Tokion Approaches 50th Issue, Sells to Private Investor, Loses Publisher

By Dylan Stableford

Adam Glickman, publisher of Tokion
, the self-proclaimed cultural bridge between the indie arts scenes of Japan and the U.S., announced last week that he had sold the majority of his interest in the magazine to investor Larry Rosenblum, who plans to build a niche company around the Tokion brand. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"When I started Tokion nine years ago, I had no money, no networks, no know-how and no idea that I could, and would, grow a 57-page 2-color zine into what it is today," Glickman wrote in an e-mail announcing the sale to friends and supporters. "I'm realizing that my interests and priorities have changed, while the creative challenges of my job have diminished."

Tokion's 50th issue hit newsstands late last month. The magazine, heralded as one of a handful of print tastemakers in New York's hipster-leaning downtown arts scene, has grown to a staff of 14 and spun-off a popular annual arts gathering;the Creativity Now Conference;along with a clothing line and documentary film division. Print revenues for the bimonthly are estimated to be about $2 million.

"(Rosenblum's) plan is to build a niche company with a handful of magazines under one umbrella, sharing the business and publishing resources," Glickman wrote, "while simultaneously allowing the creative teams to operate autonomous of one another."

Glickman says he will likely leave print to pursue other media interests.

"I am more or less back at square one: looking ahead armed with nothing but my original enthusiasm and gumption."