'More conscious way of consuming media': East Austin 'newsstand' celebrating 1 year in business

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Angela Mathews and Chris Barias opened the Keep Looking Shop a little over a year ago. The East 12th Street shop, situated right next to El Tigre Coffee, is Austin’s only magazine shop and newsstand.

Mathews and Barias believe in the power of print media. When they met and started dating a few years ago, newsstands became places where they spent a lot of time together. Both being artists, they also appreciate the interaction of physically connecting with art and media.

“We spent time at newsstands together when we would travel, and it just evoked such conversation about both our own art and just the perspective that we gained from reading magazines; it also slowed us down,” Mathews said.

Mathews has been in Austin for 16 years, and Barias for about three. With Austin being such a hub for the arts, they felt that the city was missing a dedicated space for print media. So they opened just that.

“We realized what connection was built with a more conscious way of consuming media. And so we knew that — we’ve been in Austin a really long time — and we knew that this was something that was deeply missing and something that would help to strengthen and bring our community together,” Mathews said. “I could go on and on about… just like the value of what happens when you hold something tactile in your hand.”

Keep Looking sells “everything from glossy fashion magazines from around the world to independently published zines that capture our DIY spirit,” per their own description. Stepping into the shop, that is clear.

The walls are all but covered by colorful covers of publications, all shapes, sizes, and topics. There’s also curated apparel and custom Keep Looking merchandise.

Mathews said the shop gets new goods and titles every week, and the selection is curated based on her and Barias’ personal tastes.

“You know, anything that we would wear, anything that we would read, anything that we would have in our home is like really what we want to be able to encapsulate and bring to our customers here in the shop,” she said.

They also accept submissions from artists and creators who are interested in selling their work at the shop.

The couple has always had an appreciation for print media, and they’ve collected it themselves, Mathews said. And over the last few years, there’s been somewhat of a revival of the consumption of print media, like magazines and zines.

Magazine Cafe released an article in April about the resurgence of print media and what’s fueling the comeback. The article summed it up into a handful of points: The Sensory Experience of Print, The Power of Curated Content, Aesthetic Appeal and Collectibility, Supporting Sustainable Practices, The Nostalgia Factor, and Enhanced Engagement and Focus.

“It’s interesting because Chris and I have always collected print media, so for us, in some regard, it never went away. I think it has gained more exposure,” Mathews said. “Also, like, as an artist… zines are an incredibly easy and accessible way to also present and show your work.”

Mathews also said the experience of tangible media is also unique and more powerful than digital forms of media.

“The power of getting this in the hands of someone who can then digest it, absorb it, and keep it as a source of their own inspiration… As an artist, there’s almost like, no feeling like it, and I think hardly anything as meaningful as being able to get your work into people’s hands,” she said.

She acknowledged that digital media is also an important and relevant source, but feels like there’s something special and intentional about interacting with print media.

“Digital media is important… it’s still a very relevant source and will continue to be a relevant source of building your brand identity and getting yourself out there,” Mathews said. “There’s so much noise and so much determined around who gets to see your work and how they get to see your work. I also think, just based on things like algorithms, determine maybe what an artist might choose to post.”

“Print is forever. It’s curated. There’s no take-backs,” she continued. “Once it’s in print, it’s there. And so the point in time is so important. And also the tactile feeling of reading something that someone has made in the most intentional way for you to consume and go back to and reference.”

Mathews said the shop has had a positive response from the community and they’ve had more customers and foot traffic than they initially expected to. She also noted the sense of connection and community that the store can bring to folks, as well.

“I do think that, since COVID also, there is a desire for people to be in real community… make meaningful conversation, and what we hope is continue to make art as a way of building that community and connection.”

Keep Looking is celebrating its first anniversary on Sunday, Nov. 2, from 1-5 p.m. There will be DJs, food, pop-up shop vendors, and, of course, birthday cake. Details and an RSVP link are available online.

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