CLEVELAND TOWN TOPICS was the "Bible" of Cleveland's social and cultural sets for over 40 years. Billed as "A Weekly Review of Society, Art, and Literature," it was founded on 17 Dec. 1887 by Felix Rosenberg, who served as editor, and Thomas J. Rose, who became business manager. Its magazine format organized coverage into regular departments in lieu of feature articles. A lively lead column of gossip and commentary appeared under the heading "Talk of the Town," later renamed "The Lounger." Following the departures of Rose and then Rosenberg, Norman C. McLoud and C. H. Wright appeared as short-lived editors, the former also as proprietor. The publication's address moved from the Arcade and Vincent St. to the Garfield Bldg., before finally settling in the CAXTON BLDG. There it came under the proprietorship of CHAS. S. BRITTON, who published it for the next quarter-century. Although not overly political, Town Topics served its elite readership with a moderate dose of Republicanism. It was an early automobile enthusiast, giving the horseless carriage regular coverage as early as 1901. During the next few years, automobile ads pumped its annual Automobile Show issues to more than 50 pages. Circulation, however, was never more than a few thousand. On 7 Dec. 1929, Britton announced its merger into the BYSTANDER, a newer rival that thereafter would be printed in his plant. Apparently the marriage did not succeed, because a year later former staffers announced the "return of a conservative family journal" under the name Cleveland Town Tidings. Appearing on 28 Mar. 1931, the weekly later formed an affiliation with the FED. OF WOMEN'S CLUBS OF GREATER CLEVELAND in an effort to acquire a circulation base. After a 6-week suspension in the summer of 1932, Town Tidings returned in a newspaper format on 17 Sept. and apparently expired after 19 Nov. 1932.
