Community Always | (not) random magazines | Episode 50*
The shift to digital was supposed to make the world feel smaller, yet sourcing niche publications in Perth often felt like living on an island. This friction is where (not) random magazines found its purpose. Born from a frustration with accessing international titles locally, the project has evolved into a vital node for the Western Australian creative landscape. It is a venture that rejects the algorithmic feed in favour of the curated shelf, focusing on independent print that demands a more intentional pace of consumption.
For the founder, the mission is about serving a small community of readers who value the tactile nature of a well-styled feature. This focus on the physical makes the experience distinct from the content consumed by a wider audience online. By responding to local inquiries and sourcing specific titles, the shop is being shaped alongside its audience. It proves there is a genuine demand for independent media that exists outside of what an advert or an algorithm pushes at us.
As we continue our Community Always series alongside adidas Originals, we look at their recent Fremantle pop-up to discuss the importance of physical presence and the quiet rebellion of staying independent. To accompany the read, (not) random magazines has curated a selection of sounds reflecting their in-store energy. This playlist serves as a sonic extension of the atmosphere they have built while developing a more robust magazine culture in Australia.
What inspired the creation of (not) random magazines and what makes it unique?
The idea of a magazine shop first came to me a few years ago when we moved to Australia. I was looking to order some of my favourite magazines and realised how difficult it was to find them locally. This type of shop is rare in Australia, and I had to order from Europe. That’s when I thought: if I’m looking for these magazines, maybe others are too. Right now, I’m still testing and exploring how it will go, and whether there’s a real demand for conceptual magazines, whether there is a strong community of people who want something highly curated, independent, and different from what algorithms or ads push at them. What makes the shop unique is that it’s the only place where you can find a wide selection of independent publications, particularly in Perth. While curated magazine stores exist elsewhere in the world, this is something new and distinctive for Perth and, to some extent, for Australia. I also try to respond to people's enquiries and source magazines they are looking for, so in a way the shop is shaped together with our little community.
Any exciting moments coming up or previous highlights that you'd like to share?
One of the highlights from the past couple of months was the launch of our offline pop-up in Piazza, Fremantle. It’s a small space, but makes good use of space, and I think it’s a great start for bringing the magazine experience to life. Looking ahead, I’m working on a bringing pop-ups to other cities across Australia. So, it’s really a lot of experimenting, testing, and discovering the best ways to develop magazine culture in Australia.
How important is community to your business?
Community is actually quite important to the shop. Our audience isn’t a wider public, in fact it’s a smaller group of people who want to engage with something tangible, something you can hold, smell and read. They share one main thing - the desire to read interesting magazines created by a bunch of creative people who carefully research, style, shoot and curate the content. This makes the experience very different from what’s consumed by the wider audience online today. In that sense, our community is made up of contemporary, progressive people who value thoughtful ideas and like to engage with print.
Thanks for reading! Listen to (not) random magazines' playlist on Spotify or Apple Music.