Rick Fahr, publisher of the Log Cabin Democrat, said the newspaper’s move to a new office in downtown Conway is part of a plan to reinvest in the paper’s content.
On Thursday, Fahr announced plans for the daily newspaper to move from its current 20,000-SF building at 1058 Front St. to a smaller, newly renovated office at 1111 Main St.
The newspaper plans to complete the move to Federal Plaza, formerly called the Federal Building, in April.
Morris Publishing Group of Augusta, Ga., owner of the 132-year-old Log Cabin Democrat, in December sold its current building, which has housed the newspaper’s offices and printing press since 1980, for $665,000 to Covington Properties of Conway.
Covington had offered to continue leasing space in the facility to the newspaper. But Morris chose to lease smaller offices in Federal Plaza from Nabholz Construction and outsource printing to Paxton Media Group’s The Courier in Russellville.
Morris is still in negotiations with Paxton over terms of the deal. But the agreement would include The Courier staff printing the Log Cabin Democrat and its related publications.
Once the Log Cabin stops its 10-person printing operation, up to six related jobs will be eliminated from the company, Fahr said. The Courier might hire some staffers whose positions are eliminated, he said.
But Fahr said the move should allow hiring in other parts of the newspaper.
"This is part of an overall reinvestment plan so that as the months go by we can hire more people on the content side," Fahr said.
According to the Arkansas Press Association, the Log Cabin has an average daily circulation of 7,052 and an average Sunday circulation of 13,429.
Morris Publishing Group owns 13 daily newspapers in Arkansas, Texas, Georgia, South Carolina, Minnesota, Florida, Alaska and Kansas.
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