• by Ray Schultz , December 25, 2023

Mel, the men’s lifestyle magazine that was founded by Dollar Shave Club in 2015 and stopped publishing in 2022 after reaching 4 million unique monthly visitors, per month, is coming back. 

Literally Media, owner of such titles as Cracked, Know Your Meme, eBaum’s World and Cheezburger, acquired Mel from Recurrent Ventures earlier this year and plans to re-establish it as a multi-faceted brand for men. 

“We wanted to expand our network by acquiring like-minded brands and Mel is a perfect fit,” says Oren Katzeff, CEO of Literally Media, who helped deelop the founding team at Mel. “At a time in media where brand and voice matter more than ever, Mel offers us an amazing opportunity to make this platform more than just a magazine.”

Katzeff adds, “We believe that Mel is rich with storytelling and IP that can translate very well to documentaries, film, and other long form opportunities.”

In its heyday, Mel was described as “the rare men’s magazine that has taken upon itself to investigate masculinity, not enforce it,” The New York Times wrote.  

Recurrent Ventures acquired Mel in 2021, but stopped publishing it in July 2022.  

“Mel is a beloved brand with a history of inclusive and unique storytelling,” says  Andrew Perlman, CEO of Recurrent. Although it did not fit within our portfolio or go-forward strategy, we have a lot of respect for its content and legacy.”