If a documentary’s story is not worth telling, flashy cinematography and dramatic music won’t overcome an audience’s lack of interest, according to Tim Gaydos, a videographer for a new documentary by local filmmaking group Educo Films.

In this case, Gaydos said, the subject matter speaks for itself.

The 30-minute documentary, a concept developed by the company’s producer, Stephon J. Davis, aims to educate viewers about how to support and create successful African American-owned businesses in the Cleveland Heights area.

The recently formed Heights Independent Business Alliance (HIBA) is collaborating with FutureHeights to build a vital Heights economy based on independent, locally owned businesses. Together the organizations seek to prevent proliferation of retail chains and other trends from displacing local entrepreneurs, by uniting area independent businesses, citizens and community organizations.

The annals of Cleveland music are littered with the remains of defunct clubs, DIY spaces and even big concert halls, so it’s encouraging to see that Coventry fixture the Grog Shop has clung to life so tenaciously for nearly two decades.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency prefers that you use a professional car wash.

According to the EPA, dirty water runoff from driveway washing flows down the street, enters the storm drain, and directly pollutes our lakes and streams. Commercial car washes, on the other hand, are required to route wastewater to treatment plants, where contaminants, such as oil, grease and detergents, are removed. Yet, not all professional car washes are alike.

Nestled among the businesses on Lee Road is a store as unique as the surrounding community-and as the needs of the historical homes that line its streets. It wasn’t long after moving into our more than 90-year-old house that I first met Joel Borwick, owner of Seitz Agin Hardware.  “I have to replace the grate thingy on one of my radiator covers,” I told him, bracing myself for the same “don’t carry that” I had heard at the bigger stores I visited. “They’re at the end of this aisle,” he responded, smiling at the look of relief on my face. Over the years, my encounters with Borwick and his staff would be many.

Cedar Lee business owners aren’t letting the economy get them down. Instead, they are focusing on summer activities and customer appreciation.

Recognizing that consumers have many options when it comes to shopping, dining or essential services, the Cedar Lee Special Improvement District wants to thank customers for continuing to support local businesses.

 

Dawn Ward and her daughter-in-law, Lauren, have opened a new store in the petite storefront that formerly housed Simply Charming. Funky Hippy is located at 2265 Lee Road and is open 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

Mark R. Reich owns the Brew-n-Bistro, located at 20630 North Park Blvd., near the eastern entrance to John Carroll University. His wife plays in an Irish band, the Terriers, and she loves to partake in jam sessions with her bandmates and friends. Naturally, she thought the Brew-n-Bistro would be a great spot to play. 

So every third Monday of the month, from 7 to 9 p.m., the Brew-n-Bistro now hosts an acoustic music jam session for all ages. Reich says that anyone who can play an instrument can come in and jam, and anyone can come to listen to the assembled musicians play swing, oldies, bluegrass, Celtic and other genres.

Debuting a 1,500 square-foot space for manicures, pedicures and keratin relaxer treatments, Studio Taylor owner, Nancy Taylor, said her staff looks forward to pampering clients in the newly expanded Fairmount Boulevard salon.  

Tall windows next to manicure stations allow clients to peer out at passersby, while spherical chandeliers, poised above the new area, are reflected in large mirrors. Pops of red accent a new seating area with a couch and director chairs. Shampooing sinks and makeup stations have been shifted to give everyone a little more “elbow room,” Taylor noted. 

"The staff is incredibly enthusiastic about the space, especially all the natural light,” she said, “and the clients love it. We’re also seeing a return of clients we haven’t seen in a long time because the space has improved.” 

 

After two years under its current ownership, the Cedar Lee Pub has celebrated the grand opening of its new patio. Shaun Bosko, co-owner and general manager, believes the addition will be the focus of the bar this summer.

The patio, located behind the pub, is about 2,000 square feet with a full-service bar, two flat-screen televisions and a large projection screen off to the side. The patio has bar and table seating, with an awning covering about a third of the area.

Bosko thinks the patio is a great addition to the place, adding a nice feel to eating outside. He hopes the menu, with a summertime $5 burger-and-beer special, will be a hit. The special runs daily from 3-7 p.m. and into the evenings on Monday. It includes a burger, fries and a 16-ounce Labatt Blue.

 

Remodeling comes with horror stories: maxed credit cards, schedules months behind, fights with contractors. Now, imagine additional complications: remodel a bustling café using sustainable building practices while serving hundreds of people each day—and saving money at the same time. That’s the challenge locally-owned Phoenix Coffee, 2287 Lee Road, gave itself this winter. The results are a case study in sustainable remodeling success.

Construction historically has been one of the largest polluting industries because of everything from toxic building materials to demolition refuse. The U.S. government estimates that 26 percent of nonindustrial waste in our landfills is due to construction and demolition: over 160 million tons per year. Yet "green" building innovations are often more expensive due to the types of materials and processing involved, which presents a dilemma for small business owners who want to do the right thing, but may simply not being able to afford it.

Walking through the door at CUT Hair Studio, I immediately knew something was different. It was more than just the three extra client chairs that had materialized since my last visit. There was an excitement, an energy that seemed to ripple throughout the popular Lee Road hair salon.

"What’s going on?" I asked as I settled into the chair. Laura Griffith, owner and creator of CUT Hair Studio, explained that she was ready to make some changes in her business and career. "I knew that I wanted to take CUT to the next level, but not by myself. I also knew that if I was going to bring in a partner, it had to be the right person at the right time. Then Ken literally walked back into my life."

Gwynby moves 

Gwynby Antiques has a new location and a new name. The shop has moved across the street from the Heights Medical Building to the Heights Center Building, 12427 Cedar road, and is now Cedar Fairmount Antiques.

The economy has many Heights merchants feeling an urgent need to try something new. “If we don’t do something fast,” said Trevor Gile, owner of Motorcars Honda, “we’re going to keep losing businesses. With fewer businesses, the city will collect fewer taxes and will have to cut services. Property values will decrease and everyone in the community will suffer.”

Heights independent business owners are banding together to bring more people into their shops. They were inspired by independent business expert Jeff Milchen, who came to town in March to discuss how the diversity of independently-owned businesses contribute to a community’s economy.

Citizens can vote for their favorite Heights businesses in FutureHeights’ annual Best of the Heights awards program. The 2010 survey begins May 1 and runs through August 31.

“There are 20 award categories this year,” said FutureHeights Programs Committee Chair Michael Wellman, “Some are the same as previous years, such as the Best New Business and others are new, such as Best Pub, Bar or Tavern. We try to keep the program fresh and create opportunities for all categories of businesses to be considered for an award.”

Since 2005, FutureHeights, a nonprofit dedicated to civic engagement and innovative ideas, has conducted this public opinion survey to recognize the unique attributes of locally-owned businesses in Cleveland Heights and University Heights and their contributions to the local economy.

Quintana’s is hosting a raffle to support the Officer Jason D. West Memorial Scholarship. Owner Alex Quintana recalls that Jason West was the first police officer to come into his business, Quintana's Barber & Dream Spa, at 2200 South Taylor Road. Quintana got to know West socially and professionally when he became a regular customer.

When West died while responding to a disturbance call on May 26, 2007, the staff at Quintana’s was in shock. “Jason was young and looking forward to the rest of his life,” remembered Quintana. “He had the job he wanted, a house in our community and he was looking for the right person to settle down with. He was dedicated to his work and loved his motorcycle. Sometimes he would come in just to hang out and talk.”

The federal government has designated the week of May 23-29 as this year’s National Small Business Week, in honor of the nation’s 27.2 million small businesses. It is estimated that businesses with fewer than 500 workers employ more than half of all Americans. Three hundred of these small businesses are based in the Heights.

It's been a long time since Brian Okin was a busboy at Nighttown, or since his graduation from Heights High. The chef/owner of Verve restaurant recalls those days fondly, believing they were instrumental in his decision to open a restaurant in Cleveland. "I love Cleveland Heights and the Nighttown experience definitely made an impact."

Following his graduation from Heights High, Okin attended Butler University, but left before graduation. "I worked at a local northern Italian restaurant and became their sous chef. By the time I was 21, I was their executive chef."

The Tavern Company has a new owner and a new menu.

Chris Armington, who worked for 12 years at Brennan’s Colony as a bartender, server and manager, now owns The Tavern Company, also known as TavCo. “It’s always been a dream of mine to own my own business,” he says.

After signing the papers last November, his dream came true, and in January, Armington introduced a new menu for 2010. “If you’re a bar on Lee Road, you have to have wings and burgers, so we do that. But we also wanted to offer things that are a little more high end, and not be like every other bar on Lee Road.”

Jeff Milchen, cofounder of the American Independent Business Alliance and an international leader in helping communities build vital local economies, is coming to town. He will be conducting "Strength In Numbers," a 2-3 hour workshop for locally-owned businesses, on Thursday, March 25, at 8:30 a.m., at the Lee Road Library..

What should you do if your car won’t start?

Many times a customer will report that the engine cranks but does not turn over.  If all of the usual noises occur when the key is turned, the engine is turning over.  In this case, get the car to a mechanic because there are many factors that can prevent the car from starting.

Jeff Milchen, cofounder and director of the American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA.net), will visit the Heights in late March. He will present the AMIBA model of community organizing to promote locally-owned independent businesses the evening of Wednesday, March 24.

He will hold a morning workshop, on Thursday, March 25, to explore, in more detail, the potential of creating an independent business alliance here.

Buddhaful Spin, a new exercise facility in Coventry Village, featuring spinning classes and a yoga studio, held an open house Jan. 2 and 3, to acquaint the public with its signature offering, Spynga.

Owned and operated by Jill Vinci and Carina Adams, the studio is the first liscensed Spyngna facility in the United States, importing the popular exercise routine from Canada.

"Cleveland? Why would I want to move to Cleveland?" This is a very typical reaction when a local company tries to recruit an executive from out of town -- and that is why Cleveland Heights- based Executive Arrangements has been in business for 30 years.

Negative impressions of Northeast Ohio are prevalent, especially if a candidate's exposure to Cleveland has been limited to what he or she has seen on the national news.

More than 100 times a year, Executive Arrangement staffers spend a day with a family considering a move to the area. They provide the family with a personalized tour of the city designed to match their interests and needs, and work to overcome any objections the family might have to moving here.

Local butcher shop Mister Brisket wants to send 100 salamis to the troops on Jan. 5. The store will pick up the tab for the first 20, then it's up to generous folks to pony up and underwrite the rest of the give.

Check out misterbrisket.com for donation information, or call the shop with your credit card, 216-932-8620. One salami is $20. Mr. Brisket will send your salami along with a personal message to serviceman Cormac Chandler, the son of customer Max Chandler, and his Medivac unit in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Through 12/30: Heights Arts Holiday Store, 2173 Lee Road.

12/6: Fair Trade Holiday Sale, 7 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. FREE. John Carroll University.

12/7-12/9:  Open House/Pottery Sale, Cleveland Potter's Co-op, 3175 Kensington Road.

Locally owned Heights merchants have a variety of offerings for even the most extensive gift list. Here are some of the Heights Observer's favorites.

Foodies

Purchase gift certificates to any of your favorite local restaurants. Or go to www.clevelandindependentsdeck.com and purchase The Deck. For $29.95, it looks like a deck of cards and contains 52 $10-off coupons to locally-owned, Northeast Ohio restaurants.

A pan of roasted or barbecued brisket from Mister Brisket. According to the owner, this unique food item is indigenous to our region and in high demand. Each pan feeds 8 to10. (Mister Brisket)

 

After nearly 27 years in Coventry Village, Vidstar Video – the last independent video store in the Heights area  – is closing for good.

Its last day will be Dec. 31, according to owner Les Groynom. Until then he’s liquidating inventory while continuing to rent videos, and he’s thanking long-time customers for going out of their way to support local merchants. The last new release, according to Vidstar’s Facebook fan page, will be The Hangover.

“I’ve rehearsed this answer,” Groynom said, when asked why he decided it was time to close. 

What brings Cavaliers superstar Shaquille O’Neal to the Heights?

Lisa Lansing, the owner of GYROTONIC® Cleveland and Inspiral Motion.

Lansing, a former professional dancer and athlete, opened Inspiral Motion studio at Fairmount Circle in January 2007.

Lansing had been exposed to pre- and post-natal Pilates and yoga while living in Europe. She began teaching out of her home when she moved to Cleveland Heights and had built a following while teaching at the Heights Parent Center and Cleveland Heights Recreation Center.

Cleveland Heights is full of best-kept secrets and Mister Brisket--a purveyor of custom meat, poultry, and seafood on South Taylor Road--pretty much tops the list.

Combine a national cult following for succulent, baked corned beef, with a fairly new retail outlet for some of the best deli sandwiches around, and you’ve got the makings of a local independent business that does more than its fair share to keep the Heights unique and sustainable.

After working for an import grocer on Cleveland’s West Side for 12 years, Abrahem Malkieh decided to open an international market in the eastern suburbs with his brother, Sameh. “Customers driving over from the East Side kept asking, ‘Why don’t you have a store like this closer to us?" Abrahem Malkieh explains. “Now they have their wish!”

Since opening in August, U.S. Jerusalem Imports and Farmers Market has offered products from all over the world. Located in University Corners Plaza at the intersection of Cedar and Taylor roads in University Heights, the store’s broad selection is still growing.

You’ve got to feel for Denise Newman, owner of the Isle of Beads in the historic Heights Rockefeller Building.

 “The bad news is, I have to move.  The good news is, I only have to move four doors down. The bad news is, I have to move a million beads!” she says.

Denise never considered moving her store out of Cleveland Heights. She grew up here and bought her home here with her husband after getting her BFA from Ohio University. She is a supporter of the movement to buy locally, I BUY NEO.

Denise Newman opened Isle of Beads in July of 1991 to celebrate her love for beads.  For nineteen years she has collected and offered for sale extremely beautiful and extraordinary beads and

 

Liquid Planet, a restaurant known for its smoothies and specialty pitas, opened last month at 12413 Cedar Road in the former Vixseboxse space in the Heights Center Building at Cedar Fairmount. Liquid Planet is open seven days a week, Monday through Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The Heights location is the resturaunt's third in Northeast Ohio. Others are at 11002 Clifton Blvd. in Cleveland and 224 Crocker Park Blvd. in Westlake.

Visit www.liquid-planet.com for more information.

FutureHeights has formed a partnership with the Council for Smaller Enterprises (COSE) to encourage consumers and business owners to support locally-owned businesses and keep dollars within the Heights community. FutureHeights has promoted shopping at local businesses through its Heights Shops program since 2003.

“One-of-a-kind independent businesses are what give the Heights its unique character," says Deanna Bremer Fisher, executive director of FutureHeights. “Research shows that for every $100 spent at a locally-owned business, $45 goes back into the community, strengthening the tax base. For every $100 spent at a chain store, only $14 comes back. And, nonprofits receive an average of 350 percent more support from local business owners than they do from nonlocally- owned businesses.”

"I come to you with empty hands, I have not weapons, but should I be forced to defend myself, my principles or my honor, should it be a matter of life or death or right or wrong, then here are my weapons, karate, my empty hands."

These words appear on one of the many Hall of Fame plaques earned by Grandmaster Joel Dvorin, owner of Unified Martial Arts Academy on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights. 

Unified Martial Arts teaches a combination of tae kwon do, kempo, and judo, with students ranging in

Stylist Bethany McDaniel takes an appointment at the new Super Deluxe Salon, located in the former Salon DM on Lee Road. Hours are T-F 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sat. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The upscale salon, co-owned by Fast Eddy's and Crazy Mullets' Ed Maddox and David Bruce, opened in late August and features murals by a local artist.The salon carries Aquage a locally produced hair care line.

The thrice-derailed diner complex at 1975 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights is back on track, scheduled to open around Nov. 1—not as a diner, but as a casual-chic tavern.

Clyde’s Bistro & Barroom, as it will be called, will be run by three generations of the Mart family. This is the 11th restaurant for Clyde Mart, a 30-year restaurant owner whose previous ventures include Mo's Uptown (Pepper Pike), Mo's Downtown (Tower City), Mo’s Primo and, later, Gaylin’s Tavern (Willoughby) , and Vito’s (Aurora).

His daughter, Vivian Gatta, of Cleveland Heights, worked in many of them and will be general manager at Clyde’s. Bryan Oddo, also of Cleveland Heights, is Mart’s grandson and Gatta’s nephew. He will manage front-of-house operations.

Walk through the front doors of Nela Florist on Noble Road and the scent of hundreds of flowers is an instant embrace. Surrounded by green plants and colorful arrangements, customers immediately know that all of their floral needs will be met in this sunlit shop.

Stan Soble, the owner of Nela Florist for 28 years, carefully cultivates the inviting atmosphere in his shop. He said he loves the business and that it keeps him on his toes.

"You never know what’s going to happen—an unexpected wedding or a sudden funeral—you never know what you’ll be dealing with. That’s the part of the business I love. It’s not routine," he explained.

It was January 2007, and I had made a New Year’s resolution to “Keep it in the Heights.” To support the community I have loved since age six, I resolved to focus my purchasing power on the restaurants, shops and galleries of Cleveland Heights.

It was an easy decision –especially on where to have my hair cut and colored. Passionate reviews from my Cleveland Heights friends led me to Laura Jensen Griffith and CUT Hair Studio on Lee Road.

FutureHeights announced the winners of the 2009 Best of the Heights Awards public survey yesterday at a ceremony at Nighttown. More than 730 citizens cast their ballots for their favorite businesses during the summer-long survey. They nominated more than 340 Heights businesses in categories such as Best New Business and Friendliest Staff.

The winners are:

Afr8d ur missing specialz @ ur local hangout? You may be in luck.

Cleveland Heights entrepreneur Dan Murphy has created a way for businesses to integrate cell phone text messaging into their traditional advertising programs.

When Donna Dixon sent her daughter, Denise, and two sons to Sunday school at Hope Lutheran Church years ago, she never imagined she would someday operate a business from that very location.

But one day, while traveling past the Taylor Road church to her mother’s home in University Heights, that daughter (Denise Ford) noticed a sign advertising "five classrooms/offices for rent." Fondly remembering those rooms and mentally connecting them to the expanding home-based business she operated with her mother, Ford suggested to Dixon that they visit the location.  

The match was perfect.

Richard Hollis,  owner of Hollis Automotive on Noble Road, has been working on cars since he was 9 or 10 years old.

“I started in 1949-50,” said Hollis. His mother marched him into a local auto shop and asked the head mechanic, “Why don’t you hire him?"

"OK, we’ll give him a quarter per hour," said the mechanic. "That’s too much," replied Mrs. Hollis. "Give him 10 cents.”

Since then, hard work and fair pricing has defined Hollis’ business philosophy, something this reporter experienced first-hand. Showing up with a coupon Hollis published in the Heights Observer, I received an oil change for less than $20.

Nationally known silhouette artist, Clay Rice, will return to Sunbeam Shop for Children, 3469 Fairmount Blvd., on Oct. 2.

Rice creates a unique portrait of your child in minutes with just a pair of scissors and a small piece of black paper.

The art form of silhouette dates back to the 1700s and has been a traditional memento of childhood for generations. Performance silhouettes are a tradition in Rice's family: his grandfather Carew Rice started teaching him when he was a child.

Myra Orenstein, executive director of the Coventry Village Special Improvement District, resigned from her post effective at the end of July. She had been at the helm of the organization for six years.

"She's had a nice run. We accepted her resignation with regrets," said Michael Peterman, president of the SID. Peterman said that Orenstein had organized the SID and that the street improvements along Coventry were accomplished on her watch.

Bremec on the Heights has installed new landscaping in front of its building on Cedar Road. Is a new sign next?

Voting for the 5th Annual Best of the Heights Awards will close on Monday, August 24. Since 2005, FutureHeights, a nonprofit dedicated to civic engagement and innovative ideas, has conducted this public opinion survey to recognize the unique attributes of locally-owned businesses in Cleveland Heights and University Heights and their contributions to the local economy.

Citizens can vote for their favorite local businesses in 20 award categories. The survey was launched in June and runs through August 24.

FutureHeights will recognize winning merchants of the 5th Annual Best of the Heights Awards at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 14 at Nighttown, 12383 Cedar Road in Cleveland Heights. Everyone is welcome to attend.

The diverse and unique local businesses in the Heights neighborhoods are among the area's greatest assets. Each year FutureHeights, a nonprofit organization dedicated to civic engagement and quality of life, hosts the Best of the Heights Awards to recognize local businesses in several categories.

Eco-conscious businesses in Cleveland Heights may be unaware that the city’s division of refuse and recycling offer free recycling services to commercial properties as part of its recycling initiatives.

Sam Bell is the owner of the Lusty Wrench, a mechanic shop on Lee Road that is committed to eco-conscious car care.

Bell said he paid for a private contractor to collect his recycling until he noticed city recycling bins in the lot behind Seitz-Agin Hardware Store.

“I said gee, why are they getting recycling and I’m paying $250 a month for recycling through a private contractor?" said Bell.

Margaret Mueller was 78, in great health, spending most of her days in front of the computer playing spider solitaire. She  wanted a change. Then one day, on a drive down Larchmere Boulevard, she noticed an abandoned house with tires and other junk scattered across the yard.

“Someone should buy that house and do something with it,” Mueller said to a friend. Three days later the house was hers. At first she had the idea of turning the place into a basic apartment for people. No, too boring. She decided to turn it into a restaurant and Felice was born.

When Stephon Smith completed the auto repair program at Baran Institute of Technology in Connecticut, he came home to the Heights to look for a job. But first, he had to survive a welcome-to-the-real-world internship at Mac’s Marathon on Taylor Road.

"They’re not too tough on me," he said of the guys at Mac’s—a close-knit team of pros who have been helping kids get into the auto repair business for 32 years.

Mac’s is a Cleveland Heights institution, owned by brothers Scott Berman and Ken Block since 1977. They bought it from John "Mac" Maglosky, who had owned it for about 30 years before that.

Members of the 2008-2009 Bridge Builders class completed a Leadership Action Project for FutureHeights in which they conducted a survey aimed at evaluating the organization's offerings for local businesses. Here the team immerses themselves in Cleveland Heights culture by enjoying beet cake at Jimmy O'Neill's Tavern: [back, l to r] Stephen Coates, Lisa Zone,Mike Shafarenko and Stephan Schlegelmilch [front, left to right] Heather Terry, Angela Vodopivec and Rob Bentley.

The Perfectionist: The New and the Nice, a thrift store at 2841 Noble Road, will close its doors permanently on Monday, June 29. 

Owner Marcie Coleman said that the economy was a major factor in the store’s closing. “We don’t have the business, people don’t have any money,” she said.

Coleman is organizing a yard sale on Saturday, July 4 to liquidate the majority of the wares she had in her store.  The sale will be held at Coleman’s residence at 4456 Monticello Blvd. between South Green and Trebisky Roads.

Elisabeth Gevelber is no stranger to business. The single mother started her first business in San Francisco selling men’s clothing when she was just 22.

Years later she opened another business called La Tea Da in Rocky River selling retail and, of course, tea.

“We got a lot of press, it was nice, but the store was just way too busy,” Gevelber said. Her second business lasted less than two years and she decided it was time for a break.

Then, in December 2007, Gevelber shifted her attention toward the Cleveland Heights area and opened her third and current shop, Simply Charming.

Eddie Maddox, owner of Fast Eddie’s Chop Shop and Crazy Mullets on Coventry, is expanding again --this time to Lee Road. He will open Super Deluxe, a high-end salon at 2207 Lee Rd., in the former Salon DM space in June.

The salon will display the work of local artists. He will have 2 manicure and pedicure stations and 7 hair stations. Nancy Duncan, formerly of Salon DM, will stay on.

Have you ever wished on a Tuesday night you could go to the farmers market? How about Thursday or Friday or any day except the day of the market? You are just craving some quality food and something really special.

Well Fresh Fork Market has a solution for that. The Web-based “virtual farmers market” allows consumers to shop online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Fresh Fork, a startup founded last year by four Case Western students, has relationships with over 70 small family producers within 75 miles of Cleveland. The farmers list their products online, add photos and write descriptions. Users can browse through the inventory, ask the farmer questions and even leave feedback.

The diverse and unique local businesses that make each of the Heights neighborhoods are among the area's greatest assets. Each year FutureHeights, a nonprofit organization dedicated to civic engagement and quality of life, hosts the Best of the Heights Awards to recognize local businesses in several categories.

Paysage, 3451 Fairmount Blvd., will host a noon luncheon with interior designer Bunny Williams on May 12. Williams will introduce her BeeLine Home collection, speak about design and sign copies of her book, An Affair With a House. Tickets are $15. Paysage will also host a cocktail party with Williams from 5 to 7 p.m. featuring live jazz, wine tasting by Grotto Wine Bar, 13101 Shaker Square, and an informal fashion show by You Two, 3475 Fairmount Blvd.

In this tough economy, as some businesses struggle and close their doors, others are expanding and trying new things.

Utrecht, an art supplies retailer, is changing locations. The store will move to the vacated Georgio’s Pizza at 2768 Mayfield Road in mid-May. And NEXT, an urban clothing store, is moving into 1796 Coventry Road mid-summer. The Coventry store will be the local retailer’s fifth location.

The Noble Nela Merchant’s Association is hosting its annual summer street festival on Friday, June 5, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the vacant lot at 2228 Noble Road, across from Save-A-Lot.

The highlight of this year’s festival is East Cleveland’s Shaw High School Marching Band, which performed to great acclaim at the Beijing Olympics last summer.

The event will also include appearances by the Rocket Car, Cleveland Bouncers,  Flower the Clown and a Cleveland Heights fire truck. The association will give away sodas and red, white and blue popsicles.

Community organizations are welcome to participate. For more information, contact Marilyn at 216-291-4406 or 216-218-4168.