Better Together
A strong partnership between the city, schools and chamber keeps Brecksville thriving, with new leaders taking the reins.
Left to right: Daryl J. Kingston, Kristopher Toth and Jeff Harrison at Primer, Valor Acres
Continued Success
On behalf of the City of Brecksville and Brecksville Chamber of Commerce, we welcome you to our community. We are in the midst of an unprecedented time. In our quaint Downtown, we have been witness to an influx of small businesses, with more ribbon cuttings on the horizon. Monumental developments are underway or nearing completion in the South End, including Valor Acres and the Sherwin-Williams Global Technology Center. In light of this progress, over a century of responsible development and dedication to preserving our history has kept Brecksville true to its slogan: “Building Our Future with Respect for Our Past.” We are maintaining our community as an unparalleled place to live, work, play, visit and invest for generations to come.
There are many reasons why residents and businesses choose Brecksville. For some, it may be home to generations of family. For others, it is our park-like setting; access to highway interchanges and the Ohio Turnpike; position between Cleveland and Akron; quality city services, amenities and schools; parks and championship golf courses; attention to public safety; or the small-town charm we still possess, despite our responsible growth, with time-tested traditions like Home Days and the Memorial Day parade.
There are so many ways in which our community sets itself apart. We welcome and encourage you to learn more in this
edition of Discover Brecksville . In closing, we would like to thank Brecksville Chamber of Commerce members for their dedication to our business family. Together, we will pave the way to continued success.
Sincerely,
Daryl J. Kingston Mayor, City of
President,
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Brecksville
Kristopher Toth
Brecksville Chamber of Commerce
COVER: JANA VANADIA
The Place We Call Home!
Mayor Daryl J. Kingston & City Council
Dominic Caruso, President
Beth Savage, Vice-President
Dan Bender, AJ Ganim, Mark Jantzen, Ann Koepke and Brian Stucky
Scene from the City
Get to know Mayor Daryl Kingston, Brecksville’s first new mayor in 36 years. By Linda Feagler
In January, Daryl Kingston, 51, became the city’s first new mayor in 36 years, succeeding Jerry Hruby, who served in that position since 1988. Here,
Brecksville’s civic leader shares his love of the town he’s called home since 2010, and gives an update on projects that are underway and on the drawing board.
What are you excited about as mayor? I have been, and continue to be, excited about forging strong relationships in all facets of our community: our residents, businesses of all sizes and county, state and federal elected officials. These relationships are what make Brecksville thrive. They are how we generate ideas, implement projects and bring greatness to fruition.
One such project is Valor Acres and the Sherwin-Williams Global Technology Center — developments that are unlike any Brecksville has seen before. Sherwin-Williams’ Global Technology Center is scheduled to open this fall with 900 employees. [Real estate developer] DiGeronimo Companies is building a new headquarters here and will bring 150 employees to our community. Plans were recently approved for mixed-use buildings that will house restaurants, retail, offices and luxury apartments at Miller Road and Brecksville Road. A grocery store and hotel are to locate on this site also.
What goals do you have for the future?
During my first 100 days, I have collaborated with each department director to map out goals as they relate to every aspect of city government. We are excited to
share some of the ways in which we will continue to thrive in Brecksville. One such goal pertains to the future of the Central School site. Last November, a rezoning issue was on the ballot and passed resoundingly. As a result, [the city] is positioned to begin considering ideas and visions for that property. Our goal is to reinvigorate the process to determine its future and implement our plans carefully, thoughtfully and in the best interest of our community.
Other goals include, but are not limited to, upgrading Kids Quarters and making improvements to the Community Center; enhancing our methods of communication to residents by upgrading the city website; and carrying out the many infrastructure projects in our Capital Plan, including the resurfacing of Brecksville Road (state Route 21).
What are your hobbies and interests?
My wife Nancy and I, along with our son Jack, 18, and twins Lucas and Blake, 13, enjoy spending time in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. One of our favorite activities is going for long walks with our dogs, Honey Bee, a golden retriever, and Scout, an English bulldog.
6,016 Total Housing Units $354,100
$122,546
As of 2024, there are only 12 communities in Cuyahoga County that have lower property tax rates than the City of Brecksville. Property tax rates from the city have not increased in 40 years.
National Register of Historic Places: 11 properties and 1 district
Total Parkland: 6.45 Public Sidewalk: 80 miles
The Brecksville Reservation is the largest of the Cleveland Metroparks’ reservations.
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Planning for the Future
Brecksville-Broadview Heights City School District’s new superintendent shares his goals for the district.
By Sarah Webb
Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, Brecksville-Broadview Heights City School District (BBHCSD) gained a new leader: Superintendent Jeff Harrison.
“Our school family has been incredibly welcoming, supportive and optimistic about our future together,” Harrison says. “The staff is truly dedicated, while students are competitive, hardworking and super friendly. I look forward to recalibrating BBHCSD for a new generation of elite learning, co- and extracurricular success.”
Harrison joins the Brecksville-Broadview Heights City Schools after having served as superintendent of Buckeye Local Schools, high school principal and athletic director for Medina City Schools and executive director and curriculum specialist of a district-sponsored Community School.
“The 2023-2024 school year marks my 24th year in education overall,” Harrison says. “I proudly began my career as a classroom teacher, instructing American history and AP economics. I have two sons, Ty and Ryan, and am happily married to my wife, Pamela.”
What’s Next
Superintendent Jeff Harrison with high school students
Noteworthy Achievements
BBHHS junior Ryan Stewart earned a perfect score of 36 on the most recent administration of the ACT exam.
The BBHHS Music Department boasted six student performers at the Ohio Music Education Association All-State Ensembles event earlier this spring.
BBHCSD’s new United Sports Team participated in inaugural competitions to provide healthy and interactive contests for special needs groups and their student partners.
Only a year into his tenure, Harrison has launched into two strategic initiatives: a master campus planning process and a strategic plan process.
For the master campus planning, BBHCSD is undertaking a comprehensive review of its facilities and grounds.
“With the help of a local architecture firm, district leadership will be thoroughly examining assets to enhance operations and traffic patterns,” Harrison says. “Our aim is to provide the very finest amenities for our staff, students and community while being the best stewards of taxpayer resources.”
The revised strategic planning process involves stakeholders from the community sharing important information about values and beliefs. When complete, the BBHCSD will share its revised plan in a State of the Schools address next fall.
“We thank everyone who participated in the engagement sessions and for their feedback,” Harrison says. “These two major endeavors, improving the overall internal communications and climate for our staff, will be among the most important goals I have during this first year or so as superintendent.”
The middle school peer leadership group, HUDDLE Jr., which stands for Helping Us Develop Dedication, Leadership and Enthusiasm, participated in a series of intergenerational activities with senior citizens, hosted by Jennings at Brecksville.
At the elementary school, an Esports Club is underway for fourth- and fifthgrade students to enhance gaming interests while developing competition and important socialization skills.
The BBHHS gymnastics team won its 21st consecutive state championship at the 2024 Ohio High School Athletic Association Gymnastics State Tournament, marking its 24th overall state championship and ranking as the longest streak of any sport among high school teams in the nation.
Good People
Get to know six local businesses and find out how they’re helping each other thrive with the help of the Brecksville Chamber of Commerce. By
Kellie Innes
When you hear the words “chamber of commerce,” you might get a vision of a crowd of business people holding stuffy meetings in faraway boardrooms. Kris Toth, president of the Brecksville Chamber of Commerce, is here to set the record straight.
“It’s just a good group of people who own businesses and who are trying to help each other,” Toth says. “We try to be the heartbeat of commerce in the city.”
From annual golf outings that the businesses can sponsor to grand opening ribbon cuttings celebrating new businesses in town, the Chamber is all about being active and ensuring businesses get as much exposure as possible.
“We keep running out of ribbon, we’ve had so many new businesses opening,” Toth says.
The Chamber also aims to connect businesses to each other. “We’re not there to get — we’re there to give,” he says. “The members are genuinely good people and willing to give back and help other businesses like they’ve been helped.”
Here’s a look at just a few local businesses that have thrived with the support of the Chamber and each other.
1811 Shop & Bar Room |
1811 Children’s Shop
1811 Shop & Bar Room 7730 Chippewa Road, Brecksville, 440-630-9411
1811 Children’s Shop 7690 Chippewa Road, Brecksville, 440-630-9171, 1811home.com
Sometimes when you’re presented with two ideas, the best solution is to follow them both. At least, that was Amanda Orosz Kaye’s strategy when opening 1811 Shop & Bar Room, a unique combination of her idea of a housewares and gift shop and her husband’s desire to open a craft cocktail lounge.
“During the pandemic, my husband and I were talking dreams, and we brought our dreams to life,” Kaye says.
The experience of visiting 1811 Shop & Bar Room is just as unique as the store’s concept. All of the items in the shop Kaye curated herself, finding many of them on personal trips across the country and abroad. The wide range of styles allows her to customize gifts for every type of customer.
“I love helping customers come up with gifts that suit their needs,” she says.
The Bar Room offers a quaint, personal atmosphere that makes the drinks truly the star of the show. All of the juices and syrups are made in-house, and the business avoids using any pre-made mixes or well liquor. The result is cocktails bursting with quality, freshness and flavor.
“The chill vibe in the Bar Room is just something you have to experience for yourself,” Kaye adds. “You walk into the 1811 Shop & Bar Room and immediately feel a reprieve from the hustle and bustle of everyday transactional life.”
Her connections with the Chamber have helped her network and find resources to ensure that the brand keeps growing, which it has with the opening of 1811 Children’s Shop, located just a few doors down. “Having advocates for our business is an invaluable resource,” she says.
Why Amanda Kaye appreciates the Chamber:
“The Chamber is an immediate, experienced resource with wide reach and a breadth of entrepreneurial experience.”
Apricot Lane Boutique Brecksville
8918 Brecksville Road, Brecksville | 216-400-0351 apricotlanebrecksville.com
Sherry Mazzola’s experience raising two daughters certainly taught her a thing or two about shopping.
“I’d go shopping at the mall and they’d go off on their own, and I’d be by myself because the stores that they wanted to shop at were not the stores that I wanted to shop at,” she says. “I wanted a store where mothers and daughters could shop together.”
Enter: Apricot Lane, a national franchise. The boutiques are independently owned, allowing store owners to do their own product selection, which leads to an eclectic and unique shopping experience at each location. Apricot Lane Boutique Brecksville is curated based on cutting-edge trends that prioritize classic longevity over fast turnovers. One of the perks of being a small boutique is the ability to be nimble in product buying.
“I’m listening to the customers and what they’re looking for,” Mazzola says. “I’m trying to tailor and curate my collection to suit their needs.”
The importance of relationships is certainly one of the foundations of Apricot Lane. Mazzola is proud of how she — along with her daughter, an alum of Kent State’s fashion school and now a partner in Apricot Lane — created a space where women of all ages can feel safe and be themselves.
“When I see women come out of a dressing room and they know they look good, it’s the greatest feeling ever,” she says.
Jennings
8736 Brecksville Road, Brecksville | 216-581-2900
jenningsohio.org/brecksville
Rooted in Catholic values but serving people of all faiths, Jennings celebrates and nurtures individuals as they age, through exceptional choices and continuous innovation.
Longevity is key to the past, present and future of Jennings at Brecksville. Created in 1942, the senior living community’s mission is to celebrate and nurture individuals as they age.
“We are a very person-centered organization,” says Lisa Brazytis, chief marketing officer for Jennings. “We help residents to enjoy life and to continue discovering their potential.”
Jennings at Brecksville offers both independent and assisted living. The independent living sector prioritizes the freedom of residents while working to eliminate boundaries that people have when they are living without support. If residents require additional care, Jennings adds support services for them.
“We want residents to live life the way that they want to with just some simple changes,” Brazytis says.
Other amenities include an executive chef-led culinary services team, which provides delicious, homemade meals on-site.
There is also a pub that celebrates happy hours Monday through Friday before dinner.
“It’s really a wonderful celebration of life and the diversity of experiences,” Brazytis shares.
While the individualized care certainly raises the bar on quality standards of assisted and independent living homes, a lot of the life on campus is determined by the residents themselves. The Resident Council is key to building community and assisting the staff in creating experiences of their own choosing.
“It’s very important for Jennings that we are part of a community and that we are able to give that community to residents,” Brazytis says.
What the Chamber means to Lisa Brazytis:
“Being a member of the Chamber of Commerce is a wonderful way for us to find opportunities for us and for residents to be engaged.”
HealthDirect Pharmacy Services
The world of pharmacy and health care is one of the most important services, yet also one of the most complicated. This is where HealthDirect comes in, a long-term care division that services assisted living, skilled nursing facilities and group homes in Northeast Ohio.
“We help the people who care for the people who need cared for,” says Eric Geyer, the pharmacy director for HealthDirect.
Operating under the larger umbrella of KPH pharmacy, HealthDirect seeks to offer different solutions to help organize and streamline health care. From electronic medical record services to vaccine clinics to unique tools to help people keep track of daily medications, Geyer and his crew try to keep it simple but effective.
“We try to customize it to the needs of the patients and the facilities,” he says.
Another one of HealthDirect’s biggest missions is to be very high-touch, or hands-on, in its care. This is amplified by the fact that it’s an employee-owned company, which creates a different structure of accountability and responsibility. Because of this, the business is able to create connections with patients and facilities that larger pharmaceutical and health care companies oftentimes cannot.
“Who you choose for your pharmacy matters,” Geyer says. “We have a high customer satisfaction rate, and we try to give that above and beyond service.”
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360 Marketing LLC
360 Marketing aims for the heart. The full-service marketing agency’s mission is to find out what makes its manufacturing, industrial distribution and nonprofit organization clients stand out.
“We really want to find out what their unique selling point is,” Peter Baka, president of 360 Marketing, says.
To do this, 360 Marketing spends a lot of time on the front-end planning and strategy. Once a solid plan is in place, the company takes on every aspect of marketing, including social media, websites, videos and PR. The small client load helps to be able to achieve the best results and peak satisfaction.
“We don’t just sell you what we have — we create what you need,” Baka says.
Baka and his team of employees and contractors have completed so many successful campaigns in their nine-year history that they have a workable formula that can be used in any marketing situation. Baka compares it to an equation: Take a specific message to a very specific audience for a very specific response.
“Now, each one of those elements can be very complicated,” Baka says. “But it’s all the same problem — it just depends on how you want to look at it.”
Baka says he has found incredible networking opportunities through the Brecksville Chamber of Commerce. “I’ve been a part of a lot of other networking groups, but the Brecksville Chamber was there with open arms,” he says.
Why Peter Baka loves the Chamber:
“They’re just good folks trying to help other local businesses out.”
From Green to Clean Pools
440-399-7700
fromgreentocleanpools.com
Business at From Green to Clean Pools is blooming, er, booming. Owner Don Lloyd’s first foray into the pool business was discovering and treating sudden algae blooms in the pools of neighbors, friends and family.
“That was really the start of it all — trying to understand a bit of our environment in and around Brecksville,” Lloyd says.
Lloyd dove in headfirst, contacting manufacturers to get certified in various pool-servicing practices, including how to create efficient water chemistry. Now in his fourth year of business, he can cover not just basic service and cleaning, but also equipment replacement and conversions from traditional chlorine pools to saltwater pools.
“I take care of my customers’ pools as if my family will be swimming in it,” he says. “I make the water safe.”
Lloyd does most of the work himself and sometimes enlists the help of his sons. He keeps his customer base small and focuses locally.
“I’m able to quickly get to my customers, oftentimes in the same day, always by the next day,” he says. “They’re not just a quick stop on my schedule.”
Once Lloyd finishes his work, he also tries to assess if there are any potential problems that could crop up in the future. If he sees anything beyond what he’s trained to fix, he uses his network through the Chamber to find the appropriate people and services.
Why Don Lloyd appreciates his Chamber connections:
“I’m very comfortable saying that if a customer or friend or family member needs something done, generally I know someone who does it, and I’m not afraid of that referral.”
Booming in Brecksville
New and expanding businesses add to Brecksville’s vitality and create new opportunities for residents.
By Sarah Webb
Anyone driving down state Route 21 through Brecksville’s thriving downtown and the budding South End Corporate District can see that the city’s economy is booming.
“This influx of new businesses, large and small, has added to the vibrancy of our community,” says Monica Bartkiewicz, Brecksville’s director of planning and development.
In 2023 and early 2024, the city welcomed new businesses and celebrated
many ribbon cuttings. The community also celebrated the placement of the final steel beam at the Sherwin-Williams Global Technology Center, which is slated to open this year; the groundbreaking for the new headquarters of DiGeronimo Companies, which is currently under construction; the completion of Canvas at Valor Acres, a 157unit luxury apartment building; the grand openings of Primer, a coffee and wine bar located within Canvas; Limelight, a coworking space at Canvas; and the completion of
Memorial Park, established to honor veterans and the former VA Hospital.
Five additional mixed-use buildings comprising retail, restaurants, office space and luxury apartments have received approval from the Brecksville Planning Commission and Brecksville City Council.
Other current and future projects include a 110,000-square-foot expansion at Applied Medical Technology; reuse of the Central School site; anyseals’ implementation of a pioneering robotic warehouse system called AutoStore; and Julie Billiart Schools’ campus at the former Chippewa Elementary School.
“This type of economic development is one of the ways in which the city has worked to ensure that property tax rates have not increased in nearly 40 years,” Bartkiewicz says.
