In 2015, Seth and Nate Vaill opened a music venue run by musicians, for musicians and music fans on Kenmore Blvd, Akron’s music row. It became a successful business that, by all accounts, would be sustainable for years to come.
Then came March 2020.
The Rialto Theatre’s certain and predictable future went out the window as COVID-19 rapidly spread across the United States. Suddenly every show, event and activity was cancelled, and the concrete foundation the theatre’s future rested on turned to quicksand. Instead of planning for the next show, the Vaill brothers found themselves preparing for an uncertain world of unprecedented mandates, restrictions, guidelines and lockdowns.
“The past year and a half has been nothing short of a roller coaster ride,” Seth said. “At the end of every day we had to ask ourselves if our business could even survive through the next day.”
The Vaills debated whether to continue as a live music venue or change their business model altogether. Ultimately, these musically minded brothers held tight to the vision for The Rialto Theatre, adapting however possible to make their venue a safe place for artists, concert goers, and employees
“Many of the touring artists include a special COVID-19 clause in their contracts outlining what precautions must be taken in order for them to perform here,” Vaill explained. “The artists want to stay healthy so they can stay on the road. They also want to keep their audiences healthy.”
In response, The Rialto Theatre joined more than a dozen regional music clubs and theaters that, in September, began requiring proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test for entry into their establishments. Ultimately, the measures have enabled venues to keep their doors open while offering a consistent, united message to their shared customer base. In July, The Rialto Theatre began hosting live music again and continues to evolve, renewing its owners’ optimism for the future of their business and the Boulevard. By the end of 2021, the owners will launch The Rialto Living Room, an intimate venue located in the front of the Rialto building with a second bar that will serve food and host solo performers.
If its October schedule is any indication, it promises to be bigger and better than ever. From the pop/soul stylings of American Idol runner up Clark Beckham to the no-nonsense hard rock of national touring act Thelma and the Sleaze, there is something from everyone coming up at The Rialto.
Sean Blake is a fourth-generation Kenmore resident who works as a Civil Engineer I with the City of Akron Water Distribution Division. Sean is very involved with the Kenmore community – he is Captain of the Kenmore Clean Team (and he’s always looking for extra volunteers to keep Kenmore clean!), and has served on the KNA’s Design Committee and Wayfinding Subcommittee.
1. You’re a fourth-generation Kenmore resident – what has kept you and your family here?
We’ve always been a close-knit, hard-working family, so Kenmore has always felt like home to us. It’s funny because actually my great-grandfather lived in the house next door. My grandpa lives in it now with my uncle and we all take care of and watch out for each other. We like the location of our house too. People don’t realize it, but Kenmore is really close to a lot of places, so we enjoy being centrally located. Personally, I am still here because I want to make a difference in my community. The neighborhood has lost a lot of talent, young and old, so it feels as if the torch has been passed on to me. Now it’s my turn to be a leader in my community. In addition to making my community better, one of my goals is to get more young people to move here.
2. What is your favorite spot in Kenmore? What do you love about it?
My favorite spot in Kenmore is easily The Rialto Theatre. You can travel around all you like, but you will never find another music venue as great as it! We are extremely fortunate to have a business of that caliber in our neighborhood. My second best spot is Summit Lake. Again, we are so fortunate to have a lake and park of that size so close to us! There are currently major improvements coming to Summit Lake Park, and when all of them are done, it is going to be a world-class experience. Also, shout out to the bike lanes on the Blvd that make both of these destinations less than a 10 minute bike ride from my house.
3. Your great-grandfather built one of the buildings on Kenmore Boulevard, which one did he build and is there any interesting history related to the building you can share?
My great-grandfather, Harry Stiffler, built 940 Florida Avenue. That address actually makes it sound like it isn’t on the Blvd, but it is – it’s on the corner next to the bank. I believe the building currently houses Dreams Academy. My great-grandfather was a jeweler so when it originally opened it was a jewelry store. I believe he also sold pianos too.
4. What made you want to take charge of Kenmore’s Clean Team and why is keeping the neighborhood clean so important to you?
What our neighborhood looks like reflects a lot about who we are. You never know who could be passing through the neighborhood at any minute – and you want them to think positive thoughts about it. I’ve also learned that people are more likely to litter and destroy things that already looked blighted. So trying to keep them from even ending up looking that way is a goal. I seem to be very good at people management – what I mean by that is – coming up with tasks for volunteers to do, keeping them busy, and communicating clearly to them what needs to be done. Also the Civil Engineer in me has a passion for taking care of urban infrastructure. So all these things make it feel like a natural fit.
5. Why do you think people should want to volunteer for the Kenmore Clean Team?
This is OUR neighborhood, and we should be proud of it! It is really a rewarding feeling to give back to your neighbors. Plus, the more volunteers we have, the faster we can get the work done and get out of there. No matter what your physical ability is – as long as you show up and want to work, we can use you. Also, it is a great way to meet your neighbors and local business owners.
6. You’re a Civil Engineer with the City of Akron Water Distribution Division – what drew you to that field of work?
To be honest – growing up I never thought I would be working at the water department. I actually started as a co-op in college and just never left. I am very fortunate to have two amazing bosses and a bunch of wonderful co-workers.
I enjoy the challenge of thinking on my feet every day. When you have to maintain 100+ year old pipes you never know what is going to happen next, so you have to be ready for anything. I also enjoy meeting all of the wonderful people that live in Akron and seeing the different parts of the city. It is an absolute honor for me to serve the people of Akron by making sure they have clean and safe drinking water.
7. What is your favorite Kenmore memory or story to share with people?
My favorite memories are definitely of the Kenmore Carnival. Here in Kenmore we used to do it big with a five-day carnival, Memorial Day parade, and fireworks. I grew up going to the carnival, and then ended up working it, all the way up to being the head of the grounds crew in its final years.
8. You can only pick one Kenmore Pizza – Pierre’s, Rocco’s, Regina’s, or Talamo’s – which one is it going to be and why?
Definitely Pierre’s all the way. Unfortunately, in 2018 I got diagnosed with Celiac Disease so my pizza eating days are over. I will still get Pierre’s if I have guests over or have a crew working in the neighborhood. Also, I hear Reeves Cake Shop has gluten-free pumpkin roll, so I might have to give them a try this fall.
9. What concert or event would you love to see at The Rialto Theatre?
Currently right now my favorite band is CHVRCHES. I realize that they are a bigger band so they would have no interest playing at a small venue like the Rialto, but I can still dream. Lauren Mayberry, if you are reading this, the next time you are on tour please make a stop at the Rialto! Coming back down to Earth now, every time Zach & The Bright Lights play at the Rialto it is an amazing show. I realize he just played there like a month or so ago, but if you’re reading this Zach please come back soon! Looking at their upcoming events, the Halloween Concert on October 16th looks like it’s going to be a great show, so I would advise people to get their tickets (and their costumes together) now.
10. What do you want the world to know about Kenmore?
The people that actually live here and have lived here for years are amazing. They are the kind of people that you want as a neighbor. It seems like on the news and in the press we are always the butt of jokes, but when you are actually here working with the residents you can see how great of a community this is. We have a lot of Kenmore Cardinal pride here!
Visit the Kenmore Boulevard Cleanup Facebook event page for more information and RSVP if you are able to help Sean and the rest of the Kenmore Clean Team!
On October 2, Oddmall is taking over the boulevard with a block party that celebrates our very own cryptozoological marvel – The Kenmore Grassman!
Oddmall is one of Ohio’s largest and most unique exhibitions of art and artifice, and features hundreds of artists, crafters, entertainers, cosplayers, artisans, and purveyors of games, toys, comics and collectibles.
Part art fair, part craft show, part comic con, part gaming festival, part cosplay extravaganza, part toy show, part antique show, part vintage fashion show, part geeksplosion, part music fest, part magic show, and part various undefinable othernesses – Oddmall is Ohio’s definitive emporium of the weird.
From 11 a.m. until 7 p.m., The Kenmore Boulevard will be lined dozens of vendor booths – both inside and outside – showcasing the works and wonders of an abundance of artists, crafters, entertainers, and purveyors of games, toys, comics, and all things geeky, awesome, amazing, amazingly amazing, and amazingly amazingly amazing.
Live entertainment, costume contests, and a variety of interesting diversions are guaranteed to fascinate even the most jaded of curmudgeons.
Oddmall is FREE and open to everyone, though a $5 donation is suggested. For more information, visit www.oddmall.info.
And be sure join us on October 1, 6-9 p.m. for a very special Oddmall preview during our final Kenmore First Friday of 2021. Our October First Friday will feature vendors, food trucks, and live music from Hey Mavis, Daveferatu & the Highland Squares, Madison Cummins, Samantha Grace, and many more! Don’t forget to stop in the Rialto Theatre for a drink and to test your musical chops at the Akorn Jammers Open Mic with Ralph Obert and friends. RSVP and see the full schedule here.
One year ago, Jeewaka Costa and his wife Manik opened ManiKitchen Tea Shop, filling the space at 978 Kenmore Boulevard with the aroma of their 120 varieties of loose tea. On Thursday, Sept. 9 at 5 p.m., they invite you to celebrate with them.
Since opening a year ago, Jeewaka and his wife Manik (who is also the namesake of ManiKitchen) have educated curious shoppers on how to brew the perfect cup of loose leaf tea – ultimately building a strong base of loyal, repeat customers in the process.
“Customers have come back and told us they feel more energized and healthy since they began drinking our tea regularly,” Manik commented.
Jeewaka’s family has a rich history with tea. His grandmother used herbal remedies, traditional ingredients, and natural resources to heal people, and explained to him that it takes time to boost immunization in your body. “There is not any magical word or works (that will) do it within one or two days,” he said.
In Sri Lanka, his mother would make a steaming glass of herbal tea and tell Jeewaka it was a glass of secret medicine that would boost immunity to protect against bacteria, viruses, and infections.
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Jeewaka was laid off from his aircraft maintenance job in spring of 2020. He decided it was time to activate the space he had owned on Kenmore Boulevard since 2016. Jeewaka had always planned to do something entrepreneurial with the building, and as the world became more focused on health and immunity, he felt a calling apply his family’s generations of work refining the art of blending ancient Sri Lankan herbal medicine with infused Ceylon teas and open a tea shop in the space.
“People all over the world know the importance of a strong immune system, especially with the spread of COVID-19 infecting millions. A strong immune system, which our unique teas support, will help protect you and your loved ones,” Jeewaka notes.
About two months ago, ManiKitchen expanded its offerings and began selling its own line of 100 percent local raw honey in five varieties: Wildflower, Lavender, Cinnamon, Clover, and Sweet & Spicy.
In addition to the physical location on the BLVD, ManiKitchen offers its teas, honeys, and accessories online at manikitchen.com and at some local farmers markets.
Join us in stopping into ManiKitchen Thursday, September 9, 5-6 p.m. and congratulate Jeewaka and Manik on a successful first year. Buy a tea, honey or accessory and be included in a drawing to win one of four tea sets. Online purchases made before 5 p.m. will also be included.
ManiKitchen Tea Shop is located at 978 Kenmore Boulevard and is open 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, visit manikitchen.com.
Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance is pleased announce the addition of Corey Jenkins, promoter and experience manager, to our professional team. Corey is a musician and artist, as well as a creative marketing, branding and business development professional with a decade of experience. He most recently served as the corporate marketing manager for a Massillon-based industrial company. As co-chair of KNA’s Promotions Committee, he is responsible for the colorful new Kenmore First Friday logo and t-shirts.
Corey has strong life-long connections to Kenmore: His grandmother spent nearly her entire life in Kenmore, both his parents grew up here, and he spent his first three years of life on the corner of Clearview Ave. and Overlook Dr. In his early 20s, Corey worked for Virgil Lay at SIT Strings, a company originally established in the basement of Lay’s Guitar Shop.
Listeners to 91.3 The Summit FM and regular concert goers may also know Corey from his solo work, as a member of the new super group Big Pop, or with acts such as Fancy Legs, PIN 2 HOT, Sons of Midori, Samantha Grace, and Time Cat.
As promoter and experience manager, Corey will work to help residents and the greater Akron community view and experience the Kenmore in positive ways through avenues like Kenmore First Friday, media and public relations, and advertising. He will also serve as a branding and business development advisor to the district’s small businesses.
As KNA grows, Corey will compose strategic initiatives that are in tune with the vision of growing Kenmore Boulevard as a destination for Northeast Ohio musicians. He plans to use his 20 years of experience as a writing and performing artist to connect fellow musicians with the resources he has grown to love that are already here in our community.
“Personal and family connections aside, Kenmore has long been an amazing resource for me as a musician,” Corey noted. “My favorite guitar shop is right next door to a storied guitar repair and luthier operation, and I’ve had some very positive and memorable on-stage experiences at The Rialto Theatre. I’ve even enjoyed just hopping up on the Bank Lounge stage during an open mic night, not to mention the recording studios and instrument builders who don’t necessarily have a public-facing presence, but are all musical resources. I can’t wait to support and connect them,” he explained, “and it’s particularly nice to work within walking distance of Pierre’s Brooklyn Pizza & Deli, which just happens to be home to my favorite pizza in the universe.”
Tina Boyes, executive director of Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance said of Corey, “He is the right person at the right time to help us engineer the next phase of our growth. We are excited to bring him to the Boulevard to build an environment that supports the growth of our businesses, musicians and community.”
Corey is plugged in, amped and eager to continue revitalizing the Boulevard. So when you see him at Kenmore First Friday, be sure to offer him a warm hello or rock fist.
Each month, 500-700 of your friends and neighbors are hitting the Boulevard on the first Friday of each month for food tucks, live music, vendors, family activities and more during Kenmore First Fridays.
The events take place 6-9 p.m. in the Kenmore Boulevard Historic District, and the last two of the year promise to be the best yet: The Sept. 3 All-Cardinal Class Reunion will feature music from all decades, including Kenmore’s own Courtney Trice and her band Eboni Redsoul & Brown Sugah. There will be special appearances throughout the night by everyone’s favorite mascot.
Then, on Oct. 1, Oddmall, one of Ohio’s largest and most unique exhibitions of art and artifice will line the streets as attendees wait for the Kenmore Grassman to make his appearance. Live music from Hey Mavis and other twangy favorites are sure to entertain.
New this year at Kenmore First Fridays is the EarthQuaker Devices pedalboard at The Guitar Department, where you can try out a new guitar while testing EarthQuaker’s line of fuzz-inducing pedals, all of which are available at the Guitar Department. In addition, the Akorn Jammers open mic night led by Ralph Obert in the McCutchan Courtyard.
Kenmore resident Mapi Byler said she and her family enjoy the community aspect of First Friday, as well as supporting local businesses and musicians. “We love First Friday because it brings our community together and it invites others to come and enjoy it, too,” she said.
Kenmore lost a one of its most eclectic and dedicated hobbyists on Aug. 22 with the passing of Howard Evans, owner of E&S Hobbies & Trains.
According to his family and friends, Howard – or “Hutch,” as they called him – was a lifelong tinkerer and lover of all things electronic. Even before graduating from Kenmore High School in 1965, Howard got his hands on an amateur radio license, and – as they say – the rest was history.
Before retiring from the City of Akron’s Communications Division in 2004, Howard opened E&S Hobbies & Trains at 980 Kenmore Blvd, enabling him to share his deep knowledge and love of model trains, remote-control airplanes and more with the families and hobbyists of Kenmore and the greater Akron community for 30 years. It was a fitting transition for the former McDowell Pharmacy building, which drew children to the Boulevard for penny candy and sodas for decades.
E&S Hobbies & Trains will remain open on Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. and evening and weekend hours as family is available. They are also available for appointments, pricing and inventory availability by calling 330-745-0785. For visitation and funeral details, or to leave a note for Howard’s family and loved ones, visit www.schermesserfh.com.
Yoga is an ancient Indian practice of self-realization that has provided great exercise for many—particularly those among us who are lean and flexible. But for others, it can feel like an exercise in futility.
Intimidating poses with Sanskrit names scare many a beginner away, resigned to the idea that they’re just not built for the practice.
But there’s a new yoga in town. Melissa Lyons of Kenmore was awarded a Rubber City Match Level II Space Award, a grant from the city of Akron that will help her acquire studio space and expand her new venture, All Walks Yoga.
The goal of All Walks is to provide classes that make yoga accessible to everyone, with individualized modifications taught for those with physical limitations or differently-shaped bodies.
Lyons began studying the new concept of “accessible yoga” after her own practice had to change due to major back surgery. After falling in love with yoga in 2016, Lyons needed a spinal fusion, her third surgery due to scoliosis.
“It knocked me out of the yoga game for a while… My spine can’t do the things a normal person can,” she says. When she got back into yoga right before the pandemic, she knew she wanted to not only teach, but to bring accessible yoga to Akron, and specifically Kenmore. She got busy and wrote her business plan while at a yoga training retreat in April.
“I started doing teacher training and I really felt drawn to bringing yoga to people who might not find it very accessible, like people who have differently-shaped bodies or ailments or other things going on. They might need different poses or props or things like that. And I knew that the studios in this area didn’t offer that,” she says.
“Yoga doesn’t have to be 60-minute, 100-degree Vinyasa powering through the poses. You can get the same benefit… It’s movement linked to breath and you can do that in so many different ways,” Lyons says.
According to the Accessible Yoga Association, accessible yoga serves people with disabilities, disease and illnesses, LGBTQ people and ethnic and racial groups.
Accessible Yoga is a concept that began about three years ago. Several books have been written and become popular in the industry, and new certifications are becoming available through the Yoga Alliance.
Currently Lyons teaches a weekly Sunday morning class in borrowed space at the Rialto Theatre in Kenmore. While applying for the Rubber City Space Grant and scouting locations for her own studio, she and her fiancé, Matthew Hirschfelt, have been attending community events, doing chair yoga demonstrations to generate interest.
Observing Lyons at her Sunday class at the Rialto, it becomes apparent that teaching is her passion — her full-time job is teaching third grade at Harris-Jackson CLC in Akron — and she has the kind of patient demeanor that wins the respect of 9-year-olds as well as yoga beginners.
“We’re going to do something a little different this week,” Lyons tells her yogis. “We’re going to hold each pose for 3 minutes, so I want you to hold it at only 75%. If you need to come out of the pose, it’s fine to take a break and come back in,” she adds assuringly.
One of Lyons’s regular Sunday students, Rebecca Rak, said she had dabbled in yoga before but never on a regular basis.
“A lot of the normal yoga classes seem very intimidating. I was always unsure if I was doing the pose right. My body is a little larger than the stereotypical yogi, I would think, so I had issues reaching some of the poses, and then also just feeling comfortable in that space,” Rak says. But she’s been a regular at Lyons’s Sunday morning class since May.
“She (Lyons) very much encourages people to listen to their own bodies and take modifications. She really makes people feel comfortable and still encourages movement in a way that’s going to be healthy for them,” says Rak.
And Rak says the class has made an impact in her daily life. “I play softball and broomball and I’ve noticed that I’m much more flexible and less sore throughout the day because I’m stretching and moving in a focused way.” She has also found that regular yoga has helped in reducing what used to be chronic back pain.
Lyons is back in her third-grade classroom at Jackson-Harris now but dreams of operating her own yoga studio full-time.
“I love teaching, and it’s still a form of giving back to the community. We are very honored to have been chosen by RCM and excited about the road ahead.”
All Walks Yoga can be found online at www.allwalks.yoga.
Diane Kilivris is a freelance writer living in West Akron. When not working, she can be found on the tennis court or obsessively knitting in a cozy chair.
Once again, Block by Block and Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance are seeking a paid Cleaning Ambassador to clean up litter, pull weeds, report safety and infrastructure issues, and offer courteous assistance to businesses, visitors and community members in the Kenmore Boulevard Historic District.
To apply, visit blockbyblock.com, from Choose Locations select Akron, Ohio, then choose Downtown Akron Partnership. Or, for more information about the position, or for help applying, contact lmobley@blockbyblock.com or 330-374-7612.
