'Santa Fean' magazine goes out of print

Teya Vitu, The Santa Fe New Mexican
·2 min read

Sep. 10—For the second time in less than two years, the Santa Fean magazine is out of print.

The June/July issue apparently was the last issue circulated.

"[As far as I know], it is no longer being published," said Downtown Subscription owner Casey Mickelson, who carried the Santa Fean in his Garcia Street cafe and magazine shop.

Barnes & Noble Booksellers at Coronado Center in Albuquerque has also not seen an August/September issue.

"We got our June/July and now are waiting for the next one," said Jeff Kennedy, who handles magazines at Barnes & Noble. "We don't have any further notice."

Santa Fean publisher Kelly Haug, who owns the Santa Fean and The Essential Guide with her husband Martin, did not respond to phone calls and email from The New Mexican. The publications' office had no staff present on several visits by The New Mexican.

Peñasco-based Gaucho Blue Fine Art co-owner Lise Poulsen filed a consumer complaint Thursday with the New Mexico Attorney General's Office. The complaint noted that "no publication was printed, no response to enquiries/complaints, and no refund of monies paid" for an advertisement she and her husband Nick Beason had sought to place in an upcoming issue of Santa Fe Essential Guide.

Poulsen told The New Mexican she paid a $500 deposit and $563.28 first installment on April 6.

"We sent our artwork to them," Poulsen said. "We had confirmation they received it. Then we didn't hear any more from them."

The Haugs in May 2020 acquired the Santa Fean from Bella Media president Bruce Adams, who abruptly dismissed all staff before Thanksgiving 2019 with publication stopping after the December/January 2020 edition. The Haugs relaunched the magazine in August 2020 and their entire ownership period fell within the coronavirus pandemic.

Also in May 2020, the Haugs bought The Essential Guide from Trish and Chip Byrd, who had owned it for 14 years but were looking to sell. The 2020-21 issue was already published but no new edition was published.

The Haugs also own Green Coyote Shipping and Santa Fe Print & Images.

Kelly Haug told The New Mexican in September 2020 that subscriptions to the Santa Fean had grown to 4,500 since she took over and 20,000 copies were printed. She had ambitions to double subscriptions and circulation by early 2021.