After a year on Substack, we don’t miss our former newspaper

Some things happen for a reason. Happy anniversary, Bob Dunning.

Bob Dunning and I celebrated on my porch in June after becoming Substack Bestsellers. (Photo by Shelley Dunning)

Comings & Goings is nearing its first anniversary on Substack. I joined this platform on May 17, 2024, following The Davis Enterprise’s botched layoff of my colleague Bob Dunning. (He received no severance after 54 years).

I’m so glad I’m here. And I have Bob Dunning to thank. I didn’t know Substack existed before May 10, 2024, when he launched The Wary One – a name tweak on The Wary I column he wrote for five decades.

Although the layoff was painful at the time, Bob is not looking back. “I’m happy with how things worked out because I learned a number of wonderful things about the Davis community.”

Readers like you followed us, subscribed, and paid to support our work. Within a month, we were Substack Bestsellers. Crazy.

Just Tuesday, I got notification that Comings & Goings was 11th in Rising in Business. That means it was trending! It was short-lived, but i’ll take it. It’s ranked 28th (out of thousands worldwide) in Business newsletters, based on revenue. And I’m charging the minimum. Most of those ranked higher charge more, and I’m not ready to do that.

Taking the leap

When I pulled my column from the paper and came here, I had no idea what to expect. I figured I’d sign up and see if a few hundred readers would be willing to pay $5 a month or $50 a year. If not, it had been a good 23-year run. Today, there are thousands of you. I am so grateful.

I started Comings & Goings in 2001, when I was managing editor of The Enterprise. I continued writing it after I was laid off in 2008 during the Great Recession. (I got a severance.)

After a year of under-employment, I found full-time work but struggled to make it meaningful. I kept writing this column because it filled a need of mine, and helped others.

In 2013, I left office jobs for contract and freelance work. I ended up doing publicity for the Davis Farmers Market and Davis Pride, and it’s been fun.

But as of June 30, thanks to Substack, I’ll be down to the best job ever: this column. That’s also the day my husband, 57, is retiring from his staff research job at UC Davis.

The numbers

Since May 17, I’ve posted 76 columns on Substack. By comparison, I had 47 columns published in The Davis Enterprise in 2023, and 45 in 2022.

Of course, Bob Dunning puts that to shame. “With two days to go until my anniversary on May 10, I've had 335 Substack posts,” he told me Thursday. He added another one about the pope yesterday. All that for $2 more a month. What a bargain.

Freedom without the press

Being my own boss is so different than writing a weekly column for the Sunday paper. A couple times in 2020, I persuaded the editor to let me publish some breaking news on a different day, like when post-pandemic losses forced the closure of De Vere’s Irish Pub in Davis. But those extra columns were rare.

On Substack, I decide when to publish. And it’s dictated by news, not newsprint schedules.

Like me, Bob loves “the freedom to write what I want, when I want,” he said. “I remember one night it was getting late and I started to feel that deadline angst, but then I thought, ‘Who's going to yell at me, myself?’ ”

I loved sharing news about Estelle, Sierra, Nordstrom Rack, Calicraft Brewing, Fluffy Donuts, Taffach Ethiopian, Watermelon Music, Orangetheory Fitness and a future climbing gym. It was sad but important to break the news (while I was in Europe) about the closure of Seasons Kitchen & Bar. I let you know about JoAnn fabrics, and the controversies around Davis’ G Street changes.

A new perspective

As newspaper columnists, Bob and I often followed up on news that was reported in The Enterprise. I didn’t write about Planning Commission or City Council meetings. Today, I’m keeping an eye on things from the start, often breaking news first, and covering topics untouched by The Enterprise. And, as its subscriptions plunge and ours rise, we’re reaching more of you than we would in the paper. It’s amazing.

And I’m stretching farther geographically, covering business news all over Yolo County. For 24 years, I’ve covered the Davis business scene, and Woodland when I can. I am enjoying getting to know our neighbors. I welcome tips from all over the county.

Photos and more photos!

I’m hearing from readers how much they love all the photos. In the paper, I could run one, maybe two pictures, and only if there was room on the page. On Substack, I try to get a photo with every item I can. It helps people visualize the business and the people involved. I especially love when people send me tips with photos.

And I adore the ad-free format. It’s so clean and user-friendly, unlike most of the internet, with those terrible blinking and moving ads. I’m committed to keeping it that way, despite interest from potential advertisers. I direct them to become a $250 founding subscriber, where I will thank them and continue to cover them the same as I would anyone else.

Thank you, Yolo County

I love having a direct line of communication with my readers, and immediate feedback and comments.

“I feel like I'm part of a great big family,” Bob said, “discussing the issues of the day, things that make us laugh and things that make us cry, as any family does.

“Most especially, the kindness and generosity and support from the people of Davis bring tears to my eyes. They lifted my spirits at a time when they definitely needed lifting. Their love will never be forgotten.”

We both get butterflies every time we’re notified about a new subscriber. Free subscriptions are nice too but as Bob notes, “paid subscribers help keep the lights on.”

Thanks for being a light. This community is amazing.

– Share your thoughts in the comments below. If you know of a business coming or going in the area – or if you see a typo above – email wendy@comingsandgoings.news. Give a Comings & Going gift subscription here. If you’re on Facebook and Instagram, please like and follow.