After narrowly avoiding extinction, Brick Underground is welcoming its new owners.
Digital media manager Anh Nguyen and real estate attorney Tyler Blair purchased the 15-year-old New York real estate publication with a deal financed by a mix of cash and equity.
The two friends offered to buy the outlet in late February after founder and CEO Teri Karush Rogers announced on LinkedIn that it would have to stop publishing if a buyer didn’t step forward.
“Neither of us could imagine life in New York City without [Brick’s] guidance,” Nguyen said. “We wanted to make sure that it was there to stay for future and current New Yorkers.”
Both Nguyen and Blair — who met five years ago at a mutual friend’s wedding in India — said they leaned on Brick’s content and resources to navigate the rental market when they moved to the city in 2013 and 2022, respectively.
“When I was in the process of moving here, I remember Googling ‘how to rent in NYC’ and ‘best neighborhoods in the city.’ The first thing that popped up was Brick,” Blair said. “It quickly became my go-to source.”
Nguyen and her husband again consulted the website, including its co-op reference letters, in 2019 when they decided to purchase an apartment.
Nguyen said they were saddened to hear about Brick’s impending closure, and instead of letting it go under, she and Blair pooled their resources to make an offer.
“We recognize and acknowledge everything Teri’s put into this and how fortunate we are that Teri picked us to carry on her legacy,” Blair said. “We don’t take that lightly.”
Brick’s editorial team, including its editor, writers and contributors, will stay on with the publication. Rogers will also remain as an advisor.
“We really believe in the human voice for journalism instead of looking to [artificial intelligence],” Nguyen said.
Brick publishes a range of original articles, newsletters and a podcast and counts about 3 million annual visitors, according to its website.
The duo plans to focus on improving the outlet’s search engine optimization to drive more traffic to the website and boost readership with the ultimate goal of attracting more sponsors and advertisers.
They’ll also be introducing live and virtual events and enhancing the Brick’s social media presence.
Nguyen, who holds a master’s degree in Egyptology, manages digital content and media for nonprofits in New York City. She serves as the virtual conference coordinator for the Save Ancient Studies Alliance, a group dedicated to boosting public interest in the study of ancient civilizations.
Blair is the co-founder and chief operating officer of Basil, a startup focused on managing creative talent. He was previously a real estate attorney for Shake Shack.
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