Dayton937

Things to do in Dayton | Restaurants, Theatre, Music and More

Bill Franz

Dayton at Work and Play: Daj’za Demmings

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Daj’za Demmings is a Biomedical Engineer working on artificial vertebrae for people with back disorders. She’s also the Executive Director of Dayton Young Black Professionals.  I met her while she was working to clean up Mallory Park in Dayton’s Pineview neighborhood, as part of the I Love West Dayton project.

I wasn’t familiar with the Young Black Professionals Group and asked Daj’za to tell me something about it.

“We try to empower our members to be leaders in our communities, and to support improvements to those communities to make them the kind of place where we want to live. Last year after the tornadoes hit we delivered food, water and other supplies to people who were impacted. This year we’re working on the Mayor’s Police Reform effort. We also have an after school program, run summer camps and do workforce development training.”

“We could use some help with one of our projects. We’re buying Chrome Books for students who don’t have a computer while schooling from home. The GoFundMe page is https://www.gofundme.com/f/dybps-fight-for-social-justice ”

Dayton at Work and Play: Ghosts at Browse Awhile Books

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When I visited Browse Awhile Books (118 East Main Street, Tipp City) last week I learned about their ghosts. The building is 150 years old, and has been a grocery store, harness shop, bakery and hardware store before becoming a bookstore 30 years ago. I guess that’s a long enough history to attract a few ghosts. The ghostly activities at the bookstore have been featured on two TV shows and the place has been visited by dozens of paranormal investigators.

When I asked bookstore owner Bill Jones about his ghosts, he said they didn’t worry him. They had never done anything harmful or bothered anyone. He suggested I talk to Haley, one of his employees, about her experiences.

“I’ve been here about a year, and in that time I’ve seen quite a bit” she told me. “It doesn’t bother me. I grew up in an older house and we had weird things happen at home every once in a while.”

“I’ve seen one particular ghost three times. The first time I thought he was a customer standing with his back to me, although I hadn’t heard anyone come in. He was wearing a hat and a long coat even though the day was warm. I walked around the counter to greet him, and he was gone. Then someone showed me a photo of Sam Baldwin, who had owned the building when it was a hardware store. That’s who it was.”

Browse Awhile Books
118 E Main St
Tipp City, OH 45371
(937) 667-7200
Hours:
Tuesday- Friday 11am – 5pm
Saturday  11am – 4pm
A local bookstore that opened in 1980 and specializes in used, rare and out of print books. We offer a variety of subjects for your reading pleasure.  Our store is around 4,000 square feet and houses more than 150,000 books on two floors, and 50,000 on line. We have a variety of subjects which include: fiction, mystery, cookbooks, history, classics, religion, science fiction/fantasy, and many more.

Dayton at Work and Play: Chaz Amos

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This is my first photo of recent high school graduate Chaz A. Amos, but I doubt that it will be my last. This young man is someone who is making good things happen in Dayton.

As a student, Chaz founded “The Youth of Our Future” mentoring initiative for Dayton Public schools, and he organized a city-wide youth town hall which gave students an opportunity to voice their concerns to the Mayor and to school board members.

Now he’s started I Love West Dayton, a 14 week initiative to clean and beautify West Dayton. “The whole goal of the project is to promote community pride. Once you see your community look better you want to contribute to that effort. Then once you start contributing to that effort it comes together as a whole, better community,” Amos recently told a reporter.

Lots of groups have joined with Amos, including Dayton Young Black Professionals, Dayton Urban Young Life, The Living City project, the city of Dayton and lots of volunteers.

On his Instagram page Chaz describes himself as a future Mayor of Dayton and as the future first Black Governor of Ohio. He laughed when I told him I’d seen that statement, and said first he needed to get through college. But as I talked to him I got the idea that someday he might well hold those two offices.

Dayton At Work and Play: Amelia O’Dowd, owner of BRIM

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“I moved to Dayton from Boston in 2012. I’ve always been a hat person, and in my old Boston neighborhood there was a great hat shop. I couldn’t find anything like that in Dayton, so I bought this building, painted it yellow, and opened a hat shop for men and women. As is turns out, there wasn’t another hat shop in this region, so we regularly get people coming here from places like Indianapolis or Columbus.”

“When the virus hit, we had to shut down for a while. We used that time to improve our website. I’m happy with the result. The site has good photos and all of the size information a shopper needs. Our selection of hats for men and women is really unique. We design some of the hats ourselves, and have them made in the country’s oldest operating hat factory. Other hats are made specifically for our shop by designers in New York. We also have some other interesting products, like Jewelry from artisans in India or skincare products from a retired cricket player in New Zealand”

“We’re open for walk-in customers now, and operating as safely as possible. We’ve changed the store layout a bit to help with social distancing, and everyone wears masks. Business isn’t as good as it was, but between the walk-ins and the website we’re doing OK.”

Brim
464 East Fifth Street
The Oregon District
Dayton, OH 45402

(937) 222-4287
Hours:
Tues- Sat 11am – 8pm
Sun 11am- 4pm

Dayton at Work and Play: Kate Rivers-Twist Cupcakery

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Kate Rivers worked as an engineer for a business that makes medical devices. Now she makes gourmet desserts for her own business – Twist Cupcakery (25 South St. Clair).

“I started baking from home” she told me. “People raved about the desserts I made, and asked if they could buy them from me. Five years ago we decided to move out of the house and operate out of this spot downtown. We’ve gotten a lot of support from the community, and business has grown steadily. We’re closed for walk in service currently, but people can order cupcakes and other products on our website and then do a curbside pick up.”

“Cakes for weddings and other special events are an important part of our business, but that ‘s not happening now. To boost sales we developed a new product that’s doing well. It’s called Cupcakes in a Jar. Each jar has two of our gourmet cupcakes. We can mail them out nationwide. It’s a great way to celebrate a special occasion with people that we can’t be with.”

“We’ve been sending our cupcakes to hospitals, testing stations and other places where people are doing so much to help the community – our way of spreading happiness and joy. Everybody need to pitch in during these tough times. We like to do it with cupcakes.”

Dayton At Work and Play: Big Sky Bread Company

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Mari Gallenstein of Big Sky Bread Company Dayton, Ohio. (3070 Far Hills Avenue). You can see her husband Phil baking in the background. They’ve owned and operated this local business for over 20 years.


I’m a regular here because I’m addicted to their blueberry crumbles. The last time I stopped in I asked Mari how the pandemic had affected her business.

“We’ve done everything we can to make this a safe place to shop. Our employees wear masks and we spend a lot of time cleaning everything. We’ve added barriers and changed the layout so there’s a safe distance between the customers and between customers the staff. Business is down from our normal levels but we’re doing OK. A few of the restaurants that sell our products have recently opened back up, which should help.”


“When the pandemic first hit we were contacted by Catholic Social Services. There was more demand than ever for the food that their Choice Food Pantry hands out, but their regular suppliers couldn’t get them any bread. We had decided to close on Saturdays because business was down, so we decided that Saturday would be our time to bake for the pantry. Some customers saw that we were working and stopped in, so we decided to stay open for a half day on Saturdays after all.”


“When people heard what we were doing, some of them gave us money to help cover our expenses. That helped a lot. Recently the regular bread suppliers to the Choice Food Pantry have worked through their problems, so we don’t need to do that baking. But we’re still baking for two other programs – Good Neighbor House and Kettering Backpack. We’ve gotten a lot of support from this community over the years. Helping people get through this difficult period is something we want to do.”

(937) 643-0300

3070 Far Hills Ave # c, Dayton, OH 45429

Hours

Mon: 10am – 6pm
Tues-Fri: 7am – 6pm
Sat: 10am – 2:30pm
Sun: Closed

Dayton at Work and Play: Blueberry Picking

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The cool Spring slowed things down, but the blueberries are now ready to pick at Once in a Blue Moon Farm (3984 East Social Road in Waynesville). The fields are open for picking July 4th & 5th from 8am to 2pm.

Tips from Once in a Blue Moon Farm:

When picking look for firm berries that are blue all over. Leave those that have pink or green still on them so they will ripen. Ripe berries come off the bush easily with a gentle pull. Ripe berries can be large or small and found throughout the bush.

After you get your berries home remove them from the bag and store dry in an open container. Wash for 1-2 minutes under cold water right before using.


If freezing your berries, wash them first and lay them out to dry (a towel works well). When completely dry they are ready for the freezer bag and freezer. They should be good up to one year.

Price per pound is $3.95, Cash or Check Only. Pre-picked pints are $5.00, quarts $10.00 and are in limited supply. Bottled water is available for 50 cents.

Peak season this year is delayed and will be mid July. Expect the best picking then.
Remember to bring your hand sanitizer and masks and to social distance as best you can. We look forward to seeing you this season!

Dayton at Work and Play: Sue Eckert, Greive Hardware Owner

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One thing that makes an area unique is its small businesses. Everyplace has Walmart, Lowe’s and McDonald’s, but the local businesses give a place character. One of my favorite local businesses is Greive Hardware, owned by Sue Eckert.

“This business was started by my father in 1955,” Sue told me. “I worked here a lot as I was growing up, and when I graduated from U. D. Dad asked if I would manage one of our locations for a while. I never left.”

“We’ve been busy throughout the pandemic. People who were stuck at home have been doing projects, and we’ve been selling them the supplies they need. Some of our older workers are staying home for their safety, but the younger workers stepped up and we’ve been fine. Our main challenge now is getting new product to keep our shelves stocked.”

“My dog Sadie only works with me part time. She’s here on Thursdays. The weekends are too busy for her, but Thursday is just right.”

Greive Hardware has two Kettering locations – 3089 Far Hills and 1219 East Stroop. If you haven’t been there you should stop in. They are a great old fashioned style hardware store where you can get the advice you need and where you can find things you can’t get at chain stores.

Dayton at Work and Play Page: Larry Flynt’s Hustler Lounge

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Watched a Netflix documentary called “Circus of Books” and learned that Larry Flynt got his start in Dayton. This corner in downtown Dayton was the site of his first Hustler Lounge in 1968, and the Hustler magazine was first printed in Dayton.

As he was building his porn empire Flynt moved his headquarters to Columbus and then to California, but he had some colorful adventures in Dayton before leaving. One thing I wish I’d seen was how Flynt settled a dispute with a local bank. He sent several of his dancers, dressed in bikinis, to the bank with wheelbarrows filled with enough pennies to pay off his loan.

Dayton at Work and Play: Nicole Cornett

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Nicole Cornett owns the food truck Billie Gold Bubble Tea. Her kids dance at Funk Lab Dance Center, and she’s one of the 700 people who got masks made by Kelly Dailey.


“I remember my first taste of bubble tea, back when I was in high school. I loved it. In 2018 I started this business, the first full-service bubble tea food truck in Dayton. It’s been a hit from the beginning. I think of myself as providing happiness in a cup.”

“I just have a minute to talk because we open at 3:00 and I know we’ll be slammed for three hours. Because of the pandemic, we had to create an entirely new ordering system. Orders and payment come in online. We place the drink orders in a bag with the customer’s name on it, and place the bag on the shelf outside the truck. I miss talking with the customers, but for now we have to do things contact free.”

 

Where to find Billie Gold Bubble Tea:

Bubble Tea in Oakwood
Today 1-4pm
2400 Far Hills Ave, Oakwood

The Yellow Cab Food Truck Hub
May 15th 4-11:30PM

 

Dayton at Work and Play: Food 4 The People

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Our donated food being added to a pile at First Baptist Kettering (3939 Swigart Road).

Shoes 4 the Shoeless is one of my favorite Dayton nonprofits. They provide shoes and socks to the many children in the Dayton area who are in desperate need. With schools closed and social distancing rules in effect, the organization’s planned events needed to be cancelled. Instead of taking a break, they have shifted to supplying food to many people in need of help.

We participated in Round 3 of this effort. We signed up to be a Food Box Captain, which meant that we (and anyone we could talk into helping) needed to assemble a specific list of groceries (2 loafs of bread, 2 cans of fruit, etc.) and deliver that food to First Baptist on April 27. Round 4 signups are currently underway, for food to be delivered to the church on May 18. Details are at
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/food4thepeopleround4

ARTIST OF THE WEEK: Katherine Cruse

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I talked recently with Katherine at her Front Street studio (1001 East 2nd Street, Building 100, Door BC, Third Floor) and learned how she became an artist.

“For years I was a writer. I wrote a newspaper column in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. It was humorous, sort of like Erma Bombeck. For my last year or so as a writer, I found myself thinking about painting and drawing. I even found myself dreaming about putting paint on canvas, so when we moved to Dayton I stopped writing and started learning how to paint.”

You can see one example of Katherine’s work at the Artists United Group Show which opens Friday at The Orphanage (73 N Dutoit). Her work is also on Instagram at @katherinecruseartist.

Dayton At Work and Play

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The Gem City Market on Salem Avenue won’t be open for some time, but it’s already had a positive impact on the neighborhood. The historic Longfellow school building, constructed in 1882, is across the street from the market’s site. Dayton Public schools offered the building at auction four years ago and got no bidders, but in a recent auction the building was sold.

The investor who bought the building said that in addition to creating housing units he hopes to make the school’s theater available for community use.

Dayton At Work and Play: Carmn Gooden

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I have been working to get photos from each of Dayton’s 66 neighborhoods for a show that opens April 2 at K12 Gallery and TEJAS (341 South Jefferson). The last neighborhood on my list was Mount Vernon. There I met Carmen Gooden, co-founder of of The Linda Vista, Inc. (1011 Linda Vista Avenue).

Carmen and a partner bought and refurbished an 11 unit apartment building. Carmen knew from her own history that childhood sexual abuse can lead to a life filled with bad choices. She filled her building with women who have suffered childhood sexual abuse and are homeless and are ready to make the changes required to get their lives back on track.

Each of the women and their children lives in a fully furnished apartment for up to 2 years. They work with a case worker to develop a self-sufficiency plan. Carmen says her program “replaces the negative, complacent mind-set that often accompanies a lifestyle of poverty and homelessness with a mind-set that supports success and self-sufficiency.”

Count me as a fan of Carmen and her work. You can expect more photos from Linda Vista.

Dayton at Work and Play: College HIll Comunity Church

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 Choir Director Jose Jones invited me to take photos at choir rehearsal at College Hill Community Church – PCUSA (1547 Philadelphia Drive in Dayton’s College Hill neighborhood).
I enjoyed meeting the people of this church which has a rich history of fostering racial unity in our community. During the 1970’s, when the racial mix of this neighborhood was changing, the church decided to have a fully integrated ministry. They had two pastors, one white and one black, to jointly service the congregation. The goal was to welcome everyone and to become a church that was a “Racial Rainbow.”

As red-lining and block-busting became common in the early 1970’s, real estate agents went door-to-door in NW Dayton trying to convince people to sell their homes. In response, members of College Hill Church went door-to-door too…encouraging their neighbors to stay. The church was also influential in achieving peaceful desegregation of the Dayton School System in 1976.

Their worship service is Sundays at 10:30 am and is bi-lingual (Spanish and English).

Dayton at Work and Play: Simon

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Simon making me a four way at Gold Star Chili (3034 Harshman in Dayton’s Forest Ridge / Quail Hollow neighborhood).

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Simon was born in Jordan, but he’s as Dayton as they come. He has the characteristic Dayton resilience and grit.

Simon was trained as an airplane mechanic and came to Dayton to work for Emery Air Freight. When that company shut down he decided to stay in the town he had grown to like. He opened this Gold Star chili restaurant.

Business was great at first, but then the nearby Meijer’s store closed. Simon reacted to the reduction of walk in traffic by trying to create more loyal customers. While I was there he greeted most people by name as they walked in. He took the time to talk to me and ask why I was carrying a camera. When I return I fully expect Simon to greet me by name and even if I’m not carrying my camera he’ll ask how my photography is going.