Dayton Magazine February/March 2020

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OF YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANTS, SHOPS, SERVICES AND MORE!

Jenny G’s Cupcakes and Treats, Winner of Best Dessert

ROCKIN’ REVEREND AND HIS FLOCK MAKING A DIFFERENCE

TENNESSEE CITIES THAT WILL KEEP THE FAMILY ENTERTAINED

WHY IS DEVELOPMENT LANGUISHING ON DAYTON’S WEST SIDE?

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DAYTON ›› CONTENTS

From burgers and desserts to spas and gyms, discover the best that Dayton has to offer as voted on by our readers.

By Eric Spangler

PAGE 40

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2020 3 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

By Eric Spangler

4 DIALOGUE

19 A&E CALENDAR 23 MIDWESTERN TRAVELER

Tweets, posts and letters from our readers.

Tennessee’s cities are great weekend getaways for families looking to stay busy. By Corinne Minard

5 UPFRONT

28 ATTRACTIONS

6 Q&A

29 INSIDE DINING

Victoria Theatre Association’s new CEO adapts arts for evolving community. By Val Hunt Beerbower Five questions with Justin Howard, owner of Black Box Improv Theater. By Laura Leavitt

7 COMMENT

Best of Dayton from a boomer’s historical perspective.

By Jim Bucher

9 HISTORY

The Memphis Belle meticulously restored at the National Museum of the Air Force. By Leo DeLuca

10 SCENE 16 DAYTON LIVE

Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra’s Neal Gittleman and his wife, Lisa Fry, find the city inspiring.

By Karla Hollencamp

Adventures abound just north of Dayton in Miami County. By Beth Langefels Nanyea Restaurant & Coffee House offers guests Ethiopian fare combined with a cultural experience, plus listings. By Ginny McCabe

32 BUSINESS

Little Miami River Catering sticks to its family roots for fabulous cuisine. By Eric Spangler

34 STYLE

Add some spring to your step with these local boutiques. By Laura Leavitt

36 HOME

Deals for flooring materials are at their peak in the first quarter of the year. By Karla Hollencamp

60 DEVELOPMENT

With construction booming in Dayton’s downtown core why no interest in the west side? By Beth Langefels 2

62 RELIGION

Pastor Brian Smith and the First Heavy Metal Church of Christ make a difference. By Tim Walker

64 ENVIRONMENT

MAKSolve helps companies comply with environmental, health and safety regulations.

By Kevin Michell

65 WATER

City of Dayton Water’s preparedness helped the city bounce back after 2019’s tornadoes.

By Kevin Michell

67 LIVE WELL: CANCER CARE

Navigating cancer care with a team that puts patients at ease. By Jennifer Patterson Lorenzetti

70 MENTAL HEALTH

Initiatives in Ohio aim to counter increasing number of suicides across the state. By Ginny McCabe

72 LOVE DAYTON Dayton: (ISSN-2375-3706) published bi-monthly for a total of 6 issues by Dayton, 714 East Monument Ave, Suite 132; Dayton OH 45402. Periodical Postage paid at Dayton, Ohio, and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Dayton 714 East Monument Ave., Suite 132, Dayton OH 45402.

DAYTON MAGAZINE . February/March 2020

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DAYTON ›› LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Stories showcase the great businesses and variety of life offered here in Dayton I

have to admit, this issue is one of my favorites because it showcases all the great businesses that call the Miami Valley home. Sure we have the winners of our Best of Dayton event, but there’s a lot more businesses that were nominated for awards that are nearly as good. And all have been included in our list of fi nalists.

And, of course, the Best of Dayton event—conducted this year at Dayton History’s beautiful new 32,000-square-foot Winsupply Center of Leadership at Carillon Historical Park—brought many of those finalists together in an extraordinary annual gathering that left many of the nearly 700 people who attended anxiously anticipating the 2020 event.

Also in this issue are stories about some of the great things to do on a trip to Tennessee or a quick trip up north to Miami County, the Ethiopian food and culture one can experience at the Nanyea Restaurant & Coffee House and even the rock ‘n’ roll music parishioners can enjoy during a service at the First Heavy Metal Church of Christ.

We’re proud to bring you these stories that offer just a small slice of the variety and diversity of life here in the Miami Valley that make it such a great place to call home.

LOCALLY, VETERAN- AND FAMILY-OWNED Publisher Managing Editor Deputy Editor Associate Editor Roaming Editor

Eric Harmon Eric Spangler Corinne Minard Kevin Michell Karla Hollencamp

Contributing Writers Val Beerbower Jim Bucher Leo DeLuca Beth Langefels Laura Leavitt Jennifer Patterson Lorenzetti Ginny McCabe Tim Walker Creative Director Guy Kelly Art Director Katy Rucker Digital Content Danielle Cain Coordinator Associate Publisher Brad Hoicowitz Account Executives Jon Castonguay Abbey Cummins Kristine Granata Rick Seeney Advertising Manager Advertising Coordinator Audience Development Coordinator Operations & Finance Manager Production Manager Events Director Events Coordinator Work-study Students

Laura Federle Katelyn Webb Nakya Grisby Tammie Collins Keith Ohmer Stephanie Simon Amanda Watt Aixa Velazquez Comar Watson

Dayton Magazine on the Web www.TheDaytonMagazine.com

Eric Spangler Managing Editor

Dayton Media Company 714 East Monument Ave., Suite 132 Dayton, OH 45402 (937) 329-9060 Go to www.TheDaytonMagazine.com to get your complimentary subscription of Dayton Magazine.

Like Dayton Magazine on Facebook to receive updates.

DAYTON MAGAZINE . February/March 2020

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DAYTON ›› DIALOGUE TOP TWEET

TOP 5 MOST READ

TWITTER DIALOGUE The Dayton Woman’s Club @DayOhWomansClub Check us out in @DaytonMagazine!

Ghostlight Coffee @GhostlightCoffe Must have been all the swans! Thank you for voting us Best Coffee Shop in @DaytonMagazine’s #BestOfDayton2019! While these votes were cast prior to the opening of #GhostlightMidtown, we can’t help but be thankful for loyal and caring customers like you that make both shops uniquely special. We promise to continue doing our best to show our appreciation—especially as we grow our community! #daytonproud

Julie Thompson @ThompsonWriters

“#DaytonScene “@ZEROCancer was proud to partner with @DaytonDPN to end prostate cancer. The 2019 ZERO Prostate Cancer Run/ Walk - Dayton raised a total of $57,914 to help with the fight to end prostate cancer.”

Nice party, @DaytonMagazine! We went to support @SchoolDCS for Best Preschool and was amazed at the beautiful new venue @daytonhistory – another Dayton gem.

Living Dayton @livingdaytontv We are all set up at @DaytonMagazine’s “Best of Dayton” at Carillon Historical Park! Come hang out with us and Miami Valley favorites from 5:30-8:30! #bestofdayton

STORIES

FROM THEDAYTONMAGAZINE.COM 1.

2.

3.

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A Family Atmosphere by Ginny McCabe A Gleaming New Addition by Kevin Michell Still Standing by Jim Bucher Sketch: The Art of Giving

by Abby Holfrichter 5. Guide to Charitable Giving 2019

by Tim Walker

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Want to be featured in our Instagram stories? Follow us at @daytonmagazine and use our hashtag #LoveDayton! Show us what makes you love this city!

DAYTON ›› CONTRIBUTORS Jim Bucher has covered every local business, nonprofit, higher education institution and family event across the Miami Valley on WDTN Channel 2 for more than 25 years. Honors include induction in the Dayton Area Broadcasters Hall of Fame and as a “Dayton Original” from the city of Dayton. In addition to his column here in Dayton Magazine ‘Buch’ handles marketing and PR with his business Buchtvguy.com.

Leo DeLuca’s writing has been featured by Ohio Magazine, Aviation for Women, Pitchfork and more. DeLuca is also a radio reporter for WYSO and WVXU. His work has won several awards.

Beth Langefels has been a freelance writer in the Dayton area for more than a decade, publishing in the Dayton Daily News, the Vandalia Drummer News and the Dayton B2B Magazine. She works for the Miami Valley Division of the American Heart Association as the communications and marketing director.

Laura Leavitt is a writer and editor living just north of Cincinnati in Hamilton. She specializes in writing about sustainable living, food/drink, nonprofits and small businesses.

Jennifer Patterson Lorenzetti is a writer, speaker and owner of Hilltop Communications.

She is the author of four published books, including Fast, Cheap, and Good: Sustainability, One Choice at a Time. She and her husband, Dan, have lived in Dayton for more than 20 years and are active ballroom dancers.

Ginny McCabe is a best-selling author, an award-winning journalist, media professional, speaker and teacher. Her work may be seen in publications like Journal-News and Reuters. Her books have been published

by Thomas Nelson/Harper Collins & Standard Publishing. She has spent decades covering topics like news, business, real estate and entertainment. She serves on the board of Greater Cincinnati Society of Professional Journalists.

Timothy Walker is a 51-yearold writer who lives in Dayton with his wife, Elizabeth, their two children and a houseful of dogs. He was born and raised in West Virginia and he sold his first story in 1988.

In his spare time he enjoys writing and reading weird fiction, offbeat films, jazz music and cooking chili. He is also an ordained minister.

Val Hunt Beerbower lives in Dayton with her husband, Mike.

A graduate of Ohio University, Beerbower’s career in print and digital media spans more than 12 years. The couple spends their time updating their centenarian home, cruising bike paths and rivers, and taking in the vibrant downtown Dayton scene.

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DAYTON MAGAZINE . February/March 2020

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DAYTON ›› UPFRONT

Changing Tempo Victoria Theatre Association’s new CEO adapts arts for evolving community Ty Sutton is the president and CEO of the Victoria Theatre Association.

BY VAL BEERBOWER

S

ince taking the helm of the Victoria Theatre Association in 2018, Ty Sutton has been put through his paces of his new adopted hometown. The president and CEO says the area’s largest arts organization is prepared to engage audiences, introduce new elements and connect with the community in exciting ways. So what comes next for the 2020-2021 season?

Technology can be a help or hindrance for connecting with each other, and Sutton says arts are at the center of a transition.

“I believe we will start to realize the negative impact of technology because it really isolates us from one another,” he says. “I think the arts connect people and brings them together in a way that very few other experiences can. The arts transcend the issues that divide us and connect us—if for just a brief time.”

But perceived barriers remain. One paradox Sutton has grappled with for the past year and a half is the recognition the Victoria Theatre Association has earned as a premier cultural institution and the disconnect people feel about their personal connection to the arts.

“Often, members of our community tell

me that they know about the Schuster Center and they are proud to have an amazing venue in town. However, when I ask them if they have attended a show at the Schuster Center they sometimes reply, ‘Oh, that’s not for me,’” he says. “Our venues are for everyone in the community and (the Victoria Theatre Association) is committed to programming concerts, shows and artists so everyone feels at home and enjoys the experience.”

One goal the organization has is to broaden the definition of “art” to include a wide mix of traditional and modern, classic and contemporary, engaging different age groups, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and connecting with other diverse communities. “Our biggest opportunity is to program entertainment that is accessible to everyone in price and interest and welcome them into our venues,” Sutton says. “(The Victoria Theatre Association) is in the process of changing our brand messaging to include how (the Victoria Theatre Association) has evolved as an organization today as well as in the future.”

Beyond the plush seats, there are more ways patrons can experience the arts. The Education and Engagement Department

hosts many programs like Bagels & Broadway, which invites the public to witness a Broadway show load-in and presents the opportunity to meet the crew. Imaginator Discovery Saturday classes introduce elementary students to acting and theater.

Cast and crew members of nationally touring Broadway shows lead middle- and high school-aged students in workshops and demos during the After-School Intensive and Master Classes.

This past season’s impressive lineup that included Trey Anastasio, Lyle Lovett and Black Violin just might be eclipsed by the next one. Sutton says his first full season he books will blow us all away and that announcement comes March 10.

Sutton and his team are also undertaking a fresh brand to better identify the Victoria Theatre Association’s evolving role in the community. “We recognize that traditional arts are relevant; however, there are many new forms of dance, music and electronic forms of entertainment,” he says. “Our biggest opportunity is to program entertainment that is accessible to everyone in price and interest, and welcome them into our venues.” ■ DAYTON MAGAZINE . February/March 2020

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DAYTON ›› Q&A

5 Questions with Justin Howard, Owner of Black Box Improv Theater

By L aur a Le avit t

J

ustin Howard is the owner of Black Box Improv Theater and runs Emerge Improv, a company that offers workshops for businesses to help working teams think on their feet and radically collaborate.

Improv is short for “improvisation” and improv theater involves creating short plays, skits or musicals without prior planning, on the spot, based on prompts from each other or from an audience. Howard incorporates improv into every aspect of his work, whether he is teaching classes, hosting shows by local performers at his theater or performing himself.

What about improv theater keeps you coming back?

The longer I do it the more complex it is. Listening is an abstract concept to most people until it becomes critical for your success. It’s challenging and it forces you to view the world and communication in a way that is counterintuitive. It’s the ultimate team activity. You are reliant on everyone on the stage and I think it is sometimes very eye-opening for people.

What skills and lessons can people apply from an improv workshop to other areas of their lives?

We learn about listening, both to verbal and nonverbal communication. Improv also helps your ability to think quickly on your feet. We also

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TOP: Justin Howard is the owner of Black Box Improv Theater and also runs Emerge Improv.

ABOVE: Emerge Improv is a company that offers workshops for busnesses to help working teams think on their feet and collaborate. talk a lot about how to work together as a team. I teach a different kind of storytelling: it’s about how to pick up on the energy in the room, to see how people are responding to what you are saying, as a means of telling creative stories in a compelling way.

What is it about Dayton that produces great improv performances?

There’s so much talent here. I look at performers and say, “I don’t want you to leave Dayton, but why hasn’t someone picked you up yet? You’ve got something special.” I think there is a concentration of talent here because if you live in this area you have to work at it to be an artist; you have to make your own way. If you’re an artist in Dayton you’re going to fight for it. That’s Dayton: it’s gritty, awesome and cool.

What are your hopes for Dayton in the coming years?

My biggest wish for Dayton is for people to just be more apt to be together, fighting for just and right things. I want us to value human beings and I think it’s happening here. I think this year has rallied people together. Dayton is poised for a good future.

What advice do you give people who are considering improv for the first time?

I think anything you do to better yourself is worth doing regardless of what it is. Improv is a uniquely challenging thing to do and it’s a worthy endeavor.

I would say it’s probably one of the most life-altering things I’ve seen and everyone who does it totally understands; they say, “not only did I have fun, but I changed how I looked at the world,” or “I challenged myself.” n

DAYTON MAGAZINE . February/March 2020

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DAYTON ›› DIALOGUE COMMENT

Bucher’s BESTS

Best of Dayton from a boomer’s historical perspective

BY JIM BUCHER The Tropics on North Main Street offered some of the best Asian cuisine in the area. ing the screen. That’s a no-no today.)

O

K boomer! Yep, I’m one of them folk.

But no matter what generation you claim I hope you’re enjoying Dayton Magazine’s “Best of” edition.

Now, since I’m a born and raised dude here in Dayton I thought it would be fun to compile a list of “Best of” from days gone by.

For you nonboomers this will make no sense, but I bet your parents, grandparents or even great-grandparents would remember.

So, put the phones down, or maybe you’re seeing this on the newest mobile device—at any rate, feel free to sit down with older members of the family and let them take you way back … well, maybe not that far.

Th is of course is not totally complete, ya’ll have your favs and I’m a bit biased living in Dayton’s Five Oaks neighborhood so things close by will be “hittin’ the list.”

If you’re ready everyone here’s “Buch’s Best of Historical Edition.”

OK, Xers, Zers, millennials, see what you missed?

BEST place for Asian cuisine: The Tropics on North Main Street.

BEST place for a lobster: The Brown Derby.

BEST place for ice cream: Sherer’s. The Best.

BEST place to watch the Rocky Horror Picture Show: The Victory Theater. (Now the Victoria of course. Back then you could bring stuff and throw at everyone includ-

BEST place for a hockey game or concert: Well, nowhere else but Hara Arena. (Poor Hara. It survived all those years, was in limbo with revived interest and now the Memorial Day tornadoes pretty well sealed its fate.)

BEST place for broasted chicken: The Keyhole on Salem Avenue. and speaking of...

BEST mall: Salem Mall of course. (This place was THE BOMB to visit during the holidays.

Plus, all the shops, stores, food court and Santa. And you could catch a movie there too. Miss it.)

BEST department store: a tie, Rike’s and Elder Beerman’s.

BEST outdoor holiday display: Ludlow Falls.

(But currently I’d have to go with Clifton Mill’s Legendary Lights, a 32-year tradition and still going strong!)

BEST place to wander around and check out little shops, stores etc.: The Arcade.

(Before the 1980s and current renovation.

Back then the dome was covered up and very dark. Good to see things happening.)

BEST locally produced kids show: Clubhouse 22. (Although WHIO’s Uncle Orrie and Channel 12 out of Cincy’s Skipper Ryle, close seconds.)

BEST salad bar: Ponderosa Steakhouse.

(Gosh are there any open anywhere around the country?)

BEST place to buy a car: Stenger’s Ford.

BEST place to hang after a long day covering news at WDTN: John Bull’s in Moraine. (My longtime former colleagues know what I’m talking about.)

BEST place to watch a movie: Kon Tiki.

(Remember the enormous shells used as sinks in the bathrooms? Of course you do.)

BEST nightclub: Suttmiller’s BEST place for an indoor swim: The old YMCA downtown. (Every Friday night was dad and son swim and you could do it nude! Don’t ask.)

BEST hardware store: Another tie, Graeff ’s on Wayne Avenue and Miami Hardware on Salem. (The latter you could find every size nail or screw manufactured on the planet.)

BEST place to buy pianos and appliances: BHA (remember the jingle? BHA means better home appliances, better home appliances, better home appliances. BHA means better home appliances, music and appliance store once more, music and appliance store … BHA. Right Tobey?)

BEST place for swimming, recreation and an outdoor movie, plus some great food: NCR’s Old River Park.

DAYTON MAGAZINE . February/March 2020

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BEST way-back-when cafeteria with an awesome cheeseburger: The Mezzanine at Rike’s!

BEST local TV sports broadcaster: WDTN’s (WLW-D) Omar Williams “The Dean of Dayton Sports!”

Suttmiller’s was one of the best nightclubs in Dayton.

BEST hamburger and secret sauce: The Goody-Goody

BEST recreation park owned by Frigidaire. Sorta’ limits the choices, right?

Frigidaire Park.

BEST Italian: Anticoli’s was the Best. (Family owned and Gloria Anticoli’s lasagna ... simply off-the-hook! Also, a killer Shirley Temple—with extra cherries of course.)

BEST drive-in: Th is is one of the few still around: Dixie Drive-In. (Still have a pretty good hamburger.)

BEST grocery store: We have another tie: Liberal’s and Stump’s. Remember the jingle? “Here come the Stump’s ...”

BEST discount department store: Concord City, “See you pleaseeeeee.” Did I watch too much TV or what?

BEST car wash: Still the reigning champ ... my driveway near the garage. DIY!

BEST record store where you could buy other “stuff.” (No comment.) Golden Rod Music.

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BEST miniature golf course: Well, again delving from personal experience, but would have to go with NCR’s Old River Park. (It was so fun to hit a ball through the giant cash register and windmill.

Great times.)

BEST place to ride your bike for a thrill: Dayton Art Institute hill. (This also remains Dayton’s Best View.)

Well, I’m out of space, but hope you boomers enjoyed this little look back.

For the rest of the generations out there ... hope you learned a bit from the past. ■ Cheers!

Buch

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DAYTON ›› HISTORY

American Resilience on Display The Memphis Belle meticulously restored at the National Museum of the Air Force

BY LEO DELUCA

I

n 1903, Dayton natives Wilbur and Orville Wright uncovered the secrets of the birds. By World War II highly evolved versions of their flying machine overtook the skies, aiding America’s tour de force.

But one airplane in particular led the flock. On May 17, 2018, exactly 75 years after its crew completed its fi nal mission, the Memphis Belle settled into its new home at the National Museum of the Air Force in Dayton—the birthplace of aviation.

The Memphis Belle, a B-17 Flying Fortress, came to represent American resilience after completing 25 missions over Europe during World War II, helping to defeat Nazi Germany.

“In 1943 about one in four bomber crewman finished their 25th mission,” says Jeff Duford, lead curator of the Memphis Belle project at the National Museum of the Air Force. “Basically, the Army Air Forces picked 25 missions to give the crews something to shoot for. Otherwise, they would fly until they died.”

The bomber’s “26th mission” was a little more benign. During a blood-soaked campaign, the Air Force needed a symbol of strength to raise morale and help sell war bonds across the United States. The Memphis Belle was the answer.

“They actually picked a different airplane called Invasion 2,” says Duford. “But it got shot down. So there was something of a scramble to find another airplane. And the Memphis Belle was perfect. There was this fantastic nose art—it’s the girl back home, it’s the reason those men were fighting and dying.”

Named for pilot Robert Morgan’s Memphis girlfriend, Margaret Polk, the fourengine Boeing bomber was stationed in its namesake city for decades before landing in Dayton in October 2005. “The airplane had been outside for about 30 years when a group called the Memphis Belle Memorial Association was formed,” says Duford.

Inside a massive restoration hangar at the Air Force Museum, where loud overhead

The Memphis Belle has been restored and is now on display at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. lights bounced off the Belle’s nearly 104-footlong wingspan, aircraft mechanics and skilled volunteers painstakingly returned the Flying Fortress to its World War II appearance. For nearly 13 years they cleaned, painted, sewed, fitted and meticulously ensured every last detail was accurate.

The Belle was cemented in America’s consciousness after Academy Award-winning director William Wyler and his team of cameramen bravely climbed aboard—risking their lives alongside the crew on their bombing runs. The film crew produced the 1944 War Department documentary Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress.

The 1990 Hollywood movie, Memphis Belle (produced by Wyler’s daughter, Catherine), returned the bomber to the public eye, but it was the 1944 documentary that provided the primary source for Duford.

“There are 11.5 hours of outtakes,” says Duford. “We couldn’t have possibly restored it accurately without these outtakes.

The Memphis Belle is one of our great national treasures. It reflects who we are as Americans, our spirit, our willingness to sacrifice for our country and for the greater good. These soldiers’ service was critical in defeating Nazi Germany, but their sacrifice was equally as high.” ■ DAYTON MAGAZINE . February/March 2020

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DAYTON ›› Scene Best of Dayton

Nearly 700 people attended the Best of Dayton celebration Nov. 7 at Carillon Historical Park’s new 32,000-square-foot Winsupply Center of Leadership event center. More than 80 of the best businesses in the Miami Valley showcased their products, cuisine and services during Dayton Magazine’s fifth annual Best of Dayton event.

Best of Dayton attendees were able to vote for the best businesses in the Miami Valley.

Dawn Thomas 10

Zac Pitts

DAYTON MAGAZINE . February/March 2020

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Dayton Physicians Network offers World Class Cancer Care and Urology Services throughout the Miami Valley- Close to Home.

Call us at 937-293-1622 or visit www.daytonphysicians.com

1. Centerville 2300 Miami Valley Dr. Centerville, Ohio 45459 2. Englewood 9000 North Main St. Dayton, Ohio 45415 3. Kettering 3120 Governor’s Place Blvd.

Kettering, Ohio 45409 4. Troy 3130 N. County Rd. Troy, Ohio 45373 5. Franklin 501 Atrium Dr. Franklin, Ohio 45005 6. Greenville 1111 Sweitzer St. Greenville, Ohio 45331

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Sheila Kesling and Kennedy Kleather

Maryann Meyer, Paul Meyer, Eric Walusis and Maria Walusis

Amanda Kinsella

mvrpc.org 937.223.6323 Founded upon the principles of regional collaboration, cooperation, and consensus building, the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission serves as the common ground where area leaders come together to work toward a shared vision for our thriving Region.

Together, public and private partners develop and implement strategies for community planning, transportation and infrastructure investment, and environmental sustainability that enhance the Region’s quality of life and economic vitality.

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LIVE! Harmony in life

page 16

A&E Calendar

page 19

Travel Tennessee page 23

Love Vignettes: Carmen and Butterfly Suite Feb. 13-16 DAYTON MAGAZINE . February/March 2020

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Local Partnership Encourages Artists to Create New Works and Grow Professionally When faced with the daily needs of paying for food, clothing, and shelter, many artists put their creative work on the sidelines in favor of financial stability for themselves and their families. But a local partnership is helping to alleviate those monetary barriers and encouraging these creative individuals to grow and share their talents with the Dayton Region.

Established in 2016, the Montgomery County Artist Opportunity Grant program is funded by the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District (MCACD) and administered by Culture Works. The partnership is designed to help local artists secure the funding they need to create new works and take advantage of specific professional development opportunities that will help them grow and refine their skills. “We have a tremendous amount of creative talent in the Dayton Region,” praised Lisa Hanson, Executive Director for Culture Works. “This program helps us train and nurture these artists so they can keep sharing their skills in our community.”

This year more than 30 applications were received and reviewed by a panel of experts who carefully

measured the impact the grant dollars would have on the artist and the artist’s impact on the Dayton Region. 17 local artists will

be receiving $39,336 in grant dollars in 2020, the

largest amount awarded since the program was started. Individual grants range from $500 to $3,000, and each grantee will receive the full amount of funding requested, ensuring they’re able to achieve their creative vision.

“This has been a natural and rewarding partnership for us,” said Matt Dunn, MCACD Executive Director. “This program continues to showcase emerging talent in our region and let them know that we value them as an important part of our community.”

Projects and opportunities being supported through this grant cycle include: a body of work and gallery show focusing on the events and aftermath of the summer of 2019 in Dayton; new paintings showcasing African American women writers; oil paintings highlighting Montgomery County icons; and participation in learning opportunities taking place in New York, Seattle, Germany, Sweden, and England.

2020 Artist Opportunity Grant Recipients

Leroy Bean, poet Curtis Bowman, writer Caitlin Cartwright, visual artist Janyce Denise Glasper, visual artist Sam Kelly, visual artist Kelsey Lee, choreographer Josh Merritt, glass artist Hyacinth Paul, visual artist Jonathan Pincus, visual artist Sarah Robertson, musician Yetunde Rodriguez, visual artist Kate Santucci, visual artist Jesseca Simmons, filmmaker A. Slate, spoken word artist & poet Jude Walsh, writer Eric Wright, photographer Micah Zavacky, visual artist

Learn more about the program and this year’s grantees at CultureWorks.org.

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Did you know that a commitment to arts and culture can help fund a path through college?

Students who have shown a passion for and patronage of the arts can earn up to $4,000 toward their college education through the Leonard P. Roberts Scholarship Program. Culture Works is currently accepting applications for the 2020-2021 academic year from local high school seniors and active college students who both live and attend school in the Dayton Region.

Named after a former Chairman of the Board for the Dayton Performing Arts Fund (an organization that merged with the Miami Valley Arts Council to create Culture Works), the Leonard P. Roberts Scholarship program has awarded more than $400,000 to over 200 students over the past 25 years. The program has helped to shape a generation of artists and arts advocates who understand the role the creative sector plays in all of our lives.

Eligibility

COLLEGE Scholarships for

Students Committed

ARTS

TO THE

To apply for a scholarship and learn about past recipients, visit

CultureWorks.org

REQUIREMENTS

• Must be a graduating senior living in the Dayton Region (Butler, Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, or Warren County); or, must be an active college student living and attending school in the Dayton Region • Must plan to be a full-time student for the entire 2020–2021 academic year • Must be able to demonstrate participation in the arts • Must have a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA

Key Dates /

DEADLINES

Friday, December 20, 2019 | Students may begin applying for a scholarship through The Dayton Foundation’s ScholarshipCONNECT portal.

Friday, March 6, 2020 at 4:00 pm | Deadline to submit applications.

Spring 2020 | All applicants will be contacted regarding the status of their application.

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L ife

Harmonious Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra’s Neal Gittleman and his wife, Lisa Fry, find the city inspiring

By K arl a Hollencamp

Neal Gittleman has been the artistic director of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra for 25 years.

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Neal Gittleman says Dayton is a hub for artistic innovation.

T

he year 2020 is a big one for Neal Gittleman.

It marks his 25th anniversary as artistic director of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra as well as his 35th wedding anniversary.

“A conductor’s relationship with the orchestra is a little like a marriage,” Gittleman says. “Communication is very important. Making an effort to listen. Being present. Working to keep things fresh and interesting. But in the orchestra I have 83 partners,” he grins.

His life partner is Lisa Fry, a donor relations officer with the local nonprofit Daybreak. “We met in Portland, Oregon, where I was an assistant director of the symphony. She worked in the development office there. Her desk had the only computer on it. My floppy disk fit it. We met

when I asked if I could use it after hours.

“Ou r f i rst date w a s to t he mov ie Greystroke: The Legend of Tarzan. I think I said something like, ‘If you can make it to the movie I’ll give you a ride home.’ Going to see a movie is still one of our favorite things to do.” Neal and Lisa frequently catch films at the Neon Movies downtown.

Another activity the couple likes to do is walk. “We love the (Five Rivers) MetroPark(s) system,” Lisa says. “We walk them all year round. It’s always different, never the same experience twice.”

“We’re a one-car family,” says Neal. “We chose where we live to be within walking distance of the bus. The Flyer runs right down Brown Street. That makes it very convenient for us to get between home and office.”

“People often tell us they’ve seen us

walking,” Lisa says. “It’s just something we do naturally.”

One of Neal’s favorite pastimes also involves walking. “Dayton has some really nice golf courses. I admit I’m pretty serious about my game. That competition with myself is fun and relaxing.”

So what has kept him at the Dayton Philharmonic so long? “One of my mentors believed that you should leave a post as conductor when your role is at its height, maybe 10 to 15 years in,” Gittleman says.

“I feel Dayton is a hub for artistic innovation, much as it has been for engineering and invention. The community is open to experimentation and new ideas. It is inspiring to be here.

“Over the years things have evolved,” he says. “We have pushed ourselves to make strategic changes to keep current with our audience. Splitting the POPs with the Rockin’ Orchestra concerts is an example.”

W hen the Philharmonic joined resources with the ballet and the opera in the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance it presented a new set of opportunities. “We were the first in the country to do this. In Europe many municipalities own the arts organizations and operate them as one. It has worked for us in some ways and been a challenge in others.

“It means more chances for live music to accompany the ballet and the opera, which leads to more paying jobs for musicians who are putting together part time work to make a living,” Neal says. “Classical concerts require more rehearsals and are therefore more expensive to present. Adding dance and vocal elements effectively is a balance of disciplines.”

Music education and children’s concerts are important to Neal. “I was lucky enough, growing up in Brooklyn, to see Leonard Bernstein conduct children’s concerts. This had an impact on my beliefs that music appreciation is taught early and educational experiences are a key to future audiences.”

Gittleman’s playful side comes out in these kinds of concerts. The Philharmonster each Halloween season is a favorite.

“Conducting for live musical scores to films and the Rockin’ concerts takes fewer rehearsals and is therefore less expensive to present” Gittleman says. “Dayton’s arts groups were founded by the industry giants of the past (including the Deeds, Ketterings and Orville and Katharine Wright).

“We still count on our business leadership to help us secure the future of our organization.” n DAYTON MAGAZINE . February/March 2020

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A&E Calendar of Events

February Storm Large

Feb. 6 Storm Large, musician, actor, playwright and author, shot to national prominence in 2006 as a finalist on the CBS show Rock Star: Supernova, where despite having been eliminated in the week before the finale Storm built a fan base that follows her around the world to this day. Performance is for mature audiences. 8 p.m. $75. PNC Arts Annex, 46 W. Second St., Dayton. 228-3630. victoriatheatre.com.

Winter Brewster & Spirits

Feb. 7 Spend your Friday evening exploring the Dayton region’s breweries and distilleries at the Winter Brewster & Spirits. Individuals 21 years and older are invited to enjoy small plates as well as samples from distilleries and breweries like Branch & Bone Artisan Ales, Crooked Handle Brewing Co., Hairless Hare Brewery and more. 6-9:30 p.m. $35 at the door. Schuster Center, 1 W. Second St., Dayton. 228-3630. victoriatheatre.com.

A Night of Symphonic Hip Hop with Wyclef Jean

Feb. 8 Singer, composer, actor and activist Wyclef Jean’s ability to channel raw emotion into one song after another has made him a champion of the world’s people. See him perform on center stage at the Schuster with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. 8 p.m. $32-$102.

Schuster Center, 1 W. Second St., Dayton.

228-3630. daytonperformingarts.org.

The Simon & Garfunkel Story

Feb. 9 This immersive, concert-style show chronicles the amazing journey shared by the folk-rock duo Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. 7 p.m. Tickets start at $45.50. Schuster Center, 1 W. Second St., Dayton. 228-3630. victoriatheatre.com.

Love Vignettes: Carmen and Butterfly Suite

Feb. 13-16 Two of the most famous operas in the repertoire come to life on stage in a new and unexpected way—through the power

and emotion of dance. First, Georges Bizet’s passionate Spanish seductress Carmen. Then, Puccini’s heart-wrenching Madame Butterfly. Th 7:30 p.m., F & Sa 8 p.m., Su 3 p.m. $22-$83. Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St., Dayton. 228-3630, daytonperformingarts.org.

The Color Purple

Feb. 14-15 With a soul-raising, Grammy-winning score of jazz, gospel, ragtime and blues The Color Purple gives an exhilarating new spirit to this Pulitzer Prize-winning story. F 8 p.m., Sa 2 p.m. & 8 p.m. Tickets start at $26. Schuster Center, 1 W. Second St., Dayton. 228-3630. victoriatheatre.com.

We Shall Overcome: A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Feb. 19 African-American music traditions that electrified generations of civil rights activists and defenders are interwoven with spoken word from Dr. King’s recorded speeches.

7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $22. Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St., Dayton. 228-3630, victoriatheatre.com.

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Beethoven’s 6th and Mozart

Feb. 21-22 Copland’s ballet Appalachian Spring is quintessentially American—full of vitality, hope, and belief in the future. Then young prodigy Gavin George returns to the Dayton Philharmonic for Mozart’s “Piano Concerto No. 21.”

And finally, step into the landscape Beethoven has painted with his “Symphony No. 6,” the “Pastoral” symphony. F & Sa 8 p.m. $12-$66.

Schuster Center, 1 W. Second St., Dayton.

228-3630. daytonperformingarts.org.

Ronnie Milsap

Feb. 27 With 40 No. 1s, five decades of charted singles and six Grammy’s Ronnie Milsap broke genre rules and became one of the biggest pop/ adult contemporary and even R&B artists of the late ’70s and early ’80s. 8 p.m. Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St., Dayton. 228-3630, victoriatheatre.com.

Gloria: A Life

Feb. 27-March 15 Fifty years after Gloria Steinem began raising her voice and advocating for others her vision is as urgent today as ever. Th 8 p.m., F 8 p.m.,

Sa 8 p.m., Su 2 p.m. & 7 p.m., Tu 7 p.m., W 7 p.m. $16-$52. Loft Theatre, 126 N. Main St., Dayton. 228-3630, humanracetheatre.org.

La Cenerentola (Cinderella)

Feb. 28 and March 1 Set a classic children’s tale to Rossini’s sparkling music, and what do you get? Cenerentola: Cinderella, or Goodness Triumphant. Join countless audiences who have tapped their toes and rocked with laughter at opera’s most madcap romp through this familiar French children’s story. F 8 p.m., Su 3 p.m. $30-$98.

Schuster Center, 1 W. Second St., Dayton.

228-3630. daytonperformingarts.org

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Waking Up in America

musical comedy team

DANIEL & HEATHER May 22 7:30 PMPM MADS TOLLING AND May@ 18th @ 7:30 THE MADS MEN classic American soprano & baritone NARDUCCI Grammy Award-Winning Artist

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songs of the day in an informal atmosphere.

The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra pays an encore musical tribute to the man who made orchestral pops a nationwide sensation. F & Sa 8 p.m. $24-$82. Schuster Center, 1 W. Second St., Dayton. 228-3630. daytonperformingarts.org.

The Musical World of Harry Potter

March 8 Board that magical train that departs from that mysterious platform that doesn’t exactly exist on the official schedule. The Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra takes its audience on a journey into the witchcraft and wizardry of the Musical World of Harry Potter. 3 p.m. $22. Schuster Center, 1 W. Second St., Dayton. 228-3630. daytonperformingarts.org.

Classic Albums Live: Pink Floyd— Dark Side of the Moon

Feb. 28 Note for note. Cut for cut. That’s what you’ll experience live at the Victoria Theatre. Classic Albums Live recreate classic rock albums in their entirety. 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $25.

Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St., Dayton.

228-3630, victoriatheatre.com.

The Peking Acrobats

March Fiedler’s Favorites II with Rhapsody in Blue

March 6-7 Arthur Fiedler satisfied a growing interest by the public in hearing the might of the symphony behind light classical and popular

March 12 The Peking Acrobats perform daring maneuvers atop a precarious pagoda of chairs and display their technical prowess at such arts as trick-cycling, precision tumbling, juggling, somersaulting and gymnastics. 7:30 p.m. $38.

Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St., Dayton.

228-3630, victoriatheatre.com.

April 20-25, 2020 Promote your company, product or service on air and online while supporting your local PBS stations!

Make a tax-deductible donation or become a sponsor today!

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Johnny Mathis—The Voice of Romance Tour

March 12 Best-known for his supremely popular hits like “Chances Are,” “It’s Not For Me To Say” and “Misty,” Mathis has recorded close to 80 albums, six Christmas albums and has sold millions of records worldwide. 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $42. Schuster Center, 1 W. Second St., Dayton. 228-3630. victoriatheatre.com.

Opera Star Recital: Angel Blue Strings and Piano Salon

March 15 The Dayton Philharmonic Principal String Quartet presents Kernis’s ornate “String Quartet No. 2,” inspired by the Renaissance and baroque dance music. It is then joined by pianist Joshua Nemith for Brahms’ “Quintet for Piano and Strings in F Minor”, a true chamber masterpiece. 3 p.m. $14-$22. Dayton Art Institute, 456 Belmonte Park North, Dayton. 228-3630, daytonperformingarts.org.

March 22 Recognized for her beautiful timbre and stunning stage presence, soprano Angel Blue’s voice has been hailed for its shining, agile upper register and “smoky” middle register.

From London to the Met, Angel Blue is quickly establishing herself as one of the best vocalists of her generation. 3 p.m. $30-$98.

Schuster Center, 1 W. Second St., Dayton.

228-3630. daytonperformingarts.org.

Alpine Symphony

March 27 & 28 First, there is the emotional power of symphony with Lucas Richman’s moving “This Will Be Our Reply.” Then, the sheer wow factor of Strauss’s massive tone poem “An Alpine Symphony” follows. F & Sa 8 p.m. $12-$66.

Schuster Center, 1 W. Second St., Dayton.

228-3630. daytonperformingarts.org.

Summer: The Donna Summer Musical

March 31-April 5 With a score featuring more than 20 of Donna Summer’s classic hits including “Love to Love You Baby,” “Bad Girls” and “Hot Stuff,” this electric experience is a moving tribute to the voice of a generation. Tu-Th 7:30 p.m., F 8 p.m., Sa 2 p.m. & 8 p.m., Su 1 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.

Schuster Center, 1 W. Second St., Dayton.

228-3630. victoriatheatre.com

Don’t see your event? Visit thedaytonmagazine.com to add it to our online listings for free.

The Music of The Rolling Stones: 50th Anniversary of Beggar’s Banquet and Let it Bleed

March 21 The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra and guest band Windborne rock the 50th Anniversary of The Rolling Stones’ definitive albums Beggar’s Banquet and Let it Bleed. No matter your age you’ll feel the rush of a generation in rebellion and history in the making. 8 p.m. $27-$92.

Schuster Center, 1 W. Second St., Dayton.

228-3630. daytonperformingarts.org.

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DAYTON ›› MIDWESTERN TRAVELER

Staying Busy in Tennessee The state’s cities are great weekend getaways for families looking to stay busy

BY CORINNE MINARD

F

or those looking for a quick trip away Tennessee may be the perfect place to start. Just a couple hours away from Ohio, the state is home to many cities that are packed with a variety of things to do.

From outdoor adventures and unique festivals to live music and immersive history exhibits all of these can be found in the following Tennessee cities.

With its location on the Cumberland River, Clarksville provides many opportunities for outdoor recreation.

PHOTO BY JESSICA TEJER A

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DAYTON ›› Midwestern Traveler

Photo by Justin Fee

Knoxville According to Kristen Combs, director of communications and social strategies for Visit Knoxville, visitors are often surprised by how much there is to do without leaving the downtown area.

“I think a lot of people … don’t really have this conception of what Knoxville is so they are surprised by what we do have,” she says. “We’re a type of place where you come to your hotel, you valet or you park your car and you’re not going to see it for the rest of the weekend.”

Combs recommends travelers start with a visit to the Sunsphere, Knoxville’s answer to Seattle’s Space Needle. Built for the 1982 World’s Fair, the Sunsphere offers a 360-degree view of Knoxville. “I always recommend people to do that because you really kind of get your bearings and get a good feel for the destination,” she adds.

One of the first sites you’ll notice is a large forested area on the south side. Called the Urban Wilderness, the 1,000-acre site provides outdoor recreation lovers with 50 miles of hiking trails, lakes and quarries in which to kayak and paddleboard, a doubleblack diamond mountain bike trail, rock climbing opportunities and more within the city of Knoxville itself.

“It’s like 3 miles from the heart of downtown. You’re not having to drive half an hour, 45 minutes, and beyond to really get some outdoor adventure. You can go do that and come back downtown for lunch,” says Combs.

When families need a break from the outdoors, they can have find some indoor respite in Knoxville’s many museums. The

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Knoxville Museum of Art is a free museum that celebrates the art and artists of east Tennessee. The East Tennessee History Center delves into the history of the region, from the Cherokee to the 1982 World’s Fair.

And Zoo Knoxville is home to dozens of animals, including red pandas.

In addition to it regular attractions, visitors to Knoxville can also enjoy many different festivals and events throughout the summer and spring, such as the Mardi Growl Dog Parade, the Chalk Walk and Bike, Boat, Brew and Bark. One of the most family-friendly festivals that Knoxville hosts, the Children’s Festival of Reading, will be conducted May 16 in World’s Fair Park this year.

“There will be arts and crafts, all kinds of different story telling, games and all sorts of fun stuff,” says Combs.

Franklin Nashville is known for country music, but just 15 miles south of the city is Franklin, a city that also embraces country music.

“If Nashville is the big full arena with electric guitars, Franklin is kind of the acoustic version,” says Matthew Maxey, associate director of public relations for the Williamson County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Walking down Franklin’s historic Main Street visitors can expect to find at least 30 places playing live music, from restaurants and performance venues to street performers and even dress shops.

“It really is you’ll be walking down the street and the spice shop might have a guitarist outside of it or buskers on the street that are just a few years away from

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The abandoned quarries in Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness are great for paddleboarding; Zoo Knoxville is home to many animals including tigers; and the Knoxville Museum of Art celebrates the art and artists of east Tennessee. being on your radio,” says Maxey.

Many country music stars like to escape the nonstop action of Nashville for the slower pace of Franklin, so it’s not uncommon to see big-name acts perform at the 300-seat Franklin Theatre. For example, on April 14, country fans will be able to see Sara Evans, Cherie Oakley and JP Williams perform together in an intimate show that’s raising funds for Franklin’s Holy Trinity Montessori.

“You’ll get Jason Isbell or Vince Gill playing on that stage that usually you have to go to a much larger venue (to see) and it’s just a really cool thing seeing them that up close,” says Maxey.

Even those who aren’t country music fans will find Franklin full of charm. Franklin’s Main Street is 16 whole blocks of local and one-of-a-kind shops and restaurants.

“You walk down Main Street and it really is like walking into a Norman Rockwell painting or the cities that Hallmark movies try to create—it’s the real life version of

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photo from Visit Fr anklin

that. You don’t see people looking down at their phones. They’re just heads up enjoying it,” says Maxey.

Noteworthy stops on Main Street include Holly Williams’ White’s Mercantile shop, Scarlet Scales Antiques and restaurants like Red Pony.

For those interested in history, Maxey recommends visiting historic sites related to the Battle of Franklin, one of only a few Civil War battles that was fought in a downtown area instead of a large battlefield.

“We’ve got 300-plus acres of battlefield just outside the downtown square, three house museums on it that people can dive into history in as little as three hours or spend three days,” says Maxey. “Plus many

photo from Visit Fr anklin

ABOVE: Each year, Franklin commerorates the Battle of Franklin with an Illlumination Ceremony on the battlefield.

LEFT: Live music can be found throughout Franklin, including the restaurant Gray’s On Main. of the buildings in downtown that were witness to the war still have markers. You can go deep into the battle if people want.”

Clarksville

Clarksville and Montgomery County are also worthy vacation spots for those who love history. Michelle Dickerson, director of media and marketing for Visit Clarksville, points to the area’s Fort Defiance Civil War Park (which features a well-preserved earthworks fort) and the Historic Collinsville Pioneer Settlement (home to 16 authentically period structures on 40 acres).

“It very much chronicles history from Native American times through before, during and after the Civil War,” she says.

History can also be found in nearby Dunbar Cave State Park. Recently reopened to public cave tours, the caves are home to 14th century Mississippian art. Cave tours take visitors through about three-quarters of a mile of the cave, which includes a chance to see the cave art. Dickerson recommends booking a cave tour in advance as they are often full.

But Clarksville isn’t all history. As home

MAYA Coming March 14

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DAYTON ›› MIDWESTERN TRAVELER

ABOVE: Visitors touring Dunbar Cave.

RIGHT: Clarksville’s Cumberland RiverWalk follows the meandering Cumberland River. to Austin Peay State University and the 101st Airborne Division, the city has a dynamic and young population that has allowed it to host expansive arts and food scenes alongside historic sites.

“Troops retire from the military at 40 and they’ve lived all around the world, so they bring a lot of those ideas for coffee shops and craft breweries and restaurants serving authentic Korean barbecue or what have you here in Clarksville,” says Dickerson. “We defi nitely have traditional Southern catfi sh, barbecue, that sort of thing, but we also have a lot of the whole

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PHOTO BY LUCAS RYAN CHAMBERS

Asian realm and Italian and German and French and all that, which is really surprising to people. And it’s surprising that it’s all an affordable price point.”

No matter your interest, Dickerson recommends that you include Clarksville’s Cumberland RiverWalk in your trip.

“Downtown borders the river so the RiverWalk connects up to downtown.

You’ll fi nd locally run businesses, restaurants, breweries, a performing arts theater

and the state’s second largest general history museum,” she says. The RiverWalk offers visitors a great opportunity to take some historic architecture, grab a bite to eat and even enjoy a free concert during the summer.

“We’ve really got a little bit of a lot of things. I think the one thing I hear the most is how pretty the place is with the river right downtown and the parks, the architecture and the history downtown,”

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DAYTON ›› ATTRACTIONS

Sharing Stories

Adventures abound just north of Dayton in Miami County

BY BETH L ANGEFELS

L

eiann Stewart, a long-time resident of Troy and Miami County, recently took over the executive director spot for the Miami County Visitors and Convention Bureau and says she loves telling people about the place she calls home.

“I love Miami County,” Stewart says. “I have worked here for 20 years and it’s just wonderful to see the collective efforts of all our communities and organizations working to share our story and why we love it so much here.”

The 410-square-mile area just north of Dayton and Montgomery County includes the cities of Covington, Piqua, Tipp City, West Milton and the county seat of Troy.

Smaller communities in Miami County include Bethel, Bradford and Laura. With slightly more than 100,000 people living in the county, most people think of the area as a collection of small, sleepy towns. But Stewart says there is much more to see and do than people realize.

“We have some great communities that have charming downtown historic areas,” Stewart says. “And we have some fantastic local dining and wonderful shops and

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boutiques that feature clothing, food and gifts for everyone.”

Miami County has a rich history. The WACO Air Museum and Learning Center in Troy is housed in the former WACO Aircraft Co. building. In the late 1920s, WACO was the largest manufacturer of civil aircraft in the country.

“We are excited to be part of the aviation heritage and history in this area,” Stewart says.

History buffs will love visiting the Johnston Farm and Indian Agency in Piqua, which features a living history Indian farm and a re-created mule driven boat that carries passengers back in time. Stewart also says nature lovers will fi nd many opportunities for outdoor fun in the county.

“We have many hiking trails and a fantastic park district,” Stewart says. “Our parks are familiar to everyone—Charleston Falls and Stillwater Reserve are so beautiful and we are lucky to have two rivers here.”

Besides kayaking and canoeing, in the summer months visitors can also sleep in a floating tent on the Great Miami River.

SmithFly, located in Troy, created the

Shopping choices are plentiful in the historic downtown areas in Miami County, including here in Tipp City. world’s fi rst ever floating tent. Known as “shoal tents,” the experience is a unique “bucket list item” for any adventurer.

Activities abound year-round but the summer season kicks off in earnest annually with the Troy Strawberry Festival, always the fi rst full weekend in June. Known for the famous strawberry doughnuts, the festival annually attracts around 200,000 people to Miami County.

“It’s our largest festival by far,” says Stewart.

In 2020, the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure will be returning to Miami County and kicking off in Sidney. Troy will host the estimated cyclists June 24-26 and Stewart says the planning is underway.

“So many people take for granted what they have in their own backyards,” Stewart says. “It’s our job to share what we have here with everyone and help them realize that was we have is fantastic. There is a lot to see and do in these wonderful places.”

For more information about Miami County visit homegrowngreat.com ■

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DAYTON DAYTON››››Dialogue Inside Dining

Expect Something Else Nanyea Restaurant Coffee House & Bar offers guests Ethiopian fare with a cultural experience

By Ginny McCabe

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anyea Restaurant Coffee House & Bar at 6129 N. Dixie Drive in Dayton offers guests authentic Ethiopian cuisine combined with a cultural experience. Owner Sofi Kinde, an Ethiopian native, takes pride in every detail and that shines through when you visit. Her passion for food, interaction with the customers and devotion to Ethiopian culture come together perfectly at Nanyea.

“I’m very proud of this location and being able to own the business. It was such a big accomplishment. It started out as something that was fun and meant to serve the Ethiopian community, and it has turned into a career. I’m also excited that I’m able to teach others about my culture,” says Kinde.

In 2016, Kinde originally opened Nanyea (often referred to online as Nanya Café) as a coffeehouse or a social gathering place at 5214 Main St. to cater to the small Ethiopian community in the area. People would come in for coffee, a chance to connect with one another and for deep conversation. Kinde says she never planned to open a restaurant, but she fell in love with cooking and had a desire to educate others about the Ethiopian culture. The Ethiopian culture

is diverse, multiethnic and full of rich history.

One tradition central to the Ethiopian culture and society is coffee, which is accompanied by an Ethiopian coffee ceremony. Often, the coffee is roasted in front of the coffee drinker. After the coffee beans are fully roasted the crushed grounds are placed in an Ethiopian, clay coffee pot.

The coffee set up is served on a tray, in a small teacup and saucer, along with burning incense. The coffee is usually served black, which is the traditional way, but coffee drinkers may choose to add sugar, milk or cream. Many people drink coffee after a meal.

Another common tradition is that diners eat the meal with their hands (not using any utensils like a fork, knife or a spoon) and they eat together (from a communal plate) with family and friends. To eat, guests tear off a small piece of bread, and use it to pick up the food. This was my first time dining at an Ethiopian restaurant so I had the chance to learn about both of these traditions.

“Customers appreciate that I’m here in the city. It’s something different than American foods,” Kinde says, “I always tell people to come in open-minded. It’s going to be different so expect an adventure. It’s not going to be anything like what you eat at home, so when you come expect something else.”

In September of 2018, Kinde moved from

TOP: Nanyea Restaurant Coffee House & Bar is located at 6129 N. Dixie Drive.

ABOVE: Owner Sofi Kinde offers authentic Ethiopian fare and cultural experiences. the previous location and expanded into a restaurant and coffeehouse. She says the restaurant, named for her grandmother, is Dayton’s only Ethiopian restaurant. Winter hours are Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The new location has a front foyer, larger kitchen, corner bar and a dining area. The capacity of the dining room is 66 guests. Carry-out is also available. For more information, or to place an order, call 937-396-4013.

With a small staff of three, including Kinde, she works hard and is involved in every aspect of the restaurant’s operations, including food preparation, cooking and serving the customers to all the business and managerial aspects.

Kinde came to the United States when she was 14. She learned English here in high school and she says moving to Ohio was a “new chapter” in her life. She currently lives in Vandalia and her parents reside in Columbus.

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DAYTON ›› Inside Dining

Brunch, lunch and dinner options are available on the Nanyea Restaurant & Coffee House menu.

“Moving here you have to learn about the culture, the food, the language and everything,” says Kinde.

Kinde realized her calling after opening the coffee bar and cafe, just over three years ago. The business has grown largely by word-of-mouth and as a result of favor-

able reviews on social media. Now, many regular customers stop in frequently.

“I started out as a coffee shop, but cooking is my passion and I am able to incorporate recipes from my mother and grandmother. I’ve always watched them when they cooked so it’s pretty much family recipes,” Kinde says.

Tibs and Injera are mainstays. The menu

features popular entrees such as the house special, Nanyea’s Tibs ($12), which are tender beef cubes sautéed with Ethiopian seasoning, onion, tomato, jalapeno and Kibe (Ethiopian butter.) I tried this selection, based on Kinde’s recommendation.

The meal also comes with Injera (a soft, spongy flat bread made out of teff-flour.)

Another favorite is a vegetarian or vegan option, the veggie lunch combo, ($12) which is made with lentils, chickpeas, cabbage, beets and collard greens.

Other lunch and dinner selections include tegabino shiro ($8), which is made with powdered chickpeas cooked in light berbere sauce, onion, tomato and jalapeno and gomen be siga ($9) that features collard greens and beef slowly simmered with Ethiopian seasoning, onion, garlic and jalapeno. Several of the spices used in the dishes come directly from Ethiopia.

Brunch, lunch and dinner options are available on the menu.

Additionally, Nanyea serves Ethiopian coffee, macchiato, tea, soft drinks, fruit smoothies and water. n

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American

George’s Family Restaurant 5216 N. Dixie Drive, Dayton 937-275-0705 georgesdayton.com View 162 Crowne Plaza Dayton 33 E. Fifth St., Dayton 937-224-0800 cpdayton.com

Marion’s Piazza 711 Shroyer Road, Dayton 937-293-6991 marionspiazza.com

Deli

FlyBoy’s Deli 2515 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood 937-723-6135 flyboysdeli.com

Pub Food

Tank’s Bar & Grill 2033 Wayne Ave., Dayton 937-252-2249 tanksbarandgrill.com

Dessert

Ashley’s Pastry Shop 21 Park Ave., Dayton 937-293-1719 ashleyspastries.com

Barbecue

City Barbeque 2330 N. Fairfield Road, Beavercreek 937-320-0000 citybbq.com

Coffeehouse/Tea communitea cafe 100 Watervilet Ave., Dayton 937-554-5626 teamakesmehappy.com Ghostlight Coffee 1201 Wayne Ave., Dayton 937-985-2633 ghostlightcoffee.com

Seafood

Ice cream/ Frozen Yogurt

Graeter’s 2330-A N. Fairfield Road, Beavercreek 937-427-4700 graeters.com

Sweeney’s Seafood 28 W. Franklin St., Centerville 937-291-3474 sweeneysseafood.com

Steakhouse

Carvers 1535 Miamisburg Centerville Road, Dayton 937-433-7099 carversdayton.com

Peruvian

Salar 400 E. Fifth St., Dayton 937-203-3999 salarrestaurant.com

The Pine Club 1926 Brown St., Dayton 937-228-7463 thepineclub.com

Pizza

Taproom

Carillon Brewing Company 1000 Carillon Blvd., Dayton 937-910-0722 carillonbrewingco.org

Thai

House of Thai 3230 Seajay Drive, Beavercreek 937-429-2236 house-of-thai.com

Turkish

Pasha Grill 72 Plum St., Beavercreek 937-429-9000 pashagrill.com

Vietnamese

Pho Mi 8990 Kingsridge Drive, Dayton 937-433-7388 pho-mi.com Don’t See Your restaurant? Add it for free at thedaytonmagazine.com.

Open 7 days a week.

Live Music on Wed., Fri. & Sat.

4th Annual Dayton Business Hall of Fame Thursday, March 05, 2020 5:30PM - 8:30PM

THE TROLLEY STOP

33 East Fifth Street, Dayton, OH 45402

Dining available 11am - 10pm nightly

Crowne Plaza Dayton

The 4th Annual Dayton Business Hall of Fame will recognize the accomplishments and contributions of outstanding leaders within our region who have made a positive impact on this community through economic, cultural and civic endeavors.

Sponsored by:

Community Partner:

Free parking next to Lucky’s or behind GDPM building on Wayne Avenue. www.trolleystopdayton.com 530 E 5th St, Dayton, OH 45402 937-461-1101

Presented by:

Visit Dayton-Live.com for more information DAYTON MAGAZINE . February/March 2020 DAY_BIZ_V1.indd 1

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DAYTON ›› Dialogue Business

Smoke on the River Little Miami River Catering sticks to its family roots for fabulous cuisine

By Eric Spangler

T

here’s no smoke and mirrors when it comes to the success of Little Miami River Catering. Well, smoke for sure, but mirrors? Not so much.

That’s because the catering company

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got its magical start by smoking and roasting pigs in founder Glen Penquite’s backyard in 1986, says Penquite’s daughter Molly McConnell.

Her father, a self-taught chef, then started grilling steaks and hamburgers at the event locations to go along with the pig roasts, says McConnell, who along with her husband, Matt McConnell, bought the business from her father in 2013.

The local catering business has since grown and evolved tremendously through hard work and perseverance. “It kind of evolved from that backyard barbecue feel from the beginning to now where we’re doing plated dinners and carving stations with beef tenderloins,” says McConnell.

The couple even added a food preparation and event facility to the company’s assets when they bought The Mandalay Banquet & Event Center at 2700 E. River Road in Moraine in 2018.

“We started out in a small kitchen in Bellbrook and then we rented a larger facility out in Xenia for a few years,” she says. “And then we came back to buy The Mandalay where we moved all of our operations.”

Little Miami River Catering can prepare just about any mouth-watering entree clients want.

The company has 10 full-time employees and up to 65 total employees, including part-time seasonal staff, during the summer, says McConnell.

McConnell says Little Miami River Catering kept some of the key staff members when it bought The Mandalay facility.

“Melvin (Holmes) is still our executive chef for both sides of off-site and Mandalay events,” she says.

Even though Holmes and Little Miami River Catering’s staff can prepare a mouthwatering entrée like New York strip steak with Mandalay steak butter or a chicken breast garnished with crab meat, asparagus and Hollandaise sauce the company’s bread-and-butter brand goes back to those original smoked meats her father prepared, says McConnell.

“The smoked meats are the thing,” she says. “All the meats are smoked so that’s going to give that completely different flavor. That’s what we’re known for.”

And it’s that down-home, make-you-feel-

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The food options for events at The Mandalay Banquet & Event Center in Moraine are endless thanks to an on-site chef.

good, southern-style cuisine that remains the heart of the catering company, says McConnell. “I think our brand that the customers for all these years have gone back to is comfort food, southern-style cooking,” she says.

So how much does all that delicious food cost someone who uses Little Miami River Catering to feed lots of guests? McConnell says the price per person ranges from about $10 to about $35.

Most of the events the company caters are weddings, she says. About half of the busi-

ness is weddings, 30% is corporate events and 20% is personal events, says McConnell.

The business can cater for groups as small as 15 and as many as 5,000, she says. “We do your friendly box lunches for meetings or a hot lunch for those smaller groups,” says McConnell. “We can handle any type of event, but mostly that’s weddings,” says McConnell.

Little Miami River Catering will cater events in about a 50-mile radius from its headquarters at The Mandalay, she says.

“We travel down into West Chester, up to

Sidney and then over to Springfield and over to Greenville. It’s basically a 50-mile radius from here,” says McConnell.

Although she grew up with the family business it wasn’t automatic that McConnell would end up working at Little Miami River Catering. In fact, after graduating from Wright State University with a marketing/ management degree her father told her not to come and work for him.

“He said, ‘Oh no, no, go work in the real world first to make sure you really want to do this,’” says McConnell. So that’s exactly what she did. “I spent a little bit of time in corporate America and it was probably two years I decided I didn’t want to do that,” she says.

“I wanted to be in the family business. It was just kind of where I my passion was,” says McConnell. “I felt more fulfilled here.” n DAYTON MAGAZINE . February/March 2020

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DAYTON ›› STYLE

Styling for Spring

Add some bounce to your step with these products from local boutiques

BY L AUR A LE AVIT T

E

ven with wintery weather persisting, we all are ready for the pop of color and warm glow that spring will bring. We gathered up some accessory items to add a little “spring” to your step from local boutiques around the Miami Valley. Enjoy!

LEELI + LOU Keep t he last g usts of winter wind out with an ultra-soft, super-coz y, two-tone scarf ($28) from Leeli + Lou. Available in a variety of colors, you can express your individuality while staying warm. 2512 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood

ZEBRAGIRL BOUTIQUE With unique items to dress up or dress down a look, ZebraGirl offers great twists on standard st yles. Their Scout jewelry ($28) features stones with significant meanings and each piece can be worn as a wrap bracelet or as a necklace so you can shine for many occasions. 63 W. Franklin St., Centerville

SUBURBAN HIPPIE CHIC BOUTIQUE The Suburban Hippie, a new store about to celebrate its fi rst anniversary, offers local products of all kinds, including aromatherapy oils and natural products. Choose a timeless leather purse locally made

by Maia’s Handbags ($103); it’s a classic, simple look for every season, including this spring. 155 S. Main St., Springboro

GRACE LANE BOUTIQUE Add a pop of color to a gray late-winter day with a brightly colored headband ($14) from Grace Lane. This boutique works with women-owned businesses as well as sustainably sourced brands that pay living wages to their workers. In these clothes you look good while having a positive impact.

133 E. Fourth St., Dayton

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DAYTON ›› HOME

Now is the Time

Deals for flooring materials are at their peak in the first quarter of the year

By K arl a Hollencamp

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rule of thumb in buying household goods is to shop when other people aren’t shopping because you’re more likely to get a better deal. This applies to flooring right now.

The demand for flooring usually peaks right before Thanksgiving. Whether you’re buying hardwood, laminate or tile, materials and installation will generally be less expensive in the first quarter of the new year.

It’s not that new models are coming in and stores want to get rid of old ones it’s because fewer homeowners are starting projects.

Another thing to remember is that you can negotiate pricing during this period more easily. Buying flooring can be tricky because some companies will offer deals including free installation or pads. Do your homework so you know the average costs of these items and compare them to the square foot prices.

Have at least two but not more than three companies come out to measure the exact

area you want to replace. Make sure it is exactly the same area and details. They will give you a diagram and list of extras like transition strips, shoe molding and thresholds. Make sure each estimate is for the same thing otherwise one might look cheaper but doesn’t include everything needed for the finished project.

Sometimes a company might suggest you buy materials now and wait for installation later. Make sure you lock down the price of installation in writing. Ask them who will do the work. Some companies have dedicated crews and others don’t. A big box store like Home Depot contracts its installation to a variety of sources, some good and some not. Be careful about this because you could get people who will perform poor quality work.

Make sure any agreement you sign has your satisfaction guaranteed before final payment. Never pay full price upfront. If you can get terms that are one-third when

Photo by All About Hardwood

Photo by All About Hardwood

Now is the time to find good deals on flooring because fewer homeowners are starting renovation projects this time of year. placing the order, one-third when you have inspected the materials to be used and one-third upon satisfactory completion that is ideal.

Ask for all the extra materials. Contractors will sometimes order more than they need to complete your job (often 10%) and then use it on another job. You paid for it, it’s yours.

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DAYTON ›› HOME HERE ARE SOME SIMPLE GUIDELINES: • Don’t run carpet up to any door that leads to the outside, including the door that leads to the garage. People coming in with wet-feet/dirty shoes will soak the carpet and underlayment and it will wear and smell. Use tile, hardwood or laminate with area carpet or throw rugs instead.

• A high degree of customization is now possible in area carpet size, shape and color combinations.

• Likewise, don’t use any kind of carpet in a bathroom or kitchen. The heat and water in these two areas turns carpet into a breeding ground for bacteria.

Wash the throw rugs often.

• If you have pets use tile or tile that resembles wood. Fur, nails and animal waste can destroy other types of flooring.

• If you’re thinking of selling your house and plan to update it for sale consider replacing all the flooring on the main level with one lighter color of hardwood or large block porcelain tile. Th is will

Samples of some of the carpet materials available at Bockrath Flooring and Rugs.

Getthe the Get Getthe the Korrect Solution Get Korrect Solution

KorrectSolution Solution Korrect

Heating and •• Heating and Conditioning Air Conditioning •Air Heating and • Plumbing • Heating and • Plumbing Air Conditioning • Drain Cleaning Air Conditioning • Drain Cleaning • Plumbing Bathroom Remodeling • Remodeling • •Bathroom Plumbing • Drain Cleaning

• Drain Cleaning • 937-265-8812 Bathroom Remodeling 937-265-8812 937-265-2454 •www.korrecthvac.com Bathroom Remodeling www.korrecthvac.com 937-265-8812 38 www.korrecthvac.com 937-265-8812 DAYTON MAGAZINE . February/March 2020

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make the rooms look larger and allow the potential homebuyer to see how they can easily personalize it with area rugs.

Bedrooms in modern homes often feature wall-to-wall carpet while bathroom floors should be tile.

• Some types of new hardwood, like teak, will change color in direct sunlight. If you have area rugs on top of this flooring it will be very obvious. Make sure you ask if the wood flooring you are choosing will change colors with exposure to light.

• If you have old hardwood floors or any hardwood floors that need refi nishing get an expert to do it. Sanding is an art and rental sanders spread sawdust everywhere. There are also concerns for keeping floors even. Older homes that have settled can be a challenge.

Weekend home remodeling can lead to costly unsatisfying mistakes. Get it done by a professional (I don’t care what HGTV says!). ■

Bockrath Flooring and Rugs can design custom area rugs for customers.

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From burgers and desserts to spas and gyms, 88 of the best businesses in Dayton recently showcased their products, cuisine and services at Dayton Magazine’s fifth annual Best of Dayton celebration. Nearly 700 people attended the Best of Dayton event, which included a caricaturist, at Carillon Historical Park on Nov. 7. Those who attended voted for the people and places in and around the Miami Valley they thought were the best. We tallied the votes and are now proud to present this year’s winners.

The Best of Dayton celebration was sponsored by Carillon Historical Park, Premier Health, Kitchens by Design, Sunrise Treatment Center, Logan AC & Heat Services and Renewal by Andersen; our community partner The Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce and our media partner WDTN-TV.

BY ERIC SPANGLER

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FOOD BEST BARBECUE

BEST BURGER

BEST DESSERT

Multiple locations including 5 E. Franklin St., Washington Township 312-1350, citybbq.com

Market Square and Main Street, Miamisburg 847-2442, hamburgerwagon.com

Beavercreek 907-0411, jennygs.com

BEST CATERING

BEST DOUGHNUT

525 W. Riverview Ave., Dayton 559-4590, elitecatering.com

268 N. Main St., Centerville 433-0002, billsdonutshop.com

BEST CHEF

BEST FAMILY DINING

CITY BARBEQUE

HAMBURGER WAGON

ELITE CATERING

STEPHANIE SALAS, 4ACHEF CULINARY CONSULTANTS 40 N. Main St., Dayton 224-4381, facebook. com/4achef-culinary-consultants-llc

BEST BREAKFAST/BRUNCH FIRST WATCH

Multiple locations including 2824 Miamisburg Centerville Road, Dayton 435-3127, firstwatch.com

BEST BREWERY

WARPED WING BREWING CO.

JENNY G’S CUPCAKES AND TREATS

BILL’S DONUT SHOP

GEORGE’S FAMILY RESTAURANT 5216 N. Dixie Drive, Dayton 275-0705. georgesdayton.com

BEST FRESH CATCH (SEAFOOD) SWEENEY’S SEAFOOD

28 W. Franklin St., Centerville 291-3474, sweeneysseafood.com

BEST ICE CREAM

GRAETER’S ICE CREAM Multiple locations, including Oakwood (2412 Far Hills Ave., 534-0602), Beavercreek (2330 N. Fairfield Road, 427-4700) and Centerville (2 N. Main St., 312-9001), graeters.com

26 Wyandot St., Dayton 222-7003, warpedwing.com

BEST FARMERS MARKET

2ND STREET MARKET 600 E. Second St., Dayton 937-228-2088, metroparks.org

A Five Rivers MetroParks facility, the 2nd Street Market in downtown Dayton is home to more than 50 vendors, including local farmers, artisans, prepared food vendors and more, says Lauren Lemons, community outreach coordinator.

“Shopping at the 2nd Street Market is reminiscent of European markets, alive with vendors, people and activity,” she says. “With a variety of specialty cuisine, unique artisans and local farmers, there is an eclectic atmosphere that attracts shoppers from across the Dayton region.”

During the growing season, MetroParks offers an outdoor farmers market on Saturdays, in addition to live music, cooking presentations and special events year-round, she says.

Vendors offer a variety of specialty items, including one-of-akind, handcrafted gifts and homewares, says Lemons. “Many of our growers offer seasonal produce you wouldn’t otherwise be able to fi nd in a typical grocery store. Additionally, prepared food vendors offer cuisine from all culinary corners of the world, from Thai to Mexican street cuisine.”

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FOOD BEST FINE DINING

SALAR RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 400 E. Fifth St., Dayton 937-203-3999, salarrestaurant.com

Salar Restaurant & Lounge is dedicated to creating a welcoming environment, providing exceptional service, serving a worldfusion menu and handcrafting cocktails in the Oregon District, says David Rocha III, events manager.

“Executive chef and owner Margot Blondet came to the United States from her native Peru in 2005 and hopes to showcase how Peruvian cuisine reflects centuries of immigration with a menu that results in a fusion of influences that become exciting twists to our diners’ favorite foods,” he says.

Its menu is seasoned with the rich flavors and passion of Peru and cocktails are handcrafted from the fi nest ingredients, says Rocha. The restaurant offers guests a unique dining experience with two outdoor patios, two full bars, a main dining room with large windows facing the historic Oregon District, an intimate lounge space and a private dining room.

The restaurant recently celebrated its one-year re-opening in October after a fi re caused it to close the year before, says Rocha.

“Salar continues to stand strong and contributes to the communities that keep it standing,” he says.

PHOTO BY J. SHELDON PHOTOGR APHY

BEST INDEPENDENT COFFEE HOUSE GHOSTLIGHT COFFEE

1201 Wayne Ave., Dayton 985-2633, ghostlightcoffee.com

BEST ITALIAN CUISINE

MAMMA DISALVO’S ITALIAN RISORANTE 1375 E. Stroop Road, Kettering 299-5831, mammadisalvo.com

BEST JUICE BAR

SANTA CLARA JUICERY 1912 N. Main St., Dayton 470-4476, santaclarajuicery.com

BEST LOCAL BAKERY

BEST MEXICAN CUISINE

21 Park Ave., Oakwood 293-1719, ashleyspastries.com

1609 E. Third St., Dayton (258-2654) and 2190 Shiloh Springs Road, Trotwood (529-7535) taqueriamixteca.com

ASHLEY’S PASTRY SHOP

BEST MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE

TAQUERIA MIXTECA

PASHA GRILL

72 Plum St., Beavercreek 429-9000, pashagrill.com

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FOOD BEST STEAK

CARVER’S STEAKS AND CHOPS 1535 Miamisburg Centerville Road, Dayton 433-7099, carversdayton.com

BEST SUSHI

KABUKI KOREAN RESTAURANT AND SUSHI BAR Centerville Square Shopping Center, 848 S Main St., Centerville 435-9500, eatatkabuki.com

BEST TEA ROOM

COMMUNITEA 100 Watervliet Ave., Dayton 476-7434, teamakesmehappy.com

BEST OUTDOOR DINING

BEST PUB

329 E. Fifth St., Dayton 723-7637, lilysbistro.com

300 Wayne Ave., Dayton 224-7822, dubpub.com

BEST PIZZA

BEST SPORTS BAR

Multiple locations, 1320 N. Fairfield Road, Beavercreek 429-3393, marionspiazza.com

Multiple locations, including 1818 Woodman Drive, Dayton 252-9007, frickers.com

LILY’S BISTRO

MARION’S PIAZZA

THE DUBLIN PUB

BEST VEGAN/VEGETARIAN

CHRISTOPHER’S RESTAURANT AND CATERING 2318 E. Dorothy Lane, Kettering 299-0089, christophers.biz

FRICKER’S

3120 Wilmington Pike Dayton, OH 45429 937-293-3293 www.ketteringbikeshop.com

The future is here & cycling just got more exciting.

Specialized Turbo Creo SL Carbon eBikes in stock.

TEST RIDE ONE TODAY

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SERVICE

BEST AC/HEATING CO.

BEST APARTMENT COMPLEX

BEST DRY CLEANER

9181 N. Dixie Drive, Dayton 223-2222, logan-inc.com

4451 Love Lane, Beavercreek 431-5511, fieldstoneapts.com

2750 N. Fairfield Road, Beavercreek 429-2120, buckeyedry.com

LOGAN AC & HEAT SERVICES

BOXING

FIELDSTONE APARTMENTS

FOOD VENDORS

LIVE MUSIC

BUCKEYE DRY CLEANERS

CASH BAR

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TH

1920 S FLAIR

DOORS // 6:30PM FIGHTS // 8:00PM

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SERVICE BEST CAR WASH

FLYING ACE EXPRESS CAR WASH

Multiple locations, including 7175 Far Hills Ave., Dayton 614-751-9274, flyingacecarwash.com

Flying Ace Express Car Wash is a homegrown and operated business, says Beth Martin, marketing director. “So we truly care about our customer’s wash experience,” she says.

That means fast, high-quality and environmentally friendly car washes that are 100 satisfaction guaranteed, says Martin. “Our teams strive to greet every customer and ensure that they are completely satisfied with their wash quality,” she says.

Flying Ace Express Car Wash uses the industry’s best equipment and has invested millions of dollars in state-ofthe-art technology to ensure that it operates as efficiently and environmentally friendly as possible, says Martin.

And customers love the free vacuum lot that offers powerful vacuums to clean the interior of their vehicle, she says. The business also offers a fully stocked retail office and sells additional car cleaning products, including air fresheners, drying towels and shammys, wheel shine and dashboard wipes, says Martin. “We also offer our customers complimentary microfiber drying towels that they can borrow and return,” she says.

"Best Place for a Spa Day" Pizza Today Magazine, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018

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SERVICE BEST LANDSCAPER

BEST MANICURE/PEDICURE

8107 state Route 48, Waynesville 885-2740, grandmasgardens.net

3852 Kemp Road, Beavercreek 431-1515, platinum-nails-nail-salon.business.site/

GRANDMA’S GARDENS

PLATINUM NAILS

BEST FLORIST

OBERER’S FLORIST 1448 Troy St., Dayton 223-1253, oberers.com

BEST GARDEN CENTER

SIEBENTHALER’S GARDEN CENTER 2074 Beaver Valley Road, Beavercreek, 427-4110 and 6000 Far Hills Ave., Centerville, 434-1326 siebenthaler.com

BEST HOME REMODELER

ELEGANT RESTORATIONS 902-8121, elegantrestorations.us

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SERVICE BEST RETIREMENT COMMUNITY ST. LEONARD CHI LIVING COMMUNITIES 8100 Clyo Road, Centerville 433-0480, homeishere.org

BEST PLACE FOR A SPA DAY WOODHOUSE DAY SPA

4412 Buckeye Lane, Beavercreek.

427-3529, dayton.woodhousespas.com

BEST PLACE TO HAVE A WEDDING BENHAM’S GROVE

166 N. Main St., Centerville 433-1913, benhamsgrove.com

BEST PLACE TO PAMPER YOUR PET DOGGIE STYLES DAY SPA 3289 Seajay Drive, Beavercreek 426-3010, doggiestylesdayspa.com

BEST PLUMBER

KORRECT PLUMBING HEATING & AIR 7967 W. Third St., Dayton 837-2333, korrectplumbing.com

BEST MASTER STYLIST

SARA ROSE HAMMOND AT THE SALON ON RAHN & DAY SPA 30 W. Rahn Road, Dayton 937-985-9403, salononrahn.com

The key to being a great stylist is to keep up with the current trends and fashions, says Sara Rose Hammond at The Salon on Rahn & Day Spa. Hammond, who has been a stylist in the Dayton area for about 15 years, says she never stops learning and educating herself.

She also attributes her success to having a diverse clientele that range in age from 2 to 65. “Each generation is expecting something different with their hair and I believe I can deliver on their needs,” says Hammond.

A large part of her business is doing hair for women in weddings. “I do several weddings a year and enjoy the excitement of those types of events,” she says.

Hammond says she is blessed to work at The Salon on Rahn & Day Spa. “There is no other place like it in Dayton,” she says. “From the moment you walk in our doors we believe your experience at our salon and spa will be unparalleled—from the beautiful surroundings to the multitude of services offered.”

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@CITYBBQ @CITYBARBEQUE @CITYBARBEQUE

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HEALTH BEST BIKE SHOP

KETTERING BIKE SHOP 3120 Wilmington Pike, Dayton 293-3293, ketteringbikeshop.com

BEST CHARITABLE RACE

THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF GREATER DAYTON’S FURRY SKURRY 1661 Nicholas Road, Dayton 262-5929, hsdayton.org

BEST FITNESS CENTER

EXPRESS FITNESS STUDIO 2047 Harshman Road, Dayton 902-3597, expressfitnessstudio.com

BEST YOGA STUDIO

SPEAKEASY YOGA 510 E. Third St., Dayton 829-4498, speakeasydayton.com

Dayton’s Best Kept Secret!

CommuniTea Cafe serves lunch and specializes in Events such as Birthday Parties, Showers, and even Business Meetings and Fundraisers.

The tea room is available to host an evening event 7 days a week.

100 Watervilet Ave. • Dayton, OH 45420 teamakesmehappy.com • (937) 554-5626 Follow us on

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HEALTH BEST PERSONAL TRAINER KEVIN MANNING

937-286-0748, kevinmanningfitness.com

Kevin Manning and his Elite Fitness program caters to the busy professional who may not have time to drive to the gym and back. “I come to them,” says Manning. “I bring fitness to the client as opposed to the regular way.”

Not only does Manning visit clients in their own homes, he also offers elite-level group fitness classes that are open to every fitness level. “I also have an extensive amount of programs available to those who cannot meet with me in person and that includes online training sessions,” Manning says.

He says he wants clients to have an hour to themselves to focus on themself, relieve stress and anxiety and get stronger with every session or class. “It’s self care at its fi nest,” says Manning.

Is there a good time to get started with Manning’s fitness program? “You’ll never regret getting started and now is as good as time as any,” he says.

Dan's Portraits and Caricatures dannyfoster.com | 937-669-3222

Dan’s Portraits and Caricatures

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SHOPPING BEST GIFT SHOP

AGNES & ORSON GIFTS AND GOODS 514 E. Third St., Dayton 937-640-1500, agnesandorson.com

If shopping is supposed to be fun then there’s no place better to spend a little time and money than Agnes & Orson Gifts and Goods in the Cannery Building in downtown Dayton.

That’s because business owner Sandy Van Fleet is all about fun. “We love using the phrase, ‘Life is supposed to be fun’ around here and we love watching our customers experience the fun with us,” she says.

The shop carries a bit of something for everyone, including items for birthdays, babies, weddings, housewarmings or even something sassy, says Van Fleet. “We’ve even begun carrying wine from wineries using sustainable and organic practices without breaking the wallet.”

Van Fleet says she tries to fi nd quality products—including several locally made items—that are exclusive to the store and, at the very least, not found on Amazon. “We also try to give our customers a friendly, relaxed experience,” she says. “I believe we are what defi nes boutique. Plus, we have Dresden, our shop dog!”

270 Hiawatha Trail Springboro OH 45066 937-743-1466 ohiosportsacademy.com

to our teaching staff!

WINNER

Over 50 Exceptional Instructors!

• • • • 52

Tumbling - Trampoline Circus Arts - adults and kids Ninja Zone Preschool gymnastics

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Shopping Best Jeweler

Jaffe Jewelers

3951 Far Hills Ave., Kettering 461-9450, jaffejewelry.com

Best Place for Home Accessories Home2Home

261 E. Alex Bell Road, Centerville 439-6688, hometohome.com

Best Resale/Consignment Shop Loralei’s Boutique

43 W. Franklin St., Washington Township 528-6861, loraleidayton.com

Best Women’s Boutique Ark & Echo

101 S Market St, Troy 219-5651, shoppingecho.com

Live Life Better at Fieldstone Apartments

Professionally managed by Towne Properties, Fieldstone Apartments is nestled in Beavercreek, OH. We’re conveniently located off I-675 exit 10. We’re 1 mile from The Greene where you have many choices of eateries and plenty of shopping, we’re also close to Wright Patterson Air Force Base, University of Dayton and Wright State University. fieldstone_V1.indd 1

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SHOPPING BEST PLACE FOR ANTIQUES THIS OLD COUCH

3930 Dayton Xenia Road, Beavercreek 937-426-6005, thisoldcouch.net

Located in a converted 1896 farmhouse with ties to the Coy family and the original settlers of Beavercreek, Th is Old Couch is a home decor shop specializing in vintage and handcrafted items.

The reason the store was voted the Best Place for Antiques is because it has a good selection of antiques and vintage items in the shop, says Lori Lucas, who owns the shop along with her husband, Bryan.

“Besides carrying antique and vintage items, we also work with 70-plus local artisans to carry a variety of furniture, wall art, stained glass, shelf decor, candles, soaps, jewelry, pillows and other unique items for your home,” she says.

It’s important for customers to feel comfortable in the shop while browsing, Lucas says. “We treat customers like they are coming to our home for a visit.”

The shop also hosts an outdoor farmers market on the grounds from spring through fall, she says. The store also carries specialty food items year round—many of which come from vendors participating in the farmers market, Lucas says.

Proud to be Named

Best of Dayton!

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Dayton's Brightest Juice Bar, Smoothy Stop and Cafe All our cold-pressed juices, smoothies, bowls and foods are made with raw ingredients, 100% vegan and gluten-free!

Also offering Vegan Treats, Salads, Lattés & Toast.

Greater Dayton Locations & Growing

www.FlyingAceCarWash.com

glodayton.com • (937)991-0085 • 1120 Brown st, Dayton OH 54

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ENTERTAINMENT BEST DATE NIGHT

RAISE YOUR BRUSH 169 N. Main St., Centerville 458-2283, raiseyourbrush.com

BEST FESTIVAL

CELTIC FESTIVAL 4156 Dayton Xenia Road, Beavercreek 372-9788, daytoncelticfestival.com

BEST GOLF COURSE

THE GOLF CLUB AT YANKEE TRACE 10000 Yankee St., Centerville 438-4653, yankeetrace.org

BEST HAPPY HOUR

LOCK 27 BREWING 329 E. First St., Dayton and 1035 S. Main St., Centerville 443-2739, lock27brewing.com

BEST LIVE MUSIC

BEST MOVIE THEATER

BEST MUSEUM/HISTORICAL SITE

530 E. 5th St., Dayton 461-1101, trolleystopdayton.com

4489 Glengarry Drive, Beavercreek 429-4130, cinemark.com

1000 Carillon Blvd., Dayton 293-2841, daytonhistory.org

THE TROLLEY STOP

CINEMARK THE GREENE

CARILLON HISTORICAL PARK

Hours SUN – THUR 11AM – 9:30PM FRI – SAT 11AM – 10PM *** Closed some Holidays *** Centerville Square Shopping Center

848 S Main St Centerville, OH 45458

(937) 435-9500 eatatkabuki.com 2014

Kabuki started in Dayton and is family owned and operated by Mae and Hannah. We work hard to serve the freshest seafood, highest quality meat and produce available. We Believe that flavor can not be compromised. Our Chefs take pride in hand crafting all of our sauces from scratch- even our soy sauce!

Remember when dining at Kabuki, our ingredients are made with Love from the kitchen to your table .

BEST of

2016-2017

WINNER

DAYTON MAGAZINE

DAYTON MAGAZINE

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CHILDREN BEST BIRTHDAY PARTY LOCATION

SICSA PET ADOPTION CENTER 2600 Wilmington Pike, Kettering 294-6505, sicsa.com

BEST CHEERLEADING GYM

OHIO SPORTS ACADEMY 270 Hiawatha Trail, Springboro 743-1466, ohiosportsacademy.com

BEST DANCE/THEATER INSTRUCTION

CELTIC ACADEMY OF IRISH DANCE 85 Woodman Drive, Dayton 256-6086, celticacademy.com

BEST GYMNASTICS CENTER

OHIO SPORTS ACADEMY 270 Hiawatha Trail, Springboro 743-1466, ohiosportsacademy.com

BEST MUSIC INSTRUCTION MCCUTCHEON MUSIC

38 Marco Lane, Centerville 435-2900, mccutcheonmusic.com

BEST PRESCHOOL

BRIGHT BEGINNINGS CHRISTIAN PRESCHOOL 60 E. North St., Springboro 748-2612, brightbeginnings.fumcofspringboro.com

BEST SUMMER CAMP

SISCA PET ADOPTION CENTER 2600 Wilmington Pike, Kettering 294-6505, sisca.org

BEST SWIM LESSONS GEM CITY SWIM

s.mccarrier@infantswim.com, gemcityswim.com

Gem City Swim offers private, customized one-on-one survival based swim lessons for children ages 6 months to 6 years, says Sheila McCarrier, owner. She has been certified in the Infant Swimming Resource program self-rescue technique since 2012.

“Gem City Swim aims to skill children in life-saving techniques such as floating and rolling back to a float, the proper swim postures and problem-solving skills independent of flotation devices and parental assistance in an average of four to six weeks,” says McCarrier.

Using her education in psychology and child development, she helps guide the parents in ways to best support their child’s skill growth throughout this experience, as well as how to honor and retain the skills long after, she says.

“It’s more than just swim lessons, it’s a life skill which helps build ability, confidence and discipline well beyond swimming behaviors,” says McCarrier.

Gem City Swim is partnered with the Live Like Jake Foundation. “Together we offer scholarships to families in need of assistance financially and in the event of a water tragedy or incident within their family,” says McCarrier.

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Thank you to our sponsors for helping support the

Sponsored by:

Sunrise TREATMENT CENTER

Media Partner:

We hope you enjoyed this year’s Sold-Out event!

Special thanks to our participating finalists: 2nd Street Market 5k for Kelli Agnes & Orson Amy Walsh Fitness Antiques Village Aqua-Tots Swim Schools Ark & Echo Ashley’s Pastry Shop Basil’s On Market Beavercreek Christian Learning Center Benham’s Grove(wedding)/ Yankee Trace(golf) Bright Beginnings Buckeye Green Dry Cleaners C & C Studios Canopy Creek Farm Carvers Steaks and Chops Celtic Academy of Irish Dance Celtic Festival Chef Stephanie Schifrin Salas

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Cincy Table City Barbeque Clash Gallery & Boutique CommuniTea Day Yoga Dayton Area Chamber Commerce Dayton Christian School Elite Catering Evans Express Fitness Studio Fieldstone Apartments Flying Ace Express Car Wash Gem City Swim, LLC George’s Family Restaurant Ghostlight Coffee Goldfish Swim School Graeters Home2Home Brand New & Consigned Humane Society of Greater Dayton

Indigo Yoga Jaffe Jewelry Jenny G’s Cupcakes & Treats Kabuki Sushi Bar & Restaurant Kevin Manning Elite Fitness Korrect Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc Lily’s Bistro Logan AC & Heating Services Loralei’s Boutique Marion’s Piazza McCutcheon Music Studio Miami Valley Dance Academy MVSO Youth Strings Ohio Sports Academy Platinum Nails Premier Raise your Brush Renewal by Andersen Salar Restaurant & Lounge

Salon on Rahn SICSA Sima Korean & Japanese Restaurant Simply Decadent Smokin Bar-B-Que Speakeasy Yoga Sunrise Sweeneys Seafood Bar & Grill The Grande Hall at Liberty Tower The Old Bag of Nails Pub The Plaza Theatre The Santa Clara Juicery The Trolley Stop The Woodhouse Day Spa This Old Couch This Old Farmers Market WDTN

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The Best of Dayton is a party and competition between some of the top establishments in the Miami Valley. Finalists were determined by nominations cast by the general public and the readers of Dayton Magazine.

This year’s event featured more than 85 booths hosted by participating finalists. Below are the finalists along with the winners of each category.

2019 FINALISTS Fresh Catch (Seafood)

food BBQ

o City Barbeque o Hickory River Smokehouse o Smokin’ Bar-B-Que

Breakfast/Brunch

o Another Broken Egg Cafe o First Watch o Golden Nugget Pancake House

Burger

o Hamburger Wagon o Lucky’s Taproom & Eatery o Slyder’s Tavern

Catering

o Christopher’s Restaurant & Catering o Elite Catering o Kohler Catering

Chef

o Margot Blondet, Salar o Dana Downs, Roost Modern Italian o Stephanie Schifrin-Salas, 4achef Culinary Consultants

Dessert

o Jenny G’s Cupcakes & Treats o Simply Decadent o Madame Delluc Artisan Chocolatier

Donut

o Bill’s Donut Shop o The Donut Haus Bakery o Duck Donuts

Family Dining

o Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen o George’s Family Restaurant o La Fiesta Mexican Restaurant

Farmers Market

o 2nd Street Market o Centerville Farmers Market o This Old Farmer’s Market

Fine Dining

o Oakwood Club o Pine Club o Salar

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Pub

o Bonefish Grill o Jay’s Seafood o Sweeney’s Seafood Bar & Grill

o Dublin Pub o Fifth Street Brewpub o Old Bag of Nails Pub

Ice Cream

Sports Bar

o Graeter’s o JD’s Old Fashioned Frozen Custard o Ritter’s Frozen Custard

o Chappys Social House o Fricker’s o Roosters

Independent Coffeehouse

Steak

o Ghostlight Coffee o Warehouse 4 o Winans Chocolates & Coffee

o Carver’s Steak & Chops o Oakwood Club o Pine Club

Italian Cuisine

Sushi

o Franco’s Ristorante Italiano o Jimmy’s Italian Kitchen o Mamma DiSalvo’s Italian Ristorante

o Kabuki Korean Restaurant & Sushi Bar o Sima Korean & Japanese o Sky Asian Cuisine

Juice Bar

Tea Room

o Santa Clara Juicery o The Shakery Juice Bar o Tropical Smoothie Cafe

Local Bakery

o Ashley’s Pastry Shop o Boosalis Baking & Cafe o Jenny G’s Cupcakes & Treats

Mediterranean Cuisine

o GiGi’s Gyros o Olive Mediterranean Grill o Pasha Grill

Mexican Cuisine

o Toro Mexican Bar & Grill o La Fiesta Mexican Restaurant o Taqueria Mixteca

Outdoor Dining

o Basil’s on Market o El Meson o Lily’s Bistro

Pizza

o Joe’s Pizzeria o Marion’s Piazza o Old Scratch Pizza & Beer

o Central Perc European Cafe o Chantilly Cream Dessert Shop Cafe & Bakery o CommuniTea

Vegan/Vegetarian

o Christopher’s Restaurant o Linh’s Bistro & Catering o Lucky’s Taproom & Eatery

service

AC/Heating Company

o Butler Heating & Air Conditioning o McAfee Heating & Air Conditioning o Logan AC & Heat Services

Apartment Complex

o Fieldstone Beavercreek o Spinnaker Cove Centerville o The Cannery Loft Apartments

Car Wash

o Flying Ace Express Car Wash o Mike’s Carwash o Soft Touch Car Wash

Dry Cleaner

o Buckeye Green Dry Cleaners o Fox Cleaners Inc. o Long Cleaners

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Florist

o Furst the Florist o Oberer’s Flowers o Sherwood Florist

Garden Center

o Grandma’s Gardens o Knollwood Garden Center o Siebenthaler’s Garden Center

Home Remodeler

o Dougan’s Improvement Co. o Elegant Restorations o Premiere Home Center

Landscaper

o Grandma’s Gardens o Grunder Landscaping Co. o Ohio Mulch Dayton

Manicure/Pedicure

o Platinum Nails o Square One Salon & Spa o The Salon on Rahn & Day Spa

Master Stylist

o Angie Mehaffie, Square One Salon o Carrie Taylor, Salon Lofts at Town & Country o Sara Rose Hammond, The Salon on Rahn & Day Spa

Place For A Spa Day

o Square One Salon & Spa o The Salon on Rahn & Day Spa o Woodhouse Day Spa

Place to Pamper your Pet

o Animal Castle Pet Grooming o Doggie Styles Day Spa o Urban Dog Day Spa

Place to Have a Wedding

o Benham’s Grove o Canopy Creek Farm o The Grande Hall at Liberty Tower

Plumber

o Korrect Plumbing Heating & Air o Stebbins Plumbing & Heating o Merrell Plumbing

Retirement Community

o 10 Wilmington Place o Bethany Village o St. Leonards

ENTERTAINMENT Brewery

o Dayton Beer Company o Eudora Brewing Company o Warped Wing Brewing Company

Date Night

o Raise Your Brush o Roost Modern Italian o The Little City Cooking School

Festival

Charitable Race

o Dayton Celtic Festival o Humane Society of Greater Dayton Furry Skurry 5K & Furry Fest o Dayton Greek Festival

o 5K for Kelli o Humane Society of Greater Dayton Furry Skurry 5K & Furry Fest o SICSA Lift Your Leg Run & Walk for Strays

Golf Course

Fitness Center

o Miami Valley Golf Club o Kittyhawk Golf Center o The Golf Club at Yankee Trace

o Express Fitness Studio o Planet Fitness o YMCA West Carrollton

Happy Hour

Personal Trainer

Live Music

Yoga Studio

Movie Theater

children

o Bar Louie o Lock 27 Brewing o Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar o Rose Music Center at The Heights o Trolley Stop o Yellow Cab Tavern o Cinemark The Greene o Plaza Theatre in Miamisburg o The Neon

Museum/Historical Site

o National Museum of the US Air Force o Carillon Historical Park o Dayton Art Institute

SHOPPING

Consignment Shop/Resale

o Jason Harrison, Present Tense Fitness o Kevin Manning, Elite Force Personal Fitness o Amy Walsh, Fitness Training o Day Yoga Studio o Indigo Yoga o Speakeasy Yoga

Birthday Party Location

o SICSA Pet Adoption Center o Ohio Sports Academy o Goldfish Swim School

Cheerleading Gym

o Competitive Edge Athletics o Ohio Sports Academy o Gym Nation

Dance/Theater Instruction

o Clash Gallery & Boutique o Home 2 Home o Loralei’s Boutique

o Celtic Academy of Irish Dance o McGovern Irish Dance o Miami Valley Dance Academy

Gift Shop

Gymnastics Center

o Agnes & Orson o Heart Mercantile o This Old Couch

o Kids Are Tops Sports Center o Ohio Sports Academy o Quest Gymnastics & Extreme Sports Center

Jeweler

Music Instruction

o Elizabeth Diamond Company o Jaffe Jewelers o James Free Jewelers

o Hauer Music o McCutcheon Music Studio o Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra Youth Strings

Place for Antiques

Preschool

o Antiques Village o C&C Studios at Town & Country o This Old Couch

o Beavercreek Christian Learning Center o Bright Beginnings Christian Preschool o Dayton Christian Preschool

Place For Home Accessories

Summer Camp

o C&C Studios at Town & Country o Home 2 Home o This Old Couch

o Hidden Meadows Day Camp (CWPD) o Ohio Sports Academy o SICSA Pet Adoption Center

Women’s Boutique

Swim Lessons

o Ark & Echo o Palette of Threads Boutique o Taylor Monroe Boutique

o Aqua-Tots Swim School o Gem City Swim LLC o Goldfish Swim School

health

Bike Shop

o K&G Bike Center o Kettering Bike Shop o Tipp Cyclery

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PERCEPTION IS THE PROBLEM With construction booming in Dayton’s downtown core why so little interest in the west side?

BY BETH L ANGEFELS

I

n the 1970s the west side of Dayton was thriving. Factories like General Motors, McCalls, Dayton Press and General Tire and companies like NCR were booming. Jobs were plentiful and those that were in Dayton at the time remember that many of the top funk music songs sweeping the nation were given first play right here.

But years of desegregation struggles in the schools and companies and factories shuttering dealt a staggering blow to the area. In the last half of the 20th century the area was economically diverse, with predominantly African American middle-class neighborhoods. Challenges included concentrations of poverty and people left unemployed after manufacturing jobs left and never returned.

Today, the tide is changing somewhat. In 2013, leadership of the West Dayton Develop-

60

ment Trust Fund board and staff launched a planning process to address the struggles and challenges in west Dayton. The planning process revealed four common needs and themes for the area—connectivity and reunification; corridors like McLin Parkway and the West Third Street Heritage Center; open space like the pre-existing MetroPark system with its trails and rivers and enhancing public spaces by improving pedestrian access and creating more green space.

Creating a thriving west side once more is challenging, though Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley says the future is bright.

“I think right now we are seeing more interest in investment in west Dayton than we have in decades,” Whaley says. “Greater Dayton Premier Management is creating choice neighborhoods and there are companies adding manufacturing jobs.”

Working closely with the University of Dayton, Montgomery County, the Miami

Longfellow School as it exists today in west Dayton, taken prior to being put up for auction.

Based on other redevelopments in the city, this beautiful and imposing structure could become a vibrant and inviting mixed-use center.

Valley Regional Planning Commission and other major partners, the city received a $1.5 million HUD Choice Planning and Action Grant about two years ago. The grant money is being used to revitalize neighborhoods and improve existing public housing.

“We also see interest in the old Wright Factory site,” Whaley says. “And the city bought the former NIBCO Foundry site (on McCall street). The Dayton Library is making progress on the new west branch.”

But Whaley says that Dayton is still too segregated and unequal, which creates ambivalence among developers to invest in the west side.

Derrick Foward, the president of the local NAACP chapter, says that groups need to fi nd ways to emphasize the city’s assets and that using the “art of negotiation” with potential investors and developers is key.

“Negotiation is the No. 1 influencer that can help drive economic sustainability in any community,” Foward says. “That, coupled with believing in the community

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ROCKIN’ REVEREND SENIOR PASTOR BRIAN SMITH AND THE FIRST HEAVY METAL CHURCH OF CHRIST MAKE A DIFFERENCE

BY TIM WALKER

Senior pastor Brian Smith leads the First Heavy Metal Church of Christ.

PHOTOS BY STEPHEN T. SHUMARD

...let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

Psalm 95:1, Bible, King James Version The distortion builds to an overdriven crescendo. Amplified electric guitars, played in tandem, combine with the thud of a pounding bass. The drumbeat begins and a scream cuts through the air. Lights flash. Smoke billows. The room fi lls with the unmistakable sounds of heavy metal rock music and the gathered faithful, clad in black T-shirts, raise their fists in the air and begin to bang their long-haired heads in time to the music.

Taking the admonition to “make a joyful noise” seriously, the First Heavy Metal Church of Christ is once again in session and the congregation is filled with the spirit.

Although it sounds more like the beginning of a rock concert in a local venue, with millionaire rock stars playing their hits for an arena fi lled with fans, it’s really just a typical Sunday service for First Heavy

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Metal Church of Christ’s senior pastor Brian Smith, the bus-driving Dayton native who presides over his passionate flock during the nondenominational, Bible-based church’s weekly services and community outreaches. Th is is a church that is, quite literally, built on solid rock.

The First Heavy Metal Church of Christ is based in Northridge, Ohio, and is in many respects unique. Services are conducted at noon on Sundays (“Loving the Hell Out of You Every Sunday” is emblazoned on the side of the church’s bus, which is—of course—painted black), with doors opening at 11 a.m. for free doughnuts and coffee.

Parishioners are urged to come dressed comfortably, with jeans and rock concert shirts being de rigeur attire. And the music played during their services might be a bit different than your typical hymns—a revolving selection of musical acts playing everything from godly blues to hard rock performs during the services. And that’s

just the way Smith likes it.

“We really don’t play heavy metal music at the actual services,” says Smith.

“We bring in a different band every week ranging from blues to rock—so that’s not traditional. Basically, the reason we called it the First Heavy Metal Church of Christ was that we didn’t want it to be affi liated with any other Christian church out there, because so many people have been either turned away or jaded against Christianity, because of a bad experience with a certain denomination or a certain group of selfrighteous, holier-than-thou types.”

Smith, who graduated from Northridge High School, is featured in both the Northridge Athletic Hall of Fame and Northridge Hall of Fame. A part of the 1989 State Champion 2-mile relay team, Smith still holds the quarter mile record at Northridge with a time of 49.4.

A former track star who presides over a congregation of hard rockers and sang in his

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The First Heavy Metal Church of Christ is a nondenominational, Bible-based church based in Northridge. Despite the name, the music during services ranges from blues to hard rock—no heavy metal. Parishioners are urged to come dressed comfortably, with jeans and rock concert shirts being the typical attire. own heavy metal band for years? What gives?

Smith laughs. “Well, I started the rock band Saint Hellion in 2007, but I didn’t start preaching until 2011. I just recently got the band back together.”

The heavy metal church’s fi rst service was conducted on Sunday, June 19, 2011, at the VFW in Union, Ohio. On that day, approximately 70 people showed up for the inaugural service and the faithful consisted mostly of the fans of Smith’s “secular biker band.” Five people accepted Jesus Christ as their lord and savior on that day and 15 others re-dedicated their lives to Christ.

Smith had started his career path as a CDL-holding dump truck driver before working his way up into operating heavy equipment and then into executive management position with a local construction company. As part of that position Smith traveled to Hawaii and Alaska and was living what he thought was a good life.

“One day I had an epiphany,” Smith says.

“I was riding my bike down the road, I was 39 years old and I was happy. I was thinking, ‘Wow, man. This is the best that my life has ever been. I’ve got a wonderful career, I’m riding a Harley, I’m the lead singer in a band, I have a beautiful girlfriend…’ and then all of a sudden a voice shot through my head. ‘Yeah but you’re not serving Me.’ “It gave me goosebumps. I had always believed in Jesus, but I’d spent too many years chasing my tail in the desert. I knew right then that I had to start a church for people who would never set foot in a traditional church.”

Now eight years further down the road the First Heavy Metal Church of Christ’s

services have relocated several times, from the Union VFW to a biker bar named Jackass Flatts, then to an empty elementary school before winding up at their current home, a high school auditorium.

Still, the church has baptised over 800 people to date, all in the river off Rip Rap Road, and their services are viewed all over the world. The church has been profi led by The Today Show and by VICE magazine, and the website heavymetalchurch.com features contact information, videos of sermons and information about all that Smith and the parishioners do for Northridge, a community that has certainly seen its share of adversity the past 12 months.

On May 27, 2019, a series of severe storms swept through the Miami Valley, bringing rain, hail and over a dozen tornadoes with them. One of those—an EF4 on the Enhanced Fujita scale that rates a tornado’s intesity from a low of EF0 to the most severe at EF5—the most powerful tornado to hit Montgomery County in 70 years bulldozed its way through North-

ridge and literally smashed everything in its path—crushing businesses and shopping centers, uprooting huge trees and devastating hundreds of lives.

Smith and the congregation of the First Heavy Metal Church of Christ immediately went to work, feeding the hungry, helping clean up the massive amounts of debris left by the storm as part of the Love Northridge initiative, donating automobiles to those in need, giving classroom supplies to teachers and providing fi nancial assistance to those who needed it and doing all that they could to help their community heal.

But it is the day-to-day business of teaching people the Gospel, of leading the wayward to Jesus Christ, that remains Smith’s passion.

“I’ve actually had many pastors tell me ‘Praise God for you and your Church, Brian,’” he says. “They say, ‘I hate to say this, but you’re actually getting a lot of the people that none of the other churches want.”

Rock on. ■ DAYTON MAGAZINE . February/March 2020

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DAYTON ›› Environment Dialogue

Working Behind the Scenes MAKSolve helps companies comply with environmental, health and safety regulations

By Kevin Michell

M

any Daytonians may never have heard of MAKSolve nor what the company does, but they’ve undoubtedly seen the product of its work throughout the Miami Valley region and beyond.

Michael Kerr established the company in 2008 as a provider of environmental, health and safety compliance services for organizations in southwest Ohio. It accomplishes a lot with a small permanent staff.

MAKSolve steps in to assess and assist with adherence to Occupational Safety and Health Administration and EPA regulations when companies expand and build new locations, as well as ensure their operations adhere to the same standards.

In essence, if commercial or municipal building projects happen in and around Dayton MAKSolve may very well have a hand in making sure it happened in line with job site safety laws and environmental regulations.

“We’re an occupational safety health and environmental sciences company; those are our two primary ‘products,’” says Kerr, the founder and managing partner who handles a lot of MAKSolve’s complex work for clients.

With a booming economy driving increased commercial development, the company has hired four new employees

64

John Bowen, vice president of operations for MAKSolve, accepts the 2019 Business of the Year award from the South Metro Regional Chamber of Commerce. in a little over a year, effectively doubling its staff.

“The people we hire dovetail straight into those two aspects of our business,” Kerr says, adding that MAKSolve’s staff includes environmental scientists, geologists, safety professionals and industrial hygienists.

With the combined specialties and experience of Kerr and his team, MAKSolve handles two primary roles for companies subject to Occupational Safety and Health Administration and EPA regulations, whether that entails construction or workplace operations that deal with potentially dangerous conditions, harmful chemicals or hazardous waste.

“I’d say 15% of our business is compliance where we are assisting a noncompliance situation with either EPA or (Occupational Safety and Health Administration),” says Kerr. This typically arises when a business has experienced a notice of noncompliance and it needs to quickly and properly make changes to meet regulatory standards. Often, that uncovers other aspects of compliance that the company wants MAKSolve’s assistance in meeting before it gets flagged for those as well.

Kerr estimates the other 85% of MAKSolve’s business is providing construction site surveys, operational inspections, gap analysis for companies getting out ahead of potential regulatory noncompliance and

ongoing job site safety training.

For example, one of MAKSolve’s clients is a car wash company, which came to Kerr proactively because of its rapid expansion.

For 30 of its locations, MAKSolve has created a program of occupational safety and health guidelines, training and diligence.

That company is particularly aware of not only its legal obligation to compliance but, as Kerr says, an awareness of the moral obligation to its employees to create a safe workplace operation.

While demand for MAKSolve’s services may fluctuate with the growth or slowing of the economy, EPA and Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations aren’t going anywhere. And since those rules are revised every five years or so Kerr and MAKSolve’s expertise is essential for organizations looking to avoid costly noncompliance penalties or, worse, workplace and job site tragedy.

Last year, the company was recognized by the South Metro Regional Chamber of Commerce as its business of the year, reflecting MAKSolve’s valuable service to regional organizations. Regardless of any economic uncertainty ahead, Kerr’s company will continue offering its expertise and regulatory guidance throughout southwest Ohio.

“It’s been a good ride and I hope to continue for quite some time,” Kerr says. n

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DAYTON ›› water

Maintaining and Responding City of Dayton Water’s preparedness helped the city bounce back after 2019’s tornadoes

By Kevin Michell

W

hen tornadoes shredded the Dayton area on May 27, 2019, power to the city’s water plants and pump stations was knocked out, severing access to drinkable water to a vast number of the area’s residents. As city officials put it, it presented City of Dayton Water with one of its greatest challenges ever.

But the 150-year-old municipal utility management organization had the right plans and tools in place for this worst-case scenario. The Ohio Water/Wastewater Response Network was activated providing emergency equipment and staffing for response. Dayton Water located and placed eight water tankers throughout Montgomery County to fight fires caused by the tornadoes’ destruction. Through the response and recovery efforts the department drew upon its disaster planning and simulation practice to act swiftly.

“The Department of Water has annual emergency exercises,” says Keshia Kinney, division manager at Dayton Water. “For the Memorial Day disaster water staff assumed the National Incident Management System/ Incident Command structure practiced during emergency exercise … [which] allows for sound communications and enabled staff to develop a clear operational plan.”

Despite both the Ottawa and Miami Treatment Plants—the two redundant plants that provide drinking water to the city—losing power within 37 minutes of each other and extensive damage to infrastructure power was restored to the former in just over a day, a turnaround that was

hailed by the Ohio EPA and USI Insurance.

“We plan for the unthinkable, practice how to respond and exceed best practices across the water industry for backup power to our water plants,” the department says in a statement.

Entering its 150th year of operations, City of Dayton Water has plenty of experience with handling the demands of ensuring a reliable water supply. The Ottawa and Miami plants can each support the entire water system on their own and have similarly redundant electrical supplies to allow for continued operation or quick recovery in case of sudden problems. The department’s communications staff works to quickly inform residents of outages, boil advisories and restored service.

Looking ahead, Dayton Water is continuing to improve its infrastructure and replace pipes before problems can arise.

Kinney says annual evaluations—such as

TOP: Lorrie Brown, a water supply and treatment operations administrator for the City of Dayton, speaks at an annual emergency preparedness exercise discussion.

ABOVE: The City of Dayton Water’s Miami Plant. purchasing portable generators and testing the voltage of main electrical feeds—as well as cross training of staff for extended emergency response will be conducted.

“People are the greatest resource during an emergency,” she says. “By crosstraining staff Dayton can continue to respond at a high level without overtasking a limited resource.”

Even with its investment in maintenance and improvements the cost to residents of water and sewer service for an average consumption of 22,500 gallons over a three-month period—according to an annual study from the City of Oakwood—was $172.06, the third lowest of 66 jurisdictions surveyed in southwest Ohio. n DAYTON MAGAZINE . February/March 2020

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Treating

Cancer more than

You are more than your diagnosis.

That’s why at Kettering Cancer Care, we reach beyond treatment to provide healing for the whole person—mind, body, and spirit.

No one wants a cancer diagnosis, but if it happens, you want to know that you’ll receive the best care.

Our experts use cutting-edge treatment combined with compassionate care and supportive services tailored to meet your needs.

Trust Kettering Cancer Care to guide you and your loved ones through the healing process.

ketteringhealth.org/cancercare

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H E A LT H

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LIVE WELL DAYTON ›› CANCER CARE

Help on a Difficult Journey Navigating cancer care with a team that puts patients at ease

BY JENNIFER PAT TERSON LORENZET TI

Kettering Cancer Center offers patients high-tech radiation technology.

“W

hen you hear ‘cancer’ you stop hearing everything else. I’m here to (help) that.” These are the reassuring words of Caitlin Conaway, an oncology nurse manager from Upper Valley Medical Center, part of Premier Health.

“Parents appreciate the level of expectation that CJ places on students to learn, grow, and develop their talents.”

Mark Phillips C J Parent

The nurse navigator is available to patients to help with whatever is needed. “I can go to appointments as a second set of ears,” says Conaway. The nurse navigator can also help sort out the sometimes-confusing array of treatments and appointments that are now

excellence Leading for

in education

For our students:

• City Connects: Student support services • Academic Rigor & College Persistence Students measured on mastery of academic courses and essential skills • Revitalized teaching & learning spaces • Senior Capstone Project: Applying the C J educational experience in serving the community

DAYTON MAGAZINE . February/March 2020

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Live Well DAYTON ›› Cancer Care

Caitlin Conaway part of their lives. “Patients may need help navigating through appointments, making sure they do them in the right order.”

These experts can assist the patient with whatever they need. Some people need help with navigating financial resources and figuring out transportation. Others need

emotional support as the process moves along. “People are relieved to know there’s one person they can call,” says Conaway.

Additionally, Premier Health is able to draw on its relationship with MD Anderson Cancer Network to make sure all parties have the most up-to-date information.

Doctors can do peer-to-peer consultations to get a second opinion on a case without the patient needing to leave town. The nurse navigators also receive education monthly to continue to build the knowledge necessary to be effective advocates and support for their patients.

Building relationships with your cancer care team is essential for the best possible outcome for each patient. Tricia Tobe is the clinical director and interim executive director of the oncology service line at Kettering Health Network. She lauds the holistic approach from Kettering, which focuses on mind, body and spirit.

In addition to medical care, patients can access educational opportunities, support groups and integrated medicine, including reflexology, imagery, yoga and art classes.

DID YOU SERVE IN THE MILITARY?

Tobe says that studies have shown that holistic treatment options like these produce better outcomes, with fewer readmissions and fewer emergency room visits. To further assist patients, Kettering offers extended hours (7 a.m. to 8 p.m.) at both their infusion centers and their phone support lines, which are staffed by medical assistants and registered nurses. This means that patients receiving treatment don’t have to rely on a visit to the ER if they are experiencing unexpected symptoms or have questions. They have the option of speaking to an expert or visiting the infusion center for additional care when needed.

The journey through cancer treatment can be a difficult and frightening one. Fortunately, those in the Dayton area have many options for supportive, comprehensive care with people who are focused on helping the patient through the journey.

“With cancer you can go anywhere,” says Tobe. “You have to have faith and trust in your team.” With the support available in our area, patients are sure to find a cancer care team that puts them at ease. n

Find NAMI now!

No matter when or where you served, you may be eligible for VA benefits.

National Alliance on Mental Illness • PrOgrAms • suPPOrT • ADvOCACY

APPLY TODAY!

Call 937-268-6511, ext 2035 Dayton VA Medical Center 4100 W. Third St., Dayton, OH 68

A.W.A.K.E.* DAYTON CALL 937-299-3667

*Awareness with Advertising Key Education Events

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CANCER HEALTH PROFILE

Know your risk: genetic testing for cancers

W

e’ve always known our genes tell a unique story about who we are, but we can now use our genes to potentially detect cancer early or prevent it altogether. A cancer risk assessment can estimate your risk of developing breast, ovarian, colon, uterine, gastric, pancreatic, prostate or melanoma cancers. The risk assessment can help your health care team determine your unique risk for a hereditary cancer based on personal and family history. If the risk is elevated you may benefit from genetic testing. If you are found to be a carrier of one of the 34 genes that can be tested for you can be closely monitored for early detection or even the prevention of cancer. In addition, your family members can be identified and offered the same care.

Who should get it?

The American College of Breast Surgeons and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommend all patients get a cancer risk assessment. Both men and women should consider a risk assessment and potentially genetic testing, as mutations can be passed down for generations regardless of gender. For example, men can pass a genetic mutation for breast and ovarian cancer to their daughters and women can pass a mutation for prostate cancer to their sons.

What to expect Women presenting for a screening mammogram at one of our Kettering Breast Evaluation Centers will be offered a hereditary cancer risk assessment at no charge. The risk assessment goes over your family’s medical history at least back to grandparents, but preferably back to great-grandparents on both sides of your family. If your family history reveals a

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recommendation for genetic testing you Benefits will be offered an appointment for a pre- Genetic testing can provide you and your test genetic discussion. care team with a full picture of your poIf it’s determined that genetic testing is tential cancer risk. If there’s a high risk appropriate, a blood draw will be per- your care team can work closely with you formed. Approximately four weeks after to help prevent cancer or detect it in its the blood draw, you will have a follow- early stages. up appointment to review results and If you’re interested in a cancer risk asrecommendations for your care moving sessment and potentially genetic testforward. Your family background will ing, call 937-425-4137. also be reviewed and information can be provided for your family members if you choose. You will also have the option for following up with your health care provider for further discussion.

1/10/20 2:45 PM

Live Well DAYTON ›› Mental Health

Never Give Up Hope

Initiatives in Ohio aim to counter increasing number of suicides across the state

By Ginny McCabe

S

uicide rates increased dramatically among youth and elderly Ohioans from 2007 through 2018, according to a recent report from the Ohio Department of Health. In Ohio five people die by suicide every day and one youth dies by suicide every 33 hours.

“There’s always been such a stigma when talking about mental illness or death by suicide,” says Linda Stagles, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Montgomery County Ohio. “That stigma kept everything driven underground and with all the unfortunate shooting incidents across our country, and then, when we were affected here locally, I think people are starting to drop that stigma a little bit and they’re are willing to talk more about it.

According to the recent state report Ohio’s suicide rate is increasing, especially among youths between the ages of 10 and 24, with a 56% increase in deaths from 2007 through 2018.

“Suicide in Ohio and nationally is a growing public health epidemic, particularly among young people,” says Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton.

There were 271 people between the ages of 10 and 24 who died by suicide in 2018. That is two more deaths in the same age group compared to the 269 deaths by suicide in 2017. However, the trend becomes more alarming over more than a decade. In 2007 there were 174 such deaths.

The report says the most common method of suicide is firearms, followed by asphyxiation and drug overdose.

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photo provided by K atie Dillon of NAMI Ohio

Across the state of Ohio the overall number of suicides increased to 1,836 in 2018 from 1,744 in 2017. But even more alarming the number of suicides has increased by nearly 45% from the 1,268 suicides reported in 2007.

In addition to the spike in young people suicides have increased nearly 48% for senior adults, ages 65 and older, in just over a decade. Of those 65 and older there were 333 suicides in 2018 compared to 176 in 2007.

In 2017, 300 suicides were reported.

Warning signs of suicide can include a major change in mood or behavior, appearing consistently unhappy/depressed, irritable or being withdrawn from family or friends, the report stated.

Dayton Children’s Hospital offers mental health programming for children and adolescents. Another community support service is Samaritan Behavioral Health. It has a 24-hour crisis hotline at 937-224-4646.

The Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services’ free app, GetHelpNow Montgomery County, is a quick way to find services for addiction and mental health treatment. To connect with the National Alliance on Mental Illness Montgomery County Ohio, visit nami-mc. org or call 937-299-3667.

“Never give up hope,” Stagles says. “There are new treatment approaches to all different mental health diagnosis coming out every day. Being supported and learning about mental health conditions is the best way to go about helping everyone who suffers from that.”

If someone shows signs of suicide call 911 if necessary. Help them connect with ongoing support such as the Crisis Text Line

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Adam-Amanda Mental Health Rehabilitation Center on May 20, 2017. (text “4hope” to 741741, a 24-hour crisis line); and encourage them to seek a counselor for additional help.

Currently, there is only one clinic in the state, Adam-Amanda Mental Health Rehabilitation Center, which is designed to give people being discharged from psychiatric hospitals more time in recovery before returning home. The center opened in Athens in 2018.

The 16-bed Adam-Amanda Mental Health Rehabilitation Center was named after Adam Knapp and Amanda Baker, two young people from Ohio who died by suicide shortly after being released from hospitals. Knapp’s family was from the Athens area. This kind of step-down center covers a large gap in the continuum of care throughout Ohio.

Stagles says the vision in the beginning was to have six of these centers throughout the state. Toledo will be the next one that goes in, and then, Dayton. “(The National Alliance on Mental Illness) Ohio got involved and was talking with the Knapp and Baker families about the need for this type of center and if that would have been around for the two kids their chances of survival would have been increased,” Stagles says.

For anyone who wants to contribute— corporations, foundations or individuals, donations can be set up through National Alliance on Mental Illness Ohio, or National Alliance on Mental Illness Montgomery County Ohio. All of the money will go toward the building, furnishings and hiring a staff at the Adam-Amanda center. n

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LOVE DAYTON

Wright State University Soham Parikh, Photographer

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There is no routine lung cancer.

A revolution in lung cancer treatment is happening at The James at Ohio State.

Our research is proving that cancers are not defined solely by their locations and stages, but also by individual molecules and genes that drive each patient’s unique cancer. To deliver the most effective ways to treat lung cancers, we work to understand each cancer at a genetic level, then pinpoint what makes it grow. Our teams of world-renowned scientists, oncologists and other specialists use their collective knowledge and expertise to deliver treatments that target one particular lung cancer‌yours.

To learn more visit cancer.osu.edu/lung.

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