As a category, shelter magazines were hit several months before the economic downturn affected the rest of the industry. Now, even with advertising dollars yet harder to come by, one former Domino editor is ignoring the naysayers and reentering the space with an online-only magazine. Michelle Adams and partner Patrick Cline met a few years ago at a Domino photo shoot, and now they’re about to launch the first issue of Lonny, a name combining New York and London. “Our goal is not to replace Domino, as there will clearly never be a replacement, but rather to help fill the void that has been left by so many closing shelter publications and help bridge the gap between traditional print magazines and the online world,” Adams said.

Lonny will be broken down into sections, similar to a print title, including front-of-book market pages, art and culture, fashion and features. The first issue will feature former Domino editor in chief Deborah Needleman in her garden and Kate Townsend Simpson, another Domino alum, is on the cover. Eddie Ross, formerly of Martha Stewart Living, will provide tips for entertaining with style. The format will let readers “flip through pages,” much like a print magazine, and readers will be able to shop directly from the pages by clicking on items. “We literally have had everything from the photo equipment to the writing donated by people who believe in what we’re trying to achieve,” said Adams. “Our hope is that the magazine will grow and that we’ll be able to employ these people for future issues.” Adams said the first issue will have advertising from Fotocare and Digital Media NYC.

With the issue set to debut Oct. 1, Adams and Cline are already at work on the next one, which will have features on the likes of Jonathan Adler and Celerie Kemble. — A.W.