THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 21, 1996 TAG: 9603210357
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SUSIE STOUGHTON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Short : 41 lines
Once known mainly for peanuts and pigs, Suffolk now has a promotional magazine to tell new and prospective residents and businesses about the amenities of the fast-growing area.
The magazine, Discover Suffolk, is loaded with information about city services and details on nearly every aspect of daily living: education, health care, recreation, entertainment, shopping, dining and worship. The 112-page guide is filled with color and black-and-white photographs.
``We wanted to make Suffolk look good,'' said Virginia L. ``Jinks'' Babey, founder and creative director of Virginia Graphic Design.
``Suffolk is not unclassy,'' she said, hoping to help change the city's longstanding country-bumpkin image.
Virginia Graphic Design, a four-year-old company, produced the magazine, which could be updated annually if demand warrants, Babey said.
The magazine, which will be distributed free to new residents and prospective businesses, answers such questions as, ``Where do I buy a dog license?'' and ``When do I have to buy a decal?'' Babey said.
``I feel like we've covered the things most people are interested in as new residents and provided a lot of information people who have been around for years don't know,'' she said.
Babey, who has two graphic designers working with her, presented copies of the hot-off-the-press magazine to the City Council on Wednesday night. Advertisers will receive their copies at a reception Friday morning.
The first printing of 10,000 copies was financed by ads and a contribution of at least $5,000 from the city, Babey said.
While Discover Suffolk promotes the city, the magazine is owned by Virginia Graphic Design and is not a new city slogan, she said. by CNB