CKB Management Buys CitiScapes Magazine

CKB Management LLC of Fayetteville, led by Charles and Kimberly Sharpe, announced on Jan. 4 that it purchased majority interest in CitiScapes Metro Monthly magazine on Dec. 1 from Horizon OmniMedia Corp. for an undisclosed amount.

The general interest magazine covering Northwest Arkansas was founded in 2001 by Aaron Bleidt of Fayetteville, who served as a Washington County Justice of the Peace from 1999 through 2004. Bleidt has published the full-color magazine since 2002 under Horizon, a company he founded. He has also served as editor since the magazine’s inception and will continue to work in that capacity under the ownership of CKB.

Kimberly Sharpe will serve as executive sales manager of CitiScapes. She and Bleidt will also share the title of associate publisher.

Kimberly Sharpe worked as an account executive for the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal from 2000 to 2003 and at Celebrate Northwest Arkansas, a monthly magazine based in Rogers, for a year after that. She also served as business manager during her tenure at Celebrate. Charles Sharpe is the general partner of Arkansas.Net, an Internet solutions provider based in Fayetteville.

Kimberly Sharpe said some changes will be implemented at CitiScapes during the next few months. The paper stock was increased from 40-pound to 60-pound with the January issue of CitiScapes, and it will continue to stay at that level, she said. The magazine, which is distributed free of charge, will remain at about 84 to 100 pages per issue for the foreseeable future, Bleidt said, and some new columnists may be added.

Kimberly Sharpe said the magazine may have a new look in about four months along with an upgraded Internet site.

CKB printed 20,970 copies of its January issue, which is available at about 450 distribution points throughout Washington and Benton counties. Bleidt said circulation will remain about the same under CKB.