By Abigail Bottar, Ideastream Public Media

Summit County officials, Akron officials and Summit Lake residents celebrated the groundbreaking of the new Summit Lake Trail. [Abigail Bottar / Ideastream Public Media]

Akron’s Summit Lake community broke ground on a new trail today. The resident-led project is intended to bring equity in public spaces to a historically underserved community.

The Ohio and Erie Canal Summit Lake Trail will go around Summit Lake and connect to the Towpath Trail. In the early 1900s, Summit Lake was a recreation hub, but the community had become underserved in recent decades, said Ohio and Erie Canalway Coalition President and CEO Dan Rice.

“Eight years ago, there was only one bench at this lake. There was one bench at this lake, and it didn’t even face the lake,” Rice said. “And usually there’s that nervous comment, there’s that nervous laughter, but think about that for a second. It didn’t even face the lake. What does that say about how we care about this lake and how we care about each other?”

Summit Beach Amusement Park was a destination from the late 1910s until it closed in 1958, but the park, like Akron, was segregated. Mayor Dan Horrigan said he wants the area to be open to everyone.

“All residents regardless of their income, race, education or experience deserve outstanding parks, and none of us probably really remember Summit Lake in its heyday in the 30s, 40s and 50s,” Horrigan said. “But it’s going to have a heyday again, and that’s because of the investment from all of our key partners.”

Akron Civic Commons Donor Committee Co-Chair Bill Considine hopes the trail is the beginning of revitalizing the area.

“We’re going to shine a jewel that has been ignored for several years,” Considine said, “and that jewel is going to be very bright and be welcoming to all the residents here in this neighborhood as well as all the visitors who want to come to this neighborhood.”

This is another step to bringing equity to this community, said Rice.

“Because any place else in this country, and there are wealthier communities. I’m just being very honest here, and they have assets,” Rice said. “They have beautifully designed public spaces but not here. Today we change that.”

The project was spearheaded by the resident-led Akron Civic Commons. The project centered the voices of the people who live in the community, said Summit Lake resident Grace Hudson.

“It’s not somebody coming in and saying, ‘This is what we’re going to do, and this is what you want, and this is what you need,'” Hudson said. “No. It’s stepping back and actually listening to the residents, and I think that is very important, and it’s very empowering for somebody to come along and actually listen to us.”

Hudson said the trail is also vital to connecting the community.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been out walking my dog and say, ‘Good morning,’ to somebody passing by and next thing I know I’m having a 10, 15-minute conversation with somebody I’ve never met,” Hudson said. “But by the time the conversation finishes, it’s like, ‘Okay, well it was a pleasure to meet you, and maybe I’ll see you out here again.'”

Toqa Hassan is also a resident of Summit Lake and served as a volunteer for the project. She said accessibility was an integral part of it.

“When I attend the Summit Lake steering committee meetings, there are people that are not at the table, and their perspectives are still heard,” Hassan said. “So when we say that we want individuals who need a wheelchair accessibility ramp to access the north shore – there was no one in the room with a wheelchair. No one in the room had crutches, but their perspective was heard. And I think that’s the community coming together.”

The new trail and revitalization of public spaces in the Summit Lake community could spread to all of Akron, Knight Foundation Akron Program Director Kyle Kutuchief said.

“We believe that to build a more equitable Akron, our city needs more places that intentionally invite and connect people of all backgrounds, fostering much needed empathy and understanding,” Kutuchief said.

Rice hopes the new trail can be healing to a community that’s dealt with racism, dividedness and underdevelopment.

“This multiuse recreational trail is more than a physical connection since it will provide a beautifully designed healing space and refuge for neighborhood residents to enjoy nature, exercise and spend time with their family and friends,” Rice said.

The trail is expected to be completed by 2023.

Copyright 2022 WKSU. To see more, visit WKSU.

Northeast Ohio’s only free indoor skatepark adds features to accommodate younger skaters.

After being closed for summer, First Glance’s Skatepark reopened this week with new ramps designed to accommodate younger skaters. Northeast Ohio’s only free indoor skatepark, First Glance’s skatepark is a safe place for any skaters age 11 and up to come skate Mondays and Tuesdays from 6-10 p.m.

“Our indoor skatepark and shop provides a place to connect with other skaters and build their skills and equipment,” First Glance Executive Director Jessica Swiger explained. “Adult volunteers are present to teach skating techniques and tricks and to provide encouragement for daily life.”

First Glance is a youth center that originally opened 22 years ago in the Kenmore Community Center and began hosting a wide variety of programming for students of all ages from all over Greater Akron. In 2007, First Glance moved into it’s current home near the corner of 13th Street at 943 Kenmore Blvd. The skatepark opened not long after.

In addition to the skatepark, First Glance is home to The Alley – a teen nightclub open the second Friday of every month from 7-10 p.m. that has a live DJ, dancing, food, fun, drinks, games, and more. The Alley was created as a drug and alcohol-free safe place for teens from all over Greater Akron to come on a Friday night. Teens must check in and an off-duty police officer is on site at The Alley.

First Glance also hosts Rec Night Thursdays from 7-9 p.m. Rec Night provides Junior High and High School students with a safe and fun environment to participate in sports and activities, such as four square, basketball, and video games with friends and volunteers. Rec Nights also provide an opportunity for students to connect with adult volunteers through conversations, activities, and competitions.

First Glance is always looking to recruit additional volunteers and welcome new students, and additional information about programming and volunteer opportunities can be found at firstglance.org.

For up to date info on the skatepark, follow @firstglanceskatepark on Instagram.

Lee Porter is the general manager of SRINA Tea House & Café located at 975 Kenmore Blvd. His cousin, Monaqui Porter-Young established SRINA Organics in 2002 and spent the past 20 years distributing organic tea grown in the rainforest of Sri Lanka before officially opening her first brick and mortar tea house last month.

An East Akron native, Lee spent the majority of his career in sales and began working with Monaqui about seven years ago to learn the tea business and help run SRINA-catered events in Ohio. When he’s away from the tea house, Lee loves to hike and although he’s not a musician himself (though he tells us he’d like to think he can sing), he loves Kenmore’s rich musical identity.

We sat down with Lee to not only learn a little bit more about him and SRINA Teahouse & Café, but what he thinks makes Kenmore Boulevard unique.

What led to you managing SRINA Tea House & Café? It started with the first sip of tea. Monaqui came to visit after she was a few years into the SRINA Organics online business and I tried her tea and it was the first tea I ever had without sugar in it and I didn’t want to put sugar in it. After I learned where it came from and what she was doing I knew I had to be a part of it. I began learning more about the tea and helped run the SRINA-catered events in Ohio at restaurants, ballrooms, hotels, etc.

I also got to engage with people about an organic, natural product that I believed in. Coming from years in sales that was important. I had to feel like I could stand behind what I was selling.

Now a half dozen years later and we have our first physical location here on Kenmore Blvd. and there are tentative plans to open a second one in The Bronx, as well as offers to open in Harlem and/or Brooklyn.

While you were waiting for construction work on your current building to be finished, you opened inside the Rialto Living Room in 2021. What was that experience like?

The opportunity to operate in the Rialto was a valuable learning time that we appreciate. Being able to have a presence here and run almost like a test kitchen was really important.

What’s the most popular item on SRINA’s menu?

Hands down the Jerk Chicken. Whether as tenders or in a salad or wrap it’s definitely our most popular offering.

What makes SRINA unique?

The food items. We’re bringing healthy food and drink options to a community that might not otherwise have a whole lot of health-conscious dining options.

What’s the most rewarding thing about managing SRINA?

I’m a people person and I like being in a people-driven business. Engaging with customers and seeing they’re happy eating food that’s good for them and tastes good. It’s a win-win.

What is the biggest challenge you have to overcome and how are you managing it?

Inventory and making sure we have the things that are going to sell. Not having too much or too little of anything and managing expectations. It’s a constant work in progress, but we’re proactive about gathering feedback from the community and seeing how we can improve.

Tell us about a time when a customer made you feel like a million bucks.

It’s not just one time, it’s every time I see the way customers respond to the space and the calming ambiance here when they cross the threshold of the front door. Couple that with how they then react to our tea and food and it’s a great feeling.

What are you most proud of?

The reception we’ve had. We’ve been received really well and that is priceless.

What was your background leading up to your position at SRINA?

Mostly sales. I worked at Levin Furniture and Elgin Furniture as a salesperson. I also worked at RED the Steakhouse in Cleveland. We’d have Cavs players like LeBron James and Tristian Thompson and players from other professional teams as guests often. So that experience helped me learn to handle high volume and high expectations in the food service industry.

What’s something people don’t know about you?

I love to hike. Sand Run Metropark is my favorite spot.

What’s something you’re learning that people don’t know about SRINA?

We have a large mural that completely covers one of our walls and it’s a rendering of Paradise Farm in Sri Lanka which is where all our tea comes from. Most customers think it’s just a pretty piece of scenery, but it’s actually a depiction of the farm where every drop of tea we serve comes from.

There’s actually a nice parallel between Paradise Farm and SRINA Teahouse and Café. The farm employs all the women from the village and we’re doing the similar thing here in Kenmore by hiring 18-35 year old women from the community through the JOBS program.

Why did Monaqui choose to open SRINA on Kenmore Blvd.?

The Rubber City Match Program allowed us to come into a neighborhood where we could be part of revitalization. We didn’t want to plug into a community already up and running. We wanted to be in a neighborhood on the cusp of a renaissance and actually help a neighborhood.

What should everyone know about SRINA?

We’re not just a company, or a place to get a cup of tea – we’re a lifestyle.

What do you love about Kenmore? What’s unique here?

The people are amazing. I haven’t met one bad person in this neighborhood. You hear stories about trouble from time to time, but those are things that can, do, and will happen no matter where you are.

What’s your vision for the Boulevard in 10 years?

Crowds walking up and down the street and visiting every unique and interesting business we have. I try to do all my business on the Blvd.

What do you see as Kenmore’s biggest opportunities?

The music obviously. It’s a unique place with all the recording studios and how great the live music is. It’s a lively music area.

What’s your favorite band or musician you’ve seen play in Kenmore?

A Band Named Ashes, Big Pop, Akronauts. The Summit FM brought Seratones to The Rialto and-they were amazing. I’ve seen a lot of really great music here.

Are there any specific musicians or bands you’d like to see play in Kenmore?

The Rialto and The Summit do a great job of bringing some acts in and I like to be surprised. I’ve never been disappointed.

Finally, what’s your favorite Kenmore Pizza?

Pierre’s – that Pizza is amazing! My favorite is the Bella Tia Maria.

SRINA Tea House & Café serves organic tea, healthy food, and delicious coffee Monday – Saturday from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m from its location at 975 Kenmore Blvd. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram for updates and more information.

And don’t miss the Fall Harvest Celebration at SRINA Tea House & Cafe October 27-29! RSVP Here

Buzzbin Art & Music Shop – one of Northeast Ohio’s best-known live music venues – is working hard to reopen on Kenmore Blvd. after a decade-long tenure in downtown Canton.

In an effort to offset the massive expense of relocating, the owners have set up an online donation link and organized “Benefit for the ‘Bin” – a multi-venue benefit concert beginning at 3 p.m. this Saturday, September 24. Twenty bands and solo artists will take over the stage at Buzzbin’s new location at 952 Kenmore Blvd. (the former Live Music Now!) and The Rialto Theatre two blocks away at 1000 Kenmore Blvd.

With the help of some awesome people we have a secured a new home for Buzzbin on the Boulevard in Kenmore!” said Chris Bentley, who co-owns Buzzbin with his wife Julia (Masalko) Bentley. “We still have a mountain of bills and fees for permits etc and decided to throw a huge party [to help raise money to cover the costs] and invited some amazing bands and musicians!”

Upon learning the closure of Buzzbin’s downtown Canton location was imminent in June, Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance wasted no time in inviting Chris Bentley to come visit Kenmore Blvd. Where he was given a tour of the former Live Music Now! building located between 13th and 14th Streets. Chris was immediately blown away by the potential of the space and the creative hive of artists and musicians buzzing around Kenmore. “I thought it was absolutely perfect for Buzzbin,” Chris said of the former bar at 952 Kenmore Blvd. “It has everything that Buzzbin would need to be successful.”

Julia agreed it was the ideal new home for Buzzbin, so the couple wasted no time getting Buzzbin going on The Blvd. and hosted their first show in their new home during Kenmore First Friday on September 2. Despite quickly securing a new home, Buzzbin is in need of substantial financial support to make its move successful.

“Buzzbin was almost destroyed by COVID and the Canton location never really was able to come back to full strength after that,” Chis explained. “This led to a mountain of bills and problems that piled up in the past two years. The Benefit for the Bin is extremely important because it is an extension of what we spent ten years building in Canton. A legendary environment for fans of underground music.”

Buzzbin’s success on the Blvd. not only means the world to the Bentley’s – it means a lot to the revitalization of Kenmore Blvd.

“The addition of Buzzbin Art & Music Shop to Kenmore Blvd. not only reactivates a building that has been vacant the past few years, but it brings more people to The BLVD,” Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance Promoter & Experience Manager Corey Jenkins said. “Buzzbin isn’t an upstart, it’s an established business with a devoted following who will bring additional business to Kenmore’s restaurants and shops.”

Amongst the performers who are donating their time by playing for free at “Benefit For The Bin” are Tommy Stewart from legendary heavy metal band Hallow’s Eve and 72 Legions featuring guitar gods Dan Gates from TON and Kenmore resident Curran Murphy, who played in progressive metal band Nevermore.

“Music that has heart, passion and guts. That’s what we are building in Kenmore and that’s why we fit in,” Chris emphasized. It’s a place that is rebuilding for all of the right reasons. Come out and watch great independent music and support that dream.”

Help support Buzzbin’s move to Kenmore – get your tickets for “Benefit for the ‘Bin” or donate at buzzbinkenmore.com.

City of Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan addresses “Great Places Rock” attendees at First Glance on Kenmore Blvd.

Kenmore Boulevard was front and center during the first ever Summit County Placemaking Institute, held Wednesday, Sept. 14 on Kenmore Boulevard. Subtitled “Great Places Rock,” the event featured some of Ohio’s leading thinkers in the areas of community development, public space and art, including Tod Wormstedt of the American Sign Museum, Guide Studio’s Cathy Fromet and LAND Studio’s Greg Peckham, both renown public space planning experts based in Cleveland. Other speakers included local artists, government officials and nonprofit representatives, including Tina Boyes, Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance’s executive director.

“Kenmore is a leader in authentic neighborhood placemaking, so this was the perfect place to launch the initiative,” said Nicole Mullet, executive director of ArtsNow, the event’s organizer.

While she admitted the general public might not know the word placemaking, they know good placemaking when they see it.

According to People for Public Spaces, placemaking “strengthen(s) the connection between people and the places they share.” It is a collaborative process of shaping spaces so they’re more valued by everyone and reflect the physical, cultural and social identities of their community.

“When ArtsNow embarked on the Akron Cultural Plan, this was one of the major goals: to strengthen the city through the arts, humanities, culture, natural resources and heritage of each unique neighborhood,” she explained. “This event is the perfect next step to get greater Akron’s creative juices flowing.”

Event sessions focused on the power of placemaking in community development, how branding and signage can improve neighborhoods and business districts, how visual art, programming and events can brand a neighborhood, and how philanthropy, government and nonprofits can work together to implement substantive placemaking efforts.

“For Akron to grow to 250,000 residents, it must grow through its neighborhoods,” Boyes said in the opening plenary. “We need to recreate emotional connections to those places.” She also gave attendees a tour of the art, branding and improvement initiatives underway along Kenmore Boulevard.

City of Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan kicked off the meeting, saying he hoped the event would be the first of many such conversations in the city. He added it’s the residents, artists and community developers, not government, that will create authentic change. “Our question is simply, ‘How we can help?’”

For more information about the Akron Cultural Plan, or to receive updates about future cultural plan-related events, visit artsnow.org.

BY JENNIFER CONN AKRON

PUBLISHED 5:00 PM ET SEP. 02, 2022

AKRON, Ohio — When visitors meet Kenny Lambert at his “Just a Dad from Akron” clothing store or one of the many community events he’s hosted, they are met with a tall, heavily tatted, energetic young man with cool hair and a genuine smile.

It’s no surprise Lambert has a growing following. His clothing line touts positivity and encouragement, especially for young parents who he encourages to be positive role models.

Lambert uses proceeds from clothing sales to host events that draw hundreds of people and feature giveaways of food, shoes or school supplies. He takes his daughter when he personally delivers merchandise purchased online to his customers homes.

His store is open to young people struggling with drugs and alcohol, but drawn to Lambert’s confidence and energy. He has partnered with many local businesses to spread his positive messages, all of which he calls “the movement.”

But what might be a surprise is that Lambert is a recovering addict and three-time felon, who was in and out of jail, homeless, and eventually shunned by family and friends.

He’s not guarded about it; it’s a story he often tells so those caught in the grip of addiction know there’s hope. In the end, Lambert said it was fatherhood that spurred him to get sober to stay alive for his daughter, Amelia.

Now Lambert’s story is coming to a much larger audience through the documentary, “Just a Dad from Akron: The Movement.”

Produced by Nate Ankrom of Enjoy the Epic, the premiere is set at the Akron Civic Theatre in downtown Akron on Saturday, Oct. 1 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. There are 2,500 seats available for the free viewing.

More than two years in the making, the documentary follows Lambert through the early days of building his brand online and opening his Just a Dad from Akron store on Kenmore Boulevard. But it’s not so much about the business as it is the movement.

The film weaves the story of Lambert’s turbulent past with candid interviews with friends, authority figures, young people he has inspired — even a judge who sent him to jail.

“My life before, you know, like the life of a drug addict. The hardships that I went through, and how sobriety and faith has, you know, restored me as a person, to be a positive member in the community,” Lambert said of the film. “To give hope, you know, and inspire change.”

The documentary captures interviews with Lambert’s family members. His parents talk, not for the first time about their son’s addiction, but about the deep pain he caused, said Lambert, who admits he burned every bridge — with family and friends, and even his dealers.

“So it’s very raw and organic, as far as, the emotions,” he said. “It’s like inspiration, to give people hope. The film is not about me, by any means, you know, but it’s more geared towards what happens when community comes together, what builds community, and the positive things that are the outcome of that.”

Ankrom said he learned about Lambert through friends, who sent him a link to something Lambert posted on social media in 2020. He contacted Lambert to say he was open to helping out with any videography Lambert might need.

When the two met, the intention was for Ankrom to create one or two short pieces on Lambert’s work. Fast forward two years, and they are making final edits to an hour-long documentary.

“The movement, really, it’s contagious. I’m not always the most positive person,” Ankrom said. “The more we’re around positive people, people are like good energy. It’s almost like you can’t be negative, you know. We all have our ups and downs. We lift each other up as a team and as a community.”

Parts of the documentary are bittersweet, and include an interview with Lambert’s one-time business partner Sebastian Spencer, 19, who died tragically.

When Ankrom met Lambert, Spencer was a company representative, helping Lambert launch the Just a Dad from Akron brand online and plan the brick-and-mortar store opening.

Ankrom and Spencer were both soon to be new fathers, and with much of Lambert’s messaging focused on good parenting, a strong bond formed.

In early 2021, Spencer died in an accident, leaving a three-month old son.

The popularity of the Just a Dad from Akron movement has been a boon to the Kenmore business district, said Tina Boyes, executive director of the Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance, a community development corporation.

The store has brought business to the Kenmore Boulevard district, but in ways that’s secondary to the sense of community Lambert has helped strengthen in Kenmore, she said.

Having lived through addiction and recovery and coming out positive on the other side, Lambert has reached many people who need support but don’t know how to get it, she said.

“They’re looking for someone on the side of the street to say, ‘hey, let’s talk,’” Boyes said. “You know, he’s that guy. And that’s like a beacon.”

For more information on the documentary “Just a Dad from Akron: The Movement,” visit the event page. Visit the Just a Dad from Akron website to learn more about the company.

Organizers hope program will lead to lasting relationships with local musicians

By Jeff Niesel, Cleveland Scene

Published Wed, Sep 7, 2022 at 3:00 pm

Akron-based band Glenn Lazear performing at the Rialto. (Photo by Jason Chamberlain)

Located in Akron’s Kenmore Neighborhood, the Rialto Theatre has just announced that it’s teamed up with 91.3 the Summit to launch Emerging Sounds, a series of live music showcases designed to showcase new local musical acts.

The first event will take place in November.

“Anyone who has been in a band knows how hard it is to get started,” says Corey Jenkins, Promoter & Experience Manager for Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance and guitarist in the Akron-based band Big Pop in a press release about the event. “Not only is it challenging to get a venue to book you when you’re starting, it’s equally hard to get people to come out. We’re hoping Emerging Sounds can help artists get past both of those hurdles.”

Beginning on Nov. 17, the series will take place on the third Thursday of every month. Admission is free, $5 if you are under 21.

“The Summit and The330.net are both local public radio services that play music 24/7 and are dedicated to emerging artists and local talent,” says Brad Savage, Program Director for the Summit FM. “Giving artists several platforms to be heard is a big part of our mission, and we’re thrilled to partner with Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance and the Rialto Theater.”

Bands and artists featured as part of Emerging Sounds and bring 50 or more audience members to their Emerging Sounds showcase and will be offered the opportunity to record one song for free at the Rialto Theatre’s recording studio and a Friday or Saturday night show.

“We want to build lasting relationships with the musicians who play here,” says Rialto Theatre co-owner Seth Vaill. “We want them to come back to record their music here and then have their sold out album release party here one day.”

Interested bands and musicians who are starting out and trying to get their names out there of all ages and genres are encouraged to email booking@therialtotheatre.com to request a spot on an Emerging Sounds showcase.

The Rialto Theatre, which opened in 2015, has contributed to the revitalization of Kenmore Blvd. and the development of the district as Akron’s Music Row. The Rialto building houses a music venue and performance art theatre, a front room known as the Rialto Living Room that features a small stage for solo performances, and Buon Cibo, a new restaurant serving paninis, desserts and drinks. Additionally, the Rialto is home to a recording facility that has produced records for a number of up-and-coming and established artists.

One of Northeast Ohio’s most established musicians opens up about Kenmore, Music, and Recovery

Marc Lee Shannon is a Rustbelt songwriter from Ohio’s “North Coast” with a career that has spanned over 30 years.

After spending the first decade of his career or so in working in Los Angeles and spending much of his time on the road, on the stage, and in the studio with many top country, rock, and soul artists, Marc returned home and was introduced to Michael Stanley. This introduction not only sparked a musical partnership, but a decades-long mentorship and friendship. Marc went on to serve as a member of Michael Stanley & The Resonators –one of Ohio’s largest concert draws, and established himself as well-known solo artist along the way.

Marc has deep familial ties to Kenmore. His parents attended Margaret Park School, and his mother was a proud Kenmore High School Class of 1947 grad. Growing up, Marc was fascinated by stories about how the Kenmore community was so family-friendly, cultural, and diverse, and even today his mother – now 93-years-old – talks about catching the bus on Lakewood Blvd into town to work at the movie theatre.

“What a time that must have been!” Marc muses. “I feel the spirit of those days and can imagine life during those years when I walk the streets of Kenmore. I am a descendant of those people who lived in that little town. Kenmore is woven into the fabric of my family heritage.”

Marc is also a passionate advocate for addiction recovery, he has authored a monthly column, “Sober Chronicles,” for The Devil Strip. His podcast, “Recovery Talks – The Podcast,” features lantern holders and lighthouses that freely share their sobriety and mental health journeys.

We had the chance to talk to Marc about Kenmore, music, and recovery ahead of his headlining performance with his backing band “My Other Brothers” this Friday, Sept. 2 during the final Kenmore First Friday of 2022.

How do you think your family’s background in Kenmore has impacted you as a person?

My family has a strong sense of the working class that runs through the fabric of our Kenmore heritage. Listening to stories of my mom’s journey in high school: being required to watch her younger sibling and working downtown, she had to really lean in and help the family make it. There was not a lot of “fun time” in her life growing up. There was a struggle and a strong need to contribute to the family that was common in that time and place.

Like many places, Kenmore has felt the sting of opiate and other drug addiction. How do these very personal struggles impact an entire community?

We are a village. All of us are impacted by the economic, cultural and unfortunately sometimes the criminal nature of the results of Substance Use Disorder in our community. We can stand together to remove the stigma of Addiction by calling out that this is a disease, an illness not a personality flaw. Treatment and prevention can help us avoid too familiar stories of incarceration and the decimation of families.

So many times we hear stories of musicians falling victim to addition. Why do you think that is, and what can we do better to support them?

I guess we hear more today about the sensationalism of personal tragedy. Face it, there are media headlines that get attention when something bad happens. I will tell you though, that just as often I hear stories of artists that have beaten addiction and other mental health issues. These, often times, do not make headlines. Recovery is possible. I am sober now for 7 years and 10 months.

Having experienced recovery yourself, you are a vocal advocate in the community, particularly with the Summit’s Rock and Recovery radio station. How do you think music supports people in recovery?

Music is uplifting and healing. It helps to convert the emotions that we all feel. It is a language that anyone and everyone can relate to when the right song meets the way we feel. Music is a salve that heals and helps us remember we are not alone.

I’m sure you’ve heard of Kenny Lambert and Just a Dad From Akron, whose shop on the Boulevard offers support groups and an open door to people who are struggling. What are your thoughts on his model of business, and why do you think it is important to have people like him on the Boulevard?

Kenny has been on my podcast Recovery Talks.

We must stand together . We have to show others that recovery is possible and that right there is your own community it is a living example of evidence that people do recover. We must support business’s like JADFA to hold up the lantern to the community and say “Look!, you can do this too!”

You’ve performed on Kenmore Boulevard several times since revitalization efforts started in 2017. Why do you keep coming back?

I keep coming back for a lot to reasons. The number one is Tina [Boyes, Executive Director, Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance]. When you see a person that is passionate about right intention and warm hearted purpose… get in that boat and row!

What can people expect to experience at your performance next Friday?

Music from my latest and past records performed my MLS (me!) and My Other Brothers : Angelo Merendino, Kurt Anshutz and Michael Weber. A cool little combo that will rock and play a 60 minute set that will not disappoint. If you like N.E.Ohio made soulful, rock sounds, you will dig it!

Don’t miss your chance to see Marc Lee Shannon & My Other Brothers when they perform this Friday, September 2 at 8pm during the final Kenmore First Friday of 2022!

Neighborhood to celebrate progress during Kenmore First Friday event on Sept. 2

August 25,2022 (Akron, OH) – Five years after Akron’s third Better Block event, Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance is inviting people back to Kenmore Boulevard to celebrate the permanent changes that have taken shape on Akron’s ‘Music Row.’

Kenmore First Friday: Kenmore Better Block 5th Anniversary will take place Friday, Sept. 2 from 6 to 9 p.m. on Kenmore Boulevard between 13th to 16th St. It will feature live music by Marc Lee Shannon & My Other Brothers, Indre, Minus the Alien, and more, plus a beer garden, children’s activities, pop-up shops and food trucks. The event is free to the public.

According to Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance Executive Director Tina Boyes, 13 additional businesses and organizations have filled Boulevard storefronts since the Kenmore Better Block, which took place Sept. 1-2, 2017. Additionally, 14 of the commercial properties have new facades, and more than $1 million in new physical improvements have happened on Kenmore Boulevard.

“The impact of the Kenmore Better Block cannot be overstated: Not only did we uncover that these three blocks were home to six recording studios, two guitar shops and a live music venue, a ‘Music Row,’ of sorts, we discovered what residents really wanted to see in our neighborhood,” Boyes said. “Those things included a coffee shop, expanded food options, clothing, gifts and more community events, and those are exactly what we’ve attracted.”

On Sept. 2, Crafty Mart will be hosting a range of local artisans along Kenmore Boulevard, and several shops will pop up in leasable storefronts, including Frankenstein Records and Buon Cibo, a restaurant concept by Kenmore resident Michael McElroy, which will be located in The Rialto Theatre’s Living Room area.

In addition, the Buzzbin Art & Music Shop will feature live music by the Honkey Tonk Kid and Donnie Casey next to what will soon be their new home at 952 Kenmore Blvd. Visitors can get a sneak peek of their new space starting at 9 p.m., when Ghost:Hello and Book of Wyrms will take the stage. The Rialto Theatre will also host the band Glenn Lazear’s album release party with special guest Talons’.

”It’s an exciting time on Kenmore Boulevard,” said Corey Jenkins, promoter and experience manager for Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance. “We’re continuing to develop the district’s identity as Akron’s Music Row, and events like this are a great opportunity for people to experience both who we are and where we’re headed.”

For more information about Kenmore First Friday, visit https://www.betterkenmore.org/first-friday.