Improper Bostonian’s Closing ‘Was a Family Decision’

There was also a revealing interview of then-congressman Joe Kennedy II by former WBZ-AM radio host David Brudnoy, and a provocative piece by Chris Lydon, former host of the longtime WBUR show “The Connection,” that promoted the idea that chef Julia Child was the preeminent feminist of her time.

“Yes, it’s changed,” says Jonathan Soroff, the Improper’s rococo columnist whose dispatches from the party circuit were a must-read for fans of the magazine. “When we started, we wrote some very [gutsy] news stories, absolutely. But our arts-and-entertainment coverage became super strong, and that’s hard to do as a biweekly because we were thinking two months out.”

Soroff, who’s been with The Improper from the beginning, said there were many tears shed at the magazine’s Back Bay office Thursday morning.

“It’s like a death in the family. Everybody’s crushed,” he said. “A lot of companies don’t survive 28 weeks, let alone 28 years, and I’m grateful for every second of it. I got to interview everyone from Maya Angelou to the ‘Real Housewives.’ ”

Longtime humor columnist Ezra Dyer fondly recalls dancing onstage at a Flaming Lips concert in a bunny costume for one of his pieces — a column that led a reader to introduce Dyer to a woman who later became his wife.

John Spooner, the famed financial guru and nationally recognized novelist, has written a column for The Improper since 2005. He said the magazine’s masthead gave him “the freedom to express thought and snarkiness,” and he took full advantage. He said he’s terribly sad, but not surprised that the doors are closing.

“Media is a challenging landscape,” Spooner said. “Whether it’s writing or dance or painting or acting or singing, if you choose the creative life, you’re doomed. I can’t tell you how much I hate that The Improper is closing. It’s been a wonderful refuge for me and a great thing for the city.”

Among its competitors, The Improper’s sudden demise was met with the opposite of glee.

“While it may be good in some sense for @DigBoston, I am not here to gloat,” tweeted Chris Faraone, editor of the alt weekly Dig Boston. “With very few exceptions, I don’t like to see any publications go out of business.”

That sentiment was shared even by folks at Boston magazine, despite the fact that the two publications had periodically jousted. (To the editors of Boston magazine, The Improper’s annual “Boston’s Best” issue was just a confusing copycat of Boston magazine’s “Best of Boston” issue.)

“It’s always a sad day to see a publication close its doors,” said Boston magazine editor Chris Vogel, “especially one that has been around for so long.”

Asked Thursday what he’ll do now, Soroff sighed.

“I don’t know,” he said. “My calendar just became incredibly empty.”

Semonian Eppich Letter

Publisher Semonian Eppich posted a letter explaining the decision. It is reproduced in full, below.

After nearly 28 years in business, we are closing The Improper Bostonian effective today. While this news might be surprising, the company has had a great run and we’re hopefully leaving this incredible city better and brighter since our inception in 1991.

A special thanks to…

• My family, our ownership: Thank you for believing in The Improper Bostonian and all of its employees from the beginning, and for providing incredible support.
• Mark Semonian, our founder: Thank you for creating and conceiving something that is such an important part of the fabric of our city.
• Improper staff, past and present: Thank you for all of your hard work. You amaze me every day and are smart, creative, kind, humble, loyal, fun and fabulous. You’ve been an absolute joy along this Improper journey. In the business world, a company is only as good as the people you work with—and I feel fortunate and appreciative to have worked with all of you. Your fingerprints have left a lasting impression on The Improper brand.
• Our partners and vendors: Thank you for your invaluable help along the way.
• Our advertisers: Thank you for believing in The Improper and trusting us with the chance to promote your business. We have enjoyed many memorable collaborations throughout the years.
• Our loyal readers: Thank you for picking us up every two weeks and putting us on your coffee tables—or in recent years, for also clicking on our website. It has been a pleasure to entertain, inspire, inform and amuse you. Our staff was always delighted when you shared your love and passion for the brand. Your feedback gave us a lot of pride in what we did and motivated us to continue doing it.

As you remember The Improper, try to think of how you can enrich the lives of others while celebrating AND enjoying life in this wonderful city — something we are fond of doing ourselves.

And as always, #STAYIMPROPER!