Beacon began in 2013 as a concept dreamed up by Chacha Sands and her best friend. Inspired by the idea of a “beacon” as a guide, the original vision was a Portland-themed zine spotlighting local gems — indie coffee shops, jewelry designers, and neighborhood florists. Though it remained an idea for two years, the concept laid the groundwork for what was to come.

With her best friend’s blessing, Chacha eventually brought Beacon to life with the launch of its first official issue. No. 01 Coffee Snob became a hybrid of the original vision — featuring a Portland Coffee Shop Guide alongside coffee-inspired work from creatives around the world. From the very beginning, Beacon embraced both local roots and global reach.

By No. 02 Gold Digger, and with design support from graphic designer Daniel Cardoza, Beacon’s visual identity began to take shape. No. 03 Fancy Pants introduced its first internship program, and No. 04 Bag Lady marked its first public launch party at No Vacancy Lounge.

From there, Beacon became a fixture in Portland’s creative scene — partnering with Design Week Portland and hosting workshops, panels, pop-ups, and concerts at beloved local venues like 220 Salon, Ace Hotel, Trove Curated Home, The Fixin’ To Bar, Mississippi Studios, and Jones Bar. The Tan Lines Festival at Century Bar, featuring over 20 live acts, became one of its largest and most memorable events.

While interns rotated each season, a core team began to form — Zach Westerman, Britt Mohr, Kailla Coomes, and Reid Kille became Beacon’s longest-standing collaborators. Over the years, a wide range of talent has worked on the Beacon team, many contributing for multiple seasons. Though too numerous to list here, the full team can be viewed on our Team page.

Over time, Beacon extended well beyond Portland — selling in shops across the U.S., appearing in book fairs in Japan, hosting a rooftop event during New York Fashion Week, and publishing work from over 250 contributors across 32+ countries.

In September 2021, after publishing No. 16 Wall Flower, Beacon paused to reflect, recharge, and reimagine. Four years later, in September 2025, Beacon relaunched with Volume V, ushering in a new era of themed idioms, experimental formats, and expansive cultural storytelling. Now based in New York City, Beacon’s 2025 relaunch marks a pivotal evolution — expanding into its full three-pronged ecosystem of Content, Commerce, and Experiences. This new chapter embraces Beacon’s true potential as a multifaceted cultural platform, deepening its commitment to innovative storytelling and immersive community engagement.