Old West Magazine Undergoes Redesign

Posted on June 6, 2000

Old West Magazine, a publication chronicling the early American West, launched its totally redesigned first issue on May 29, according to Bob Boze Bell, managing partner of True West Publishing of Cave Creek.

Bell said, ``We stopped the presses on Old West in January 2000 and spent the next three months reworking the magazine to align it with the rapidly emerging group of new Old West enthusiasts. When we acquired Old West and its sister publication True West, we knew that both products would have to undergo major enhancements if they were to compete effectively in today's volatile marketplace. Old West was chosen as the platform for reaching this new audience.''

Bell, an internationally known western artist, historian, and radio personality, and two Texas partners saved Old West and True West magazines from extinction when they purchased the ailing Western Publishing of Stillwater, Okla. and moved all operations to Cave Creek in November of 1999. Marcus Huff, Old West editor since 1995, relocated to Cave Creek and immediately set about the monumental task of reinventing the two publications.

``In the last few years we have seen a tremendous growth in anything western. We felt the market lacked a publication that addressed the editorial tastes of this new generation of fans that love to travel, explore and read about the old west,'' noted Huff.

``The surge in interest in the old west started with movie Tombstone,'' confirmed Bell. ``That's why we selected Val Kilmer and the story behind his immortal Doc Holliday as the feature in our first issue of the redesigned Old West.''

With a combined magazine circulation of over 50,000, True West Publishing also publishes a wide variety of related books and art, all aimed at the western enthusiast and history buff. The new website offers visitors the chance to chat with historians and collectors about events, characters and collectibles of this important American era.

Huff, who became editor at 27, is the youngest editor in the 46-year history of True West Publishing. ``I'm a young guy and I love the old west and I wanted to create a publication that would appeal to people like me,'' he said. Huff holds a degree in journalism from Northern Oklahoma College and Oklahoma State University.