Progress2019D1

Friday, FEBRUARY 22

By BRENNA GRITEMANLIFE EDITOR

Downtown Findlay has long been a haven for foodies and those seeking designer beverages.

But with the addition of trendy offer-ings like taproom yoga, freshly bottled organic juice, and locally crafted house-wares, Crawford Street has become a magnet.

“That’s becoming really more and more of a destination,” says Dan Sheaf-fer, project specialist with the Findlay-Hancock County Economic Development office.

He notes that the thoroughfare’s unique mix of retail, entertainment, and food and beverage offerings is anchored by Alexandria’s and is constantly growing and changing.

The appeal of the varied offerings and the reach of social media means busi-nesses on Crawford Street are “getting people from out of town to come into Findlay,” Sheaffer said.

VivirIn dreaming up his modern Mexican

hotspot Vivir (Spanish for “to live”), owner Joe Rowan had a simple stipula-tion: “It had to be on Crawford Street.”

The location was purposeful, as Rowan envisioned the restaurant as a lunch spot within walking distance of all corners of downtown Findlay.

And, of course, he wanted to attract the type of customer who would appreci-ate Vivir’s fresh-focused, creative cuisine.

“It’s modern LA meets Mexico City, ingenuity meets authenticity,” Rowan says.

Rowan spent two weeks in Mexico City, immersing himself in the ancient city’s culture. He took in a lucha libre match, visited agave farms and street ven-dors, and “ate at some of the best Mexican restaurants in the world.”

Upon returning to the States, he set out to create a dining experience that would make visitors feel transported to another land: “You shouldn’t feel like you’re still in Findlay.”

In fact, each visitor to the restaurant’s January soft opening received a passport stamped “Leaving Findlay, Entering Mexico.”

Diners are treated to a variety of offerings they won’t find just anywhere in northwest Ohio.

Cocktail glasses rimmed with agave worms (gusano) is one such example, as is the nuanced mescal (Mexican spirits) tasting menu.

Taco shells, salsa, crema and churros are all made in-house, as is a beverage menu featuring agua frescas and a.m. and p.m. cocktails.

Craft tacos and sharable “socials” (appetizers), along with varied vegetar-ian, organic and gluten-free selections, round out the menu and Rowan’s true meaning behind the name Vivir: “Eat to live, live to eat.”

Rowan says Vivir has had the support of fellow business owners since the project began. On opening day, restaurant owners from numerous other Findlay establish-ments took seats at the bar and compli-mented him on a job well done.

JK JuicesJK Juices is so committed to helping

Findlayites consume their daily dose of fruits and veggies that the business moved out of its food truck and into a permanent storefront in August.

Founder and owner Jordan Rosendale says the decision to open a brick and mortar location came after the business’ transition to cold-pressed juice, which yields higher quantities — and a higher quality product.

While she occasionally misses the “fun adventure aspect” of a food truck and the community spirit involved in farmers’ market vending, Rosendale says the demand was simply more than what she could provide on a small truck. Climate control is an added bonus.

Rosendale describes her clientele as “young people, old people, unhealthy people, healthy people. It’s just normal people and they need their veggies. It’s wonderful. There’s just a lot of realness around it.”

That realness starts with all-organic produce, creating a simple but purpose-ful menu loaded with offerings rooted in kale, carrot, lemon, apple and beet.

Ginger shots were added along with the storefront, as were a variety of juice cleanses. Vegan donuts in lemon and chocolate round out the menu.

And in keeping with its health-con-scious approach, JK Juices is environ-mentally conscious as well, offering a 25-cent per bottle exchange program.

“Our waste is little to none,” Rosen-dale says.

From launching the truck in Bluff-ton in 2015 to operating an Instagram-worthy storefront, Rosendale says she’s thrilled at the direction her career has taken her.

And she’s grateful to be situated on Crawford Street.

“We just enjoy downtown, and we’re excited for what the future is going to bring,” she says. “There’s definitely a ‘Crawford Crew’ kind of vibe that goes on.”

Thistle ExchangeWhether you’re looking for locally

made pasta, industrial antiquities or carefully sourced vintage clothing, Thistle Exchange is the place to start.

Business partners Aaron Patterson and Ian Warnement both grew up on farms and inherited a love of antiques from their grandparents.

After perfecting the art of “picking” at area auctions, estate sales and flea markets — and amassing a massive col-lection of treasures — they launched the grandmother’s living room-reminiscent space in October.

The Crawford Avenue shop, however, is not limited to high-end, secondhand offerings.

Patterson says he is diligent to keep a mix of moderately priced vintage pieces mingling with those fetching a higher price.

New items are also available, includ-ing creations from the Findlay Candle Co., River Valley Pasta, Running River Soap, and Timber Fork Pottery — all based out of Findlay, and to name only a few.

As antique items sell, they are imme-diately replaced with pieces stored offsite, meaning Thistle Exchange’s inventory is constantly changing.

“If you like something in here you have to buy it, because it will be gone by the time you come back,” Patterson says.

A lifelong Findlay resident, Patter-son says he has long loved the space

now housed by Thistle Exchange. (The storefront’s last tenant was Jen’s Buggy Whip Bakery.)

He is so overjoyed to join the Craw-ford Street community that he got the keys to the building at 3:15 one after-noon, was at Lowe’s buying paint by 5 and was ordering lighting online that night at 11.

“I feel that Crawford Street is the hub” of downtown Findlay, he says. “It’s happening.”

Findlay Brewing Co.Findlay Brewing Co. unveiled its

relocated, industrial-inspired taproom

Modern Mexican, taproom yoga, fresh-pressed juice and vintage finds breathe new life into an already vibrant corridor

Modern Mexican, taproom yoga, fresh-pressed juice and vintage finds breathe new life into an already vibrant corridor

Photos by RANDY ROBERTS / The CourierJOE ROWAN, above center, says his new Mexican restaurant Vivir “had to be on Crawford Street.” With him are manager Abi Walters, left, and chef Jason Franklin. Jordan Rosendale, below left, the owner of JK Juices, says she’s grateful to be on Crawford Street. “There’s definitely a ‘Crawford Crew’ kind of vibe that goes on,” she says. Ian Warnement, below right, operates the Thistle Exchange shop with business partner Aaron Patterson. “I feel that Crawford Street is the hub” of downtown Findlay, Patterson says. “It’s happening.”

See CRAWFORD, Page D5

FINDLAY BUSINESS: COMING & GOING THE COURIERFRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2019D2

New businesses: Hancock Hotel,

fast food favorites and a brewery

A variety of businesses, includ-ing many restaurants, opened or closed in Findlay during the past year.

Most recently, Dunkin’ — just Dunkin’ now, but they’ve still got donuts — opened Feb. 11 at 416 W. Trenton Ave.

Directly to the east, Miller’s Meat BBQ & Catering reopened in the fall after being closed for nearly a year. A November 2017 storm destroyed its roof, among other damage.

Also on Findlay’s west side, a 112-room Holiday Inn Express, owned by Whitson Properties, is open at 1050 Interstate Drive.

Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore moved to 1200 Commerce Park-way. Used and surplus building supplies are sold there.

East sideOn Findlay’s east side, Tiffin

Avenue added Panda Express and Chick-fil-A to its fast food reper-toire.

Kay Jewelers plans to move from its store in the Findlay Vil-lage Mall to a new building near Panda Express.

There are rumors — uncon-firmed, so far — that Starbucks may locate in the same area.

City Barbeque, 15033 Flag City Drive, closed in August for renova-tions, and reopened in December.

Farmers & Merchants State Bank opened a Findlay branch almost a year ago at 1660 Tiffin Ave.

The 13,332-square-foot NWO surgery center opened at the northeast corner of Hancock County 236 and Tiffin Avenue/U.S. 224.

DowntownDowntown, Hancock Hotel

and Mancy’s Steakhouse opened in 2018 for Marathon Petroleum Corp. guests and regular citizens, too.

Also downtown, Jack-B’s opened at 124 E. Sandusky St., offering home-style take-out.

Findlay Brewing Co. opened at its new location, 213 E. Craw-ford St., in June. The brewery was previously located on North Main Street and closed after its roof was damaged by a fire at a nearby building in 2016.

ClosingsMax & Erma’s restaurant on

Trenton Avenue and the nearby GER Mongolian Grill both closed last year.

Mendoza Tex Mex Grocery Store and Carry Out on East San-dusky Street closed at the end of last month so its owners, Ernesto Sr. and Concepcion Mendoza, could retire and spend more time with family.

Rieck’s Gallery, on downtown Findlay’s South Main Street, closed in the fall after a 130-year run.

Another Main Street fixture, New China Inn, owned by Gene and Anna Chin, also closed in the fall after 40 years of serving devoted customers. Wen Su Lu, who owns QQ Garden, bought the South Main Street property and relocated that restaurant.

The Dressing Room Boutique on Main Street also closed at the end of 2018.

All Elder-Beerman locations closed, including the longtime store at Findlay Village Mall.

ADDITIONS TO FINDLAY’S fast-food fare include Dunkin’ and Panda Express. Findlay Brewing Co. reopened at a new location on Crawford Street.

Photos by RANDY ROBERTS / The CourierTHE $20 MILLION Hancock Hotel, above, including a Mancy’s Steakhouse, was a big addition to Findlay’s downtown in 2018. Also celebrated by Findlay residents was the arrival of a Chick-fil-A restaurant, below, on Tiffin Avenue.

DOW NTOW N & COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONTHE COURIERFRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2019 D3

In Findlay Since 1973

THANK YOU

Thank you to these businesses and organizations for fighting for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in Hancock County.

UNITED WE WIN.

Community Foundation reaches grant milestone

By DENISE GRANTSTAFF WRITER

In 2018, the Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation reached a golden milestone in grants: $50 million.

A total of about $4.6 million was granted last year alone.

In all, the foundation oversees 410 funds. Its total assets were $120 million last year.

The need for diversity and safety in the community was identified during “Community Conversations” held in 2017, so the foundation tailored some of its giving to those themes in 2018.

Specia l grants, tota l ing $50,000, were awarded to the Black Heritage Library, the Han-cock County Opiate Task Force, Spectrum of Findlay, the Univer-sity of Findlay, and the Commu-nity Foundation.

Grants totaling $39,000 were awarded to 50 North, American Red Cross, Boy Scouts Black

Swamp Area Council, the Family Center, and Northwest Ohio Rescue and Restore Coalition of Hancock County.

A database of all the funds granted is now available for use by donors and grantees wanting to research the funds. The database was launched last year.

This year, the foundation is expected to keep the focus on what was learned during the “Commu-nity Conversations,” with activity and child care special grants of $50,000 each.

The organization, with offices at 101 W. Sandusky St., also plans to update its brand with a “refreshed” look and an updated mission coming in June.

The foundation is reporting achievements among several of its initiatives, including:

• Nonprofit capacity-building is in its ninth year, with 28 agen-cies participating in 120 coaching sessions in 2018.

• Handbags That Help is in

its 11th year of grant-making. A total of $446,000 has been granted since its inception. A total of 162 women have joined. There is a potential to grant $43,500 this year.

• Three new scholarship funds were established in 2018. A total of 231 scholarships were awarded in 2018, totaling $344,650. A total of $370,000 in scholarships are available this year.

• The Family Center, 1800 N. Blanchard St., houses 12 agencies and serves about 75,000 people each year. In 2018, technology changes were made in the build-ing to better serve agencies. An assistant building manager was also hired.

• Mount Blanchard Heart & Soul will hold a “community summit” to finalize its action plan on March 31.

Grant: 419-427-8412denisegrant@thecourier.comTwitter: @ByDeniseGrant

Grant total reaches $50 million in 2018

2nd-story lounge offers multi-sport simulator

One of the most buzzed-about new businesses in downtown Findlay this year is the HD Lounge at Legends, offering a multi-sport simulator on the restaurant’s second floor.

“There’s a little bit of something for everyone up there,” says Dan Sheaffer of the Hancock County economic development office.

He notes the lounge’s simulators offer virtual cracks at football, baseball, hockey, golf, soccer, dodgeball and even target shooting.

Golf-focused visitors, for example, can practice their swings at over 90 top-tier golf courses, including Pebble Beach and the PGA National.

Built-in technology examines a participant’s swing with accurate spin and distance, allowing players to fine-tune their real-world form.

Pub-style food and drinks from the bar are all available in the lounge, and the space can be rented for private parties.

KEVIN BEAN / The CourierA CUSTOMER tries out the golf simulator at HD Lounge at Legends, during a recent charity event. The lounge, on the second floor of the downtown Legends building, offers a multi-sport simulator. Other sports on the simulator are football, baseball, hockey, golf, soccer, dodgeball and even target shooting.

SANDUSKY STREET BAKERIES THE COURIERFRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2019D4

FREEBATTERY CHECK

A scone’s throw: ‘Eats and sweets’aplenty on Sandusky Street

By BRENNA GRITEMANLIFE EDITOR

A bakery corridor has taken shape in downtown Findlay, where sweet-toothed customers can find coffee, cupcakes, cheese-cake, cookies and all other matter of sugary delights, all within a scone’s throw of one another.

Jen Fulton, proprietor of one of the four bakeries in question — a cakery, in fact — refers to the block as “Sandusky Street Eats and Sweets.”

Her shop, Jen’s Buggy Whip Cakery, moved to 118 E. Sandusky St. in mid-December after having operated a block away on Craw-ford Street for six years.

On this bustling downtown street, Fulton joins another new kid on the block, R&J CheeseCake Shoppe, which opened mere steps away at 122 E. Sandusky in July.

Established favorites like We Serve. Coffee (114 E. Sandusky St.) and The Baker’s Cafe (105 E. Sandusky St.) round out the treats triangle, beckoning pastry connoisseurs of all ages and tastes.

The four business owners, how-ever, choose to view each other as complements, rather than com-petitors.

“I think that we all comple-ment each other,” Fulton says, pointing out that each of the four businesses has its own specialty. Buggy Whip’s, for instance, is custom designer cakes for all occasions.

And, Fulton says, customers need a little comparison shop-ping (or in this case, tasting) to help them settle on a bakery to call their favorite.

Jen Mathews and Reggie Keller launched R&J CheeseCake last summer, maintaining a daily inventory of about 20 different cheesecakes for customers to choose from, including a core set of favorites such as lemon, turtle, peanut butter cup and birthday cake.

Plenty more are just a special order away, and the in-house offerings change monthly. This month, for instance, there was “a lot of chocolate, a lot of red” in conjunction with Valentine’s Day, Mathews says.

The shop also offers daily boxed lunches, with the house-made chicken salad its lunchtime claim to fame. The most popular version is the Hawaiian chicken salad, with pineapple and green onion, with the buffalo variety a close second.

Online ordering is available, and lunch orders over $100 come with free delivery.

The store will launch a food truck this summer, delivering gourmet cheesecakes to area fairs and festivals.

Mathews, who has been baking cheesecakes for weddings and other celebrations for years, admits she never wanted a store-front. But when the space came available, Keller insisted that she act.

She’s an introvert and he’s an extrovert, so the two balance the store functions just fine: She’s

happy to spend long hours in the kitchen while the outspoken Keller greets customers and handles the paperwork.

Since opening last summer, Mathews says she’s amazed at the reception the shop has received not only from the public, but from fellow downtown business owners.

“This environment downtown is very friendly, and everyone seems to want to help each other out,” she says.

One sweet example: R&J pur-chases the buckeyes for its buck-eye cheesecakes from the catering business next door. In exchange, customers who purchase lunch from Jack B’s catering shop are welcome to take their meal to the cheesecake shop to eat in the cozy lounge space.

“I think it’s kind of neat to have everybody here,” Mathews says of the proximity of bakery options.

“And I think we all do different things and everybody comple-ments each other. There’s not a sense of rivalry.”

“I don’t think it’s a bad thing to have competition — everything on the same street,” says Lisa Allen, owner of The Baker’s Cafe. “People need choices. They’re not going to eat the same thing every day.”

Hers is an established business, having operated under the name The Baker’s Cafe for four years before Allen purchased the shop in June 2013. Prior to that, the storefront housed Java Station.

Allen purchased The Baker’s Cafe from its previous owner and tweaked the menu to include more baked goods. The shop now offers a wide variety of bakery items, available in-store or by special

Photos by RANDY ROBERTS / The CourierWE SERVE. COFFEE, above, is one of four bakeries clustered on Findlay’s East Sandusky Street. Pictured are owner Jack Winans, left, assistant manager Heather Gable, and manager Curynn DeWitt. In the photo at left, Reggie Keller shows a white chocolate cheesecake made at R&J CheeseCake. Keller and Jen Mathews operate that shop.

See SWEETS, Page D5

CR AWFORD & EAST SANDUSKY STREETSTHE COURIERFRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2019 D5

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(Left) KEVIN BEAN / The Courier; (Right) RANDY ROBERTS / The CourierERIN TEEGARDIN, at left, leads a yoga class at Findlay Brewing’s relocated, industrial-inspired taproom on Crawford Street. Taproom yoga is offered an hour before the start of business on the first and third Saturdays each month. Above, Kelsey Heitkamp has her interior design business on Crawford Street, and was the mastermind behind the aesthetics inside both Vivir and Findlay Brewing.

last June.The brewery, beer garden and

restaurant attracts patrons of all ages to its prominent Crawford Street locale, with big-city trends like taproom yoga rounding out its appeal.

Taproom manager Sarah Foltz says taproom yoga, offered an hour before the start of business on the

first and third Saturdays of each month, has been “a huge hit.”

Participants pay a $15 drop-in fee and, after the class led by a cer-tified local instructor, enjoy a free craft beer of their choosing.

A barre class was introduced in January and was so popular, the building neared maximum capacity.

Piyo yoga sessions are in the works, as is a possible kickboxing class.

Pumpkin painting, wreath making and other art classes have also proven popular, and a Battle-ship tournament is being discussed.

Foltz says activities like tap-room yoga are extremely popular, especially among big-city brewer-ies: “Breweries just get away with all types of quirky activities.”

And, she says, the offbeat events succeed in attracting a crowd that might not be into the Saturday night bar scene but do enjoy the social aspect of hanging out at a trendy local bar.

Events are promoted on the brewery’s Facebook page, with links to registration when required.

KHIDKHID (Kelsey Heitkamp Inte-

rior Design) specializes in com-mercial interior design and was the mastermind behind the aesthetics inside both Vivir and Findlay Brew-ing.

“So there’s your Crawford Street,” says owner Kelsey Heit-kamp with a laugh.

Her storefront is clean, cozy and inviting, the way you might imag-ine a design studio to feel. Here, Heitkamp meets primarily with

business owners to offer advice on how they can create a functional space that will leave a stellar first impression.

The end goal is to “give custom-ers that great, memorable experi-ence that kind of sticks with them,” in turn helping the business grow its base and profitability.

Heitkamp operated an interior design business for five years out of her home before moving to Crawford Street in June. Helping to design some of the street’s most recognizable spaces was a notewor-

thy welcome to the neighborhood, she says.

The business is also branching out to aid residential inquiries.

“We are just full steam ahead doing that,” she says.

Keep up with all the activity downtown on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram — all three using the handle @DowntownFindlay.

Griteman: 419-427-8477brennagriteman@thecourier.comTwitter: @BrennaGriteman

CrawfordContinued from page D1

order.Allen describes the business as a “one-

stop-shop,” noting that its offering of lunch and a light breakfast menu, cater-ing and gourmet coffee sets it apart from other businesses downtown.

She considers herself lucky to be oper-ating a business in downtown Findlay, where the many options attract a con-stant flow of customers.

Jack Winans, owner of We Serve. Coffee, says while his shop does serve house-made desserts, it is primarily rec-ognized as a coffee shop/cafe, focusing primarily on coffee, tea, breakfast and lunch.

It does, however, stock a daily selec-tion of scones, cinnamon rolls, cookies and biscotti to help complement the tea and coffee offerings, and Winans says the coffee cake is the cafe’s “big-ticket” bakery item.

We Serve opened six years ago, and Winans says its clientele is constantly

evolving. Bible study groups meet at the shop regularly, as does Findlay’s Tiny Art League.

The shop is working to introduce a faith-based music night, and a selection of consignment items — including art, honey, syrup, aprons and more — is avail-able for sale.

Winans views his fellow small busi-ness owners as neighbors rather than competitors, adding, “The pie is big enough downtown that everyone can have a little piece.”

Outside of this confectionery cluster, but still offering sweet bites a mere half-mile away on Blanchard Street is Bread Kneads, baking up daily breads, dinner rolls, breadsticks and specialty breads. Sweets include 12-inch cookies, specialty bars and cheesecakes.

Also sweetening the pot downtown is Main Street Deli, offering a variety of homemade breads, bagels and rolls, along with cookies, turnovers and other pastries.

Griteman: 419-427-8477brennagriteman@thecourier.comTwitter: @BrennaGriteman

Photos by RANDY ROBERTS / The CourierLISA ALLEN, above, is owner of The Baker’s Cafe, one of four bakeries clustered on Findlay’s East Sandusky Street. In the photo at left is Jen Fulton, proprietor of the nearby Jen’s Buggy Whip Cakery.

SweetsContinued from page D4

MCPA THE COURIERFRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2019D6

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Marathon Center expanding programmingMore than 50,000 people came

through the doors of the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts last season.

Executive Director Heather Clow said in the coming year, “We just want to keep that number growing.”

Clow said the center attracts audiences from Hancock County and beyond, including people who came from Columbus to a recent show, but center leaders would like to expand that.

Last season, 51,768 people came through the doors of Marathon Center for the Per-forming Arts, attending 320 dif-ferent shows, fundraisers, parties, rehearsals and civic events.

Over 30 percent of the events hosted by the venue were school- and education-focused, and more than 25 percent were community-based shows.

In the three years since the center opened, “We’ve definitely expanded our programming... become much more community-focused, I think,” Clow said.

She said hosting the Han-cock County Farmers’ Market in the center’s parking lot was one example. A food court of area food trucks is also in the parking lot during summer months.

Clow said this fits with the goal of “being open and avail-able,” encouraging people to use the space without having to spend money on tickets.

As another example of the com-munity focus, Clow noted the part-nership with Findlay Light Opera Company. A large, community-wide musical is planned for June 2020. Clow said the show hasn’t been selected yet.

“We’re having local performers on the stage, not just in the audi-ence,” she said.

Organizations mergeThe Arts Partnership and the

Marathon Center for the Perform-ing Arts merged into one organiza-tion last year.

The Arts Partnership was founded in 1979 as the Findlay Area Arts Council, with the vision

to encourage and stimulate the practice and appreciation of the arts, locally and statewide.

The two organizations have worked closely since the perform-ing arts center opened and they share a common mission: to bring quality arts programs to the adults and children of Hancock County.

The long-anticipated consolida-tion of resources allows the orga-nizations to work together toward achieving this vision.

From the Arts Partnership staff, Craig VanRenterghem joined the performing arts center team as education director, and Kelda Heitkamp serves as outreach coor-dinator.

The merger with the Arts Part-nership was official as of July 1. Clow said the groups had been doing similar things beforehand, and this allows them to pool their resources for education, program-ming and outreach events.

And the center “gained two fantastic staff members” in the process, she said.

Visual artsClow said the Marathon Cen-

ter’s gallery has had a variety of visual arts, and has created part-nerships with, for example, a gal-lery owner in New York who had attended the University of Findlay.

And some of the art is selling, which is “exciting for the artists, and exciting for us.” The gallery is a way to feature visual arts in a way a traditional performing arts center might not, she said.

PerformancesLast season, in addition to

performances by 14 acclaimed artists, including Johnny Mathis and the national tour of Broad-way’s Million Dollar Quartet, the Marathon Center presented four intimate Live @ Armes series per-formances and three matinees for families.

The remainder of the 2018-2019 season includes:

• Feb. 22-Feb. 23, 7:30 p.m.; and Feb. 24, 2 p.m. — “Disney’s Newsies.”

• March 3, 7:30 p.m. — Lima Symphony Orchestra presents “Star Wars,” the music of John Williams.

• March 8, 7 p.m.; and March 9, 2 p.m. — “Honk Jr.”

• March 15, 7:30 p.m. — The Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular.

• March 16, 2 p.m. — Popov-ich Comedy Pet Theater.

• March 22, 7:30 p.m. — “Up in Armes: Findlay’s Notorious Speakeasy.”

• March 23, 10 a.m. — Mer-maid Theatre of Nova Scotia presents “The Very Hungry Cat-erpillar & Other Eric Carle Favou-rites,” puppet theatre.

• March 23, 7:30 p.m. — Vienna Boys Choir.

• March 24, 3 p.m. — Uni-versity of Findlay Jazz Ensemble Concert: “A Salute to the Jazz Masters,” Winebrenner Theologi-cal Seminary.

• March 28, 7:30 p.m. — Rhi-annon Navin, author of “Only

Child,” Community READS 2019. • March 30, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.

— The McCartney Project: “The Wonder Of It All.”

• April 4, 7:30 p.m. — “Kinky Boots,” Tony Award-winning Broadway musical.

• April 7, 3 p.m. — University of Findlay Choir Concert: “Father and Son Mozart — Mozart’s Requiem.”

• April 8, 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. — Tutti Frutti Productions presents “Underneath a Magical Moon,” recommended for children kindergarten through fifth grade.

• April 11, April 12, April 13,

all at 7:30 p.m.; April 14, 2 p.m. — University of Findlay, “The Devised Project,” John and Hester Powell Grimm Theatre, university campus, 1001 Cory St.

• April 14, 3 p.m. — Kenny Broberg, 15th Van Cliburn silver medalist, classical pianist.

• April 14, 3 p.m. — Univer-sity of Findlay Orchestra Concert: “Songs from Musicals,” Wine-brenner Theological Seminary, 950 N Main St.

• April 28, 3 p.m. — Univer-sity of Findlay Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble Concert: “Through the Narrow Gate — The

Road to Salvation.”• April 30, 7:30 p.m. — Valerie

June with special guest Parker Gispert.

• May 2, 7:30 p.m. — Jeffrey Foucault.

• June 14, 7:30 p.m. — “Hitch-hiking Across America: A Con-temporary Cabaret,” Meriah Sage, director. Auditions, May 6.

Tickets can be purchased online at https://marathoncenter-arts.secure.force.com/ticket

For more information, call the center, 419-423-2787. The center is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Center and Arts Partnership merge

Courtesy of MCPA and Soweto Gospel ChoirTHE SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR, from South Africa, performs Nov. 20, 2018, at the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts. Last season, 51,768 people came through the doors of Marathon Center, attending 320 different shows, fundraisers, parties, rehearsals and civic events.

RANDY ROBERTS / The CourierCUSTOMERS look over produce and goods at the Hancock County Farmers’ Market, held last year in the parking lot at the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts. Heather Clow, executive director of the center, says hosting the farmers’ market is an example of the center becoming more community-focused.

COLLEGESTHE COURIERFRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2019 D7

Findlay’s Only Locally Owned Veterinary HospitalLinking the past (1946) to the future and progress of Findlay

Dr. Tyler Fields Dr. Kara SchmidtDr. Rachael Chiu Dr. Tony Fuller

Owens College president developing strategic planBy KATHRYNE RUBRIGHT

STAFF WRITER

Under the direction of now-permanent President Steve Rob-inson, Owens Community College is working on a three-year strate-gic plan that incorporates public input.

A series of community meet-ings — 26 of them, plus an online survey for students — produced a “humongous qualitative data set,” Robinson said.

Much of the input was what

R o b i n s o n e x p e c t e d , including com-ments related to workplace s a t i s f ac t ion , e m p l o y e e morale, trust and communi-cation.

“I expected that the culture

piece would come up,” he said, because “emerging from our fiscal crisis is still pretty recent.”

Every comment got its own index card. More than 1,000 cards were then sorted by category. Everything regarding advising would go together, for example.

“We literally physically put them in piles on a big long table,” Robinson said.

Creating the plan wasn’t as simple as looking at the biggest piles.

Few cards were about fundrais-ing and growing the community college’s foundation, “but that’s something we know we need to

do,” Robinson said. “That’s vitally important.”

The plan includes revised mis-sion and vision statements and six goals: increase enrollment, completion and student success; improve and enhance the student experience; develop workforce and labor market outcomes; cultivate community image and advance-ment; improve college culture and quality of life; and build financial strength and capacity.

The board of trustees had its first reading of the plan on Feb. 5.

The board can choose to adopt the plan during its retreat on Feb. 26.

Robinson was named president in April 2018 after serving as interim president since July 2017, when Mike Bower retired.

On the outside, becoming per-manent might not seem like a big change for Robinson, but it’s what makes the strategic planning pro-cess possible.

“When I was interim president, I was really conscious of the fact that I might not get the job,” Rob-inson said.

So he didn’t want to start any project — like a strategic plan — with more than a one-year time frame.

Robinson said his main reac-tion to being named president was feeling “just so honored, because I love the place so much. This really is my dream job and I feel like we’re in a great place and doing great work.”

Rubright: 419-427-8417 kathrynerubright@thecourier.com Twitter: @kerubright

Robinson

University of Findlay sees room for growthin environmental safety and occupational health

By KATHRYNE RUBRIGHTSTAFF WRITER

The University of Findlay wants one of its hidden gems to get noticed more.

Its All Hazards Training Center is known “nationally and even internationally” for its train-ing work, according to university President Katherine Fell.

And 100 percent of students who graduate with the related degree in environmental safety and occupational health (ESOH) have jobs waiting, Fell said. Often, they have several offers to choose from.

“We should have two or three times as many students as we have in it, because we could get jobs for them,” Fell said.

“Part of the issue is that high school students don’t quite under-stand what a dynamic, interesting and profitable major ESOH is,” Fell said. “It’s in the environmen-tal science world, but students don’t know enough about that area of study to understand this is something they should look at. We would like to help them under-stand that better at an earlier age.”

Employees knowledgeable in environmental safety and occu-pational health are needed “any-where you want people to be safe” — zoos, farms, schools, big busi-nesses, utility or energy compa-nies and more.

“Our approach to it, particu-larly in conjunction with the All Hazards Training Center, makes it a really distinctive opportunity,” Fell said.

Students can get hands-on experience with a center that does training in “virtually any area of potential danger,” Fell said.

Sometimes trainees come to Findlay, but more commonly the university sends “mobile units” out to teach businesses, organiza-tions and schools how to deal with scenarios as varied as workplace violence prevention, chemical spills and train derailments.

Perhaps there’s a perceived danger that would make parents hesitant about their students enrolling in such a program.

But “actually (those) who are trained are the safest of all,” Fell said. “It’s a great career. My own son is in it.”

Other programsThe university is also proud of

its pre-veterinary major, and sev-eral master’s programs that are entirely or mostly online.

Last year’s graduating pre-vet students had a 75 percent accep-tance rate to veterinary schools — much higher than the national average of 15 percent, Fell said.

“The key to success there is

our students begin working with animals their first semester. And they keep working with them until they graduate, and so they learn hands-on,” Fell said.

“And the dean at the Ohio State College of Veterinary Medi-cine tells us that Findlay students come with great experience and with grit,” Fell added. “They don’t fall apart under the pressure. They know what they’re doing, and they know how to work hard.”

Online degreesThe university offers a master

of arts in professional communica-tion degree entirely online.

That’s something “a number of people who are already working as professionals might be interested in,” Fell said.

A master of science in health informatics degree is available both online and on campus.

UF’s program was ranked No. 1 for 2019 for online master’s degrees in health informatics by BestCollegeReviews.org.

A master of science in applied security and analytics degree — cybersecurity, essentially — is not entirely online, but it’s another “hot topic,” Fell noted.

Ministries and service“The Christian ministries

efforts on campus are growing and thriving,” Fell said.

This summer will be the fourth time the university offers The Well, a theological camp for high school students.

And somehow, the university keeps setting records in its Help-ing Hands Food Drive.

“It’s part of our DNA, really,” Fell said. “Everybody gets excited about it. Faculty, staff and students all work toward it. But we really couldn’t do it just ourselves. The community brings in food. The Findlay community works with us to make this happen. Garner Trucking does all the transporta-tion.”

Last November, 111,436 pounds of food were donated, sur-passing the goal of goal of 100,000 pounds set by the university and its dining service, Sodexo.

Separately, all new students participate in a service day as part of orientation, and opportunities continue throughout their years at the university.

Students in Oilers Serving Abroad return multiple times to the same place to volunteer, “so it’s not just in for two weeks and out,” Fell said.

Service at the University of Findlay is “not just about being Christian. That’s about being good people,” Fell said.

UF also proud of pre-veterinary major

Photo providedA UNIVERSITY OF FINDLAY student experiences how to work in confined areas as part of the UF environmental safety and occupational health (ESOH) program. The UF All Hazards Training Center is known “nationally and even internationally” for its training work, according to university President Katherine Fell.

Photo providedNUTRITION FOR EACH animal species is an important part of the University of Findlay’s pre-veterinary science curriculum, and students are responsible for helping the Beckett Center herds to thrive.

AUTO DEALERS THE COURIERFRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2019D8

Used car sales strong, auto dealers reportBy KATHRYNE RUBRIGHT

STAFF WRITER

Looking for a used car?You’ve got competition.Used car sales remained strong

last year, both LaRiche auto deal-erships in Findlay report.

Used car sales were up 12 per-cent over 2017, said Bob LaRiche, owner of LaRiche Toyota Subaru.

It’s tough for the dealership to find used cars to sell for less than $10,000, but those are the vehicles that are popular with buyers, he said.

The cars in that price range tend to be “older Toyota and Subaru models,” he said.

“They just last and last,” Bob LaRiche said, adding that his dealership is still selling Toyota Camrys from 2004.

John LaRiche, owner and presi-dent of LaRiche Chevrolet Cadil-lac, also reported that used car sales “stayed strong” in 2018.

That’s largely because the number of leased cars rose after a slowdown, and now those leases are ending. The most common lease returns are the Malibu, Equi-nox, Traverse and Silverado, John LaRiche said.

The average price for resale on these cars ranges from $15,000 to $18,000, he said.

LaRiche Chevrolet Cadillac adds to its used car inventory by buying previously leased cars from manufacturers, at auction, and directly from owners.

His dealership’s used car sales

were up 10 percent last year over 2017, John LaRiche said.

Warner Buick GMC has a “wide variety of used vehicles,” Nissan new car manager Steve Warner said, including an “excel-lent selection of budget cars under $8,000.”

Around $15,000 “has been a pretty hot spot” for used cars, he added.

Warner’s sales were “mostly flat to slightly down” last year for both used and new cars, he said.

New carsLaRiche Toyota Subaru saw an

11 percent increase in new Toyota sales in 2018, and a 25 percent increase in new Subaru sales.

The Toyota Camry has often been the dealership’s best-selling vehicle, but in 2018 it was the Toyota RAV4.

“It really drives like a car, yet it’s got all-wheel drive available,” Bob LaRiche said in explaining the vehicle’s popularity.

He described it as a “sport util-ity vehicle without being too big.”

The Cadillac XT5 and XT4 are the most popular new vehicles at LaRiche Chevrolet Cadillac, John LaRiche said, and the Cadillac Escalade is a big seller too.

John LaRiche said he is look-ing forward to selling a new Cadil-lac vehicle that will have a third row of seats. Size-wise, it will fall between the XT5 and Escalade, and be similar in size to the Chev-rolet Traverse.

“We’re really excited about that,” he said.

As with used vehicles, the Malibu, Equinox, Traverse and the Silverado are the top-selling new cars, he said.

His dealership’s new car sales were up 3 percent from 2017 to 2018. The dealership “had a great December” that drove that, John LaRiche said.

At Warner Buick GMC, new crossover vehicles such as the GMC Terrain, Nissan Rogue and Nissan Murano “are hot right now,” Warner said.

Younger families like vehicles

with three-row seating, like the GMC Acadia and Nissan Path-finder, he said.

“And of course, trucks will continue to have a large share of the local market,” Warner said. In that category, the GMC Sierra leads at his dealership, and the Nissan Titan and Frontier are also popular.

Similarly, Reineke Ford Lin-coln’s best-selling vehicle is the Ford F-150 pickup, according to Greg Dell, marketing manager for Reineke Family Dealerships.

New vehicles at Reineke include the Lincoln Nautilus, Ford

EcoSport, Ford Expedition, Ford F-150 diesel, all-new Ford Ranger and all-new Lincoln Navigator.

Other trendsThe LaRiche Toyota Subaru

service department is strong, due to both regular maintenance and manufacturer recalls, Bob LaR-iche said.

“We’re actually trying to figure out how we can add a few more service bays,” he said. The dealer-ship has 11 bays, and would like to add one or two more.

Internet sales are strong. Fewer people just arrive at the dealership and start looking around now, but LaRiche Toyota Subaru gets “over 300 internet leads a month,” Bob LaRiche said.

“It’s really about the speed and people’s time consideration,” he said.

The average customer starts thinking about a vehicle purchase six months before buying, John LaRiche said. “They don’t just wake up in the morning and go buy a vehicle.”

During that time, the shop-per is paying attention to ads and doing research, primarily online, he said. By the time most custom-ers come in, they know what car they want and know the dealership has it.

“It just makes it easier for everybody,” John LaRiche said.

Another trend is consumers’ desire for what John LaRiche calls

“guardian angel technology” — features like lane assist and front collision alert. Some vehicles even have a mirror light that will indi-cate when a passing car is in the driver’s blindspot.

Adaptive cruise control keeps a vehicle a certain distance behind the car ahead.

“It’s not a self-driving car by any means,” John LaRiche said of vehicles that have those features, but they reduce accidents.

The driver still needs to pay attention — and some cars will warn drivers to get their hands back on the wheel if they let go, he said.

Safety and technology features, including “blind spot warning, col-lision warning, emergency brak-ing, ProPilot Assist and intelligent cruise control” are increasingly becoming standard equipment in cars, Warner said.

Separately, Reineke Ford Lin-coln said it held a total of six Ford Drive 4 UR School and Lincoln Driven to Give Events, which raised a total of at least $21,000 for Awakening Minds Art, the City Mission, Washington Preschool in Findlay and the Cory-Rawson, Liberty-Benton and Van Buren school districts.

Both programs involve dona-tions from the car companies for test drives during the events.

Rubright: 419-427-8417 kathrynerubright@thecourier.com Twitter: @kerubright

RANDY ROBERTS / The CourierBOB LARICHE stands outside his LaRiche Toyota Subaru dealership in Findlay. He says his used car sales were up 12 percent last year. John LaRiche, owner and president of LaRiche Chevrolet Cadillac, said his dealership’s used car sales rose 10 percent in 2018.