When I heard that a 20-screen movie theater would be arriving downtown Sarasota on Main Street I immediately called the two savvy investment-entrepreneur-philanthropists (and would-be-moguls) who were responsible, Dr. Mark Kauffman and attorney David Band, promptly inviting them both out for lunch.

Once settled in, I said, “You probably are wondering why I asked you to meet with me…well…I want you to write me a check today for $10,000.”

I paused as they both laughed.

“Let me explain, right now you can bowl down Main Street, however, once your theater opens its doors that will inevitably change. But, respectfully, you need to position yourselves as the crusaders you actually are and let the businesses downtown be part of what should be a tsunami of excitement. What I am proposing is that you give me $10,000 today so I can launch a quarterly publication to help make your theaters and the surrounding shops and restaurants and businesses become ground-zero for the entire city. In exchange, you’ll have the back cover for the first year and as the publication expands then it will always be available in the theater so patrons will always know they can always pick up a copy there. Always.”

“$10,000 will cover the cost of producing the first issue. Of course, I can’t guarantee a second issue. But if for any reason it doesn’t succeed then you can, um, water the flowers atop my grave in any way you feel would be appropriate.”

Yes, they wrote the check, and what started out as simply “Sarasota Downtown” with its first issue as a free quarterly fold-over newsprint tabloid grew into two sections by the second issue, then three. Then, expanding as a 4-color bimonthly, it was rechristened “Sarasota Downtown & Beyond,” finally taking the leap to a free glossy monthly, sometimes with a “barndoor” cover where you could open the flaps of the cut center.

And it was huge, not just in reception, but also literally — a few progressive issues measuring 11″ x 15.5″ — filled with the area’s best writers and photographers.