10/12/07
It's good in Portage County, but it's the best in Cleveland.
Scene Magazine released its "Best of Cleveland" issue Thursday naming 301 popular businesses, performers and places. The publication's staff writers and editors chose eight winners with a strong grounding in Portage County.
The 2007 Scene Magazine "Best of Cleveland" issue included: Water Street Tavern, reader's choice for best college bar; Mangiamo!, editor's choice for best Italian tavern; Shameless, best country tribute band; West Branch State Park, best beginner mountain bike trails; the MAC tournament, best college sporting event; Karen Schaefer, 89.7 FM WKSU reporter, best radio reporter; Skinny, best band name-change from 2 Skinny Dorks; and the Retro Rider, best business on wheels.
Mike Beder, owner of Water Street Tavern in Kent, said he will use the title as a marketing tool this year.
"Considering in Cleveland you've got Case Western Reserve, Cleveland State University, John Carroll University and in this area you've got ... Akron and Hiram, just to name a few, and all the bars they have on top of it, it's an honor for sure," Beder said.
Joe Tone, an editor at Scene magazine, said he visited the tavern for his write-up on the winning pub.
"We try to just have a staff of people who lead relatively outgoing lives who get out there and see the region they are supposed to cover and live it," Tone said. "It's subjective. But you like to come up with something you can make an argument for. I went to Water Street, and it just seemed to kind of embody everything that a college bar should be."
John Todd, lead singer in the Garth Brooks tribute band Shameless, said the band is holding a solid third place in an online poll conducted by Cleveland television station WJW Fox 8 for the best band in Cleveland. Many of the group's members are from the Portage County area. They will play a benefit for the Cleveland Autism Society in Independence on Oct. 20.
One of the more unusual "Best-Of's" is the Retro Rider and its best business on wheels title. Garrettsville artist and owner Linda Andi said her rolling party school bus can be catered and decorated for theme parties and its guests' particular tastes.
"We've worked very hard to obtain a lot of visibility," Andi said. "The staff over there is a very social, active bunch of people. It's an honor."
Kent City Manager Dave Ruller, an avid mountain biker who spends many weekends at West Branch, disagreed with the magazine's ranking describing the park as having the best beginner trails.
"I'd call it intermediate," he said "Beginner is probably down there at Quail Hollow (State Park)." Ruller took a fellow rider to West Branch last weekend who managed the seven miles of trails with only one crash.
"It's a terrific trail, but it is challenging, so be prepared," he said.
Tone said people usually disagree with the 301 "Best-Of's" issue. Staff editors and writers at the magazine create the list from personal experience through discussions held during a six-month period.
"It's very scientific," he said sarcastically.
But Tone said the staff, many of whom are Ohio natives, was confident in its picks from Portage County.
"Those are ones we would definitely feel comfortable with," he said. "What you hope to do is not have something that's clearly not even among the best that you can't even make a case for."
The entire 2007 list, and past winners, can be viewed at the magazine's Web site, www.clevescene.com.
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Matt Fredmonsky
Record-Courier