If you love comics and superheroes, you don’t have to go any farther than the Boulevard to find them. Since 1987, Kenmore Komics & Games has hailed on the Boulevard as one of Akron’s best specialty comic book and gaming stories.
From Superman to Magic Cards, the store has an extensive collection of Modern and Silver Age comic books, as well as, role playing, strategy, and card game memorabilia. Known for it’s fantastic selection, visitors come from Cleveland, Columbus, and other nearby cities.
The store’s owner, John Buntin, came to Akron in the 1980s to open a store with a friend and fell in love with Kenmore. According to him, Kenmore Komics & Games provides customers with a “hobby, escapism, and fantasy” with the games and comics it sells.
“We do what we can to get our customers to enjoy their lives when they’re not at work,” said John.
Driving down the Boulevard, you can’t miss the bright red sign with the words “Rialto” beaconing from the above the marquee. The Rialto Theatre is currently, and has always been, a staple in the Boulevard District. The retro ticket booth and colorful facade are telltale signs of the venue’s rich history.
Even the name had important significance in the past. The term “rialto” reigns from a medieval covered bridge in the Italian city of Venice. Here, novelty shops were built and the first entertainment district was born. “Rialtos” came to be plazas where people could go for fun and enjoyment. Theaters bearing this name began popping up in the early 1900s worldwide and a select few exist to this day — including the one in Kenmore.
In Akron, the Rialto Theatre thrived on the Boulevard and was adored by residents as a staple of the neighborhood until it closed in the 1950s. In the height of the rise in popularity of films, the Rialto was one of the earliest venues to feature “silver screen” movies in the United States, which makes sense: the silver screen was invented by Kenmore resident Harry Coulter Williams. Today, the Rialto Theatre’s legacy lives on as the “silver screen” cinema-turned something new.
Brothers and bandmates Nate and Seth Vaill have turned the building into a recording studio, full bar, and event space. Together they are restoring the Rialto Theatre to how it looked in the glory days, beaconing with a bright red marquee and historic ticket office. The studio has recorded a mecca of local artists, including Ampichino, King Locust, and Ben Gage. In addition, they are promoting arts in the Kenmore and greater Akron community by hosting a variety of events, including music concerts, comedy shows, theater performances, art exhibits, swing dancing lessons, and more.
With renovations starting in 2010, the Rialto Theatre is constantly changing and evolving to this day. What started as a warehouse has now transformed into a top-notch recording studio, a thriving and eclectic event space, and cozy little bar. But, that’s not all the Vaill brothers have planned for the venue. The new ticket box outside will be finished by the end of July and will resemble the old one. In addition, they are adding a lobby area called the Rialto “Living Room,” as a space for acoustic acts. In the future, they plan to become the Boulevard’s first breakfast spot by offering coffee and food in the morning.
“We wanted to create a place where people could experience anything from hip hop to bands to theater to rap battles,” said Nate. “The Rialto is a safe and fun environment where the community can come together and experience art and music.”
Nearly a year after their successful Kenmore Better Block event, Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance is working hard to turn those temporary changes into permanent improvements along Kenmore Boulevard.
The organization recently received a $62,500 grant from the Huntington Akron Foundation to develop a comprehensive neighborhood plan. The goal is to create a set of recommendations based on resident feedback, the alliance’s revitalization efforts, and the city of Akron Planning Department’s large-scale neighborhood research. The plan will suggest both short- and long-term improvements to the neighborhood, which comes at a key time from a funding perspective: The city is prepared to invest significant resources into the Kenmore Boulevard business district through its Great Streets Akron program.
The Kenmore Neighborhood Plan, led by Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance’s community planning partner MKSK, gathered resident, business owner, and property owner feedback earlier this spring. They walked the boulevard with residents during May’s Jane’s Walk event and discussed advantages, needs, and opportunities in the district, a discussion that included everything from buildings, streets and alleyways, sidewalks, parking amenities and safety.
At the event, residents also voted on their favorite street design: a slower, more bike-and pedestrian-friendly Kenmore Blvd. with fully protected bike lanes and a single eastbound and westbound travel lane for cars. The vote came in advance of the city’s Kenmore Boulevard repaving project. The alliance shared residents’ preference with city traffic engineers in hopes of improving safety and comfort on the soon-to-be repaved Boulevard.
On Aug. 3 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at Busk Until Dusk, residents are invited to review and provide feedback on a range of initial boulevard improvement concepts. The free event will take place on the 14th St. block of Kenmore Blvd. near Pierre’s Brooklyn Pizza. It will also include musicians like Kenmore residents Jim Ballard and Rialto Theatre co-owner Nate Vaill, as well as children’s activities by KenMore Kreative, vendors from across the area, and street food.
Nestled in Kenmore is the well-known Boulevard District staple — Lay’s Guitar Shop. In the beginning of June, Lay’s decided to add something new to their store. Above the regular space where they build and repair guitars, Lay’s has transformed the upstairs area into “The Loft.” This new addition is a showroom boasting Lay’s collection of vintage, customized, and used guitars and selection of amps. In the near future, Lay’s plans to host workshops and seminars on guitar building and upkeep. Guitar lessons will be available in the near future after “The Loft” is expanded.
Since Virgil Lay opened it in 1962, the shop has been repairing, restoring, and customizing guitars for both everyday people and aficionados in Akron, across the United States, and abroad. The shop has an impressive collection of vintage guitars, custom-made acoustic and electric guitars, and used guitars. The shop’s current owner, Dan Shinn, started apprenticing for Lay in 1979 and then bought the store in the late ‘80s. Dan’s brother Joel helps him run the shop by heading the finish and restoration department.
From then until now, Lat’s Guitar shop has worked on instruments for various musical legends, including Jack Bruce, Phil Keaggy, Joe Walsh, Chris Pratt, Joe Bonamassa, and bands such as Bad Company and The Outlaws. In addition, Jimmy Page’s Les Paul #1, which originally belonged to Joe Walsh, had its neck shaved at Lay’s shop. The phrase,”Finished by Lay’s Guitar Shop” is used as a selling point in international magazines like Vintage Guitar and 20th Century Guitar.
The main stretch of Akron’s Kenmore Boulevard is known as just “the Boulevard” to locals. – Photo by Shane Wynn for Crain’s
Kenmore used to be a bit of a black sheep among Akron’s neighborhoods. Now it’s a beacon of hope and a potential crucible for urban redevelopment.
“I love Kenmore. It’s one of my favorite neighborhoods in Akron,” said Jason Segedy, Akron’s director of planning and urban development, as he began a tour of the southside neighborhood, just west of Firestone Park.
To be fair, Segedy has said the same about a lot of Akron’s neighborhoods: The man loves a good street, whether it’s lined with trees, businesses or even solid, old buildings in need of investment. Kenmore Boulevard, for the most part, would be the latter.
But Kenmore is special, Segedy said, because unlike other Akron neighborhoods that are trying to redesign themselves to become pedestrian- and bike-friendly to appeal to urban lifestyles, Kenmore was designed that way from the start.
“Do you see how all the buildings are pushed right up to the sidewalk? That’s exactly what you want to see,” Segedy said as he drove down the main drag of Kenmore Boulevard past a mix of storefronts that range from vibrant to shuttered.
Kenmore Boulevard is becoming a hot spot for Akron’s music industry and starting to attract interest from real estate investors.
Segedy sees a lot of potential for Kenmore to turn around, and he was a big reason the city announced April 30 it will repave and reconfigure the main stretch of Kenmore Boulevard. That’s something businesses and advocates applaud. Most are willing to narrow the stretch if it will slow car traffic and allow more foot traffic.
Segedy isn’t the only person who sees potential. Investors and business owners have started to recognize it, too.
The focus is nearly all on what people simply call “the Boulevard” — the strip of Kenmore Boulevard that runs roughly from 17th Street SW to about 12th Street SW. This is the heart of the neighborhood and the section that makes Segedy smile.
Here, Kenmore Boulevard is lined with old two-story commercial structures, many built 75 or more years ago. They don’t look much like the developments that followed them in other parts of the city.
They were built in an era of street cars and pedestrians, Segedy explained, so buildings come right up to the sidewalk. There’s only a single lane of parking in front, though most of the buildings have parking in the rear.
Todd Ederer purchased four of the buildings along this stretch in the past three years. He’s no stranger to Akron or the challenges of old industrial real estate. He’s done work downtown, some of which with developer Tony Troppe, and owns Fairlawn-based Ederer Real Estate and Construction.
“I love these little two-story buildings, and I love how they’re right up to the street. Some of them need varying degrees of work, but I’ve seen through other explorations what can happen to these business districts,” Ederer said.
He’s working to rehabilitate the buildings and to get them into use in ways that benefit the neighborhood, he said, adding that he’s not looking at them as short-term investments but multiyear projects.
Ederer wants to help rebuild the Boulevard because that’s what will help the community and add the most value to his properties.
For now, though, his main tenant is the Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance, which is headed up by executive director Tina Boyes. Her name comes up a lot when you talk to Kenmore businesses. Many say she’s the “dynamo” behind the neighborhood’s redevelopment and Kenmore’s recent success at building up its music industry.
Ederer has allowed the alliance, free of charge, to open Live Music Now at one of his buildings, 952 Kenmore Blvd. It’s the neighborhood’s newest music venue, with a small stage for intimate shows with acts too small to use the larger Rialto down the street.
Plans call for a coffee shop to soon open there during the day, so the spot will have live music in the evenings and provide the neighborhood with a much-needed café and social spot, Boyes said. The coffee shop would be owned by Ederer, the building owner and the alliance’s landlord, she said.
“Our goal is to change the image people have of this neighborhood,” said Boyes, who added she’s aware of Kenmore’s image of having a rural attitude.
“We’re Appalachian, but that’s why you get the great music here, too,” Boyes said.
Boyes said she’ll probably never be satisfied with the state of Kenmore, but that she’s optimistic about its current direction. Residents are engaged, she said, as evidenced by the participation in Kenmore’s Better Block event in September.
Usually held over a weekend, Better Block events temporarily alter a neighborhood to give people a sense of what might be.
In Kenmore, the Boulevard was spruced up and reconfigured for pedestrians and cyclists. That work helped shape some of the plans the city just unveiled for the Boulevard, Segedy said.
Residents say Kenmore is “sticky,” too. Its community often draws people in once they’ve spent some time there — people like Noelle Beck, executive director of the First Glance Student Center, which provides Kenmore teens with support and activities, including an indoor skate park on Kenmore Boulevard.
“I was looking to do an outreach program somewhere with youth that needed it … and here I am almost 18 years later and I live here. In 2008, I moved into the community,” Beck said. “A lot of our volunteers move into the community.”
Kenmore business owners credit Boyes with re-energizing and bringing more people into the Neighborhood Alliance, helping to get new music venues open and to promote their shows, coordinating the Better Block, working with city officials on street and traffic issues, and generally raising the profile of Kenmore — and especially that of its music district.
That includes Lay’s Guitar Shop, which has done repair work for all sorts of musicians and instrument collectors for more than 40 years.
The shop even fixed two of Pete Townshend’s guitars that were smashed in performances and are now owned by a collector.
“We’ve taken in 80 guitars in the last three weeks. I can’t remember that happening since the old days, back in the ’70s or ’80s,” said Dan Shinn, owner of Lay’s.
Next door, Ed Michalec, owner of the Guitar Department, said he’s similarly enthused.
“I’m excited. I think (the Boulevard) is doing great. For a while, we didn’t know what was going or what direction things were headed, but everything’s been really good and positive lately,” he said, crediting Boyes for “turning theory into action” in the neighborhood.
Like Boyes and others, Ederer says there is still much to be done, including his current effort of securing a historical designation for the Boulevard that would provide some tax credits and incentivize development. Then, he hopes to house a restaurant, coffee shop and more retailers in his buildings, because it will be easier to finance projects there.
But it’s not as if Kenmore doesn’t have its challenges as well. The former Rolling Acres Mall, once a premier shopping destination in the region, with nearly 1.5 million feet of thriving stores, is a mess. Today, it’s mostly a demolition site and its 8,000 empty parking spots only make it look even more desolate.
The city has changed how it looks at that site, Segedy said. It’s no longer viewed as a spot likely to attract retail development. But with large nearby roadways and easy access to expressways, it’s an ideal site for light industry or a warehousing and distribution operation. Segedy said the city is talking to parties who have expressed such an interest, but it is not yet ready to announce a deal.
Kenmore also has the same challenges of almost any urban neighborhood in a Midwest city. Its housing stock is older, and some of it needs repair and rehabilitation. But some of it is also in great shape, Segedy said.
Kenmore is the only neighborhood in Akron that sits on two lakes: Nesmith and Summit. Some homes perched on the hill above Summit Lake have views that would rival anything found in Portage Lakes to the south.
But, like most of the roads in Kenmore, everything about the neighborhood’s prospects seems to come back to the Boulevard. That’s where the neighborhood alliance, city officials and investors have most of their hopes pinned. If the central business district can be brought back, the revitalization will spread from there — or at least that’s the hope.
And along those lines, things seem to be progressing more quickly after years of effort. Existing business owners are already changing their views of Kenmore, and Boyes and others hope potential businesses will follow their example.
“At one point, I was thinking about going somewhere else, but I’m here to stay now,” Michalec said.
On Friday, May 4, approximately 20 Kenmore residents and stakeholders strolled the sidewalks and alleyways of the Kenmore Blvd. The goal: to identify opportunities and improvements to make our “downtown” a more vibrant business-, pedestrian- and community-friendly zone.
“Jane’s Walk: Reimagine Kenmore’s Boulevard District” was led by Andrew Overbeck of MKSK urban design consultants from Columbus. The group was recently hired by Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance to create a community-driven plan for the area, with primary emphasis on the main commercial district.
Participating in the Jane’s Walk was Rachel Sweet, and her husband, Luuk, who recently relocated to Kenmore. She, like many walkers, noticed opportunities to creatively use things like extended sidewalk space at corners, alley spaces and parking lots behind boulevard businesses.
“I discovered new and exciting things” she said. “While Kenmore may be considered rough around the edges, people are excited and ready to put the work in for change.”
Longtime resident Jacob Ley mentioned the need for better lighting, particularly along the sidewalks. “Kenmore Blvd. seems to be lit primarily for cars,” something he hopes changes in order to bring more pedestrian traffic to the area.
In addition, KNA volunteers manned a feedback table outside of Live Music Now! during the Busk Until Dusk first Friday event. Residents marked on a map where they live, visit and avoid. They also considered and voted for their favorite of three street striping options for Kenmore Blvd., which – according to city officials – is set to be repaved as early as this summer. Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance is working with the city’s Office of Integrated Development to implement the most community-friendly option.
Other feedback will be used to help MKSK create concepts for community testing and feedback in July or August. If you weren’t able to attend the Jane’s Walk, there’s still time to make your voice heard via the brief community survey at www.betterkenmore.org/neighborhood-plan.
Jane’s Walk is an annual festival of free-citizen-led walking conversations inspired by community activist Jane Jacobs. Jane’s Walks encourage people to share stories about their neighborhoods, discover unseen aspects of their communities, and use walking as a way to connect with their neighbors. For more information, visit www.janeswalk.org.
Artist and Kenmore resident Caleb Aronhalt was named the winner of the Kenmore Imagineer project back in February. One of his design concepts was chosen to be made into a mural, which is now a reality on Kenmore Boulevard.
KNA: What was the inspiration for your mural design?
Caleb Aronhalt: I call these figures ‘Chirpies’ and I was inspired to make something colorful and fun that’s vibrant enough to be enjoyed by those who are driving by and walking by. A few things that artistically inspire me are hand done typography, the graffiti sprayed on the side of trains and video games like Super Mario Bros and Kirby.
KNA: What do you love about Kenmore?
CA: The main thing I love about Kenmore is the community. The friendships I’ve developed are the reason I call Kenmore home. I got involved with First Glance on Kenmore Blvd in 2012. After living in five different locations around Kenmore, my wife and I bought a house in 2017 and now call Kenmore home.
KNA: What would you like to see more of in Kenmore?
CA: I would like to see more people who are proud to say they live in Kenmore. I’ve lived here for seven years and there are so many positive things that I’ve witnessed and been a part of. My hope is that more people begin to see the potential Kenmore has and one day will become.
Efforts to return Kenmore Boulevard to a bustling business district are gaining momentum.
Akron City Council Planning Committee is considering changes to the boulevard’s zoning to add special development conditions for new construction and building renovation. The proposed zoning would regulate types of businesses allowed on the main strip through Kenmore, as well as their dimensions and proximity to the street.
A public hearing is planned for May 14 on the proposed Kenmore Urban Overlay Area, which would include the north and south sides of Kenmore Boulevard from 12th to 17th streets.
“It’s meant to protect the integrity of the main boulevard district and the community, to maintain the character of it,” said Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance Director Tina Boyes.
Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance is working alongside the city and the Knight Foundation to bring business back to the Kenmore business district by boosting walkability and bikeability while populating empty storefronts.
Structures along the boulevard were built at the turn of last century and designed with businesses downstairs and residences above. Most are three stories or less, built close to the sidewalk.
The proposed zoning would regulate the height and distance from the street for new construction. It would prohibit gas stations, parking lots as businesses and boulevard-facing drive-thru windows or parking lots.
“Parking lots break up the continuity and are discouraging to pedestrians and bike traffic,” Boyes said.
Developed about 60 years ago, Akron’s Zoning Code is based on shaping development to have a “suburban” feel with street-facing parking and buildings set back from the sidewalk. It isn’t compatible with Kenmore’s much older business district.
The city’s Great Streets program is also targeting Kenmore along with nine other Akron neighborhoods to help revitalize their small business districts.
In addition to revamping Kenmore’s zoning, the city, through Great Streets, plans to resurface Kenmore Boulevard and install a new roof at the Kenmore Community Center, which offers year-round programming on the boulevard.
The city also plans to look at improvements to the crosswalks on the boulevard and offer competitive facade grants to the business owners, said Akron Planning Director Jason Segedy.
The Great Streets initiative brings together the essential components of economic development, urban planning and engineering.
“It’s about doing lots of little things that are the details that add up to more than the sum of their parts,” Segedy said.
Without a populated central business district, Kenmore is losing local dollars to nearby shopping areas in Green and Montrose. The Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance is awaiting results of a study conducted by KM Date Community Planning. Initial findings estimate more than 80 percent of patrons to the boulevard businesses come from outside the neighborhood, Boyes said.
The study will shed light on the spending power of the neighborhood and 10 miles beyond its borders, and on the types of new businesses that would complement existing ones.
Kenmore hosts a growing music industry, with the Rialto Theatre, a live-music venue and studio, the Guitar Department, a new and used consignment shop that offers music lessons, on the Boulevard. Also on the strip, Lays Guitar Shop has been known since the ’60s for quality repairs and restoration, and is frequented by Black Keys guitarist Dan Auerbach and Cleveland native Joe Walsh.
Efforts are also underway to have the boulevard added to the National Register of Historic Places. The State Historic Preservation Office has indicated the Kenmore Boulevard business district is a viable district for successful nomination to the National Register.
“We have not yet had a site visit or pursued it with the national parks, but this approval from the state is the first step in the process,” Boyes said.
The Knight Foundation has supported Akron’s efforts to bring back its small business districts by funding Strong Towns, a nonprofit that’s working to help smaller cities like Akron bring economic stability back through incremental investments in key neighborhoods.
Working with Knight, Strong Town representatives plan to invest time and energy over the next year in Akron’s community development corporations in North Akron and Middlebury, and the Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance.
In late September, the Knight Foundation invested $720,000 in the work of those same three neighborhood groups, which are considered ripe for growth. All three neighborhoods hosted successful Knight-funded Better Block festivals, showcasing the potential the neighborhoods have to become vibrant centers through community input and creativity.
The organizations will work together to come up with best practices for their own challenges, while supporting one another.
Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance is working alongside the city and the Knight Foundation to bring business back to the Kenmore business district by boosting walkability and bikeability while populating empty storefronts. (Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance)
AKRON, Ohio – Efforts to return Kenmore Boulevard to a bustling business district are gaining momentum.
Akron City Council Planning Committee is considering changes to the boulevard’s zoning to add special development conditions for new construction and building renovation. The proposed zoning would regulate types of businesses allowed on the main strip through Kenmore, as well as their dimensions and proximity to the street.
A public hearing is planned for May 14 on the proposed Kenmore Urban Overlay Area, which would include the north and south sides of Kenmore Boulevard from 12th to 17th streets.
“It’s meant to protect the integrity of the main boulevard district and the community, to maintain the character of it,” said Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance Director Tina Boyes.
Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance is working alongside the city and the Knight Foundation to bring business back to the Kenmore business district by boosting walkability and bikeability while populating empty storefronts.
Structures along the boulevard were built at the turn of last century and designed with businesses downstairs and residences above. Most are three stories or less, built close to the sidewalk.
The proposed zoning would regulate the height and distance from the street for new construction. It would prohibit gas stations, parking lots as businesses and boulevard-facing drive-thru windows or parking lots.
“Parking lots break up the continuity and are discouraging to pedestrians and bike traffic,” Boyes said.
Developed about 60 years ago, Akron’s Zoning Code is based on shaping development to have a “suburban” feel with street-facing parking and buildings set back from the sidewalk. It isn’t compatible with Kenmore’s much older business district.
The city’s Great Streets program is also targeting Kenmore along with nine other Akron neighborhoods to help revitalize their small business districts.
In addition to revamping Kenmore’s zoning, the city, through Great Streets, plans to resurface Kenmore Boulevard and install a new roof at the Kenmore Community Center, which offers year-round programming on the boulevard.
The city also plans to look at improvements to the crosswalks on the boulevard and offer competitive facade grants to the business owners, said Akron Planning Director Jason Segedy.
The Great Streets initiative brings together the essential components of economic development, urban planning and engineering.
“It’s about doing lots of little things that are the details that add up to more than the sum of their parts,” Segedy said.
Without a populated central business district, Kenmore is losing local dollars to nearby shopping areas in Green and Montrose. The Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance is awaiting results of a study conducted by KM Date Community Planning. Initial findings estimate more than 80 percent of patrons to the boulevard businesses come from outside the neighborhood, Boyes said.
The study will shed light on the spending power of the neighborhood and 10 miles beyond its borders, and on the types of new businesses that would complement existing ones.
Kenmore hosts a growing music industry, with the Rialto Theatre, a live-music venue and studio, the Guitar Department, a new and used consignment shop that offers music lessons, on the Boulevard. Also on the strip, Lays Guitar Shop has been known since the ’60s for quality repairs and restoration, and is frequented by Black Keysguitarist Dan Auerbach and Cleveland native Joe Walsh.
Efforts are also underway to have the boulevard added to the National Register of Historic Places. The State Historic Preservation Office has indicated the Kenmore Boulevard business district is a viable district for successful nomination to the National Register.
“We have not yet had a site visit or pursued it with the national parks, but this approval from the state is the first step in the process,” Boyes said.
The Knight Foundation has supported Akron’s efforts to bring back its small business districts by funding Strong Towns, a nonprofit that’s working to help smaller cities like Akron bring economic stability back through incremental investments in key neighborhoods.
Working with Knight, Strong Town representatives plan to invest time and energy over the next year in Akron’s community development corporations in North Akron and Middlebury, and the Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance.
In late September, the Knight Foundation invested $720,000 in the work of those same three neighborhood groups, which are considered ripe for growth. All three neighborhoods hosted successful Knight-funded Better Block festivals, showcasing the potential the neighborhoods have to become vibrant centers through community input and creativity.
The organizations will work together to come up with best practices for their own challenges, while supporting one another.
