Crain Communications

Gustavus Dedman "G. D." Crain Jr. (né Gustavus Demetrious Crain Jr.; 1885–1973), previously the city editor of the Louisville Herald newspaper, founded Crain Publishing Company in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1916, publishing two papers: Class (which later became BtoB) and Hospital Management (sold in 1952). The staff moved to Chicago later in 1916. Advertising Age was founded in 1930,

with Sidney R. Bernstein as its first editor. The company changed its name to Crain Communications in 1969.

G. D. Crain died in 1973 and was succeeded by his widow, Gertrude Crain, who chaired the company until 1996. Under her watch, the company grew to have 27 newspapers and magazines. She was replaced as chairperson by her son Keith Crain in 1997. Following his father's death, Rance Crain became president of Crain Communications in 1974.

As of 2012, Crain has approximately 30 business, trade and consumer publications and related web sites in North America, Europe and Asia, with over 850 employees in 14 locations spanning those continents.

In 2001 the company relocated its corporate headquarters to the Brewery Park complex on Gratiot Avenue in downtown Detroit, as part of a move to consolidate its Detroit-based employees into one facility.

In 2025, Crain laid off at least 25 employees.

Crain's Cleveland Business

Crain's Cleveland Business is a weekly newspaper that provides local business news and information to Cleveland's business executives.

Crain's Chicago Business

First published in 1978, Crain's Chicago Business is a weekly newspaper that provides local business news and information to Chicago's business executives. The publication's website has over 175,000 registered users, and print circulation is over 50,000.

Crain's Detroit Business

Crain's Detroit Business serves Southeast Michigan's business community. Industry coverage includes health care, banking/finance, sports, manufacturing, government/public policy, technology, education, real estate, law, entrepreneurship, advertising/marketing, defense, services, retail, food, hospitality/tourism, life sciences, energy, and transportation. The magazine Detroit Monthly, founded in 1983 by Crain Communications, absorbed the rival monthly magazine Metropolitan Detroit in 1987, and in 1996 ceased standalone publication and became a supplement within Crain's Detroit Business.

Crain's New York Business

Crain's New York Business publishes daily and weekly digital and print editions of local business news. It provides news on each week's issues, top stories, advertising and marketing, banking, economy, education, health care, hospitality and tourism, human resources, media and entertainment, politics, real estate, restaurants, retail/apparel, small business, insider, health pulse, and corrections.