Kalmbach Publishing has been a well-known name in the media industry for 90 years. They’ve published popular magazines like Trains, Model Railroader, and Astronomy. But recently, there have been reports that the company is going out of business. Let’s know what’s happening with Kalmbach Publishing.
About Kalmbach Publishing
Kalmbach Publishing was founded in 1934 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Over the years, they built a strong reputation for their high-quality magazines on topics like model trains, railroads, science, and crafts.
Their most popular titles included Trains, Model Railroader, Astronomy, Discover, Bead & Button, and more. Kalmbach had a passionate reader base who loved their in-depth coverage and stunning photography.
Is Kalmbach Publishing Going Out Of Business?
Unfortunately, the recent news reports are true. Kalmbach Publishing is in the process of shutting down and going out of business.
In June 2024, Kalmbach sold several of its major magazine titles to a company called Firecrown Media. This includes their railroad and astronomy magazines like Trains, Model Railroader, Classic Toy Trains, Garden Railways, and Astronomy.
After 90 years in business, this sale marks the beginning of the end for Kalmbach Publishing. The company plans to sell its remaining assets, including Discover Magazine and their digital marketing agency called Saturn Lounge.
Once all the assets are sold off, Kalmbach Publishing will officially dissolve the company. Any leftover money will be distributed to their stockholders after outstanding bills are paid. It’s a sad end for this long-running publisher.
Reasons For The Closure
So what led to Kalmbach Publishing’s demise after 90 successful years? Like many smaller and mid-sized publishers, Kalmbach struggled to adapt to the digital age.
As readers shifted from print to online content, magazines across the industry saw drops in subscribers and advertising revenue. Rising costs of printing and shipping printed magazines also cut into profits.
Kalmbach Publishing held on as long as they could. But in the end, the challenging market conditions were too much to overcome. Selling off their assets was the only remaining option.
The shutdown will impact Kalmbach’s employees, although there is a bright spot. Firecrown Media, the company acquiring many of Kalmbach’s titles, plans to hire 67 current Kalmbach employees. This includes editors, writers, sales reps, and other staff. At least some of Kalmbach’s talent will carry on with the magazines.
Current State Of Kalmbach Publishing
Kalmbach Publishing has been an industry leader in hobby and science magazines for 90 years. But recently, the company made the difficult decision to sell off most of its well-known titles.
In a major move, Kalmbach sold its entire portfolio of railroad and astronomy publications to a company called Firecrown Media. This includes magazines that Kalmbach is famous for, like Trains, Model Railroader, Classic Trains, Garden Railways, Classic Toy Trains, and Astronomy.
The only properties Kalmbach held onto are Discover Magazine and its digital marketing agency, Saturn Lounge. By divesting its other titles, Kalmbach is dramatically scaling back its publishing business.
Board Of Directors’ Actions
So why did Kalmbach Publishing make this big decision? Well, it appears to be the choice of the company’s board of directors.
After nearly a century in the publishing industry, Kalmbach’s leadership determined it was time for a major change in direction. Selling off the company’s most iconic magazine brands is the first step.
The board intends to sell Kalmbach’s remaining assets as well. Once that process is complete, which is expected to be done by the end of 2024, Kalmbach Media will be formally dissolved. It’s the end of an era for this long-standing pillar in enthusiast publishing.
Kalmbach Publishing Financial Health
You may be wondering – was Kalmbach Publishing in financial trouble? Is that why they’re shutting down?
Details about the company’s finances have not been disclosed. But it’s clear that this was a carefully considered decision by the Kalmbach board to wind down operations in an orderly manner.
The sale to Firecrown Media included provisions for all 67 Kalmbach employees working on those titles to transition to the new owner. Firecrown is well-positioned to continue publishing these brands going forward.
As for Discover Magazine and Saturn Lounge, their future is not yet determined. Presumably Kalmbach is seeking buyers for these last remaining properties as they work towards their goal of dissolving the business entirely.
Conclusion
Kalmbach Publishing, known for its magazines like Trains and Astronomy, is closing down after 90 years. The company has sold its main magazines to Firecrown Media and is working to sell off its remaining assets. This move comes as a result of struggling with changes in the media world and falling print revenues.
Though it’s the end for Kalmbach as a publisher, many of its well-loved magazines will keep going with the new owner, allowing the company’s long history of quality content to continue in a new form.
