A staple of the Twin Cities arts and culture scene is closing down. The Star Tribune announced Wednesday it was ending publication of the City Pages alternative newspaper.
A release from the Star Tribune says this week’s print edition of the alt-weekly would be the last.
The company said that COVID-19 shutdowns had cut into ad revenue and made the freely distributed publication financially unviable and that about 30 people will lose their jobs with the closure.
The paper debuted as a monthly in 1979, then called “Sweet Potato.” It took its current name in 1981 and moved up to weekly publication, known for irreverence, partisanship and sometimes hard-hitting journalism. Its annual “Best Of” issue and “Picked to Click” award proved touchstones of Twin Cities culture.
The Star Tribune bought the newspaper in 2015.
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