1 of 4
Chuck Creacy, left, and Chris Eddie, right, in the Old Vine Street office that houses Smiley Pete Publishing. The company, which produces this magazine and several others, in addition to producing a variety of local events, celebrates 20 years this month. Photo by Ryan Morris
2 of 4
Chuck Creacy, left, and Chris Eddie, right, in the Old Vine Street office that houses Smiley Pete Publishing. The company, which produces this magazine and several others, in addition to producing a variety of local events, celebrates 20 years this month. Photo by Ryan Morris
3 of 4
A portrait of Smiley Pete, the company’s namesake, created several years ago from recycled magazines by local artist Soreyda Begley and a group of students. Photo by Ryan Morris
4 of 4
The first issue of Chevy Chaser Magazine, a 12-page publication, was published on a shoestring budget in October 1997. Photo by Ryan Morris
In October of 1997 — 20 years ago this month — recent college grads Chuck Creacy and Chris Eddie were at the height of their pizza delivery careers at the Euclid Avenue Domino’s when they published the first issue of Chevy Chaser Magazine: 12 pages filled with neighborhood news and essays, church chat and student spotlights – stream of consciousness, typos, bad clip art and all.
“With youth and lack of capital comes energy, resilience and ignorant exuberance,” said Eddie, looking back at the company’s humble beginnings.
The frat-brothers-turned-business-partners recall being jolted at the time by the premature death of a close friend who died in a boating accident before he had the chance to live up to his full potential. In some ways, the tragedy called into question what they were doing with their own lives.
The idea for Chevy Chaser Magazine was born directly from Eddie and Creacy’s experience delivering pizzas in the Chevy Chase area, which they said gave them a unique perspective on the neighborhood.
“You’d see the houses and you’d see the signs for the various services – the roofing companies, the contractors. You’d see the Volvos in the driveway, the private school bumper stickers,” Creacy recalled. “We began to understand the neighborhood as a community – an audience that people would want to communicate with.”
Published on a shoestring budget, what that first issue lacked in capital or sophistication, it made up for in charm and chutzpah – and a steadfast dedication to becoming an authentic, trusted resource for the community.
“Everything we have done is built on that foundation of trust,” said Creacy. “Earning the community’s trust was a big [challenge] early on…it was bold move to put a neighborhood’s name on the Chevy Chaser.”
While the concept of a small community magazine run by a couple guys in their early 20s with no professional experience was initially met with its share of naysayers, the venture was met with enough early trust to help move the company forward, one small step at at time. There were people who shared computers with them or offered free or discounted office space; restaurateurs who fed them for free during those early “hand-to-mouth” years; girlfriends at the time (now wives) who helped deliver magazines by hand to thousands of doorsteps. Creacy and Eddie say they still owe a lot to those first people who said “yes.”
Two decades later, Smiley Pete Publishing – the name the business owners adopted after starting their second publication, Southsider Magazine, in 2001 – has grown and evolved. The company now produces three monthly magazines, two websites and a handful of major annual events, and co-produces with the Blue Grass Community Foundation the annual non-profit fundraising campaign GoodGiving Challenge. What hasn’t changed is Smiley Pete Publishing’s unflinching focus on the local community, which continues to be the driving force behind each of the company’s endeavors – from the writers, photographers, editorial focus and distribution of the magazines, to the vendors and sponsors behind each festival and event.
“‘Mom and Pop’ have been our bread-and-butter since the beginning, and remain so today,” Creacy said. “We have had a whole lot of very loyal advertisers over the years. Several have been with us nearly every month since the very beginning.”
“Everything has changed in the print industry – from the physical process of printing to business models,” Eddie continued. “What hasn’t changed is our commitment to covering the stories that are happening right in our backyard. Being committed to this city has paid dividends in the form of readership and trust.”
As it enters its third decade, the company continues to work to embody the characteristics of its namesake, Smiley Pete – the beloved town dog that roved Lexington’s streets in the 1940s and ’50s, known for being friendly and laid back…and for “belonging to everyone.”