• by Sara Guaglione , December 2, 2015

SagaCity Media has acquired Gulfshore Media LLC’s Sarasota-based titles, president Nicole Vogel announced Monday -- making this the largest acquisition for the Portland, Oregon-based company.

This acquisition also marks the company’s first venture into the East Coast market.

The brands purchased include Sarasota Magazine, Biz (941), SEE Sarasota, Sarasota Health and Venice Magazine.

SagaCity Media will develop the Sarasota brands’ digital platform and online content, bringing the titles to “the next level,” Vogel stated. “Taking its highly sought-after content and adapting and expanding it to fit any device that consumers deem valuable will be a truly exciting project,” she added.

The investments the company has already made with its existing brands in responsive design, database technology, mobile and social media will be carried over to the Sarasota portfolio, Vogel told Folio.

Gulfshore President Dan Denton, who founded Sarasota Magazine in 1979, stated that SagaCity’s “innovation in the digital sphere” was what caught his attention.

Sarasota Magazine is a resource for restaurants, news, events, shopping, party photos, health and real estate in the Floridian city. Group Publisher Kelley Lavin, Editorial Director Pam Daniel and creative director Gigi Ortwein will continue to lead the Sarasota team under SagaCity’s direction, Denton added.

Although Vogel did not offer specific details regarding terms of the deal, she told Folio: "We all think it was a fair price for a highly profitable asset and we intend to ratchet up our return on investment by launching significant digital assets by January 2016."

Vogel added that about one-third of the new staff will receive raises, “to bring them to our Sagacity levels.”

Nearly three years ago, SagaCity launched Houstonia, a magazine that covers culture and current events in Houston, Texas. The publication is now the largest-selling monthly in Houston.

“SagaCity’s march across the country has been both deliberate and tremendously gratifying,” Vogel stated.

SagaCity Media, a 12-year-old company, first launched Portland Monthly in 2003. The company also has titles in Seattle, Houston, Aspen, Vail and Park City.