Streetvibes Sells Out (in a Good Way)

Who says raggedy upstarts can't make a difference? Streetvibes is proving you can be a little rough around the edges and still get something done.

The monthly newspaper put out by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is having to print more copies to keep up with customer demand. The March and April editions of Streetvibes were completely sold out, according to Georgine Getty, the coalition's executive director.

“Our vendors have really been getting out there and selling the papers,” Getty says. “We owe a lot to the tenacity of the vendors. They are out there no matter what the weather, selling papers and spreading the word about poverty. We are also very grateful for the wonderful relationships they have built with their loyal customers.”

The Homeless Coalition had been printing 5,000 copies a month but raised the number to 6,000 for the April edition. Because of increased demand for the paper, the next edition of Streetvibes will have 7,000 copies, Getty says. Circulation has increased by 85 percent in the first four months of the year compared to 2007.

“In this time of wide discussion in Cincinnati about poverty issues, homelessness, affordable housing and living wage jobs, we are pleased to see that people are turning to Streetvibes for a perspective on these issues that they can’t get from other publications,” she says.

Streetvibes is now edited by Gregory Flannery, CityBeat's former news editor.

Streetvibes includes stories about the struggles of homeless people, low-income families, urban life and social justice. Vendors learn entrepreneurship and sales skills by selling the paper for $1. Vendors keep 75 cents from each copy, and a quarter goes to printing costs.

One of the most colorful vendors is Cleo Wombles, who is a familiar sight in his clown nose and wig as he sells Streetvibes at Fifth and Walnut streets. Wombles also writes jokes for the paper.

“If you can make people laugh, they’ll buy from you,” he says.

For more information about Streetvibes, call Georgine Getty at 513-421-7803 or 513-295-8969.

— Margo Pierce

Comments

[David E. Gallaher]

Cleo is my vendor!
He is so trustworthy, I even buy my issues in advance from him. He was telling me how he has been selling papers like hotcakes. (By the way, in San Francisco, 100 cents on the dollar goes to the vendor. In Austria, the percent is about the same as here.)
His weekend spot is by the Chipotle up by UC. (Two excellent reasons to visit the vicinity.)
More than once I've observed "bum turf warfare" at 5th and Walnut, about which Cleo has patiently explained the details to me.
Which reminds me, who has seen the Indian movie, "Traffic Signal"? It's about turf warfare at traffic signals in Mumbai. I was browsing foreign DVDs at the library yesterday when some browsing Indian dude highly recommended it. I'm gonna check it out as soon as I have carefully perused all the far more deeply depraved and perverted offerings of our wonderful city/county library.

[Plum Street]

I save money by reading the Streetvibes online.

[Jared]

Streetvibes is non-profit, so it is free to speak truth to power. What a concept!

[Ima Trying]

If poor people and working people got together and decided to take power, nothing could stop them. That's why newspapers like Streetvibes are so helpful: They remind us that the people, united, can never be defeated!

[David E. Gallaher]

Ima Trying,
Keep on trying.
We don't need your war verbiage.

Peaceful Anarchist speaking.

[bgood]

I love Streetvibes - but I really miss the whole firecats column. Whatever happened to that?

[Bob Moore]

I'm glad so many people are reading StreetVibes, but to get the full feeling of this great street newspaper, buy a copy. First, the vendor is trying to make a living, so reading it online doesn't help. Second, you get to meet some great people like Cleo who sell StreetVibes. Third, you can pass it on to a friend or just leave it at a coffee shop to introduce someone else to it. Fourth, advocacy journalism is more effective in hard copy for many of us. It's easier to have a discussion about an article. Finally, it is a work of journalistic art, made to appreciate and enjoy in its original form. In any case, keep on reading it. Something in every issue will inform, inspire, agitate, and amaze you.

[Margo]

Don't know what happened to firecat, but check out Streetwise. It's classic Flannery and that's a good thing!

Greg, can you tell us what's up with the content changes?

[A]

That guy in the clown gear that stands on 5th and walnut is a bit annoying.

[Greg Flannery]

Margo, thanks for the plug! The main force driving changes in content at Streetvibes is a desire to increase the number of local stories and to improve their journalistic quality. I hope our circulation success reflects some of the work we've been putting into content.