Wick Allison: Remembering a Dallas Publishing Icon and Visionary Leader

The Dallas community, and indeed the broader world of American journalism, recently mourned the passing of a truly influential figure, Wick Allison. Born Lodowick Brodie Cobb Allison, he was far more than just a publishing entrepreneur; he was a foundational pillar in Dallas’s media landscape, the brilliant mind behind D Magazine, and a revered civic leader whose impact reverberated through countless lives and institutions. Wick Allison departed late on September 1, 2020, at the age of 72, following a courageous multi-year battle with bladder cancer. His loss is profoundly felt by those who knew him, worked with him, and were inspired by his unwavering dedication to insightful journalism and the betterment of his beloved city.

The news of his passing immediately prompted a wave of tributes from across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and beyond. As noted by D Magazine’s Frontburner Blog, immediate funeral plans in Dallas were not announced at the time. The Allison family, with a grace characteristic of Wick’s own generosity, requested that those wishing to honor his memory consider making a donation to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at Holy Trinity Church, a testament to his philanthropic spirit and deep community roots.

A Publishing Pioneer: The Genesis of D Magazine

Wick Allison was the quintessential publishing entrepreneur, a visionary who saw potential where others saw only gaps. For many of us who built careers in journalism and publishing within Dallas, he was the central gravitational force. His creation, D Magazine, wasn’t just another publication; it became an institution, defining sophisticated urban journalism for Dallas and setting a benchmark for city magazines nationwide. I am among the many who are eternally grateful for the employment opportunities and creative platforms he so generously provided.

My journey to Dallas in the early 1980s was fresh out of journalism school in New York, eager to dive into the fast-paced world of TV news. My husband, at the time, was immersed in his demanding OB-GYN residency at Parkland. While Dallas offered new beginnings, one aspect I deeply missed was the vibrant, bustling publishing culture of New York City, where a publishing job was always within reach. Dallas, at that point, offered fewer such avenues. As my husband and I began to establish our family, it was Wick’s nascent, yet ambitious, magazine, D, that provided a crucial bridge. It allowed me to gracefully transition from the ephemeral nature of broadcast journalism to the enduring craft of print freelancing, opening up a world of storytelling possibilities.

From Broadcast to Byline: My Early Days at D

My initial foray into print journalism was thanks to the late Rowland Stiteler, who took a chance on me, offering me the opportunity to write a “feature story.” Accustomed to the brevity of 45-second news segments, the prospect of an in-depth piece was daunting, but I embraced the challenge. The resulting article, “Crime in North Dallas,” not only became a cover story but also, quite memorably, incurred the wrath of some of Dallas’s most prominent residents, including the esteemed late Stanley Marcus. The controversy stemmed from my investigative approach: I had driven to Huntsville to interview a convicted North Dallas burglar, seeking to understand the intricacies of his methods. A companion sidebar, provocatively titled “How to Burglarize a Home,” was intended to empower residents. The underlying premise, of course, was that by understanding the tactics of intruders, homeowners could better fortify their defenses. This experience, both challenging and immensely rewarding, truly launched my career in print.

This pivotal moment marked the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship with D Magazine. I continued to contribute regularly until Wick, with his entrepreneurial spirit, made a strategic decision regarding the magazine’s ownership or operations. Yet, his magnetic pull for innovative journalism was undeniable. When he returned to the helm of D in the early 1990s, I enthusiastically rejoined, drawn back by his vision and the magazine’s evolving mission. A significant chapter unfolded in 1999 when, following a three-hour lunch with Christine Allison, I had the privilege of helping to found DHome Magazine, further diversifying D Magazine’s reach and solidifying its place in the Dallas lifestyle landscape.

Embracing the Digital Frontier: DallasDirt and Beyond

The dawn of the new millennium brought with it the digital revolution, and with it, new opportunities for journalism. In 2007, while settling my son into a new job in San Francisco, I was introduced to the burgeoning world of blogging and digital real estate content. I returned to Dallas brimming with a wild, yet compelling, idea: to launch a dedicated real estate blog. To his immense credit and visionary foresight, Wick Allison provided me with the perfect platform: DallasDirt, a new vertical within the D Magazine digital ecosystem, entirely devoted to the Dallas real estate industry. It was here that I finally discovered the perfect marriage between the immediate impact of broadcast and the analytical depth of print journalism.

Through DallasDirt, my team and I broke countless stories that resonated throughout the industry and the broader community. These included high-profile narratives such as the unfortunate downfall of Eleanor Mowery Sheets and the highly anticipated, though initially secretive, acquisition of a Preston Hollow home by former President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush. These exclusive scoops not only elevated DallasDirt’s reputation but also led to opportunities to write for national publications, including Joel Kotkin’s esteemed New Geography. I recall one particular instance when Wick informed me that Joel Kotkin would be speaking at a Dallas Chamber luncheon and asked if I could facilitate a private discussion at the magazine’s office – a request I was delighted to fulfill, further demonstrating Wick’s ability to connect people and ideas.

Wick Allison: A Mentor, Civic Leader, and Unwavering Advocate for Dallas

My admiration for Wick Allison, already substantial, skyrocketed during my campaign for Dallas City Council, District 11, in 2017. He reached out to me, and I met him early one morning in his office – a testament to his dedication, as I suspected he was more of a morning person than I was. Over coffee, we engaged in a profound conversation. He was well aware of my support for the Coalition for a New Dallas’s goals, particularly advocating for increased housing density over Dallas’s extensive highway system. He expressed genuine appreciation for my work with Daltxrealestate.com, and we discovered a strong alignment on numerous critical civic issues. It was during this period, I believe, that he began to see me as more than just “that Preston Hollow housewife who writes about real estate.” He affirmed, with characteristic sincerity, “You are a passionate, involved citizen, and you should be a leader.” When he pledged his support for my campaign, he meant it wholeheartedly, proving himself to be a man of his word – a quality I deeply admired.

Wick was a man of extraordinary intellect, deeply well-read, and possessed an incredible memory for intricate details. He often complimented my grasp of the real estate market, saying I knew it “like the back of my hand.” Yet, his knowledge of history, particularly the history of Dallas, was arguably better than the back of his hand. Wick Allison loved Dallas with every fiber of his being. Every strategic move he made, every thought he entertained, was meticulously considered to protect and propel this city forward in a sensible, sustainable manner. He wasn’t merely interested in growth for growth’s sake; he sought thoughtful progress that preserved Dallas’s unique character while fostering its future.

A Legacy of Nurturing Talent and Shaping Culture

I once wrote about the late Stanley Marcus for D Magazine – the very individual who had so ferociously criticized my first print article. This experience taught me a profound lesson about the nature of great leaders. Men like Stanley Marcus and Wick Allison do more than just create iconic business brands that employ hundreds and fuel countless creative minds. They inadvertently, yet inevitably, spawn a vibrant ecosystem of talent that crackles and radiates outward from their “Mother Ship” organizations. Stanley Marcus, for example, was an unparalleled arbiter of taste and fashion, who profoundly reshaped not only how Dallasites thought about shopping and service but also about art, discrimination, tolerance, and culture. His influence nurtured visionaries like Lester Melnick, Roger Horchow, Kim Dawson, Jan Strimple, and Jan Barboglio, among many others.

Similarly, the list of exceptional writers who crossed D Magazine’s threshold under Wick’s stewardship is extensive, too numerous for my melancholic mind to fully recall at this moment, but they represent a constellation of journalistic brilliance. This esteemed group includes the late Alan Peppard, the inimitable Skip Hollandsworth, the insightful Tracy Anchor Hayes, the culinary expert Nancy Nichols, the celebrated Mary Malouf, and my very first editor, Rowland Stiteler, alongside countless others whose tributes now grace his obituary. These individuals, and many more, were given the space and encouragement to hone their craft, tell compelling stories, and contribute significantly to Dallas’s intellectual and cultural discourse.

Wick Allison’s most enduring legacy is perhaps his profound ability to make it possible for creatives to earn a living doing what they loved, to pursue their dreams with passion and purpose. This commitment to fostering talent, in turn, cross-pollinated our city, injecting it with new ideas, facilitating introspection, and driving continuous improvement. He not only broadened our collective “geodome of literacy” but also enriched the public discourse for generations, leaving an indelible mark on Dallas and on the hearts of all who had the privilege of knowing and working with him. His vision, leadership, and unwavering belief in the power of thoughtful journalism will continue to inspire for years to come.