BARBERSHOP THE COURT Walk three - SUMMER | FALL 2019 OHIO
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Southeast
OHIO
SUMMER | FALL 2019
Walk three
stories up to
THE COURT
BARBERSHOP
Music matters Canal Winchester’s Commercial Point’s
here, there and BrewDog DogHouse street racing is fast
everywhere hotel is best in show and furious fun
WWW.SOUTHEASTOHIOMAGAZINE.COM | 1
CONTENTS
Summer | Fall 2019 Issue
THE SCENE BEHIND THE BITE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
4 The National Museum of 6 Kennedy’s Bakery is sugar 12 Vest Berries is a labor of love
Cambridge Glass displays and spice and all things nice 15 Boch Hollow State Nature
its decorated history (and 9 Gigi’s cooks up comfort Preserve is a natural beauty
there’s a giftshop, too) 10 The Wild Horse Cafe is back
in the saddle
TALKING POINTS FEATURES
16 Guernsey Power Station 18 BrewDog’s DogHouse hotel is from Scotland with love
sparks energy issues 26 Commercial Point is the Woodstock of Street Racing
17 Is Buchtel Watering Hole a 32 Walk three stories up to The Court Barbershop in Athens
liquid asset?
Music Matters
WHAT’S YOUR STORY? 40 The phases and stages of Nelsonville Music Festival
46 Monday Creek Publishing 42 Belmont County’s Jambo is muted, for now
illustrates unbridled 43 The Ariel Opera House is Gallipolis’ acoustical gem
Appalachian spirit
2 | SUMMER/FALL 2019
Southeast
OHIO
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
T
hose unfamiliar with Southeast
Ohio often envision the region
as one with rolling hills, open
fields and tight-knit towns, far from
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
the hustle and bustle of big cities. Kris Perez
Some may even use the words “quiet”
and “sleepy” to describe it. But after MANAGING EDITOR
four years of calling Athens my home Jaida Sterling
away from home, I’m tempted to let
such misperceptions act as a sift for COPY & RESEARCH
the unimaginative. What I do know EDITORS
is that Southeast Ohio is a region
Elizabeth Harper
brimming with active and thriving
communities, you just need to exit Alex McCann
the highway to see it for yourself.
The staff at Southeast Ohio EDITORS
worked tirelessly these last four Kristine Fish
months to highlight what makes this one brewery, hotel and beer museum Ryan Flynn
region so special. What we found in- in Canal Winchester (Page 18). Erin Franczak
cludes a local publisher who runs her This issue looks at more than
Elizabeth Harper
business out of a barn (Page 46) and just community headlines or news,
a homegrown farmer who prospers it focuses on progress. As you flip DIGITAL EDITOR
despite the fights with unpredictable through this issue of Southeast
Ohio weather (Page 12). We celebrate Ohio, pay attention to the people we Evann Figueroa
Kennedy’s Bakery, a pastry-making spotlight, as they help make things
family business almost a century old happen. And they are just as invest- MULTIMEDIA &
(Page 6), and we highlight the ele- ed in the region as the rolling hills SOCIAL EDITOR
gant legacy of a museum dedicated to we call home. Mary Puzder
Cambridge Glass (Page 4). Enjoy.
Our feature stories range from WRITERS
Commercial Point’s epic street race Rasheedah Beatty
success (Page 26) to Athens’ The Kris Perez
Emily Finton
Court Barbershop’s beautiful bond.
We also explore stories of experienc- Devon Hannan
es that bring people together through Riley Harshman
music (Pages 38-44) and the all-in- Jessica Hill
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Alex Mason
DESIGNERS
Brooklynn Donachie
PHOTO EDITOR
Jessica Stark
MISSION STATEMENT EDITORIAL OFFICE
Southeast Ohio strives to spotlight Southeast Ohio Magazine PHOTOGRAPHERS
the culture and community within E.W. Scripps School of Journalism Emilee Chinn
our 21-county region. The student- 1 Ohio University Brooklynn Donachie
run magazine aims to inform, Athens, OH 45701-2979 Rob Green
entertain and inspire readers with email: hendrice@ohio.edu Daniel Linhart
stories that hit close to home. Blake Nissen
FIND US ONLINE Nickolas Oatley
ON THE COVER southeastohiomagazine.com
Kisha Ravi
The Court Barbershop owner, SOCIAL MEDIA Maddie Schroeder
Razor West, smiles to a customer. Jessica Stark
Southeast Ohio Magazine
Photo by Maddie Schroeder.
@SEOhioMagazine
FACULTY ADVISER
@seohiomagazine Elizabeth Hendrickson
WWW.SOUTHEASTOHIOMAGAZINE.COM | 3
Decorated
THE SCENE
History
The National Museum of
Cambridge Glass showcases
an exquisite collection.
(And yes, there is a giftshop.)
STORY BY LIZ HARPER | PHOTO BY DANIEL LINHART
D
etailed, intricate glassware lines the display cases
that wrap around the National Museum of Cambridge
Glass. From 1902 through 1958, the Cambridge Glass
Company factory produced a wide variety of objects: lamps,
punch bowls, dinner sets and even children’s toys.
Through the years, the glass the company produced var-
ied in color and style. Crystal clear pieces were common, but
so were those with bright, opaque colors. Later, items were
carved or etched with floral designs. As the complexity of the
glasswork and the amount of time that went into creating
them increased, the price went up. Pieces that had carvings
were among the more expensive.
During the hundred-plus years since the factory’s open-
ing, Cambridge Glass pieces have made their way across the
country, into the homes of Hollywood celebrities and onto
the sets of popular movies and TV shows, such as Bonanza.
Such glassware wasn’t reserved solely for the wealthy,
however. During the time that Cambridge Glass was most
successful, table settings were an important part of social in-
teraction for many people.
“They were into entertaining,” says museum director Cin-
dy Arent. “Everything [was bought] to use in your home, to
entertain for family and friends, all [in] the different styles.”
Arent, a volunteer, is part of a group of passionate col-
lectors who make it their mission to share the history of the
Cambridge Glass Company. Open April through October, the
museum offers tours that showcase a dazzling variety of its
collection’s more than 10,000 pieces of glass.
For more information: www.cambridgeglass.org
The museum’s general glass displays feature pieces
that include etched, opaque and clear.
4 | SUMMER/FALL 2019
WWW.SOUTHEASTOHIOMAGAZINE.COM | 5
BEHIND THE BITE
Donuts, fritters and honey buns vie for attention in the bakery’s front display case.
Sugar and Spice
and All Things Nice
Cambridge’s Kennedy’s Bakery has been
sweet-talking customers for nearly a century
STORY BY RYAN FLYNN | PHOTOS BY NICKOLAS OATLEY & BROOKLYNN DONACHIE
A
t 2 a.m. in Cambridge, while a proofing oven to rise. By 2:30 a.m., confections. At 6 a.m., Kennedy’s Bak-
most of the town sleeps, the the first batch of doughnuts are slid ery opens for business. The scenario is
first baker has just arrived at into display cases in the front of the repeated six days a week all year.
Kennedy’s Bakery to begin his work- store, ready for sale. For siblings and co-owners Bobby
day. He starts by turning on all the As the sun rises, the scent of fried and Patty Kennedy, maintaining the
lights and machinery. After that, glaz- dough and warm bread fills Wheeling clockwork schedule reflects the very
es are mixed, doughnut batter is mixed Avenue while bakers mix, bake, dip and soul of the bakery.
and fried, and bread dough is placed in frost, churning out the shop’s countless “We grew up in the business,” Bob-
6 | SUMMER/FALL 2019
Dad probably had us up here pushing
brooms when we were 5 or 6 years old. He
wasn’t one to just let somebody sit around.
He was teaching work ethic back then.”
Bobby Kennedy
Co-owner of Kennedy’s Bakery
by says. “Dad probably had us up here “It just makes you feel good, the astronaut and U.S. senator, once came
pushing brooms when we were 5 or [social media] following,” Bobby says. into the shop to personally thank Bob-
6 years old. He wasn’t one to just let “On my worst day I just need to open by for a package of treats he sent.
somebody sit around. He was teaching that up and look at all the good com- “When they walk through that door,
work ethic back then.” ments. It makes you happy.” everybody’s got a story,” Bobby says.
The Kennedys inherited the shop From all their years of working “It’s amazing the following we have.”
from their father in 1993, who, in turn, in a small town, in a landmark shop Certainly, the admiration is war-
inherited it from his father. Through such as Kennedy’s Bakery, the sib- ranted. The shop specializes in cakes,
almost a century, the handed-down lings are community fixtures. Patty is but its Chinese tea cookies seem to
work ethic of Kennedy’s Bakery, recognized all over town, often seen have a special place in customers’
opened in 1925, has helped turn it into delivering doughnuts to the police, hearts. They’re shortbread-like cook-
a staple of Guernsey County. But the fire and road departments on a snowy ies, just over an inch in diameter and
shop’s fan base reaches beyond any day to thank them for their work. topped with thumbprints of fluores-
borders. The company ships all over Bobby says his 14-year-old daugh- cent icing. Patty says they can’t be
the U.S. and overseas. The shop’s ter is always amazed when they are found anywhere else.
Facebook page has comments from out to eat at a restaurant and he runs “They [customers] find other
admirers in places such as Germany, into someone he knows. Even the late thumbprint cookies, but they’re just
Kuwait, Texas, Iraq and Florida. Cambridge-born John Glenn, former not the same,” she says.
Far Left: Patty
Kennedy and her
brother Bobby
Kennedy pose for a
portrait outside of
Kennedy’s Bakery.
They inherited the
bakery from their
father 25 years ago
and have kept the
pastry and bread
tradition going.
Left: Mike Slay rolls
out dough for some
pastries.
WWW.SOUTHEASTOHIOMAGAZINE.COM | 7
Another big seller are dev- around,” Bobby says. “I figure Dad, will stay in the family for genera-
il dogs, sandwiches of soft cake my father and grandfather came tions to come.
baked in the shape of hot dog up with them back in the day.” Sure, those early mornings and
buns, with white frosting in the This year, Patty is celebrating packed workdays can feel long after
middle and chocolate frosting on her 50th year at the bakery. Others a while, but Bobby says the payoffs
top. Think of it as a whoopie pie in in the shop have worked there for come with the sweet interactions
log form. All of Kennedy’s recipes 14, 30 or even 40 years. Family tra- he finds working at the counter.
have been handed down through dition and small town connective- “Putting smiles on people’s
the generations. ness have kept the shop thriving, faces. That’s the most gratifying,”
“Been around since I’ve been and Bobby says he hopes the shop Bobby says.
Kennedy’s Bakery
Phone: (740) 432-2301
Address: 1025 E Wheeling
Ave, Cambridge, OH
Hours: Monday to Friday (6
a.m. to 6 p.m.), Saturday (6
a.m. to 4 p.m.)
www.kennedysbakery.com
Top: The shop specializes in cakes, but its Chinese tea cookies seem to have a special place in customers’ hearts.
Bottom: Adam Slay, middle and his father Mike Slay, right, work together at Kennedy’s Bakery in Cambridge.
8 | SUMMER/FALL 2019
Cooking Up Comfort
Gigi’s Country Kitchen is a must-stop hub for hungry local residents
and college students to fill up and catch up.
Gigi’s Country
Kitchen
Phone: (740) 797-4500
Address: 105 N Plains
Rd, The Plains, OH
Hours: Monday to
Friday (7a.m. to 2p.m.),
Saturday and Sunday
(8a.m. to 2p.m.)
Jessica Cooksey, a server for six
years, says there are a few community
Their sign says it all. But many customers actually believe Gigi’s secret ingredient is members that come in every morning
whatever goes into the restaurant’s home fries and chicken and noodles. when it opens at 7 a.m., and they stick
around for hours, catching up on news
and sipping coffee at the front counter.
STORY BY EMILY FINTON | PHOTO BY EMILEE CHINN Cooksey says they have memorized their
W
regular’s orders.
hat does the gray haired “Usually we can see somebody pull-
gentleman sipping a freshly ing in and just yell back to the kitchen,
poured coffee while watching ‘Hey! So-and-so is here, start their food,’”
the restaurant television have in com-
mon with the college students chatting We focus on Cooksey says. “By the time they get their
drinks and sit down, their food is on the
about their night at a nearby table? On table with them, too.”
this Saturday morning, they are custom- what I feel like And the diverse group of kids, young
ers at Gigi’s Country Kitchen, located in adults and retirees can make for a
The Plains.
A place for Athens County regulars
restaurants used range of customer needs. The staff nev-
er knows what stories their customers
and Ohio University students alike, Gi-
gi’s buttermilk biscuits piled with home-
to focus on.” will bring in. Groups of college kids pile
elbow-to-elbow in the booths, some-
made sausage gravy and the snug atmo- times even asking the servers if they
sphere with keepsakes hanging from the Travis Brand have any ibuprofen to fight off their
walls will take you back to your grand- Owner of Gigi’s Sunday hangovers.
mother’s kitchen. The aroma of bacon “Our first year in business I saw may-
and hum of small talk fills the air with an when it came time to open up, I’m like, be a couple of students,” Brand says.
overwhelming sense of familiarity, and ‘This one’s for Gigi.’” “Our second year, we would get a hand-
that might be precisely its appeal. In addition to Gigi’s down home at- ful here and there. And seven years later,
Travis Brand, owner of Gigi’s Coun- mosphere, it serves up some of the larg- on the weekends our [big college] crowd
try Kitchen, named the restaurant after est portions of home fries and chicken has completely displaced our local busi-
his grandmother, who passed away a and noodles. And its prices? Just remem- ness crowd.”
year before the restaurant opened in ber that some of its most loyal customers But Brand built Gigi’s to be a place
2011. Brand says the name honors the are budget conscious college students. that makes people feel at home, and go-
driven woman who always encouraged But the weekday customers at Gigi’s ing out to eat and being treated like fam-
him to do his best. are The Plains’ locals, who are more ily propelled him to recreate that energy
“Gigi was my motivation factor grow- like friends than patrons. “[The regu- for all of his customers, young and old.
ing up. I was a slacker of a kid… and a lars] are the lifelines of our business. “It’s all about the people. We focus
bad student,” Brand says. “My grandma They’re what keep our lights on, our on what I feel like restaurants used to
was that extra little kick in the pants, so regular guys,” Brand says. focus on,” Brand says.
WWW.SOUTHEASTOHIOMAGAZINE.COM | 9
The new crew stands in front of the restaurant’s distinct bucking horse statue. From left to right: assistant manager Bobbie Chaffin,
assistant manager Tim Shanks Sr., head chef Donald Stem and general manager Hollie Richard.
Back in the Saddle
Say goodbye to rough riding at Pomeroy’s The Wild Horse Cafe, as
new leadership delivers both positive attitudes and tasty
Tex-Mex to the table.
STORY BY RILEY HARSHMAN | PHOTOS BY KISHA RAVI
I
f you find yourself empty-bellied Horse Cafe, this business boom is a fair- and she admits that she and her sib-
and boating along the Ohio River in ly new phenomenon. lings didn’t have much experience in
Pomeroy this summer, tie up at one To explain the restaurant’s new- the restaurant business. The restaurant
of the town’s docks and walk toward found groove, one must understand was in decline, and staff and manage-
the larger-than-life replica of a rearing the importance of a positive work en- ment struggled to work together co-
black horse that marks the entrance to vironment and leadership. Horace Karr hesively. The lack of a strong everyday
the Wild Horse Café, a Tex-Mex style started the restaurant in 2003, and af- leader generated a variety of problems
restaurant offering dishes ranging from ter he died in February 2017, his four with both the food and service.
fish and tacos to steak and burgers. But adult children took over. Jane Ann “There was some animosity between
be aware, you might have to take a Aanestad and her three siblings–Twila, some of the employees and manage-
number first. Tom, and Ray–now share ownership of ment. People weren’t working together.
On this particular Saturday after- the restaurant, though Jane holds the Just bad attitudes,” says Hollie Richard,
noon, there is a waiting list for patrons owner title, as she oversees the restau- the current general manager.
wanting a table and the restaurant is rant’s performance. Aanestad realized there had to be
buzzing with action. But for the Wild Jane Ann is an audiologist by trade, some changes. She needed the right
10 | SUMMER/FALL 2019people with the right attitude in order Sr. a server at the Wild Horse Café for 13 Richard has created an environment
to turn things around. “We kind of felt years, until he left amidst the discord. that inspires teamwork. “Everybody has
like things were just going to continue When Shanks returned to his old stomp- responsibilities, which makes us more
as is, and we found out very quickly it ing grounds, this time as a manager, of a team. We’re all a unit–the manage-
takes somebody intimately involved he knew he had to get to work quickly. ment and the staff,” Richard says.
to be watching over what’s going on,” “When I returned, it was basically Mur- Shanks does behind the scenes work
Aanestad says. phy’s Law at that time: what could go such as talking Pomeroy and Meigs
Aanestad worked to hire people she wrong, did go wrong,” Shanks says. County businesspeople. “I have also
believed could get the restaurant mov- Richard and Shanks knew the first been going to Chamber of Commerce
ing in the right direction. Richard began and most important task on the agen- meetings every Friday. I have visited
in June 2018, after managing numerous da was to boost the morale of the staff. other local businesses to share my views
restaurants and bars, and became a pos- They had to lead by example and let the of bringing the community back togeth-
itive influence on the restaurant. dominoes fall behind them. “There were er,” Shanks says. Shanks believes that
Her staff calls her “Jolly Hollie” due many things I had to do to boost mo- the community of small businesses in
to her contagious, positive attitude. “I’m rale, everything from letting them know the area can work together to achieve
usually always smiling, even when it’s that contests were going to come, letting sustainable success across the board.
really busy and hectic, it’s contagious,” them know of the profitability that is As for the Wild Horse Café’s long-
Richard says. there, [that] there was going to be more term future, just ask Aanestad. “I see
In December, Aanestad made anoth- money for everybody from the owners nothing but blue skies ahead for us.
er crucial management hire when she all the way to dish tank and everyone in We’ll be successful,” she says, the opti-
brought back a familiar face, Tim Shanks between,” Shanks says. mism, once again, contagious.
We found out
very quickly it
takes somebody
intimately
involved to be
watching over
what’s going on.”
Jane Ann Aanestad
Co-owner
Wild Horse Cafe
Phone: (740) 992-0099
Address: 251 W Main St,
Pomeroy, OH
Hours: Sunday to Thursday
(11a.m. to 9p.m.), Friday and
Saturday (11a.m. to 10p.m.)
www.thewildhorsecafe.com
In addition to brews and Tex-Mex favorites,The Wild Horse Cafe menu offers new
takes on comfort food, like Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese and Southwest Eggrolls.
WWW.SOUTHEASTOHIOMAGAZINE.COM | 11IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
Second Nature
For Vest Berries owners Rick and Terry Vest, farming is a
second career, but first (and sometimes, frustrating) love.
STORY BY JESSICA HILL | PHOTOS BY EMILEE CHINN
R
ick Vest wakes up as soon as Rick and his wife, Terry, have everyday. You have to be almost a pro-
the sun rises, dresses in zip-off, owned Vest Berries since the early fessional weather meteorologist.”
quick-dry pants and a long- ‘80s. In one of their first years working Rick offers a different simile. “To
sleeved shirt and pulls on his black the farm, everything was so wet it was anyone wanting to get into this, and
boots. Sometimes he wears a big hat to challenging to accomplish anything. I call it a game, because it’s a gamble.
protect his head and face from the sun. Rick recalls that he learned a lot that It’s like going to Vegas,” Rick says.
Outside, Vest continues to clean up season. He also remembers 1988 was “You can stick a lot of money into it,
the remains of last fall’s harvest, plow- so hot that their strawberries never and you may not get any money out
ing his small fields and taking covers even grew. of it.”
off the young strawberry plants. He Like many small, independent Despite this sentiment, Rick says
thinks of the other tasks he must com- farmers, Rick has always battled the farming is like second nature. Raised
plete: repair the high tunnels that keep weather. Every morning, he opens his in Harrison, Rick would grow sweet
some of his crops warm throughout smartphone to check whether it will be potatoes in jars under his bed. He
winter, repair the fence surrounding humid, rainy, sunny or cloudy that day. watched his grandfather and his own
the small farm and test the soil. “You have to know what the weath- father in the fields; his parents were
“You never run out of things to do,” er is going to be like everyday,” Terry raised in the Great Depression and
Vest says. said. “High low rain, humidity, rain, grew almost everything they ate.
12 | SUMMER/FALL 2019In addition to berries, Vest grows leafy greens and other vegetables. In 2017, he won Athens Farmer’s Market’s “Best Hybrid
Tomato” category at its annual “Taste the Tomato” competition.
He started gardening with his fami-
ly when he was 7 or 8 years old. “Once
you get it in your blood, it’s hard to get
it out,” Rick says.
When he was 11 or 12, he worked
for a large produce farm near his
house, where he learned how to farm
on a more commercial level. He recalls
carrying his basket of sweet corn and
wondering why he was only making a
quarter an hour.
Rick eventually left Harrison and
went to Hocking College to study
wildlife management and law enforce-
ment. There, he met Terry, who was
studying nursing. Terry grew up in the
area, and her parents owned about 80
acres of land, some of which they used
for growing hay and raising cattle, but
most of the property was untilled.
After Rick and Terry got married in
1978, they both worked — Rick in the
printing industry and Terry as a nurse.
The couple started a small, U-pick
strawberry operation in the early
1980s, where people could pick straw-
berries and pay per pound or con- Vest’s three grandsons and one granddaughter are regular visitors to the farm and to
tainer. The Vest family soon became the Vest Berries booth at the Athens Farmers Market.
WWW.SOUTHEASTOHIOMAGAZINE.COM | 13May is usually the magical month for strawberry picking at Vest Berries.
To anyone wanting to get into this, and I call
it a game, because it’s a gamble. It’s like going
to Vegas, you can stick a lot of money into it,
and you may not get any money out of it.”
Rick Vest
Vest Berries Owner
known for their strawberries, an and watching their customers’ chil- a learn-as-you-go, but the learning
honor the still stands. “I’ll be at work dren grow. Through the years, they experience hurts and it’s costly,”
and people will say, ‘Are you the lady have seen multiple generations come Rick says. “When you did something
who has the strawberries?’ It’s the to both the market and their straw- wrong one year and you don’t get any
claim to fame,” Terry says. berry fields. income off that year, it hurts both
Today, while strawberries con- “That’s rewarding, and they keep mentally and physically.”
tribute to half of the farm’s income, coming back and you talk,” Rick says. The Ohio weather may be some-
other produce, including sweet pota- “They’re just like family.” what unpredictable, but he’s grateful
toes, asparagus, beets, carrots, cab- As for this year’s harvest, Rick’s not to live in a place where hurricanes,
bage and potatoes make up the rest. yet sure how this season will turn out. tornadoes or months of snow are
Every Saturday, Rick—now re- Fortunately he can grow some pro- rare. It could always be worse, he
tired from the printing industry— duce indoors in high tunnels during thinks. Whatever weather the clouds
gets up at 6 a.m. to prepare for the the winter, and a decent portion of his bring, he can adjust the way he farms.
farmer’s market, and Terry joins land has adequate drainage. “You try to adapt the best you can
him later at the market. They seem But sometimes there still isn’t and plan for it,” Rick says. “Every year
to know almost everyone who mean- much he can do. When it’s dry, he you try to plan for things like that.
ders through the stalls. can still plant, but when it’s muddy, You plan for the worst and hope for
Rick and Terry love seeing and cultivating is impossible. the best.”
chatting with the different customers “Farming is something that it’s Visit Vest Berries on Facebook.
14 | SUMMER/FALL 2019To visit Robinson Falls, also
known as “Corkscrew Falls,”
you must obtain a permit
from The Ohio Department
of Natural Resources. The
upside: It’s free!
Off the Beaten Trail
Boch Hollow preserves natural beauty as a calm and quiet respite.
STORY BY RILEY HARSHMAN | PHOTO BY JESSICA STARK
H
ocking County is notable for of Natural Areas and Preserves really million years ago. The sandstone cliffs
its stunningly sublime nature puts the resource first,” Miller says. are mainstays to Hocking County.
scenes open to the public, but In addition to the clover, Boch Hol- In addition, the wildlife at Boch Hol-
nestled in Bremen is one gem that’s low features more than 7 miles of trail low includes deer, foxes, coyotes, bob-
happily avoided the limelight. through the woods. In 2016, Boch Hol- cats and owls. The trail system gives
Indeed, one could describe Boch low rearranged its trail system to coin- visitors a chance to observe these ani-
Hollow State Nature Preserve as a bit cide with the Buckeye Trail, one of the mals in their natural habitat.
of a secret. And as one of nine State nation’s largest loop trails. Avid birdwatchers will revel in the
Nature Preserves in Hocking County, “I’m an avid hiker. I really wanted to variation of feathered friends. “We have
Boch Hollow provides a quaint and al- expand the trail system here. We had between 55 and 58 species [of birds] we
most private nature respite. 3.5 miles of trails that only covered a get every year,” Miller says. Some of
Amidst the Boch Hollow grace is small portion, the center portion of the the species you will find during migra-
the largest population of Federally En- preserve. The east and the west end had tion season include: warblers, cuckoos,
dangered Running Buffalo Clover in no trail system in it at all,” Miller says. thrush, orioles, buntings and vireos.
Ohio. Chief Botanist for Boch Hollow Miller credits the Buckeye Trail Lastly, visit Boch Hollow’s Robin-
Rick Gardner and his team discovered Association with the effort to increase son Falls, a pristine palisade featuring
the endangered clover in May 2008 in trail miles to more than 7 today. “They a slim waterfall and stream. Its location
proximity to the office building. helped me out by helping lay out the in an off-trail area requires a different
According to Gardner, the last trail, and by helping build the trail,” route and a permit, which makes it saf-
documented sighting of the clover in Miller says. er for visitors.
Southeast Ohio was in Belmont Coun- Hikers can expect to see count- Although the numerous attractions
ty in 1907. “It was a really exciting find less ponds, streams and a diversity of in Hocking Hills, such as Old Man’s
and the first official count was just over trees, plus Miller’s favorite, Black Hand Cave, garner much more foot traffic
1,000 plants,” Gardner says. Sandstone. According to Ohio History than Boch Hollow, as Miller notes, “The
According to Gardner, there are Central, Black Hand Sandstone is from serenity and the calm and the quiet that
now more than 6,000 Running Buffalo the Early Mississippian age of geology, you get at Boch Hollow, you don’t get at
Clover at Boch Hollow. Gardner credits which dates back to approximately 320 other more populated areas.”
Preserve Manager Levi Miller for the
increase in the clover’s population at BOCH HOLLOW information
the preserve. https://naturepreserves.ohiodnr.gov/bochhollow
Miller has worked at Boch Hollow
since January 2013, and is an outdoors- PERMIT GUIDELINES FOR ACCESS TO NATURE PRESERVES
man with a passion for protecting na-
https://naturepreserves.ohiodnr.gov/permits
tive plants and wildlife. “The Division
WWW.SOUTHEASTOHIOMAGAZINE.COM | 15TALKING POINTS
Norm Blanchard, economic development
director of Cambridge-Guernsey County
Community Improvement Corporation,
stands in the foreground of land designated
as the site on which Caithness Energy LLC
plans to build.
Power Moves
The groundbreaking of a new power station in
Guernsey County has sparked up some controversy.
STORY BY RASHEEDAH BEATTY | PHOTO BY NICKOLAS OATLEY
A
s is often the case, a corporate of Natural Resources (ODNR), the site boundary, thus safeguarding the struc-
push to establish a powerful sits on coal-bearing rock and aban- ture and its surroundings.
energy generating facility has doned mines. Many of the mines’ exact Apex Power Group’s website claims
both its supporters and detractors. In positions on the land are unknown. the group “searched for months in
our region, the current project is the ODNS also reports that one of the Southeastern Ohio and Southwest PA
Guernsey Power Station (GPS), which most significant hazards posed by the before finding this excellent site in
according to its website (guernseypow- mines is the risk of mine subsidence. Guernsey County, Ohio.” It also claims
erstation.com), is a “1650-megawatt, This could cause the ground surface to that the Guernsey County community
natural gas fired energy generation begin lowering, which could result in a welcomes the project and has support-
facility.” The main point of contention collapse. Although it takes decades to ed it for two years.
is the plant’s proposed location, which reach a collapse risk, the likelihood of ABOUT THE PROJECT
is on land above abandoned mines and a collapse is hard to pinpoint since the
The GPS) website (guernseypower-
on a flood plain. precise locations of many of the mines station.com), created by the Caithness
are unclear.
POWER PLAYERS AND PROBLEM Energy LLC and Apex Power Group
However, in a Feb. 23, 2019 sto-
The Caithness Energy LLC and LLC, lists the project overview, its de-
ry in The Daily Jeffersonian, Norm
Apex Power Group LLC, independent velopment facts and its intended eco-
Blanchard, the economic development
power producers that specialize in nomic benefits.
director for the Cambridge-Guern-
natural gas-fueled power projects, are According to the site, the station
sey County Community Improvement
partnering for this project. Gemma will have the ability to produce enough
Corporation (CIC), claimed everything
Power Systems won the engineering, electricity to power about 1.5 million
was in place for the project to move for-
procurement and construction (EPC) homes in Delaware, Illinois, Indiana,
ward—except for approval from AEP,
contract. Gemma Power Systems is Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New
saying, “The Federal Energy Regulatory
working on the preliminary designs Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsyl-
Commission (FERC) will be rendering
and site preparation activities. vania, Tennessee, Virginia, Washing-
its decision on the AEP complaint and
The project initially received push- ton, D.C., and West Virginia.
that critical point will determine the
back from American Electric Power The website lists benefits as job cre-
next actions that take place regarding
(AEP), an electric utility company ation and tax revenue, which would
the project.”
headquartered in Columbus, that filed boost the local economy.
Blanchard believes the mines can
a complaint citing its problematic pro- The project is set to begin later this
be grouted and the switching station
posed location. year, and the estimated completion
can be located outside the flood plain
According to the Ohio Department date is 2022.
16 | SUMMER/FALL 2019Liquid Asset?
Buchtel springs brings joy and water security to many,
but at what risk?
STORY BY ERIN FRANCZAK | PHOTO BY NICKOLAS OATLEY
O
n a Saturday morning just through the regulatory process of the Safe Drinking Water Foundation,
before noon, Josh and Chey- testing the water, but because the wa- this is considered safe.
enne, Franks take their ter is on private property, it’s out of Because the stream originates
weekly drive to a Route 78 turn-off in their hands. Pepper says the depart- from a coal mine, according to Ad-
Buchtel, where three pipes protrude ment has publicly recommended not dis, he says it may have sulfur. But,
from a hillside concrete wall and spill drinking the water. the Tribune says there is no recorded
water into a concrete tub below. According to a 2010 article in the sulfur in the lake or pipes. According
The Franks love the Buchtel Wa- Perry Tribune, the water source is an to the National Pesticide Information
tering Hole, and they bring jugs of all underground lake owned by a Nel- Center, there is no danger associated
sizes and shapes to fill. The Franks sonville resident, Jack Oakley, but the with low amounts of contact with sul-
credit the purity of the water as rea- trough, itself, is on public land. fur. However, in large doses, diarrhea
son for their regular pilgrimage.“I’ve Addis says he believes the lake or a burning sensation may occur.
been drinking this water since I first originally came from an old coal mine However, for now, Addis, along
moved here when I was like eight that was abandoned after it became with many others, are more than hap-
years old,” Josh says. flooded. But, according to the Perry py to tap into local resources. When
In addition to the Franks, resi- Tribune, the lake was used to move Addis worked in highway construc-
dents from all over the region arrive supplies to the mine. Regardless, leg- tion, he would stop in Buchtel to fill
carrying empty jugs of Arizona Iced end has it that the hoof prints of the his jugs of water. Some of his cowork-
Tea and Hawaiian Punch to fill with donkeys that pulled the mine carts ers were so impressed with the quali-
the spring’s water. Each year, more are still visible inside. ty that they wanted to know where to
than 1,000 people visit this area, Findaspring.com, a user created get some.
George Addis, Buchtel City Council database of natural springs, posted “It is the best water in this part
member says. results of a water test submitted by of the country,” Addis says. “People
“A lot of people really depend a Buchtel area user. The Total Dis- from everywhere comes here to get
on this watering trough,” Addis solved solids, which tests for anions, water and it’s very, as far as I’m con-
says. “If it wasn’t for the wa- was in the 300 range. According to cerned, it’s very pure. It’s good.”
tering trough, I don’t know
what a lot of these people
would do.” Addis notes that
while some residents have
wells, those can go dry in
the summers and during
droughts.
Despite the spring’s easy
access and seemingly nev-
er-ending supply, the Athens
City-County Health Depart-
ment is not able to recom-
mend the use of the spring.
“I cannot comment on
whether it’s a good or bad wa-
ter source,” says Jack Pepper,
administrator of the Athens
City-County Health. “All I can
tell you is because it is unap-
proved, it hasn’t gone through
the regulatory process to en-
sure that it’s safe.”
Pepper says he hopes the People fill jugs and bottles with spring water from the Buchtel Watering Hole. While advocates
owner of the spring will go cite the water’s purity, others remain skeptical.
WWW.SOUTHEASTOHIOMAGAZINE.COM | 17FEATURES
From Scotland
with Love
At BrewDog’s Doghouse hotel in Canal
Winchester, beer lovers can revel in a world filled
to the brim with IPAs, ales and stouts, all brewed
just steps from their hotel room.
STORY BY ALEX MCCANN | PHOTOS BY JESSICA STARK
T
here’s a generally accepted principle
among travelers: Don’t open the
mini fridge in your hotel room unless
you are ready to pay exorbitant prices for
the snacks and drinks inside.
But travelers staying at BrewDog’s
DogHouse in Canal Winchester are going
to want to forsake that maxim.
And they probably should.
A flight of BrewDog’s most popular beers beckons
from the DogHouse outdoor patio.
18 | SUMMER/FALL 2019WWW.SOUTHEASTOHIOMAGAZINE.COM | 19
The Brewdog DogHouse exterior is as distinguishable as the business’s reputation amongst beer enthusiasts.
While staying in one of the Dog- became enraged that the construction to create a hotel for people like him:
House’s 32 rooms, guests can crack of the Ohio & Erie Canal ran through beer nuts. “The DogHouse has always
open the mini fridge, for no added his wheat field, the canal builders sug- been a dream of ours, to create a beer
cost, to access a selection of BrewDog’s gested he build a town instead of suing utopia for people who are just as pas-
beers—and that’s just the beginning of the state. Dove named that town Win- sionate about craft beer as we are,”
the hop-filled fun that could include chester. “Canal” was added in 1841 to Watt says.
DogHouse patrons sipping stouts and distinguish it from the five other Win- But creating a “beer utopia” is no
ales with their bacon and eggs as well chesters in the state. small affair. Watt met with Columbus’
as with their midnight snacks. So why would BrewDog—a multina- mayor at the time, Michael Coleman,
Taps in each room are personalized tional, independent brewing company to discuss how BrewDog could oper-
to visitors’ preferences. The rooms, based in Scotland with bars everywhere ate in the area. By October 2015—just
located adjacent to BrewDog’s Colum- from Barcelona to Budapest—choose a five months after Watt’s initial trip to
bus brewery, are within smelling dis- humble suburb of Columbus for its U.S. Columbus—they broke ground on the
tance of vats of freshly brewed beer. base of operations and its signature Columbus BrewDog location.
When it’s time to wash up, the rooms’ beer hotel? Since then, Watt has developed
showers feature craft beer soaps and a That answer can be traced to Tweet the DogHouse, a brewery, and a
second fridge full of beer. (Don’t wor- from Scottish owner and founder 6,000-square-foot beer museum at
ry, only pure water cascades out of the James Watt. On May 5, 2015, Watt that location. The museum takes Dog-
rainfall showerheads.) sent out a tweet from @BrewDog- House guests and visitors even deeper
For those who dream of all things James: “What are the best beer bars into the brewing process, going back
beer, this is a pilgrimage that’s worth to check out in Columbus?” Watt re- through the history of brewing and
undertaking—and for those in South- ceived dozens and dozens of sugges- how it relates and influences even the
east Ohio, it’s just a car ride away. tions. most modern variants of IPAs.
Canal Winchester sits simultane- “My phone just blew up with re- “Plus, you can take a tour with a
ously in Fairfield and Franklin coun- plies—the community was massively beer in hand—I bet they don’t let you
ties, smack dab in the gray area be- welcoming, and the beer scene was do that at the Smithsonian,” Watt says.
tween Southeast Ohio and Central just next level,” Watt says. Such amenities were partially fi-
Ohio. According to the Canal Win- Expanding to the U.S. was already nanced by a crowdfunded campaign
chester Area Historical Society, the on Watt’s mind, and now, Columbus that was so successful it surprised
history of the town involves land and was the destination. even Watt, who thought he already
legacy. In 1828, when Reuben Dove With the DogHouse, Watt intended knew how passionate the community
20 | SUMMER/FALL 2019Top left: The BrewDog DogHouse welcomes dogs to spend the day at the on-site DogParkstay, plus the night in the owner’s room.
Top right: Many rooms within the DogHouse offer a view onto Overworks, BrewDog’s sour beer fermentation brewery.
Every DogHouse room is dog friendly, and features a hand towel origami in the shape of a canine.
WWW.SOUTHEASTOHIOMAGAZINE.COM | 2122 | SUMMER/FALL 2019
The DogTap tap room offers dozens of craft beers,
including its own draughts.
WWW.SOUTHEASTOHIOMAGAZINE.COM | 23Beer-loving customers gather at the main bar of BrewDog The BrewDog staff offers behind-the-scenes tours of the on- DogTap Columbus. site Columbus brewery. Burgers, fish tacos, salads and appetizers are on the DogTap craft beer restaurant menu. 24 | SUMMER/FALL 2019
The view from this DogHouse’s brewmaster suite overlooks the Overworks sour beer fermentation facility.
was. The initial goal of the campaign with more than $300,000 in its pock- cations, he can’t yet divulge where the
was to raise $75,000 in 30 days, a rea- ets. next stop on the beer train is.
sonable but somewhat lofty target. Watt thanks the “global community For now, though, he’s created
“The campaign blew up,” Watt says. of beer evangelists” for the success of a wonderland for beer enthusiasts
Within a week, BrewDog had raised the campaign and the resulting reality around Ohio—a haven for those who
$160,000—more than double the goal, of a “beer utopia” vision. crave a tasty lager every minute of
and in a quarter of the alotted time. While Watt says Canal Winchester the day.
The company eventually increased the is just the beginning for BrewDog’s “This is the hoppiest place on
goal and finished the crowdfunding U.S. operations and for DogHouse lo- Earth,” Watt says.
BrewDog
Phone: (614) 908-3051
Address: 100 Gender Rd,
Plus, you can take a tour with a Canal Winchester, OH
Hours: Sunday and Monday
beer in hand—I bet they don’t let (11a.m. to 10p.m.), Tuesday
and Wednesday (11a.m. to
you do that at the Smithsonian.” 11p.m.), Thursday to Saturday
(11a.m. to 12a.m.)
James Watt
Owner and Founder of BrewDog www.brewdog.com
WWW.SOUTHEASTOHIOMAGAZINE.COM | 25Rick Queen, left, is the race director of the Commercial Point Karting Classic. He and his son Austin, right, are experts at
building, fixing and racing.
The Woodstock
of Street Racing
Commercial Point is home to one of the nation’s
largest and wealthiest street go-kart races.
STORY BY RILEY HARSHMAN | PHOTOS BY BLAKE NISSEN AND PROVIDED
26 | SUMMER/FALL 2019I
n the Pickaway County village of holds the street races. ing appears to have a more permanent
Commercial Point, one thing rings When the fire department stepped place on the town’s calendar.
true: Racing is a religion. Each year, down from its management role in Rick Queen, the race director, grew
the 1,600+ residents rally around a se- 2011, the race’s future was uncertain. up racing go-karts in Commercial
ries of street races that happen during “At the time, the fire department was Point and his son Austin has also com-
the beginning of August. You won’t see done, and a group of us got together, peted in the races. Queen is a go-kart
tricked out sports cars like the ones in there was probably about a dozen of savant who started racing go-karts in
a Fast and Furious movie, but you will us, and we wanted to keep the rac- the late 1960s at the age of 11. Today,
see the most stealth go-karts you can es going,” says Allan Goldhardt, who Queen uses his expertise to plan the
imagine. grew up in Commercial Point. Karting Classic. “I had one [go-kart]
And the races, racers and karts are The committee renamed the event by the time I was 10 1/2, 11 years old,
legit. Go-kart races got their start in the Commercial Point Karting Clas- and I’ve had one ever since — and I’m
Commercial Point in 1968 and were sic, and go-kart racing in Commer- 59 years old,” Queen says.
originally operated by the local vol- cial Point had new direction. Today, The go-karts in these races are
unteer fire department, which used the committee consists of people who hardly the bumper-car variety. The
the race as a fundraiser. From the mo- grew up around Commercial Point and top karts driven in the Karting Classic
ment the motorsport events started, it know what go-kart racing means to the reach speeds exceeding 80 mph and
was apparent the town loved the go- culture of the town. (The town’s water can go from 0 to 60 faster than many
kart races. Soon enough, the town was tower even has a racing flag painted on sports cars.
recognized regionally as the town that it.) With the committee, go-kart rac- Butch McCall, president of the rac-
WWW.SOUTHEASTOHIOMAGAZINE.COM | 2728 | SUMMER/FALL 2019
Queen works on a Ricciardo Kart in the QG3 Karting workshop.
WWW.SOUTHEASTOHIOMAGAZINE.COM | 29Any time you have an open-wheel
racing machine...if you can get to
the wheels of the other go-karts,
that leads to excitement.”
Butch McCall
President of the Racing Committee
ing committee, wants the public to racing machine … if you can get to the their kids run it,” McCall says.
know that these go-karts are serious. wheels of the other go-karts, that leads The Karting Classic itself is a spec-
“A lot of people you talk to, they still to excitement,” Queen says. tacle, and according to Goldhardt,
think of go-karts as something you Go-karts racing around a track up 4,000 to 5,000 people visit Commer-
can ride around in the backyard with to speeds of 80 mph is dangerous, and cial Point to watch the 11 different
a lawnmower engine on it. These the committee has instated many rules classes of races. Each race has a guar-
karts today, they’re about as close to to improve race safety. For example, anteed purse, which is unusual for
an IndyCar as you’re gonna drive,” water barrels line the track to slow street races. The Commercial Point
he says. down errant go-karts and fencing is Karting Classic is not just any street
With go-karts reaching high speeds installed to protect spectators. McCall race. “We have the richest street race
and drivers as young as 8, you might and the rest of the committee believe in the country,” Queen says.
question the race’s safety, and rightly in the safety of their track. “If our track People from around the country
so. “Any time you have an open-wheel wasn’t safe, the parents wouldn’t let come to witness and participate in
Photos from past races provide both memories and motivation to QG3 Karting employees.
30 | SUMMER/FALL 2019QG3 Karting is a
Commercial Point
shop that sells and
fixes Birel/ART and
Ricciardo parts.
This year’s event
offers 11 different
classes of racing,
with the youngest
class ages 8 - 12.
The top five classes
each have a $2,000
guaranteed purse.
the go-kart races. The committee says lationships with over the years.
Karting Classic goes on for both the
people from Wisconsin, Maryland, The Karting Classic is not just
enjoyment and prosperity of the
Indiana, Michigan and Tennessee, about giving the community a fun
local community.
among others, come race at the Kart- weekend, it’s also about giving back to
Suffice to say, go-kart racing runs
ing Classic. the community that helps support the
deep in Commercial Point through
You might wonder how a small event. Bands play in the middle of the
generations of checkered flags.
town like this can put on such a grand town and food vendors sell refresh-
While talking about the race, McCall
show. Committee members point to- ments throughout the course of the
garners laughs from Goldhardt and
ward Jim Albright, the man respon- event. When the committee has a fund
Queen. “I always called it the Wood-
sible for acquiring sponsors and get- surplus after the races are over, it puts
stock of go-kart racing,” McCall says.
ting the funds necessary to put on that money back into the community.
Except in this case, the Karting
the event. “The race truly wouldn’t be “Over our seven races, we have
Classic legacy is equal to its present,
even close to what it is without him,” given back to the community over
and likely, its future.
Queen says. $28,000 back to local organiza-
Albright is responsible for garner- tions, between the schools, just all The 2019 races are August 2, 3 and 4.
ing about $25,000 for the race. The the way around the horn here, the For more information:
money comes from the numerous churches and youth groups.” Gold- http://cpkartingclassic.com.
sponsors that Albright has created re- hardt says. The Commercial Point
WWW.SOUTHEASTOHIOMAGAZINE.COM | 31Three
Stories Up
The Court Barbershop is a destination
for conversation, comraderie and yes,
fantastic hair.
STORY BY RASHEEDAH BEATTY | PHOTOS BY MADDIE SCHROEDER
T
he barber known as Razor West is sitting
in one of the styling chairs eating lunch.
Opposite him, his co-barber, Iesha Laing—
known as Nattydread to her clients—is finishing
up a haircut. Rap music plays quietly in the
background, and a basketball game is visible on
the TV mounted to the wall. The barbershop is a
bold and bright space that sits on the third floor
of 8 N. Court St. that presents itself as a quiet but
hip environment to get a cut. After a conversation
with West, it becomes apparent that the shop is
also full of life.
Iesha Laing or “Snoop,” a barber at The Court Barbershop,
trims Ian Carter II’s hairline.
32 | SUMMER/FALL 2019WWW.SOUTHEASTOHIOMAGAZINE.COM | 33
34 | SUMMER/FALL 2019
This two-stool shop is ushering in a
culture unique for a small Appalachian
town like Athens. And what started as
an opportunity for a couple barbers to
venture out on their own and create
their own shop is now also a place-
based resource for cultural exchanges,
mentoring and difficult conversations
to be safely facilitated.
While such a venue might seem
a natural fit in a college town, albeit
one where white residents far out-
number any other race or ethnicity,
this “black barbershop experience” is
an invaluable addition to the town’s
atmosphere.
FINDING ITS ROOTS IN ATHENS
Originally from Akron, Razor West
made his mark with the barbershop
in January 2017. He knew rooting the
shop in Athens would allow for a new
experience. “Cutting hair in the city
was great, but it is so peaceful here.
It is definitely a change of pace, but it
is perfect for me and my family right
now,” West says.
Students from all walks of life have
found a safe space where they can un-
pack their stress and just be who they
are. “A lot of the students tend to just
pop up. They just come in, sit down and
join in whatever conversation is brew-
ing,” West says. On West’s business In-
stagram page, he frequently poses chal-
lenges or critical discussion topics, and
he encourages those who wish to engage
to come on down to the shop and do so.
West feels that he can connect with
many of the students because he under-
stands their mentality. “I have young
men come in here, and I can relate to
the good and bad that is your early 20s.
I understand the mentality that a lot of
these young guys have because I was
once in their shoes,” West says.
The communal relationships and
conversations have also moved be-
yond the confines of the barbershop
space. On Oct. 10, West was invited to
sit on the panel of an event called Bar-
bershop Talk that was hosted by Ohio
University’s Black Student Cultural
Programming Board. The panel fo-
cused on race in America through the
In addition to haircuts, The Court Bar-
bershop offers services such as steam
towel shaves and facials.
WWW.SOUTHEASTOHIOMAGAZINE.COM | 35vantage point of a barbershop conver- SO, WHAT’S THE CULTURE? regulars, and it gives them a sense of
sation. West says many of his clients The barbershop is often seen as a pride and comfort when they can just
were either also on the panel or in the hub for the exchange of culture and sit down and I already know what they
audience, and they were able to engage community, especially in predomi- want. That is what makes this work so
deeper in conversation. nately black communities. It is a cen- important.”
One rule that West upholds is that ter for conversations about religion, While dialogue is a core element
everyone has a right to their opinion politics, relationships and anything of barbershop culture, beauty and
and to express it so long as it isn’t else that may come to the mind of the aesthetics are also central to why peo-
bringing harm to the other. A topic barber or client. ple go to barbershops. Having a good
that frequently comes up in the shop The implications of the barber- rapport with clients sets the tone for
is the appropriation of black culture, shop surpass beauty and hair, and it the way the relationship evolves over
especially since the shop is in the cen- informs the people who participate in time. Alonzo Webster, a client of
ter of an institution that is a predom- this space. It is a unique experience The Court Barbershop and a finance
inantly white institution. “I don’t care that is now being shared among every student at Ohio University, says the
what you look like, where you are from race and culture.. barbershop has broadened his world-
or what your beliefs are,” West says. The integration of cultures in what view. “Conversations with West have
“This barbershop is a space where you was once considered a predominant- exposed me to ideas I might not agree
can be authentic and share that as long ly black environment show in West’s with, but it expands my thinking on
as the conversation isn’t bringing any- clientele. “This is a space for every certain topics,” Webster says.
one harm or discriminating.” person to be comfortable,” West says. Though the barbershop certainly
MEET THE TEAM “The demographic here is not exclu- isn’t a cure for black male insecurity
Laing and West are the two current sively black. I would say our clientele around beauty ideals and race-based
stylists at the barbershop. Laing, who is very diverse.” The location of the hegemonic norms, it does provide fa-
lived in New Jersey, says she consid- shop near the Ohio University campus ther- and brother-like mentorship for
ers herself a multi-faceted stylist with has also influenced his range of abili- black men, and it acts as a remedy for
experience in many other fields. “I’ve ties as a stylist. mass insecurity. “Getting a fresh cut
worked in HVAC, the auto industry and “There are black barbers that have boost confidence, you know?” Web-
as a stylist. There isn’t much I haven’t not had the exposure of cutting dif- ster says. “It doesn’t matter what any-
picked up as a skill and learned how to ferent types of hair. Knowing how to one outside the shop may say, wheth-
do.” Laing says. Laing’s adaptability ex- work with a range of hair textures and er you’re going bald or your hairline is
tends to her work as a stylist, and she people is important for business, but messed up—once you’re in that chair,
works with natural hair, coloring and, also relatability,” West says. “I have you know you’re going to leave look-
of course, haircuts. clients from all walks of life that are ing better than when you came in.”
The Court
Barbershop
This barbershop is a space Phone: (740) 856-7192
where you can be authentic Address: 8, N Court St
Suite #301, Athens, OH
and share that as long
Hours: Monday to
as the conversation isn’t Thursday (9:30a.m. to
7p.m.), Friday (9:30a.m.
bringing anyone harm or to 7:30p.m. and Saturday
(10a.m. to 7p.m.)
discriminating.”
Razor West
The Court Barbershop Owner
Regular customer Jonathan
Pollard gets the back of his hair
buzzed by owner, Razor West.
36 | SUMMER/FALL 2019You can also read
