O'Doherty had previously engaged in a number of co-ordinated business ventures in Ireland with his former business partner John Ryan; Stellar succeeded the co-owned establishments of Magill in 1997 and VIP in 1999 and preceded later titles such as the unsuccessful New York Dog magazine which was based in New York City and aimed at the city's animal lovers.

The magazine was launched on the night of 16 October 2008 at Krystle nightclub in Dublin despite the downturn in the Irish economy and the complications of slower advertising spending.

Both Susan Vasquez and the former Art Director of KISS, Dillon St.Paul, together, created Stellar Magazine with St.Paul, responsible for its visual identity and design from inception.

[1] The launch issue of 164 pages included a photo spread of aesthetically pleasing barmen in Dublin and a male perspective on females who publicly discuss their ex-boyfriends.

O'Doherty suggested U had altered since starting to publish fortnightly, saying that it was far more "tabloidy" and had less substance in its current format.