With many nearly identical citylife webzines already on the market, we wondered how the recently launched NYC guide, The Scout, would set itself apart. After spending some time perusing its listings, tours, and articles, it became clear that this was a genuinely unique guide - one that is as chic as it is useful. The Scout is dedicated to uncovering some of the city’s many gems, from culture to nightlife to neighborhoods, from a fresh, design-conscious perspective. We asked Tom Ran of Friend&Stranger, founder and design & content director of the site, to tell us a bit more about the eye-opening guide and where he found his inspiration.
What is The Scout?
The Scout is about experiences. We feature shops and restaurants that we enjoy with a curated point of view that presents a lifestyle to our readers. The focus is on design and quality food but we’re also about the quality of life, enjoying your surroundings and experiencing what the city has to offer. There are also self guided tours based on different themes, ranging from pop culture to food.
How is The Scout different from other cityguide websites and newsletters like Flavorpill, DailyCandy, Gridskipper?
The Scout is very design oriented. It highlights a small percentage of what the city offers but in doing so, gives our audience a clearer vision. We sift through all the information that is out there and present to you something that we hope is unique and interesting. Whether it be about a new restaurant that opened up in Fort Green or an interview with Marilyn Neuhart and her incredible contribution to mid-century design, it’s all about finding something special and presenting it to our readers. Gridskipper is a blog, Flavorpill focuses on events, and DailyCandy focuses on women readers. We’re a part of all that and adding design and editorial content into the mix.
What was the inspiration for The Scout?
The Scout came about through a merging of ideas and interests that include design, food, furniture, product, print, retail, and travel. I formed Friend & Stranger in 2006 to produce projects from these interests but after a year, I needed to refocus. I created a platform that would serve to accomplish many of these interests. That platform grew to become The Scout. It would centralize all my interests and everything that I wanted to participate in.
People who merge creativity and business ventures have also been key inspiration. Tyler Brûlé, Alex Calderwood, John Jay, and Aaron Rose all seemed to have transformed their interests into creative businesses. Brûlé’s ventures have been a huge inspiration for what I would like The Scout to become, from his publications to his creative agency Winkreative.
Who makes up the team behind The Scout?
We’re a multitalented group of people. Everyone has a hand in writing but our skills cover the spectrum. Aaron Quint, my partner in The Scout and developer is the technical guru of the site, but also has an art history background. His interests in art and technology are key the site. Maggie Shi’s been instrumental in getting our Dining and Bars department up and running. She is a foodie in every sense of the word, from working in the kitchen at the Gramercy Tavern to her daily writings about food. Sarah Williams is a graphic designer with a background in branding. She has contributed to the creative direction of the site, along with editorial content.
How do you hope to extend the site in the future?
We’re expanding into hotels and galleries in the fall. By adding these two departments we want to begin to cross promote by creating events that will pair retailers with galleries, or different dining options with hotels. It’s something we’re building towards. Ace Hotel is said to open in January 2009 so we would love to work with Alex Calderwood and company in some capacity. Video content is also something that we are aiming for in the first quarter of next year.
Tell us a little more about the design.
There’s something special about print, especially from the past. The quality behind the design, the attention to typography is what is lacking on the web. We have tried to translate this as much as possible without being too literal. I imagined The Scout to be like a printed journal, something that has the warmth of a tangible publication. The design is definitely a nod to the past.
Thanks, Tom!
