumbents

• Atlanta Magazine: Established regional city lifestyle magazine with a much larger scale and broader metro reach. Comparable business model — advertising + subscriptions + signature events — but operates across the full Atlanta metro versus Cary Magazine's sub-regional focus.
• Richmond Magazine: Southeast regional city lifestyle magazine serving the Richmond metro. Comparable editorial mix (features, dining, home, community) and print + digital + events revenue model, though a larger and more established publication.

Regional players

• Chapel Hill Magazine: Chapel Hill / Orange County consumer lifestyle magazine with the same print + digital + event revenue mix. Adjacent Triangle market rather than direct Cary/Wake competitor, but directly comparable product.

Others

• Main & Broad Magazine: Sister publication to Cary Magazine under the same Cherokee Media Group umbrella (same Publisher). Same business model and operational stack but covers adjacent Wake County communities; included as portfolio peer rather than active competitor.
• Wake Living Magazine: Sister publication to Cary Magazine under Cherokee Media Group, sharing staff, ad sales, and distribution infrastructure. Same content/revenue model targeting overlapping Western Wake readership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@WhatsUpWakeNC
• Xx.com/carymagazine
• Facebookfacebook.com/CaryMagazine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cary-magazine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Cary Magazine