The Coopersville Observer ~ Continuing the Tradition from 1880 ~ For your Community News

       The Coopersville Observer is a community newspaper which is published bi-weekly, 26 times a year by The Coopersville Observer, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion may be reproduced without the expressed, written permission of the publisher. The Coopersville Observer, Inc., P.O. Box 111, Coopersville, MI   49404. Third class postage is paid at Coopersville, MI. The Coopersville Observer is not responsible for unsolicited contributions, which must include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for return, if necessary. Address all letters, inquiries, manuscripts, information and photos to the Managing Editor.

      The Coopersville Observer, a weekly publication, was first established and printed on a homemade press in 1880, by William G. Barnes. The newspaper is now bi-weekly and entirely produced electronically.

      The Observer exchanged hands many times and business was conducted in several locations before the present owners, Duane and Kerri Snowdin, took over on February 6, 1996. The Snowdin family began their humble beginnings out of their home, with their two daughters, Candice and Rebekah helping out. On May 1, 2000, they began conducting operations in the rear office of Alt Oil Co., at 1374 W. Randall St., in Coopersville, Michigan.

      This small hometown paper was first published by the Snowdins with one very limited Compaq computer, a simple 35 mm camera, a small one-room office and a lot of faith. They have grown from a 12-page paper printing 5,000 copies to printing, publishing and distributing 8,700 newspapers, every other week. They have weathered storm after storm, deadline after deadline, the Internet threat, the Y2K scare - - and survived!

      Independently owned, The Observer is original. It prints stories unique to Coopersville, Conklin, Marne, Lamont and Ravenna, it’s people and what is important to the people of this readership area. The paper’s home office is actually based in one of the towns they serve.

      According to the Snowdin family, there is nothing more American - - or as impacting to a readership area - - than the local newspaper. It is the independent town paper that gives communities their individualism and feature the personality of the people within their pages. Without The Observer, the circulation area would be just another suburb of Grand Rapids.

      The Observer also offers reasonably priced advertising for the area’s businesses. At a time when “small business” is competing with the “big boys” in larger cities, the paper often reminds residents of the local company that contributes to their community in so many ways.

      The Snowdins sincerely thank you for your support in publishing YOUR local newspaper. They hope to continue distributing “the community paper with the positive difference” for a long time.

      If you are interested in advertising your business, or if you have a story idea, contact them at the office, Monday - Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or on Friday, 9 a.m. to 12 noon. For more information, either call: (616) 997-5049, email: Cvobserve@aol.com, or write: The Coopersville Observer, P.O. Box 111, Coopersville, MI, 49404

     The residents in the Observer circulation area are :