Fall 2003
Established offices on the second floor of the Business Development Center on Cherokee Boulevard. Contents of office: Four guys, one G5 Mac tower, two iBook laptops, one e-Mac (Sorry, Bill!), four folding tables, one mini-fridge, one ventriloquist’s puppet.
Dec. 3, 2003
First issue published. The cover story focused on developments on Main Street and it’s future as a revitalized neighborhood. We were prophets.
2004
Moved to a posh (read large, cold/hot) office on the third floor of the Business Development Center. Established a buddy system to visit the scariest bathrooms in the entire city. Seriously, these were straight off the set of the gore/horror film “Saw.”
2005
Moved to posh (comparatively, actually posh) office space in Warehouse Row, taking a former retail space on the second floor. Raided the former Ralph Lauren Polo retail space for anything usable. Found mannequins, but no sign of Kim Cattrall or Andrew McCarthy.
2007
Moved to Rossville Avenue office at the Loose Cannon Gallery building in the Main Street neighborhood. Despite the relentless jack-hammers, rat invasions and the occasional vandalism, it felt like home. Maybe it was because of the jack-hammers, rat invasions and occasional vandalism.
2008
Became part of Brewer Media Group and moved into their offices on Carter Street. It didn’t have rats, it had nicer bathrooms, a kitchen (whoa!) and a reception area to screen visitors who might be suffering from mental illness (Sorry, Brewer Media receptionists!).
Former Staffers of Note
Zachary Cooper - Co-founder, publisher and Tyler Brûlé-esque(Sorry, Zach!) co-editor
Michael Kull - Co-founder and publisher
Bill Colrus - Editor
Eric Jackson - Art director
Mike Fecht - Advertising executive
Andrew Stegal - Advertising executive, advertising manager
Aaron Mesh - City editor, film editor
Alex Gunderson - Production manager
Jennifer Crutchfield - Advertising/production manager, The Pulse, Chattanooga Parent
Elizzabeth Beil - Advertising executive
Ryan Campbell - Production assistant
Angela Smith - Staff writer
Jennifer Greilier - Graphic designer
Janis Hashe - Editor
Gary Poole - City editor, writer, layout and production
Notable Contributors
Dr. Rick Pimentall-Habib “Shrink Rap” columnist and resident staff therapist. It’s impossible to determine how many people Dr. Rick helped with his thoughtful columns. It was impressive to see the amount of people who would send us emails and letters saying “Thank you, Dr. Rick.” Indeed. Thanks, Rick.
Trebor Redle Cartoonist who contributed “Lockout Mountain.” It was gritty, keenly aware of it’s surroundings with sharp, pointed humor. At times it was disgusting (we only refused to print two of his submissions. The blender and Britney Spears vagina one was just a bit much) but it was always hilarious and creative.
“Mad” Max Gerskin Declared a “Cat Jihad” in his column “Madder Max” which garnered local, regional and national press attention ... as well as months of phone calls and angry letters from cat and animal advocates. Pure bliss.
Action Jackson Our first advice columnist in the form of the previously mentioned ventriloquist’s puppet. He had an attitude, chips on both shoulders and a potty mouth. But he cared.
Editor’s note: Zach Cooper is co-founder and former publisher of The Pulse. We now realize that the tone of our recent tributes lionized him to near obituary status, and for that we apologize. Zach is very much alive and concocting new media schemes from his Southside lair/hipster holding cell. You can often find him at such hangouts as The Mean Mug and The Honest Pint.