CASA MAGAZINES

From The Room Issue

There is no Exhibition Magazine without print, no print without press, and no press without newsstands. And there is no Room Issue without Casa Magazines.

Stop: West Village, Manhattan. Destination: Casa Magazines, one of the last strongholds of New York and international print culture. Anchored at the corner of 8th Avenue and 12th Street, this long-standing haven for magazine lovers and independent publishing has been shaping the neighborhood for decades. From Vanity Fair’s iconic pregnant Demi Moore cover to the central role of community, we sat down with two key figures behind the New York shop: Hemal Sheth, founder of Iconic Magazines and now owner of Casa Magazines, and Syed Khalid “Ali” Wasim, his business partner, known as “the guardian of the stacks.”

Where does your passion for magazines come from ?
HEMAL SHETH I was reading a lot of print as a kid. Growing up in India, computers, TVs, and phones were barely present, so reading was one of the main ways I entertained myself. As I got older, my love for reading only grew. What started as a regular convenience store slowly turned into a magazine Mecca, driven by my passion for magazines and books. To this day, that passion remains, and I enjoy seeing how cultures from around the world seep into the prints they create."

How do you explain the success of Casa Magazines ?
H.S. Because we never tried to be anything other than ourselves. There has always been a strong focus on quality, curation, and the physical experience of discovering magazines in the store. In the West Village, authenticity and culture are deeply valued, and Casa naturally fits into that environment.
SYED KHALID WASIM Casa is a whole world in itself, connecting all kinds of people, just like New York City.

How do newsstands embody the essence of New York, offering a true experience of the city’s culture and history ?
H.S. Newsstands are one of the greatest parts of New York City. Locals, creatives, commuters, and tourists all cross paths there. They reflect the city’s pace, its diversity, and the constant flow of ideas and cultural shifts. Before social media, this was where New Yorkers discovered what was happening in the world. Even today, that sense of curiosity and connection is very much alive.
S.K.W. We’re lucky to be in the historic. West Village. It’s incredible to see so many of the people behind these publications come through and stop by the store.

How important is the community to Casa’s success story ?
H.S. Casa exists thanks to its local and international community. Locals support us consistently, while publishers, artists, and visitors from around the world keep us connected to a wider creative ecosystem. This mix gives Casa its particular energy and keeps it relevant year after year.
S.K.W. We’re lucky to have built this village and community over the years, pre-internet. The West Village is filled with some of the most intelligent, kind, and creative people. We love Julianne Moore and her family. There’s also Joyce, 94, a retired NYU professor who reads The New York Times every day and still buys her cigarettes and candy here. They make my life wonderful.

How do you envision the future of print, and the future of Casa ?
H.S. I think print magazines are truly making a comeback. Technology plays such a central role in our lives that people are increasingly looking for ways to step back. Holding and reading a physical publication is one of them.

Which cover from the past decade is your favorite ?
S.K.W. Vanity Fair’s cover of a pregnant Demi Moore.
Casa’s Instagram is very strong visually.
S.K.W. It’s all thanks to Happy and Tammy David, who started our Instagram in 2017. They’ve known me for a long time, we’re like family.

Casa Magazines in one word ?
H.S. Timeless.
S.K.W. Home.