Daniel McCabe is the owner of Magalleria, a retailer of fine, independent and specialised magazines. The shop, located on Broad Street, Bath, is a treasure trove of independent publications that prove print isn’t dying. Since opening in 2015, Magalleria has been called “beautifully styled” by The Telegraph, “a little gem” by The Independent and “absolutely wonderful” by Lodestars Anthology. Magalleria also has an online shop that ships magazines worldwide.
How would you describe Magalleria?
We conceived Magalleria as something that would provide a window on creative print magazines, on what is happening away from mainstream media publishing. We’ve all realised that the internet is a busy place, one that seethes with projects trying to catch our gaze. This activity was supposed to supplant print, but in fact print is turning out to be a very viable outlet for creative expression. If you have a strong idea and you know what you’re doing, you’ll get noticed. And we’re here to help with that.
Do you think Magalleria is important to the independent magazine business? Why?
Yes, we think we’re important. We don’t think there is any joined up scene for magazines, anything that truly brings it all together. MagCulture and STACK in London do very good work, but they are more focused on design and editorial. While this is good, we feel there’s a lack of wider analysis. You can create a very interesting magazine but if there’s no clear route to market, well, you’re wasting your time. We’re here to encourage publishing from the creator’s very first idea to successfully putting it in the hands of the target reader, and that’s a longer journey than people think.
Do you think events like Making Magazines are important for aspiring publishers? Why?
Absolutely. Indie magazine publishing starts with having the confidence to bring your vision to fruition, so peer support has a role. As I’ve said already, there aren’t many useful forums for magazine publishing, so initiatives by the Society of Young Publishers and events like Making Magazines are important.
