The Woodland Mall: Shopping Center or Money Pit?

University students often refer to the Woodland Mall as the "small" because of its size and lack of major retailers to attract shoppers. There was a very popular Steve & Barry's clothing chain in one wing of the mall until it closed last year, taking with it many shoppers who brought business into the mall. Until we showed up one Saturday and found it completely packed with shoppers and dance show audience (which you'll see), we weren't sure this place ever got busy, aside from the folks who come to be able to walk for exercise in doors (mall walkers).

This audio slideshow was produced by both of us. Daniel and I both did reporting at the mall, with the photos being taken by myself. I captured and edited photos and produced the final product, while Daniel wrote the script and narrated the audio for this story. We hope you enjoy it.

The Best (and almost only) Mexican Food in BG

El Zarape is located just east of campus on Wooster, which isn't the only thing that makes it especially "college friendly." However, this restaurant can be enjoyable for just about anyone, including the whole family.

Don't be confused, though, because El Zarape used to occupy a different location a bit further west. That building became another Mexican restaurant called Cinco de Mayo 5 when El Zarape moved down the road in June of 2008. Cinco de Mayo has a cheaper menu, but in my experience you usually get what you pay for, and I'll always choose El Zarape.

It has the feel of a family-run place with friendly service and a terrific menu that has to be made mostly from scratch. Every so often there's entertainment, usually mariachi bands, which aren't particularly my thing. As far as the food goes, I normally order a Fajita Burrito, but switch it up by alternating chicken and steak. The peppers and onions are excellent, and the platter comes with plenty of food, including beans and rice. If it doesn't sound like your thing, I'm not an authority on too many other items, but check out the link above. There's all kinds of combos and whatnot.

All these qualities of El Zarape aside, the thing they are most famous (or infamous) for is their margaritas. They're powerful enough to rival those of any of the out-of-town Mexican restaurants in Toledo, Perrysburg or Maumee, and come in many flavors. They'll even mix different kinds for you. There is also a pretty good selection of imported and domestic beers, and wine available as well. But come prepared, most likely with a designated driver, when you visit El Zarape to drink. You have been warned.

BG=Bar Goers?

The student population of BGSU makes up a substantial portion of Bowling Green. If there's one thing college students have in common, it's a desire to party, and many do it downtown. BG is definitely a bar town. There's a dozen in the area covered by our map in the post below, and more spread across the city.

The place I go most often is probably Uptown/Downtown. This is misleading because I love Downtown but hate Uptown. I've only even gone upstairs a handful of times. I'm not into the dance scene usually present up there. But Downtown is much more laid back, and has a lot of tvs for my sports-watching pleasure. There are also some good weekly specials, including what I consider to be the best one in town. On Thursdays you can get cheap beers and Captain and Cokes, as well as any shot for $2. I think they take some of the top shelf stuff off the table, but it's a great chance to try different stuff for cheap or have a lot of your favorite. A buddy of mine has lost multiple jobs for missing work Friday morning after a night of Irish car bombs.

Another bar I frequent is Nate and Wally's Fish Bowl. There isn't too much that makes it a great place, but it's usually a good spot to get a drink rather than wade through crowds and wait in lines. Other than that, the best part is probably the namesake, a drink called a Fish Bowl. It's usually available in two flavors, and is served in a plastic fish bowl.

These are the bars I usually go to, but head downtown and check them out for yourself. Each has characteristics that makes it different from the others. Need some help? Check out Raising the Bar in BG. It's a blog that won't be updated, but it contains articles written by myself and other journalism students that classify the downtown bars. Cheers!

Downtown BG Bars

Below is a map of the various bars downtown Bowling Green has to offer. There are others in town, but this focuses on the downtown area, which is highlighted in orange. Click on each location to find out more, like contact information, websites and images. I took most of the pictures myself.


View BG Bars in a larger map

09' National Small Business Awards

I stumbled upon this earlier today. I didn't even know such an event took place. This is a segment from last years National Small Business Award ceremony. I wonder what this year's ceremony will be like.

A Small Business Narrative

Big D’s Ribs, a small business located in Sandusky, Oh has officially been a business for 18 years.  The owners of this business are Duane and Deborah Kay Williams.  They were married in 1977.  After they married it did not take long for them to realize they both had a knack for conjuring delectable combinations of food. 

Before they met each other, Duane graduated from a small village district in New London, Oh and transitioned into the industrial sector, working at factories.  Deborah graduated from a more urban district in Sandusky, Oh and transitioned to Bluffton College where she earned her degree in Business Administration.

Deborah’s formal education in business provided the couple with a reservoir of practical information for business efficiency.  Duane’s laid back yet attentive charisma contrasted perfectly with his wife’s sharp wit.  They went on to have three sons, and soon introduced their children to the family business. They purchased a booth, handmade out of 2 x 4’s and sold their product outside of grocery stores in Sandusky throughout the 1990’s.

The year is now 2010, and Duane and Deborah both hold jobs in the public sector.  Deborah serves as an elementary school instructor, while Duane works as a custodian.  Big D’s Ribs doesn’t serve food publicly, instead they are private caterers.  Although they have a clientele, their aspiration to live primarily off of their own private enterprise has not been substantiated.   This challenge is due primarily to one obstacle: Land, or the lack thereof.

There is a quote that says, “Luck prefers prepared men,” but luck is often impartial to ones preparation and oft prefers the privileged.

Land, is the uncommon denominator between people like the Williams family and a Berardi’s.  This dichotomy is tied to a political history of biased policy and discrimination which in turn thwarted many people’s opportunities.

With this question as a quasi-case study my question is: why is there so much vacant space around this country that could be occupied by bodies and businesses that are off limits, or purposefully highly priced?

Seasonal Business Approaching

Nothing can stimulate the American economy quite like holiday shoppers. Chances are you know someone who's gone crazy for a sale. The most glaring example of this is the deals that will come two weeks from now.

Black Friday has become the biggest shopping day of the year. Stores will give you incredible deals, like flatscreen televisions for $300. But to get them, you usually need to jump through some hoops. Bowling Green surely won't have problems as severe as those you'll see in national headlines, but Black Friday's obstacles usually include massive crowds, limited supplies and lines, potentially in abrasive elements. Walmart usually has people wait outside the store until the specials take effect, barring instances when people could pose a threat to themselves by waiting in the weather. Shoppers run on caffeine and adrenaline to attempt to beat each other out for the discount they seek.

Unfortunately (depending on how you look at it), BG's commitment of protecting small businesses interferes with an event like Black Friday. Many businesses that choose to participate, at least fully participate, open very early and offer massive markdowns, neither of which are very conducive to the small business mindset. National chains most likely experience wider profit margins, can afford to lower prices for a short time, have bigger locations that can hold more shoppers inside their doors and more employees to make it work and expand their hours to do so.

Thus, many Black Friday shoppers leave Bowling Green to find the best deals. However, you could definitely check out Meijer and Walmart this year for substantial savings, if you're willing to fight for them (not literally; well, maybe). All kinds of websites (blackfriday.info, bfads.net) allow you to sort through the deals that might be exclusive to your area, or look at ones that might appeal to you. If it's not your thing, steer clear. I hope most people have enough of an understanding of Black Friday at this point that they should know if it seems like a good idea or not.

Behind the Creations by dawNN

Dawnn (with 2 n’s) Mahulawde is an entrepreneur.

Let it be known that entrepreneurship is a practice that everyone cannot cultivate.  Today, most people opt to work for an established commercial enterprise like Wal-Mart or McDonald’s.   Which is not a bad thing, working in such an institution has its pro’s and con’s.  Camaraderie with co-workers and benefits from collective bargaining are rewards for these foot soldiers of business.  But entrepreneurs have an agency more powerful, comparable to a king or a queen, exercising their will via the concept of manifest destiny in the business world.

Many of these start-up owners, like Dawnn, begin their journey on the fringes of commercial activity, hoping that their idea will excite consumers and fill a void in their respective markets.  Luckily her ideas manifested into interesting products and steady clientele.

After graduating from BGSU, she moved to Manhattan to attend Columbia University’s famed Teachers College. Dawnn now finds herself balancing her formal study in Counseling Psychology with her informal hustle, Creations by dawNN.  She’s landed in the BizNest to discuss entrepreneurship, self-help, and whatever else under the sun.

Q: First off, do you miss Bowling Green?

I do miss Bowling Green. It was such a small town and much easier to do business there.

Q:  Do you miss any stores in BG?

I do miss Asherah’s Garden. It is a holistic shop.

Q:  What constitutes Creations by dawNN?

A:   Jewelry, Mature Love Book, Hair Growth Oil, and now purses.

Q:  What makes your pieces special or worth mentioning?

A:  They are made from inspiration, magic, and love.  Inspiration is the immediate thought that comes to me. “It tells me that I must create this ______”. The magic is what comes when I put the inspiration into action. It is what happens after I bring my inspiration to life, sort of like a baby being born. The love is what I show each of my business ventures when I give them a name. It is what I show when I advertise them to someone.

Q:  How long have you been making jewelry?   

A:  Since my sophomore year of high school.  My cousin taught me how and I kept making it off and on until last year.  Last semester of my senior year, I began selling it around campus.

Q: Would you like to have a company with subordinates or would you rather handle your business on your lonesome?

A:  Right now I would only use help for advertising.  I’ve been advertising through donations of my jewelry.  I donated them to The Charity Fashion Show by Fad Watch.  I’ve also been advertising by donating jewelry to blogs.  But the threat of someone stealing my brand after I teach them overrides me wanting employees.

Q: The book that you’re currently writing, what is it about?
A:  The name of the book is Mature Love.  It’s inspired by my fiancé.  It’s a take on a 21 year old’s conception of love in this age of technology.  I disseminated the thought of Mature Love through Facebook statuses.  I received tons of feedback and the entrepreneur inside of me decided to write a book.  I mentioned that we are in the age of technology because I use FB as a catalyst, and I’m going to publish it in an E-book format.

Q:  Where do you find inspiration for your work?

A:  Unknowingly my father is.  He came here as an immigrant but garnered properties (housing) and is successful.  Although I wasn’t taught how to fix a car, or how to fix a house because of strict gender roles, I still had the desire to learn.  Not to learn those types of things, but to be an entrepreneur just like my father.  He’s a ‘jack of all trades’ and I’m trying to be the woman version.

Q:  You mentioned earlier hat you have a tax identification number but you don’t use it.  Why is that?

A:  Because I don’t want the government in my business, as of yet [laughs].  I consider my creations a lucrative hobby.  A hobby rather because it’s inconsistent.  By inconsistent I mean the irregularity.  I have my weeks when I’m selling items, and I have weeks when I’m not.

Q:  Is the mental health industry a big market?

A:  It's a big market comprised of small businesses.  You can have your own practice, work for a hospital, community organization, professor, etc.  But everyone has to come together to present new findings in order to disseminate mental health information and take it back to their respective work.

If interested in Creations by dawNN check out her previous manifestations of glamour on Facebook.   Or for some words geared towards healthy living from a #citygirl perspective follow her on Twitter: @Dawnwith2ns.

How to Successfully Start a Small Business

Despite the lack of ethnic diversity within the workplaces that are being portrayed, the information presented in this particular video clip is concise and beneficial to those interested in heightening their entrepreneurial sensibilities. There’s more to business than product, customers, and exchange. Staff and subsequent relationships hold equal weight in the process of commercial enterprise.

Campus Pollyeyes

The website for Pagliai's Pizza and Campus Pollyeyes tells the "legend" of the opening of the restaurants in Bowling Green. I'm going to open with a selection from that history:

"...our story begins, in 1967, with a nineteen year old Missouri born pizza maker named George Nicholson. George had spent his early years mastering his trade under the tutelage of the Pagliai's brothers, Salvatori, Armond and Haldo, who had built a chain of pizzerias which stretched across Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois. One day, after having passed through a college town in Northwest Ohio called Bowling Green, Salvatori thought, rightfully so, that this town would be an ideal location for the first (and to this day the only) Pagliai's Pizza in Ohio. When George was given the opportunity to relocate from their location in Iowa City to Bowling Green to open up the pizza house, he jumped at it.

Pagliai's opened for business at 1004 South Main in 1967, across the street from the present location, with George and a handful of employees under him. Cheese pizzas for ninety cents and bottles of pop for a dime caught on... in a big way. In 1969, hot subs and the first salad bar in town were added. In 1976, having outgrown its current location, the business moved across the street to its current location at 945 South Main. In 1978, a second pizzeria was established at 440 East Court Street and named Campus Pollyeyes. The name changed to a more phonetic spelling to avoid confusion."

I included this story because I found it to be interesting, and also because this is the first time I have seen an explanation of why the names of the two restaurants are spelled differently. I've pondered this all my life, and the answer has been waiting in plain sight for who knows how long.

Campus Polleyes, in my opinion, is quite different than its predecessor. Pagliai's has a pizza, soup and salad buffet, and a bunch of Italian recipes on their menu. I had to look to see what else the Campus joint sells, because I've only ordered one thing from them, ever, and that's stuffed breadsticks.

They're kind of pricey, but the stuffed breadsticks are worth it. There's nothing else like them in town. They'll take pretty much anything they have in the restaurant and bake them in some dough with cheese and top it with garlic butter. Six come in a full order, but if it's just you, I'd advise three unless you want leftovers. Three breadsticks has always been considered a full meal by anyone I know.  That whole order will run you around $14, but there's coupons on their website that can bring it down to $11 or $12. I always get chicken and cheese with ranch (you choose a dipping sauce), but there's all kinds of other stuff to get, like steak or roast beef.

I don't visit Campus Pollyeyes in person very often, but it seems like a decent enough place. They have beer on tap (a nice selection, too), and it's close to campus at 440 East Court Street. They also serve pizza, sandwiches, salads, and more. Check out the rest of their menu with these PDF  links to the Carryout and Dine-In menus. Call for delivery at 419-352-9638.

Myles' Style is Thick

Another BG favorite is Myles Pizza Pub on East Wooster Street. Order this when you're really hungry or have a lot of people to feed, because their pizza is massive. The cheese, sauce, crust and toppings are all layered thick. Order a simple pepperoni and they'll pile it several slices high all over your pie, under a mound of cheese of course.

The restaurant is owned by Chip Myles, and it isn't his only BG staple. You can also catch him running an independent Dairy Queen located across the railroad tracks. Both have been around as long as I can remember.

They don't just get by on size and Myles, their pizza is tasty and creative. Look at their specialty pizzas, for instance. Although there are your standard meat and veggie lovers, taco, etc., Myles takes it several steps further. There's Greek lovers, Spice lovers (pepperoni/sausage/salami), Chinese chicken (pineapple/almonds), Tropical (pineapple/shrimp on whole wheat), Wild West (buffalo/mushrooms/bacon) and Breakfast lovers, with eggs and your choice of ham, bacon or sausage. A menu item I found surprisingly funny was a supreme-style pizza with lots of toppings called the "Food Lovers."

Myles Pizza also sells several sizes and styles of salads, subs and more. You'll just have to check this one out for yourself. Unfortunately they don't operate a website, so you'll have to try to look at some of those menu websites or, better yet, visit in person. Delivery is an option if you're hungry and aren't feeling motivated, which is available until 2:30 am for you night owls.

Pisanello's: Ever Have It This Good?

I can say with certainty Pisanello's is my favorite pizza place in Bowling Green. I've never been one to save the best for last, so I made it my first stop on the BG pizza trail. Their catchphrase hits it on the head for me: " A pizza never had it so good!"

I checked out Pisanello's website and learned a few new things about the restaurant, even though I've been eating their pizza since before I can remember. It turns out that a guy named Ron Pisanello opened restaurants in Alliance and Kent, Ohio in the late 1950s, who sold the name and recipes in 1964 to a Kent State University student who brought the pizzeria to Bowling Green. There are now more than twenty Pisanello's Pizza locations across Ohio and Michigan. The BG location has probably won as many honors as any other restaurant in town, including Bowling Green's best pizza for 17 years.

Their recipes are both classic and delicious. Their traditional pizza sauce is good, but for a new taste, order the California White pizza with chicken and whatever other toppings you like (I suggest tomatoes). Their dough tastes fresh, and so do their homemade breadsticks. There are also more than ten subs and sandwiches and plenty of sides. I like the tomato bread. I also like to hit up Pisanello's for a fresh salad once in a while as well. There are many kinds but I pick the Chicken Caesar, which comes topped with a mass of cheese and croutons and is plenty for two.

So check out Pisanello's, and don't be afraid to try something a little out of the ordinary, because they offer some pretty good flavors. Also remember to vote in our pizza poll in the right sidebar. Let us know whether you like Pisanello's, a chain pizza place, or one of the other local favorites!

What's Your Favorite Pie?

Pizza Places constitute a healthy percentage of the rstaurants in Bowling Green, a number of them locally owned. Shoutout to Cheesy in BGeezy. They have a cool slideshow with pretty much every pizza joint in town.

I work for a pizza place in BG myself, and I'm a little dismayed by the local places we've lost over the years. Luca Pizza sold monster oven-fired slices and some decent stuffed breadsticks out of the Woodland Mall food court until they closed shop a few months ago. Several restaurants including a few pizza places like Night Flight and Dinky's went in-and-out of the now-empty location on Mercer and East Wooster. Years ago that same place was the second Pizza Hut. Each of these restaurants had good pizzas on their menus; is it the presence of big pizza chains in BG like Marco's, Papa John's, Pizza Hut or Domino's that cost us some of the other ones? Which do you prefer? Chain or local?

Anyway, this look at local pizza places is my attempt to draw some attention away from the $10 specials of the big guys to what I consider to be some more flavorful choices in Bowling Green. I much prefer the grub from the local places. I'll touch on my favorites this week, which are the same ones in the poll on the right sidebar. Wait for my reviews or make your sleection now between the local choices or the chains. Cheesy inBGeezy also has a pizza poll up, so make sure to stop by and give them your feedback as well.

A Holistic Approach

Nowadays people tend to rely on pharmacists whenever they become ill.  Natural remedies are not as prevalent in our society as they used to be. 

Asherah's Garden is a local holistic health center ran by Lia Ricci-Sons.  She is a certified Holistic Health Practioner and Holistic Life Coach.  If you're interested in herbs more than potentially harmful chemicals, this place is a great alternative.

What is Holistic healing?  Holistic health is a concept in medical practice where all aspects of people's needs, psychological, physical and social, and mentally are taken into account and seen as a whole.  The holistiic view on treatment is widely accepted in medicine.  Treatment methods include accupuncture, Reiki, and herbology.

There are free workshops every Monday from 7-9pm at 175 N.Main St.  She is also available for appointments. 

I went to a workshop last year and it was real refreshing.  We meditated as a group and Lia definitely knows her stuff.

Here is some schedule information:
  - Monday Nov. 1

• No Workshop

• Herbs for the Cold & Flu- Monday Nov. 8 - Monday

• Defeating Negative Self

Talk

- Monday Nov. 22

• No Workshop

- Monday Nov. 29• Crystals

All Saturday workshops are

$15.00

(covers instruction and materials)

& require an RSVP.

• Immune Booster Syrup

- Saturday Nov. 6

from 5-7p.m.

- RSVP by Oct. 30

• Aromatherapy Bath Salts

- Saturday Nov. 13

from 5-7p.m.

- RSVP by Nov. 6

• All Natural Lip Balm

- Saturday Dec. 4

From 5-7p.m.

- RSVP by Nov. 23- Monday Dec. 6

• Stress Management for

Happy Holidays

Nov. 15

Season

Long Live the King

I know I do a lot of writing about restaurants, but I love to eat.

Arguably, the greatest 'bang for your buck' spot in Bowling Green can be found at King Buffet.  King is an Asian cuisine eatery and is known for their King's combo.  For $5.99 you can pick five items from a list and a canned drink, fried rice is included.  Although there is a lack of polite customer service, it's hard to deny their affordability and flavor. 

It's the quintessential take out spot.  If it was up to BGSU senior David Clark he'd eat Kings at least four days a week.  "I've been eating Kings since I got up here.  I love the fact that I can eat multiple times throughout the day from one take out order," Clark said. 

The buffet isn't that great because they focus more on cost efficiency than the customer.  They don't refill the empty food pans that often, but participants in a smorgasbord don't do too much complaining.  Less than 30 seconds down the road is Old Time Buffett.  Although I never ate at Old Time Buffett I heard they have a great spread.

All in all, King rightfully deserves a spot on the city's top 10 busiest business list.  One way they could improve their business is by showing some customer appreciation.  Punch out cards for frequent customers or occasional discounts would prove beneficial for them.  Also, they should keep a better eye on those slick college students in there packing a little extra for later though :)

A Quick Fix

Fast food is usually administered by businesses that have the means to produce for masses.  It is intriguing when a small business attempts to compete within the factory food industry against giants.

Speedy Burrito is up for the challenge.  This small enterprise has a big taste and offers a taste of Mexico in no time. They've been around for less than a year, but their combination of late night hours, fast service and $1 dollar delivery rivals any of their competitors efforts.  The owner, Rick Urista, is a real down to Mars guy.  After he prepared my Acapulco burrito and taco we discussed the marvels of the information age.  He expressed the conveniency of the internet, specifically how he can get an authentic recipe from Mexico instantly.  Rick then went on to counter his point by adding that the human element is often missing in this technologically driven society.  A point on which I agreed.  I came in for food, not a healthy conversation.  But it was great.

For about the same price as Chipotle, you get a more authentic flavor at SB. It's right across the street from Taco Bell.  And I'm sure the consumption of these tacos and burritos will amount to premium gas unlike that of the aforementioned (inside joke).

Thoughts for Grounds

Grounds for thought may be my favorite business in Bowling Green.  The name of the store alone sets the mood before you even walk in.

Coffee, pastries, comic books and records all do their part towards stimulating your mind.  The subsequent formulation of ground breaking ideas is expected.  Every time I come here I feel like I am in Seattle.  And I’ve never even been to Seattle.  The wooden décor provides an Earth tone color scheme that creates a much better ambiance than Jerome.

Although different elements add to the atmosphere, books are the seminal piece.  A wide variety of reading material ranging from children’s books to critically acclaimed novels occupies the shelves.  But if you don’t want to read, there is usually some people playing chess or scrabble.  It’s a family affair.

All jokes aside, it’s more intimate than Borders.   And it is much cozier than Nobles and Barnes.  If you need a change in your studying venue, I suggest you come here.

P.S.:   Order a Coffee Amore with whip cream.

Pictured above are the friendly folks who'll make your drinks etc.  I didn't get their names sooo, let's call them Gertrude and Thomas.

7 Businesses in 7 Days

Time for some good old fashion on foot reporting.  With all the intriguing businesses around me, I'm going on a profiling spree this week.  Stay tuned.

Small Biz BG Slideshow

Bowling Green's downtown is comprised of a nice variety of small businesses.  No skyscrapers or colosseums, just a bunch of blue collar families trying to make a few dollars.  Enjoy the slideshow.

The Cookie Jar... And More?

This kinda ties in with something Daniel wrote about earlier, because "The Cookie Jar And More" is one of those places you're kinda surprised is able to stay in business. In no way should this be taken as an insult, I just mean that a cookie delivery business is a very specific sort of shop. It's at 130 East Court St., across from Spots, and definitely offers more than just chocolate chip (although they do that pretty well also). The Cookie Jar opened about three years ago, and is managed by Christy Johnson and Maureen Lanigan.

I've been spoiled most of my life by having some great cooks in my family, including my grandma and my mom. One of the things they really got creative with was desserts, which might be a reason I can appreciate what The Cookie Jar is all about. Cookies freshly made and baked from scratch are their specialty, and they some cookies every day as well as special varieties each day of the month. There's some really creative combinations on the menu for October. They also sell muffins, and do a great job catering their treats for events. The Cookie Jar is closed Monday and Tuesday, but can still deliver on catered orders. The rest of the week they are open until midnight. Call them up at 419-354-8780. Of course, you can also order milk.

Side note: in researching The Cookie Jar, I discovered that they actually hold an annual cookie eating contest: the fastest to eat six of their cookies and drink six pints of milk wins. I've never heard of this but thought it was worth mentioning if you like to see people throw up from eating too much.