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 that would spotlight local gems—like 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 content from creatives around the world.

By Issue 02, and with design support from graphic designer Daniel Cardoza, Beacon’s brand identity began to take shape. Issue 03 introduced its first internship program, and Issue 04 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.

Since then, Beacon has sold in stores across the U.S., appeared in book fairs in Japan, hosted a rooftop event during New York Fashion Week, and published work from over 250 contributors across 32+ countries.