1 of 9
Akron Zoo
2 of 9
Szalay's
3 of 9
The Spa at Yellow Creek
4 of 9
The Orange Trük
5 of 9
Luigi's
6 of 9
Don Drumm
7 of 9
Brenda Hughes
8 of 9
Lauren Ward
9 of 9
Amazone
You may have thought Akron’s natural resources were orange highway barrels
and sauerkraut balls, but you’re mistaken.
This “Best of the City” issue — the one you’re holding in your hands (or reading
on your eReader) right now — is Akron’s natural resource.
And it’s a self-sustaining natural resource because each year our readers share their local favorites (This year, we received nearly 1,000 nominations!), giving us a whole new crop of places to explore, food to sample, people to meet and events to attend.
This “Best of the City” issue (like its predecessors) will find its place on many a coffee table, nightstand or tucked into that space in the kitchen with all the take-out
menus you’ve collected. And, as in past years, these pages bear the answers to Akronites’ age-old Questions of Life, like “What’s the name of that dentist everyone goes to?” and “I don’t care … Where do YOU want to go to dinner?”
You’ve earned this treasure, my friends. It is a great and valuable tool. Use it wisely.
Seasonal fun
Most Relaxing Place to Have a Picnic
First: Sand Run, Metro Parks Serving Summit County (Metro Parks), Akron
Second: Virginia Kendall, Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP),
Peninsula
Third: Hudson Springs Park, Hudson
Most Challenging Spot to Hike in the Fall
First: The Ledges at Virginia Kendall, CVNP, Peninsula
Second: The Gorge, Metro Parks, Cuyahoga Falls
Third: Brandywine Falls, CVNP, Peninsula
Fastest Hill for Winter Sled Riding
First: Virginia Kendall Cliffs, CVNP, Peninsula
Second: Goodyear Heights sled hill, Metro Parks, Akron
Third: Sand Run, North Hawkins sled hill, Metro Parks, Akron
Honorable Mention (tie): Cascade Valley/South, Metro Parks, Akron
AND
Firestone sled hill, Metro Parks, Akron
Best Place to See Spring Flowers
First: Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, Akron
Second: FA Seiberling Nature Realm, Akron
Third: Akron Zoo, Akron
Honorable Mention: Daffodil Trail at Furnace Run, Metro Parks, Richfield
Entertainment
Coolest Live Music Venue
First: Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls
Second: Musica, Akron
Third: Lock 3, Akron
Honorable Mention: Rockin’ on the River, Cuyahoga Falls
Most Entertaining Theater Company
First: Weathervane Playhouse, Akron
Second: Magical Theatre Company, Barberton
Third: Actors’ Summit, Akron
Honorable Mention: Hudson Players, Hudson
Best Art or Craft Programs
First: Akron Art Museum, Akron
Second: Akron-Summit County Public Library, multiple locations
Third (tie): All Fired Up!, Copley
AND
Peninsula Art Academy, Peninsula
Honorable Mention: Downtown Akron Artwalk, Akron
Best Local Radio Station
First: 91.3 WAPS, Akron
Second: 89.7 WKSU, Kent
Third (tie): 94.9 WQMX, Akron
AND
98.1 WKDD, Akron
Honorable Mention: 100 WNIR, Akron
Most Fan-Friendly Place to Watch Sports on TV
First: Winking Lizard, multiple locations
Second: Canal Park, Akron
Third: BW3, multiple locations
Honorable Mention: Barley House, Akron
Best Place to Learn a New Sport
First: YMCA, multiple locations
Second: Pinnacle Sports, Medina and Twinsburg
Third: University of Akron, Akron
Honorable Mention: Akron Celtic Guards Hurling, Tuesday nights at Hardesty Park, Akron
Best Golf Course to Break Par
First: JE Good Park Municipal Golf Course, Akron
Second: Brandywine Country Club, Peninsula
Third: Firestone Country Club, Akron
Honorable Mention: Fox Den Golf Course, Stow
Coolest High School Marching Band
First: Hudson High School
Second: Stow-Munroe Falls High School
Third: Cuyahoga Falls High School
Honorable Mention: Copley High School
Best Free Event
First: Summer concerts at Lock 3, Akron
Second: Rockin’ on the River, Cuyahoga Falls
Third: Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival, multiple locations
Honorable Mention: Akron Arts Expo, Hardesty Park, Akron
Services
Best Dance Lessons
First: Martell School of Dance, Akron
Second: Christine Jones-Meneer School of Dance, Munroe Falls
Third: Nan Klinger Excellence in Dance, Cuyahoga Falls
Easiest Place to Buy a Car
First: Ron Marhoffer Auto Family, multiple locations
Second (tie): Mike Pruitt Honda, Akron
AND
Don Sitts, Cuyahoga Falls
Third: Van Devere, multiple locations
Honorable Mention: Klaben, Kent
Best Florist
First: The Greenhouse, Hudson
Second: Pam’s Posies, Akron
Third: Molly Taylor Designs, Hudson
Honorable Mention: Every Blooming Thing, Akron
Best Pet Groomer
First: Celebrity Pets, Akron
Second (tie): Wizard of Paws, Stow
AND
Doggie Go Go/Kitty Ga Ga, Stow
Third: Salon De Pooch, Stow
Honorable Mention: One of a Kind Pets, Akron
Best Spa
First: The Spa at Yellow Creek, Bath
Second: Falling Waters Spa, Hudson
Third: Gavin Scott Salon and Spa, Stow
Honorable Mention: A White Pond Paradise, Akron
Best Hospital to Direct the Ambulance Driver
First: Summa/Akron City Hospital, Akron
Second: Akron General Medical Center, Akron
Third: Akron Children’s Hospital, Akron
Honorable Mention: Cleveland Clinic, multiple locations
Best Agent to Sell Your House
First: Eric Cooper, Coldwell Banker Hunter Realty, Akron
Second: Richard Lubinski, Stouffer Realty, Stow
Third: Ted Olson, Keller Williams Chervenic Realty, Hudson
Honorable Mention: Jan Brenneman, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, Akron
Best Dentist to Do Your Root Canal
First: Dr. David Harris, Stow
Second: Dr. Kyle Eberhardt, Akron
Third: Dr. Bryan Stephens, Akron
Most Fun Indoor Playspace
First: Amazone, Medina
Second: Pump It Up, Hartville
Third: Fun-n-Stuff, Macedonia
Honorable Mention (tie): Romp n Stomp, Medina
AND
Akron Zoo’s Komodo Kingdom and Journey to the Reef exhibits, Akron
Kid-Approved Birthday Party Venues
First: Akron Zoo, Akron
Second: Pump It Up, Hartville
Third: Laser Quest, Montrose
Honorable Mention: Fun-n-Stuff, Macedonia
Best Class for Kids
First: Akron Zoo camps, Akron
Second: Weathervane classes, Akron
Third: Swimming at the YMCA, multiple locations
Honorable Mention: The Goddard School, Akron
Most Educational Storytime for Kids
First: Akron-Summit County Public Library, Main, Fairlawn, Ellet, Tallmadge and Northwest branches
Second: Hudson Library and Historical Society, Hudson
Third: Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library, Stow
Honorable Mention: Cuyahoga Falls Library, Cuyahoga Falls
Best Jeweler
First: Kimberly Jewelers, Akron
Second: Jewelry Art, Hudson
Third: Taylor Made Jewelers, Akron
Honorable Mention: Sam’s Emporium, Akron
Antique Shop with Undiscovered Treasures
First: The Bomb Shelter, Akron
Second: Stagecoach Antiques, Akron
Third (tie): Abbey Ann’s, multiple locations
AND
Givits Thrift and Recycle, Hudson
Honorable Mention: The Hidden Pearl, Cuyahoga Falls
Most Customer-Friendly Boutique
First: NOTO, Akron
Second: In Style Accessories, Hudson
Third: Carnaby Street Style, Kent
Honorable Mention: The Grey Colt, Hudson
Best Gallery to Buy Art
First: Don Drumm, Akron
Second: Hudson Fine Art and Framing, Akron
Third: Harris Stanton Gallery, Akron
Honorable Mention (tie): We Gallery, Akron
AND
The Box Gallery in Summit Artspace, Akron
Independent Bookstore with the Best Selection
First: The Learned Owl, Hudson
Second: The Bookseller, Akron
Third: Last Exit Books, Kent
Honorable Mention: Logos, Kent
Best Place for Splurge Shoes
First: Lucky Shoes, multiple locations
Second: Carnaby Street Style, Kent
Third (tie): Second Sole, Akron
AND
Vertical Runner, Hudson
Honorable Mention: Long’s Shoes, Stow
Best Indie Toy Store
First: My Little Red Wagon, Hudson
Second: Thinker Toys, Montrose
Third: Off the Wagon, Kent
Honorable Mention: The Land of Make Believe, Hudson
Best New Store (last 12 months)
First: Carnaby Street Style, Kent
Second: Barbers West, Akron
Third: J. Paris Designs, Cuyahoga Falls
Food and Drink
Best Place to Buy Sweet Corn in the Summer
First: Szalay’s, Peninsula.
No matter how our readers spell it (Zaylees, Szlazys or – Good grief! — Sleazys), this farm’s sweet corn won by a landslide.
Second: Graf Growers, Akron
Third: Bender’s Farm Market, Copley
Honorable Mention: Dussell Farm, Brimfield
Most Colorful Farmers’ Market
First: Hudson Farmers’ Market, Akron
Second: Szalay’s, Peninsula
Third: Haymaker Farmers’ Market, Kent
Honorable Mention: Countryside Conservancy, Howe Meadow, Peninsula
Tastiest Slice of Homemade Pie
First: Hartville Kitchen, Hartville
Second: West Side Bakery, Akron
Third (tie): Waterloo Restaurant, Akron
AND
Gardner Pie Co., Akron
Honorable Mention: Aladdin’s, multiple locations
Best Place to Get Hot Chocolate in the Winter
First: Angel Falls Coffee Company, Akron
Second: Nervous Dog Coffee Bar, Akron and Stow
Third: Akron Zoo, Akron
Honorable Mention: Snack bar at Lock 3 Ice Skating Rink, Akron
Best Ethnic Market
First: DeVitis Italian Market, Akron
Second: Hana Asian Market, Akron
Third: West Point Market, Akron
Honorable Mention: The Near East Market, Cuyahoga Falls
Best Ethnic Restaurant
First: Aladdin’s, multiple locations
Second: Saffron Patch, Akron
Third: Laziza, Kent
Honorable Mention (tie): New Era, Akron
AND
Pad Thai, Hudson and Fairlawn
Best Vegetarian Menu
First: Aladdin’s, multiple locations
Second: Mustard Seed Café, Fairlawn
Third: Miss Julie’s Kitchen, Akron
Honorable Mention (tie): The Lockview, Akron
AND
Saffron Patch, Akron
Dining Spot where Omnivores, Vegetarians and Meat-Eaters can Coexist Peacefully
First: Aladdin’s, multiple locations
Second: DBA, Akron
Third (tie): The Lockview, Akron
AND
Crave, Akron
Honorable Mention: Mustard Seed Café, Fairlawn
The Hannibal Lecter Award goes to the person who wrote, “Rather watch meat-eaters eat vegetarians.”
Best Breakfast
First: The Blue Door Bakery and Café, Cuyahoga Falls
Second: Wally Waffle, Akron
Third: The Eye Opener, Akron
Honorable Mention: Yours Truly, multiple locations
Best Family-Friendly Dining
First: Hudson’s, Hudson and Akron
Second: Rockne’s, multiple locations
Third: Luigi’s, Akron
Honorable Mention: Yours Truly, multiple locations
Best Pizza
First: Luigi’s, Akron
Second: 3 Palms, Hudson
Third: Gionino’s Pizza, multiple locations
Honorable Mention: Mr. G’s, Fairlawn
Juiciest Burger
First: Flip Side, Hudson
Second (tie): Swenson’s, multiple locations
AND
The Rail, Fairlawn
Third: Louie’s, Cuyahoga Falls
Honorable Mention: Whitey’s, Richfield
Best Place to Burn Your Taste Buds
First: Saffron Patch, Akron
Second: Cilantro, Akron
Third: Heather’s Heat and Flavor, Hudson
Honorable Mention: Winking Lizard, multiple locations
Best Bakery
First: West Side Bakery, Akron
Second: Great Lakes Baking Company, Hudson
Third: Tiffany’s Bakery, Akron
Honorable Mention: Crest Bakery, Akron
Most Interesting (Unofficial) Food Truck
First: The Orange Trük
Second: Zydeco Bistro
Third: Stray Dog Cart
Honorable Mention: La Loma
Most Inventive Chef
First: DBA, Akron/Dante Boccuzzi and Torsten Schulz
Second: Hudson’s, Hudson and Akron/John, JJ and Kevin Altomare aka “The 3 Foodies”
AND
The Orange Trük/Jeff Winer and Scott Sabo
Third: Beau’s Grille, Akron/Beau Schmidt
Honorable Mention: Edgar’s, Akron/Glen Gillespie
Best New Restaurant (last 12 months)
First: DBA, Akron
Second: 3 Palms, Hudson
Third (tie): Lager and Vine, Hudson
AND
The Office, Cuyahoga Falls
Honorable Mention: On the Rocks, Akron
Best Independent Coffeehouse
First: Angel Falls Coffee Company, Akron
Second: Nervous Dog Coffee Bar, Akron and Stow
Third: Tree City Coffee and Pastry, Kent
Honorable Mention: Mocha Joe’s, Stow
Best Wine Bar
First: 750ML, Akron
Second: Uncorked, Akron
Third: Riverside, Kent
Honorable Mention: Regency Wine Bar, Fairlawn
Best Place to Get a Beer
First: The Lockview, Akron
Second: Winking Lizard, multiple locations
Third: Ray’s Place, Kent
Honorable Mention (tie): Frank’s Place, Akron
AND
Thirsty Dog Brewing Co., Akron
Best Bartender
First: Michael Radic from Square Bar
Second (tie): Jimmy Finley from Hudson’s
AND
Nick Kaluger from The Basement at Waterloo
Third: Casey Treen from DBA
All About Akron
Best Local Nonprofit Organization
First: Akron Zoo, Akron
Second: PAWSibilities, Humane Society of Greater Akron, Twinsburg
Third: Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank, Akron
Honorable Mention: Habitat for Humanity of Summit County, Akron
Best High School Sports Rivalry
First: Archbishop Hoban vs. St. Vincent-St. Mary (Football)
Second: Copley vs. Revere
Third: Cuyahoga Falls vs. Stow
Honorable Mention: Hudson vs. Stow
Coolest Reason for Waiting in Line
First: The pizza at Luigi’s, Akron
Second: A new exhibit at the Akron Zoo, Akron
Third: A concert at Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls
Honorable Mention (tie): The Orange Trük, always on the move
AND
Strickland’s Custard, Montrose
Other Cool Reasons:
• “Donate blood”
• “Get ice skates to skate at Lock 3”
• “To see Bill Clinton stump for Barack Obama before the election!”
The Voice of Reason: “It’s never cool to wait in line”
Best Blog/Podcast
First: akronempire.blogspot.com
Second: awkwardlyaliveandpleasantlypeculiar.com
Third (tie): alovelylittleblog.com
AND
AkronOhioMoms.com
Best Place to Buy Akron-centric Products
First: Rubber City Clothing, Akron
Second: Don Drumm, Akron
Third: Crafty Mart, Akron
Honorable Mention: Akron Zoo gift shop, Akron
Best Way to Improve Downtown Akron
First: More retail: boutiques and reasonably-priced shops
Second: More restaurants: vegetarian/vegan, family-friendly, reasonably-priced and high-end
Third (tie): More police presence/security
AND
Allow food trucks
Honorable Mention: More parking/free parking
Other ideas we like:
• Add a new hotel
• Ask the biggest employers to change their work shift up or back one hour to relieve rush-hour traffic
• Add bike lanes
• Build a Children’s Museum
• Give incentives or cheap leases for businesses to open downtown
• Weird, but Not Completely Insane: Underground tunnels for walkers to connect North End with rest of the city
• The Who Asked You? Award goes to the person who wrote, “Knock it down and start over.”
Best Thing to Happen to Akron (last 12 months)
First: New additions at the Akron Zoo: the Journey to the Reef exhibit, birth of the snow leopard cubs and construction of Grizzly Ridge
Second: Akron Aeros win the 2012 Eastern League Championship, get a new owner with Ken Babby and install a $1.65 million video scoreboard at Canal Park.
Third: University of Akron Zips basketball team and Coach Keith Dambrot win the MAC title and go to the NCAA Tournament.
Honorable Mention (tie): The Black Keys wins a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance, Best Rock Song and Best Rock Album for “El Camino.” Band member Dan Auerbach wins Producer of the Year, Non-Classical.
AND
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and Bridgestone Corporation headquarters remain in Akron.
Local Personality
Best Artist
First: Don Drumm
Second: Marie Helene Lambert
Third: Amy Mothersbaugh-Roos
Honorable Mention: Joan Colbert
Best Athlete
First: LeBron James, Miami Heat and formerly with the … You Know Who
Second (tie): Josh Cribbs, formerly with Kent State Flashes and Cleveland Browns
AND
Zeke Marshall, University of Akron Zips basketball
Third: Demetrius Treadwell, University of Akron Zips basketball
Honorable Mention: The St. Vincent-St. Mary football team, 2012 Division III, OHSAA State Champions
Best Sports Announcer
First: Steve French, WNIR radio
Second (tie): Jim Donovan, WKYC-TV
AND
Tom Hamilton, WTAM radio
Third: Austin Carr, Fox Sports Ohio TV/radio
Best Author
First: Deborah McVay-McKinney
Second: David Giffels
Third: Joanna Wilson
Honorable Mention (tie): James Renner
AND
Les Roberts
Best Band/Musician
First: The Black Keys
Second: Freez-R-Burn
Third: Mo’ Mojo
Honorable Mention (tie): Bethesda
AND
Red Sun Rising
AND
Shivering Timbers
AND
The Speedbumps
AND
Zach
Note to Cleveland: The Gods of Rock ‘n’ Roll shine on the Rubber City too!
Best-Dressed Akronite
First (tie): Brenda Hughes, In Style Accessories, Hudson
AND
Lauren Ward, NOTO, Akron
Second: Mayor Don Plusquellic, Akron
Third (tie): Blake Babcock, Fast Switch, Akron
AND
Richard Lubinski, Lubinski Real Estate, Stow
Best Tweeter
First: Akron Zoo
Second: Pat Carney of The Black Keys
Third (tie): Akron Empire
AND
Todd V
Best Entrepreneur
First: Deborah McVay-McKinney, Time to Spare LLC, Akron
Second (tie): Emma Day, Carnaby Street Style, Kent
AND
Brenda Hughes, In Style Accessories, Hudson
Third (tie): Michael Grguric, Valley Animal Hospital, Akron
AND
Tony Troppe, United 1 LLC, Akron
Best Humanitarian
First: Zach, musician, Akron
Second (tie): Kristie Warner and Anne Davis, Gavin Scott Salon and Spa, Stow
AND
Roger and Judy Read, community leaders and philanthropists, Akron
Best Power Couple (business owners)
First: Michael and Laura Grguric, Valley Animal Hospital and Celebrity Pets, Akron
Second (tie): Liz Tyran and Jason Scala, Urban Eats, Akron
AND
Karen Starr and Jon Haidet, Hazel Tree Interiors, Akron
Third: Claudia Zeber-Martell and Michael Martell, Zeber-Martell Clay Studio, Akron
Honorable Mention (tie): Paul and Kathie Testa, Testa Companies, Cuyahoga Falls
AND
Dick and Tamara Brown, Givits Recycle and Thrift, Hudson
AND
Barbara Johnson and Georgianna Bojtos, daughter/mother owners of Jewelry Art, Hudson
Best Blog/Podcast
akronempire.blogspot.com
Joanna Wilson and Brit Charek believe there’s more to Akron than what lies within city limits.
They started their blog, Akron Empire, to share their view of the Akron area. Having recently celebrated the blog’s first anniversary, the pair continues to bring attention to the undiscovered people and places of Akron.
Wilson, a nonfiction writer, and Charek, a high school English teacher, started blogging about Akron because they recognized a hole in the blogosphere when it came to local attractions. Cleveland had plenty of blogs, but what about Akron and its surrounding “empire”? To jumpstart the project, they wrote about the people and places they were already visiting.
The bloggers post twice a week and enjoy connecting with people and starting conversations about what the area has to offer. Akron Empire has given them an excuse to go to different places and events.
“I look forward to doing my post each week,” Wilson says. “That was unexpected for me. I actually get a lot more out of it than I ever thought I would.”
They also welcome reader suggestions.
“My usual response is, ‘Well, why don’t you guest blog for us?’ ” Charek says. “As much as we enjoy blogging, it’s been nice to open it up to our friends and others who have things that they’re excited about.” — AF
Coolest High School Marching Band
Hudson High School
The Hudson High School Marching Band, 78 years old and 240 members strong, knows why “Loud is Good.”
And the band’s motto describes exactly what they do.
“It’s hard not to be affected by our performance when your hair is blown back from your face at our first note,” says Hudson band director Beverly O’Connor.
O’Connor says the band wants its performances to sound and look good as well.
“We believe that our function during performances is to get the crowd excited and even to involve them in our performance,” she says. “We want to see the audience on its feet.”
The director says students in the band know how to have fun, but they’re also highly disciplined. Planning for the big fall season begins in May, and at the end of July, the band travels to Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa. for one week. There, the students learn all their music and maneuvers.
“We come back to Hudson tired, blistered and sunburned but as changed people,” O’Connor says. “In our week away, we become a band.”
This year, the Hudson High band is looking forward to playing “It’s Time” by Imagine Dragons, a piece that was arranged by the band’s assistant director, John Burrington. — AF
Best-Dressed Akronite (tie)
Brenda Hughes, In Style Accessories, Hudson AND Lauren Ward, NOTO, Akron
The fashion style of Brenda Hughes, owner of In Style Accessories, consists of classic, neutral clothing accented by interesting accessories for polish but, she says, her style has been fine tuned with age.
“Women often become more confident in themselves as they age,” Hughes says. “In that aspect, my style has become more confident over time.”
Because she loves necklaces and scarves, she often wears a good representation of the ones sold at her store, but before any accessory goes on the sales floor, it must meet her high expectations.
“I have to be thrilled with quality and the design for it to be represented in my boutique,” Hughes says. “I’m not going to sell something that I wouldn’t want my name tied to.”
When it comes to creating a wardrobe, Hughes says every woman should own a black dress, black pants, neutral sweaters, interesting jewelry and a good quality handbag for each season.
Lauren Ward is a fashion lover with an eclectic style.
“I can truly find things from every era that speak to me, but what you can find me in on a daily basis could be as simple as a tunic top, skinny pants and boots,” says the owner of NOTO.
Running her own boutique in downtown Akron has affected Ward’s style. She used to look for trendy pieces but now she prefers more classic styles and describes herself as “a kid in a candy shop” when she shops for clothes.
“I become a fashion groupie to certain brands,” she says. “I’ll become obsessed with a particular brand for a few months and then get bored and find something new.”
So what’s her favorite piece of clothing? She says she could never give up her olive green bomber jacket her husband bought for her in the beginning of their courtship.
And what about hairstyles and accessories?
“I always rock a messy top knot in my hair,” Ward says, “And I’d have to say that my kids are my best accessories!” — AF
Best New Store
(last 12 months)
Carnaby Street Style, Kent
Located in the heart of downtown Kent, Carnaby Street Style brings a taste of Europe to Northeast Ohio. Inspired by the hip shopping atmosphere of London’s iconic Carnaby Street, this store features women’s and men’s clothing and accessories coupled with great customer service.
Born in England, Emma Day moved to Hudson, Ohio with her family. Last summer, she saw the redevelopment happening in downtown Kent and decided it was the perfect place for her store. After a few months of planning, the store opened Dec. 17.
Carnaby Street Style only receives six units of each item, which Day says is something that her customers appreciate.
“Once it’s gone, it’s gone,” she says. “Not everyone in Kent or everyone in the area is wearing the same thing, and because we have such limited inventory in everything, we get new things every single week.”
In the back of the store, Day has a chalkboard where employees can write clothing requests, either from themselves or from their customers. If a customer is looking for a specific item, Day tries to find it and get it into the store.
“We’re a family,” she says. “We like to have our customers be like our family too.” — AF
Best High School Sports Rivalry
Archbishop Hoban vs. St. Vincent-St. Mary football
The rivalry between the Archbishop Hoban Knights and the St. Vincent-St. Mary Fighting Irish is not to be taken lightly. Some even call it the “Akron Holy War.”
St. Vincent-St. Mary coach Dan Boarman says this game draws large crowds each season. Throughout the week before the matchup, each school has pep rallies, bonfires and other events to get everyone fired up.
“We try to keep the week at an even keel in terms of the kids,” Boarman says. “We want to make sure that we don’t get too high, we don’t get too low.”
On game day, Hoban has Mum Day during which students and teachers remain completely silent for the whole day before erupting into cheers at the end of the pep rally.
This season, Hoban has a new coach, and Tim Tyrrell says his team has already begun to prepare for fall.
“The biggest part of the season is the off-season when it comes to the sport of football,” Tyrrell says. “The hard work now hopefully pays off in the end.”
The winner of the Big Game receives the Shillelagh Trophy, presented by the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and of course, bragging rights throughout the year. The Fighting Irish have won each game since 2007, following the Knights’ nine-year winning streak.
This fall, the teams will face off for the 37th time on Sept. 27, at InfoCision Stadium on the University of Akron campus. — AF
Best Spa The Spa at Yellow Creek, Bath
Since opening in 2005, The Spa at Yellow Creek has pampered guests from throughout the Greater Akron area. With its serene and tranquil atmosphere, clients feel relaxed the moment they walk in the doors.
The spa’s mission is healthier living, and everything about the facility is designed to achieve this. All staff members are trained to help clients determine which services best suit their needs.
Scott Vazinski, the spa’s executive director, says in an average year, the spa’s employees perform close to 20,000 services with just over 15,000 spa visits. But, he adds, the most standout quality of the spa is the quality of its staff.
“Not only do we look for team members with diversified experience and expertise who deliver amazing services, but we also look for individuals who have a true passion for what they do and are committed to providing excellence every day,” he says.
Each staff member goes through rigorous training before working with clients.
“We’re always courteous and go way above and beyond for our clients,” Vazinski says. “Our business philosophy is to always respond to every request with ‘yes.’ ”
For the ultimate experience, Vazinski recommends clients arrive at the spa early and start with a yoga or workout class. Then, he suggests relaxing in the steam room before beginning treatments. — AF
Best Local
Radio Station
91.3 WAPS
91.3 WAPS has been bringing music to Akron since 1955. Today, its airwaves reach all the way to western Pennsylvania.
Catering to passionate, music-loving adults engaged in the community, WAPS is a commercial-free, member-supported public radio station.
Known for playing regional artists alongside bands like Coldplay and U2, WAPS disc jockeys try to play five new songs each hour — a risky move, says general manager Tommy Bruno, because listeners are sometimes unwilling to try new music.
“But with that comes an importance of supporting the regional arts scene,” he says. “That involves helping out the local venues and local artists.”
WAPS, owned and operated by the Akron Public Schools, also streams special programs online and on its mobile app, such as Summit Flashbacks, KIDJAM! Radio, and Rock & Recovery.
Rock & Recovery was developed after a community-needs assessment showed addiction to be a community-wide problem. With support from The Alcohol Drug Addiction & Mental Health Service Board, The Summa Foundation, Glenbeigh, Oriana House and others, this radio program combines positive messages from healthcare providers, addicts, comedians and family members with music that is hand-picked for that audience.
WAPS also works with the Akron Public Schools, Akron Symphony and Taylor Band & Orchestra on Music Alive, a project that acquires and refurbishes musical instruments before donating them back to the public schools.
“The station really prides itself on being engaged in the community,” Bruno says. — AF