20th Anniversary Issue
A look back on two decades of Vermont news, views and culture
How Many Seven Dayzers Does It Take…
Four brave staffers helped us launch Seven Days in September 1995. Lars-Erik Fisk designed the paper. Maggie Starvish was the “front-desk person” in our subterranean Church Street office, in charge of reception, classifieds, circulation and whatever else came up. Clove Tsindle compiled the calendar. And the incomparable Rick Woods sold so many ads to local…
For Seven Days’ Sexperts, No Question Has Ever Been Too Daunting, Silly or Gross
Most newspapers that offer a relationship advice column rely on a nationally syndicated feature. Seven Days has been locally oriented from its beginning, and so it was only natural to hire our own advice goddess. For this 20th anniversary look back, our previously anonymous columnists have agreed to be outed. Now we can tell you…
Seven Days Photographer Matthew Thorsen Gets the Picture
Matthew Thorsen came into the Seven Days fold shortly after we started the paper. His first photo was of studio producer Joe Egan, in the October 25, 1995 issue. For the first few years, his black-and-white images, with dramatic borders created in the darkroom, defined the paper’s arty look. As time passed, his photos reflected…
Special Deliveries From the Seven Days Road Crew
Every week, Seven Days’ sales team, writers, editors, designers and proofreaders race against time to put out a brand-new issue, filled with fresh content and free of charge, for our readers. But all that hard work would be for naught if we didn’t have drivers to bring the product to the people. Currently, some 15…
Was There Something in the Water?
What was it about 1995 — the year Seven Days first hit the streets? Bill Clinton was president, the federal interest rate was 6 percent and the economy was good. That year, the government-owned internet went private, but technology had already changed the newspaper industry. As a result of desktop publishing, typesetting equipment and darkrooms…
Intro: Seven Days, Twenty Years
What the heck happened? One minute Pamela Polston and I were reporters at Vox, a little ol’ arts weekly we’d created, waiting for the new owners to ax our jobs. Now we find ourselves looking back over 20 years at the newspaper we own, which has become one of the most unusual of its kind…
Seven Days FAQ
Q: How do you decide what to write about? A: In news, we look for JDLRs — anything that “Just Doesn’t Look Right.” Vermont has enough artists and other interesting characters to keep us in features forever. Q: Are Seven Days’ cofounders Pamela and Paula, like, partner partners? A: Nope, it’s all business with those…
Twenty Reasons Seven Days is Still Here
The last 20 years haven’t been so great for many newspapers around the country. Some publications are shadows of their former selves. Others, like the altweekly Boston Phoenix, have vanished altogether. So why is Seven Days still fat and happy? We came up with a few possible explanations: Seven Days was “locavore” before there was…
Remembering Peter Freyne: Seven Days’ First News Hound
Six reporters create the robust news section in every issue of Seven Days and break stories 24-7 on our Off Message blog. But not that long ago, we had just one dogged journalist covering city hall and the Statehouse: the late, great Peter Freyne. For years, his Inside Track column was a must-read for Vermont…
Seven Days Staffers 1995-2015
For our 20th anniversary, we pulled out the record books to recall the 350+ brave folks who worked at Seven Days as both staffers and freelancers since 1995. Each contributed in some way to making Seven Days the media company that it is today. For their labor and loyalty, we are eternally grateful. Related Stories
Timeline: Seven Days Looks Back at 20 Years of Publishing in Vermont
1995 September 6: The first, 28-page issue is published with a “back-to-seminary” essay by Peter Freyne, a short story excerpt by UVM prof Philip Baruth, and a pizza survey headlined “The Pies Have It.” The winner? Leonardo’s. The calendar spotlights Rusty DeWees in Seven Days. The paper’s sole comic strip is dug Nap’s “Duane.” September…
Seven Staffers Who Got Away…
It’s always sad when talented employees decide to leave. The only consolation is they have a tendency to move on to other amazing things. And we can say we knew them when… Plenty of Seven Dayzers have gone on to greatness, but here’s a small sampling of their adventures and accomplishments: Lars-Erik Fisk Art director,…
