Meet Bhavin Sheth, Owner of Soho News International

Images by Daniel Roa

Words by Molly Apple

When we launched Issue 8 at Soho News International in September 2024, it wasn’t just a party It was a minor print miracle, disguised as an in-store activation. Among the stacks of glossy paper and carefully arranged chaos, we found something even rarer than a neatly alphabetized indie section: Bhavin Sheth.

Bhavin Sheth—the man behind Soho News and its three downtown sister shops—is the kind of person who shows up early with a folding table, an extension cord, and a solution to a problem you didn’t know you had. Always smiling, always moving, always ten steps ahead. Working with him and the impossibly intuitive crew he’s built across Lower Manhattan felt less like retail logistics and more like choreography. Bhavin has pure enthusiasm for ink and paper. Whenever a model or celebrity lands in a magazine, you can bet they’ll swing by Soho News to grab a copy, and Bhavin’s team will be stocked and ready to snap a quick pic for their Instagram.

So this fall, exactly one year later, we’re returning the favor. MERDE Issue 9 continues our sacred friendship with print—and our allied stockists—by spotlighting Bhavin and his long-standing commitment to keeping magazines alive, visible, and very much accessible in the city that never sits still.

Long live the newsstand.

Photography by Daniel Roa

MERDE:
Can you tell us a little bit about the origin story of Soho News International and what inspired you to build a print-focused business?

Bhavin:
I’ve been doing this business since 1993. I had a different location in Soho originally, and then I found this location. I thought it was a perfect fit for the neighborhood. That’s how it all started.

MERDE:
What makes you love print magazines in a digital world?

Bhavin:
Just the feel of it. The way a magazine looks. The way publishers put their effort into making something beautiful and meaningful. I just love them—looking through them, reading them, flipping the pages.

MERDE:
Where did you grow up? Were you surrounded by newspapers and magazines as a kid? Has this always been something you loved?

Bhavin:
I grew up in India, but I came to the U.S. when I was young. Yes, I’ve always worked with newspapers and magazines. It’s been my whole life,and it still is.

MERDE:
Soho News has quietly become a cultural landmark. Did it happen overnight, or has it been a slow build? 

Bhavin:
It definitely didn’t happen overnight. We’ve put a lot of effort into getting to this stage. As for the future, we’re always working to make it better, and we owe everything to our customers.

MERDE:
Who is your customer? Are they mostly local? In the industry? Do you have any customers you’ve gotten to know personally?

Bhavin:
We get a real mix of people—locals from the neighborhood, people in the industry, and a lot of customers from abroad. For many of them, Soho News is a destination when they come to New York.

MERDE:
What’s changed about the business since you started running it?

Bhavin:
It’s pretty much the same, but I do see people appreciating print media more now. They really care about it, and they show their support by buying magazines.

MERDE:
What do you make of the recent resurgence of niche and independent magazines? Do you see younger generations coming in and falling in love with print again?

Bhavin:
Yes, absolutely. Younger generations are definitely getting more interested in buying print media instead of looking at everything online. And at the same time, we still have our older generation of customers who love to browse and buy magazines. It’s a real mix.

MERDE:
The theme of our September issue is YAP—which stands for "chatter" or "talking," but also it’s an acronym for "Your Ambition Pays." It’s about the tension and overlap between art and commerce, especially in creative industries. I know you’ve started doing more store takeovers and collaborations. What inspired you to open up the space in that way and grow the business through events?

Bhavin:
There are a couple of things. Some people just love the store and want to host events here, and I personally enjoy doing them.t creates awareness. People who may not usually be into magazines will come to an event, discover the store, and then return to buy something. That’s the whole idea: creating that bridge.

MERDE:
Have there been any surprising connections or stories that came through those collaborations? What’s been your favorite one—besides MERDE Magazine, of course?

Bhavin:
Of course, MERDE was a great one. But honestly, all of them were wonderful experiences. Each one brought something special.

MERDE:
What was the last event you hosted?

Bhavin:
The last one we did here was with Bumble, the dating app.

MERDE:
What does success look like to you now compared to when you first started? Has that changed?

Bhavin:
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly, but in many ways, it’s the same. Success for me is that people like us, they care, and they’re loyal. That loyalty means everything. That’s what success feels like now.

MERDE:
Do you have any plans to expand?New locations or upcoming collaborations?

Bhavin:
Not at the moment. I already have four locations, and that’s a lot to manage. I’m more focused on growing within the shop—getting more customers, doing more events, that kind of thing.

MERDE:
What’s something you wish more people understood about the business of running a magazine shop?

Bhavin:
It’s very hard. It’s tough to run a magazine business.

MERDE:
What’s the toughest part?

Bhavin:
Talking with publishers and getting inventory on time. We receive magazines from all over the world—UK, Italy, Paris—so logistics is a big challenge. Getting the magazines here while keeping shipping costs down. That’s the hardest part. I always try to offer customers the lowest possible cover price, but sometimes it’s just not possible because of the shipping.

MERDE:
Are you seeing higher shipping costs because of tariffs?

Bhavin:
Not so much with the tariffs, but since COVID, shipping costs have definitely surged. We’re paying a lot more now.

MERDE:
That makes sense. Shipping’s tough on the magazine side too—getting paid on time, getting shipments in general. It’s a lot.

Bhavin:
Yeah. For me, the publishers have actually been great. It’s really just the logistics. That’s the challenge.

MERDE will keep living in the stacks at Soho News—under the glossy stuff, next to an old copy of Butt or something obscure with a cult following, maybe slightly out of order. And if you’re walking past on Prince, Spring, or Varick, look for us in the window. Bhavin always finds a way to sneak us in—loud, proud, and taking up more space than we probably should. As long as he’s there and the magazines keep coming, you’ll know where to find us.