Distinct Living: Summer 2018

V

Distinct

LI alleyING

SUMMER 2018 $3.95

in the

Summer Living RELAX AND RENEW

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE SUMMER 2018

INDEX »»SHEELY’S REINVESTS

This year, long-standing local business Sheely’s Furniture and Appliance reinvested in its business with bonuses for its 140 employees and an expansion of its showroom. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

»»LUXURIOUS GETAWAY

Sheely’s Furniture and Appliance: 8

Luxury and history combine into the perfect getaway location at the Sebring Mansion Inn and Spa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

»»Striking style

Cadillac’s lightweight, sophisticated, and tech-outfitted XT5 paves way for brand’s luxury crossovers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

»»MODERN ELEGANCE

Landscape designs morph into modern day masterpieces with J. Gilmore Design, LTD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

»»AEBISCHER’S JEWELRY

The watchman’s workbench that John Aebischer used to start his business 90 years ago is still used today at Aebischer’s Jewelry . . . . . . 30

»»bella fattoria

What was once a farmhouse located on the Mastropiétro Winery has transformed into a modern and relaxing retreat for travelers both near and far . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Motozilli Museum: 38

Motocross memories and more found at Motozilli museum . . . . . . . 38

Welcome to the summer issue of Distinct Living in the Valley.

Summer is the time to explore the valley’s hidden gems, spruce up your home, update your outdoor spaces, and take a drive to the lake. Summer is the time to Relax and Renew.

»»CLASSIC CARS

Enjoy!

Charlie Wallace

»»MOTOZILLI MUSEUM

For those in The Valley that crave to own their slice of automotive history, the first stop is John Kufleitner’s Galleria of Vintage, Classic and Pristine Cars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

»»open-air elegance

The new Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet four-seater combines pure, elegant design with long-distance comfort for four occupants and the latest E-Class technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

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Sebring Mansion Inn & Spa: 12

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Explore a nearby winery Attending a wine tasting can be an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon and support a local business.

Metro Creative Those who enjoy sipping from a bottle of red, white or blush wine but find that a trip to the Bordeaux region of France simply isn’t in the cards right now needn’t give up their desires to visit a winery or vineyard. Wineries and fully functioning vineyards dot the landscape of North America. In fact, wine afficionados may be surprised to learn of a winery or vineyard is just a short drive from home.

The American Winery Guide offers that visitors can find a winery and tasting room in just about every state. Colorado boasts 107, Texas has 296, and even Rhode Island, the smallest state, is home to five wineries.

If the goal is to travel to northern regions of North America, Alaska has four wineries, and areas of Novia Scotia, British Columbia, Ontario, and Québec have famed wineries for Canadian oenophiles.

Visiting a local winery or vineyard can be educational and fun.

Wine tours can be entertaining because some allow visitors to choose their own tasting adventure depending on their level of interest in wine, their budget and what they would like to get out of the experience. Some wineries and vineyards offer extensive tours of the harvesting and production aspects of wine-making. Others will give visitors a chance to mingle among wine barrels and witness the fermentation process. Still, some wineries or vineyards may limit visitors to tasting rooms where they can sample select vintages.

In regions such as Napa Valley where there are many wineries and vineyards in close proximity to one another, guided tours may be available, or wine aficionados can explore areas on their own.

Thanks to the diverse North American climate, the types of grape varietals available in one state or province to the next will be quite different. For example, vineyards that thrive in New Jersey are subject to similar climates to those in many areas of France and Germany. As a result, it’s not uncommon to find varieties like Cabernet, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Pinot Noir available at facilities in New Jersey.

According to viniculture experts from Professional Friends of Wine, grapevines are fairly adaptable plants that can thrive in a variety of soil types and temperatures. Soil, sun exposure, drainage, and topography all play roles in how the grapes will ripen and taste.

The chance to support a local business is another reason to make a trip to a nearby winery or vineyard. These facilities often produce wine and sell it close to home. By supporting small business, consumers can contribute to the success and the diversity of offerings where they live.

Wine tastings are an enjoyable recreational pursuit. Remember to drink responsibly, and join the mailing lists of nearby wineries and vineyards to learn more about tasting events and food pairings.

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Photo courtesy of Sheely’s

Sheely’s reinvests in business This year, long-standing business Sheely’s Furniture and Appliance reinvested in its business with bonuses for its 140 employees and an expansion of its showroom.

By Kalea Hall khall@vindy.com This year, long-standing local business Sheely’s Furniture and Appliance reinvested in its business with bonuses for its 140 employees and an expansion of its showroom.

“It’s good to reinvest into the business,” General Manager Jeff Curry said.

The employees are key to the success of the business. That’s a fact the Sheelys, Sherry and Dale Jr., know well.

“Our employees are exemplary,” said Dale Jr., president and chief executive officer of Sheely’s. “We just have super good people in every department.”

Earlier this year, Sherry and Dale told their workers they would be rewarded with bonus checks of $1,000 for full-time employees and $500 for part-time employees.

“They keep our customers happy,” said Sherry Sheely, Sheely’s chief operating officer.

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Sheely’s has been a fixture in the Mahoning Valley for 66 years. Dale Sheely Sr. started the business in 1952 while he was working as an electrician. A customer asked him to get an appliance, and from there he decided to open a furniture and appliance business full time. The current Sheely’s store, 11450 South Ave., opened in 1980.

“We have never done anything like this before,” Sherry said of the bonuses.

Although the business’s tax structure hasn’t changed from recently enacted tax reform, the Sheelys are encouraged by the changes.

“We just see it as a positive direction for the country,” Sherry said.

“It should be a big plus,” Dale Jr. added.

Employees were ecstatic about the bonuses.

“It was absolutely amazing,” Curry said. “We had employees crying from joy. It will make good morale great. It will put money in the economy. We have such loyal and dedicated employees. We are blessed to be able to give back to them.”

Sheely’s is now working on an expansion of its 75,000-square-foot showroom by 4,500 square feet.

The addition will house a “Bargain Bonus Center.”

The center will give customers an exclusive selection of special products. Sheely’s has more than 100 brands with pricing that is intended to cater to all customers. The center will have a soft opening during Sheely’s Memorial Day promotions.

“I think it will complement our every day low prices,” Sherry said.

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Stop making these eight common grilling mistakes

Metro Creative Cooking food over an open fire imparts all sorts of flavor. Grilling tends to be quicker, less messy and more convenient than cooking in the kitchen — particularly during the dog days of summer.

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Outdoor grills are seemingly everywhere, including many backyards across the country. That grills are so commonplace doesn’t mean that everyone grilling is employing the right techniques. Becoming the ultimate grillmaster involves understanding the subtleties of grilling and avoiding common mistakes so food can look and taste that much better.

1. Not prepping the food: The French culinary term for preparing to cook is “mise en place.” This is especially important when grilling, as cooks must deal with faster cooking times than they would otherwise encounter when cooking meals in the stove.

2. Dirty grill: Make sure the grill is cleaned before and after each use. Grease can quickly build up on a grill, leading to flare-ups that can cause foods to char. Frequent cleaning also helps grillmasters avoid a tiresome cleaning process at the start of the season.

3. Forgetting to preheat: Preheating the grill ensures that foods will cook quickly and as evenly as possible. Otherwise, meats can lose moisture and even stick to cooler grates.

Reader’s Digest suggests preheating to between 350 F and 450 F depending on the food.

4. Overreliance on lighter fluid: The chemical taste of lighter fluid can transfer to foods even when the fluid is used sparingly. Consider using a chimney starter when grilling with charcoal. And avoid repeated pyrotechnics with fluid, or worse, gasoline.

5. Too much direct heat: Food should not char on the outside before the inside has a chance to cook. A two-zone fire, according to food experts at Serious Eats, enables grillmasters to cook over high heat to sear and then move the food to a lower temperature to continue to cook evenly.

6. Playing with food: Grilling does not require much intervention. Repeatedly flipping and squeezing meat and poultry can cause flavorful juices to leak out. Then you’re left with dried-out food. Resist any urges to prod and poke food.

And minimize how many times you lift the grill cover to take a peek, as that can cause temperatures to fluctuate. Use a thermometer to determine when food is done. And don’t forget that meat will still cook a bit after it’s taken off the grill.

7. Improper seasoning: Basting food with sugar-laden sauces and marinades too early can cause flare-ups and burning.

Quick rubs can help lock in flavor, and then reserve the sauce for the last few minutes of grilling, says cookbook author Dave Martin.

8. Digging in too soon: Give meats a chance to rest for between five and 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute through the food. This improves flavor and tenderness.

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Luxurious getaway

Photo courtesy of Sebring Mansion Inn and Spa

Luxury and history combine into the perfect getaway location at the Sebring Mansion Inn and Spa.

By NATALIE WRIGHT nscott@vindy.com The spacious home was built in 1900 by pottery tycoon F. A. Sebring. The Sebring family had previously purchased the land for the Village of Sebring with the intention of establishing their own pottery town. Little did they know, their small village would quickly boom to the status of pottery capital of the world.

“There were 38 main potteries and probably about 80 garage potteries,” said Lynne Biery, the current owner of The Sebring Mansion Inn and Spa, member of the Mahoning County Tourism Bureau and member of the Alliance Regional Chamber. “There were nine mansions built in this town—five large ones like this and four smaller ones… The inn tries to keep the history of Sebring alive, so all the rooms are named after potteries that were here in the town.”

The only one remaining of the village’s large mansions, Sebring Mansion has undergone a magnificent transformation from a crumbling home into a fully renovated piece of living history. The process took nine years to complete. Biery said that she only viewed the property on the insistence of a family friend.

“We came and looked at it. It was like bringing home a stray kitten,” she said. “I fell in love with it. It needed lots of work. The first time we arrived, we came to what is now our ballroom area and there were two raccoons running around up there plus other critters. And we went to go down into the basement and we couldn’t even get in. There was water up to the first step… It took a lot of team effort to get it here.”

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Biery bought the home in 1996, but was unable to start the renovations until 2000. The road to completing the renovations was not an easy one, and it required a lot of research and attention to detail to create the finished state that the home is in now.

“It took us a year and a half just to clean the woodwork on this floor. So even finding things that had to be replacements, so you’re spending a lot of time either on the road or on the internet. Luckily, we found the original plaster people: Fisher and Jirouch out of Cleveland, and they let us go through mold after mold so we could recreate what was here for replacement,” Biery said.

Some parts of the home only needed a few replacements, but others needed to be replaced completely.

Biery looked to pictures of the home in the past to try to find items that would be as close to the original as possible. When there were no pictures for reference, they took their best guest at what might have originally been used. Original details can also be found throughout, such as the ceiling piece in the music room.

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The Sebring Mansion Inn and Spa officially opened on Aug. 1, 2009. The inn features original woodwork, intricate detailing, stained glass, egress staircases, original pottery made by the Sebring family’s companies, historic memorabilia and more. Biery noted that the original idea was that the mansion would only be open for events.

“We only wanted to open to do events, which lasted about two weeks and then everybody wanted the rooms so we brought four of the rooms online really quickly,” she said.

Events are still a central offering at the mansion, most recently centering around celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Upcoming events will focus on Mother’s Day. Christmas at the mansion begins on Nov. 1 and typically doesn’t finish until mid to late January. Throughout the rest of the year, performances from Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin tribute bands, Irish singer Cathal Dunne, The Originals, One Gold Key, J.D. Eicher and more are offered. The public can also host events there.

“We do a lot of weddings… So we’re like a destination.

And we do a lot of class reunions, anniversary parties, engagement dinners and rehearsal dinners,” Biery said.

They can also host baby and bridal showers, Biery notes, but only between Sunday after 1 p.m. until Thursday. Those seeking to host such events at the mansion on the weekend would have to rent all the rooms during the event.

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Space can also be rented for one- and two-day corporate events. Among its current offerings are nine guest rooms, seven of which have balconies, and a spa on the mansion’s lower level where local massotherapists can be brought in to offer massages.

In the mansion’s new section, those offerings will expand to 14 guest rooms, 11 of which will have balconies, six breakout rooms and more.

Spa services are also available for traditional guests at the mansion, and in the future, Biery said that the spa will be able to offer a variety of services. Once the spa fully opens, people will be able to come for a full- or half-day at the spa as well.

“So right now we’re not totally opened for hair and nails. That has to be approved by the Board of Cosmetology,” Biery said.

“Right now we have anything that falls under the realm of massotherapy. We can do all kinds of massages—shiatsu, deep tissue, reiki, cranial sacral, pressure point, so there’s quite a few.”

Biery said they have done a few Japanese Facelifts before, which falls under the realm of massotherapy. Guests also have use of the indoor and outdoor therapy pools. The indoor pool is kept at 96 degrees, while the outdoor one is kept at 102 degrees, especially in winter. A radiant heating system keeps the pool deck free of

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ice. The use of a sauna and steam bath are also available to guests.

They are looking to open the spa soon, Biery said. The local beauty and barber boards joining together recently slowed down the process of getting approval to offer full spa services. When it does open, the spa will run from Monday through Thursday as a day spa with either half- or full-day packages, complete with lunch. Individual treatments will not be offered. On the weekend, the spa will be reserved for overnight guests and wedding parties.

The Sebring Mansion Inn and Spa offers several services to guests. Near Christmas, they offer “holiday firesides,” where attendees can have an evening meal, watch a PowerPoint presentation on the mansion and take a tour. The inn is not a restaurant, so overnight guests and those attending inn-sponsored events are the only ones able to dine in the historic home.

“The only way you can dine here is if you are an overnight guest, if you plan your own event or for an inn-sponsored event…

When [guests] come, we send out our menu for our evening meals. They can tell us if they have allergies, we are very allergyfriendly, gluten free, we do all those kinds of things,” Biery said.

“When [guests] arrive, a wine and cheese plate is ready for them and they can have it in a room, outside on the patios, down

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Photo courtesy of Sebring Mansion Inn and Spa

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among the pools, wherever they would like to go with that.

If they are not wine drinkers, we will give them a beer or something. We have a liquor license, so we have the capabilities to offer a mixed item too instead of wine, if they’re not a wine drinker.”

The Sebring Mansion Inn and Spa embodies the very height of the word luxury with a European feel. Their current chef is from Switzerland and brings all of his knowledge of fine cuisine with him. They also import some goods from Europe, such as a specific type of cheese only made in Switzerland and France that they use in rocklit dinners.

Family ties are integral to the mansion as well. They make it a point to feature goods that have ties to either Biery’s own family or F. A. Sebring’s.

“We also have Biery Cheese Company in Louisville, Ohio… So when the guests come they’re getting a product that comes right from our family in Louisville. And that’s fourth generation being in business with that,” Biery said.

“And we try to pair things with some really good wines.

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The two ones that we use that are related to either us or to the family here in Sebring,. One is Helen Sebring Keplinger. She was one the front cover of ‘Wine Spectator’ in June of 2014 and we carry her wine. We’re one of the few in the whole area. We have her Vermillion and we have her Keplinger label.”

Beiry noted that Keplinger is a fifth generation direct descendant of F. A. Sebring, who built the mansion.

“The other [high end] label we use a lot of is Michael Trujillo… So he’s the lead wine master for Sequoia Grove Winery in Napa Valley. He has been with them for over 30 years and he has his own private label called Trujillo Wines.”

Biery explained that Trujillo has a tie to her family, as he is her daughter’s brother-in-law. Trujillo will be at the mansion in person this summer for a wine tasting event, and Biery is hoping to have Keplinger back this summer for a wine tasting event as well. Biery said she is looking forward to spring at the mansion because she hopes to offer luncheons and other types of events that can feature dining on actual historic Sebring pottery, complete with a talk on the different patterns.

An expansion is already underway at the mansion. An addition with five more guest rooms, a library and more will be completed soon. Biery said they are also planning to build a wedding chapel on the premises, complete with antique windows that can also be used for massages in nicer weather.

Biery hopes to offer several types of new special events this summer as well. They would like to offer outdoor massages on the verandas, perhaps under the stars or at sunrise. Though the mansion is a non-smoking facility, they would like to have a “cigars under the stars” event at the outdoor fireplace, located at the back of the property. Biery would also like to get a van in the future to be able to offer rides to and from local wineries and more for guests staying at the mansion. An option for families is another project Biery wants to complete in the future.

“We own the house across the street and we want to use that in conjunction with our weddings,” she said. “Since we are adultonly, they would have a children’s venue across the street. We hope to open four rooms over there. I call them the ‘rooms with the view.’ They’ll be less expensive. They can come over here and dine and use the facilities, but it would be less expensive than this site.”

The mansion has several accolades under its belt, including being named to iloveinns.com’s 10 Most Romantic Inns list in 2014 and more.

The Sebring Mansion Inn and Spa is located at 385 W. Ohio Ave. in Sebring, about a half-hour away from the Racino in Austintown. For more information, visit their website at sebringmansion.com or find them on Facebook. Those looking to book a reservation at the hotel can visit bedandbreakfast.com, booking.com and select registries.

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2018 Cadillac XT5 CROSSOVER

STRIKING STYLE

Cadillac’s lightweight, sophisticated, and tech-outfitted XT5 paves way for brand’s luxury crossovers.

Courtesy of Cadillac The 2018 Cadillac XT5 crossover combines spacious luxury and high-tech convenience features to create the perfect Crossover Touring 5 vehicle. Features include the rear camera mirror, Apple CarPlay & Android Auto compatibilities, auto-heated steering wheel and front- and rear-seat USB capabilities.

The XT5 luxury crossover launched in mid-2016 and has quickly become one of the U.S. market’s best-selling luxury models.

A promising start to the first of four promised Cadillac luxury crossovers in production.

The XT5 is lightweight with a design structure specifically created to improve fuel economy, driving dynamics and interior space.

It’s powered by the same 3.6-liter V6 engine that debuted in the 2017 ATS and CTS sport sedans, and is currently used in the CT6.

The XT5’s reputation for connectivity is further bolstered by additional USB ports, which will be available in the 2018 model. The XT5’s mobile friendliness is evident with storage for both phones and tablets in the center console, WiFi capabilities and charging ports conveniently accessible in the front and rear seats.

CHASSIS : Lightweight, efficient package enables more space The Cadillac XT5 relies on the unique lightweight design of its chassis for increased fuel economy and the ultimate driving experience.

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The crossover’s design and structure embody the company’s expertise for lightweight and agile driving dynamics. The XT5 is 278 pounds (126 kg), 100 pounds (45 kg) lighter than the Audi Q5 – despite the Cadillac being seven inches longer. The XT5 is more than 650 pounds (295 kg) lighter than the Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, achieving this with no compromise to body rigidity and crash performance.

The rear-seat legroom in the 2018 XT5 is an impressive 39.5 inches (1003 mm) — compared to the 37.8 inches (960 mm) in the Audi Q5 and 38.4 inches (975 mm) in the Mercedes-Benz GLE. The rear seat reclines and slides fore and aft, as well.

INTERIOR DESIGN: Exclusive Cadillac interior design theme emphasizes space and craftsmanship The XT5 brings a high level of sophistication to showcase Cadillac’s evolving design language. The XT5 has a strong visual presence with proportions that convey the driving experience and the lightweight construction underneath the surface. There is a lean, taut, liquid quality to the surfaces with flowing, uninterrupted lines separated by crisp edges.

“The XT5 has a great stance, with wheels further to the corners and overhangs reduced,” said Andrew Smith, Cadillac executive director of global design. “Our team continues to evolve the design language of Cadillac.”

The XT5’s interior is based on a philosophy of clean, modern elegance and craftsmanship.

“We believe that luxury crossover customers particularly focus on interior design and materials,” said Smith. “This design direction

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is predicated on modern craftsmanship and the artistic integration of technology.”

Interior surfaces inside the XT5 are wider and more horizontal in orientation, emphasizing efficient use of space. Like all Cadillac models, the interior is assembled with cut-and-sewn wrapped panels, rather than molded surfaces typical of mainstream vehicles.

“Our focus for the interior was sophistication and simplicity, ensuring an economy of lines to reduce visual noise and clutter,” Smith said. “A feeling of space is the ultimate luxury, so we sought to emphasize that. We also use a greater variety of authentic materials and palette of colors to deliver expressive interiors in all trim levels.”

POWERTRAIN: Advanced powertrains add to efficiency and dynamics In the U.S. market, the 2018 Cadillac XT5 is powered by the 3.6-liter V6 engine that previously debuted in the brand’s ATS and CTS sport sedans and is currently featured in the CT6. It features Active Fuel Management cylinder deactivation technology, which allows the engine to seamlessly and automatically switch to a fuelsaving 4-cylinder mode under low or moderate loads.

With SAE-certified peak output of 310-horsepower (231 kW) and 271 lb-ft of torque (367 Nm), the V6 uses variable valve timing for strong response and smooth power delivery. Cadillac’s Stop/ Start technology automatically stop and start the engine when the vehicle is at rest in traffic stops, saving fuel and reducing emissions, while enhancing the quietness expected of a luxury vehicle.

In China, the XT5 is offered with a standard 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine. Powerful, yet compact, the 2.0T also features Stop/Start technology.

An 8-speed automatic transmission is standard for the XT5, which also debuts Electronic Precision Shift – the first electronically controlled transmission shifter for a Cadillac. Electronic Precision Shift reduces noise and vibration, and allows further use of the cabin space with a storage space beneath the center console.

An optional “twin clutch” all-wheel drive system continuously and automatically delivers excellent traction across a variety of conditions. While engineered specifically for strong performance in wet, snowy or icy conditions, it also provides enhanced stability in dry weather.

TECHNOLOGY: Advanced technology systems add luxury, safety The 2018 XT5 sets a high standard for technology and safety features.

Cadillac’s patented and industry-leading Rear Camera Mirror system is available on 2018 XT5 models. The system enhances the driver’s rear vision by 300 percent, using a video display applied over the conventional inside rearview mirror. A high dynamic range camera records wider images behind the car, streams the image to video processing software which “removes” obstacles such as the roof, rear pillars and rear seat passengers, projecting an unobstructed view to a Liquid Crystal Display.

The XT5 is one of the friendliest mobile-device luxury vehicles on the road with complementing 4G LTE WiFi and USB charging ports in the front and rear seats.

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(330) 984-4659 Mon-Fri 7:30am - 5:30pm Saturday 9:00am - 1:00pm Sunday Closed

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Photos courtesy of J. Gilmore Design, LTD

MODERN ELEGANCE Landscape designs morph into modern day masterpieces with J. Gilmore Design, LTD

By Natalie Wright nscott@vindy.com When you want to transform your average yard into an outdoor oasis, J. Gilmore Design, LTD is the place to go. The company specializes in custom designs and never shies away from a challenging or unique request. At the heart of every design is owner Bart Gilmore.

Gilmore’s father, Jim, began Green Gate Design in 1969 with the goal of selling quality landscaping essentials, such as water features, furniture and more. Bart Gilmore began working full time in the company in 1982, learning everything he could about landscaping design, materials and more. Jim has since retired, leaving Green Gate Design to his son. Bart went on to further expand on his dreams of design and landscape excellence by establishing J. Gilmore Design, LTD, which has become one of the area’s most prominent fixtures in luxury landscape design.

Despite that growth, maintaining a family-feel to the business has remained important to Gilmore, and the employees have truly become a family all their own. Gilmore is one of the last members from the original family working in the business, with

the exception of one cousin who still works within the company and Gilmore’s son, who is currently enrolled in college, studying more about the industry. Throughout the years, Gilmore said, his employees have been very supportive and this has fostered a close relationship.

“We have a ton of employees here now that have been here between 15 and 30 years so that’s what I really like.” Gilmore said. “That’s the family, it’s that group. They’re so incredibly committed to what we do that I can call them at 10 o’clock at night and they take my call and when I, like this morning, got nervous and at 6 a.m. I’m on the phone, they’re answering while they’re trying to get their kids off to school. It’s a committed group.”

Having a team he can depend on is essential to the success of J. Gilmore Design, LTD, as the designs coming out of the business are completely comprehensive. When describing his process going into a new design, Gilmore noted that he likes to take a personal approach to every project, and that he likes to be involved in every project to some capacity. The process starts with a discussion about the project and a tour around the property.

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“When I arrive at your house, we sit down to talk about it, we walk around your property. We look and talk about what you have there. What do you like? What don’t you like? We look for problems—sunken foundations, that kind of stuff—so we can fix those and get those out of the way. I really like to take a very personal approach to what your personality is, what your yard’s personality is and how I marry them into the project. Then we build a sort of site design, an ‘as built’ of what you have now.”

After that point, that information is put into the computer and a group of three designers come together to team-design a project. Customers that desire to be involved in every aspect of the project are sometimes also invited to the meetings. A presentation drawing is put together showing the exact layout of the design. The process is a little bit different for new builds.

“On a new build, we like to be involved from the very beginning, help set the house on the property and decide which way it’s going to face. We work with the architect or builder on that kind of stuff,” Gilmore said. “We like to talk about all those places that we sort of blur into the buildings: lighting on the house, doorway lighting, materials in the foyer that might carry on outside or carry vice versa. So we get pretty involved in the design process.”

Gilmore also noted that there are many times that clients look at a design and decide to only do one or two elements to a design at a time, spreading out completion of the project over several seasons or years. It doesn’t matter if the project is completed at different times because the overall design is cohesive.

Gilmore said that his clients are generally looking to achieve two things when designing their landscaping.

“There’s sort of two areas: the curb-appeal side of the house that might involve resale or not. Then there’s sort of the private side of the property where we’re far more interested in what the family wants,” he said. “People are really looking for an outdoor living room now. They want to lay on the couch, watch TV. They want WiFi. They want to be warm. They want to have a place to sit in the drizzle and a place to sit in the sun. So they’re really looking for an outdoor living space for the family.”

One idea he thinks is central now is figuring out how to get more people to enjoy life outside. He is intrigued by the idea of what will propel children and families away from the glowing screen of life inside, even if that means including some of those capabilities outside as well.

Gilmore has done many unique and challenging designs for his customers, from cliff-side overhanging swimming pools to custom fire features, no request is too much of a challenge. He noted one interesting customer request involved a shipwreck.

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“Someone hired us to put a boat on their pond and then sink it,” he said. “So we bought a boat. We made it safe for the environment, and then we sank it so that they could practice their diving around it and have a fish habitat.”

The company has also done more historic designs in the past, including work on the Peter Allen Inn. Gilmore’s historic designs aim to stick as close to the time period as possible while still incorporating the modern conveniences of today. One of his historic barn designs was even featured in the “Wall Street Journal.” Gilmore said that he enjoys playing with sculpture in the landscape and incorporating art pieces into his designs, working within the contemporary design period is his favorite. He detailed some of his favorite design elements to incorporate in a project like that.

“Shade sail work. Custom light fixtures. It’s just one of those little things I like to build right sometimes for the right place. Some of them can be 20 feet tall, so they’re a sculpture light,” he explained. “I like playing with fire and water together—fire that’s floating on top of the pool; stuff like that is pretty cool to play with. Interesting outdoor materials. Not just pavers and brick and wood. I like playing with glass tile and iridescent tiles and granite, and we do a lot of glass countertops and stainless steel.

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Just what would be nontraditional landscape materials. I like playing with the different materials, that’s really what it comes down to. And probably my favorite design thing to do is when we can blur the outside to the inside, when we get somewhere that we get to have whole-house control and we get to bring those inside materials sort of right through the wall outside. We can have some plants inside, some plants outside. You just sort of blur that. You don’t really get to do that in Ohio and Western Pennsylvania so when I can, it’s fun to play with.”

Gilmore predicts that design trends this summer and in coming years will feature a serious change, especially when it comes to materials used.

“I think we’re going to be using a lot of different types of materials throughout,” he said. “In the old days you might have had a brick and a stone. Then it became a brick and a stone and a tile and a wood. Now it’s five, six, seven, eight materials on the same job.”

He also predicts that media interface will continue to have a huge impact on design trends, including full WiFi on patios, incorporating televisions and improving movie capabilities.

“All the stuff you have in your living room, you have on your patio,” Gilmore noted. “And then there’s heating, whether it’s from above or around you or under you. People want to extend

those patios. I keep hearing the same thing: if we’re going to spend this much money on a patio, I want to use it all the way into December and I want to be back out in March. So we’re doing heated floors on patios that melt the snow and heat overhead so you can be comfortable whenever you want to be out there. I also really see artificial turf making a gigantic jump forward.”

In the future, Gilmore hopes to bring more national design trends to the area and make them more commonplace here. He credits this goal on the influence of working on projects in Los Angeles and seeing how people there make sure of their outdoor space for better living.

“There’s a little tighter feel to the design trends that I see happening in Europe and happening on the coast here. It’s not as expansive, but there’s a lot more happening in smaller space. It’s a lot tighter, a lot cleaner, a lot crisper. And I like that feel. As we fight for how to maintain acres of properties, like we have here, I think that tightening up the area that you’re spending your time in makes a lot of sense,” he explained.

If you are interested in learning more about J. Gilmore Design, LTD, visit them on their website at gilmore-design.com <http://gilmore-design.com> , or find them on Instagram and Facebook.

B R I N G I N G G R E AT D E S I G N T O L I F E

PHONE: (330) 638-2075

3172 NILES-CORTLAND RD. PO BOX 400 CORTLAND, OHIO 44410

www.gilmore-design.com

info@gilmore.design

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Improve outdoor living spaces Outdoor living spaces are growing in popularity. Homeowners who want to capitalize on this trend can do so in various ways.

Metro Creative The popularity of outdoor living spaces has been growing for years. A 2014 study from the home remodeling and design platform Houzz found that 56 percent of homeowners were making updates to improve their yards for entertaining. Similarly, nearly 60 percent of architectural practices surveyed by the American Institute of Architects in 2016 said outdoor living spaces were popular features in the homes they built.

Outdoor living spaces may also be sound investments for homeowners looking to improve the resale value of their properties. According to Remodeling magazine’s 2017 “Cost vs. Value” report, outdoor living spaces returned between 55 and 71 percent of homeowners’ initial investments at resale.

When planning an outdoor living space, homeowners with ample backyards have much to work with. However, to make the most of the space while simultaneously hoping to get as strong a return on their investments as possible, homeowners should look to create spaces that offer broad appeal and are not too personalized. The following are some popular outdoor living space features homeowners may want to consider.

Outdoor kitchens Outdoor kitchens allow homeowners to prepare more than just traditional backyard barbecue fare. A standalone charcoal 28

grill in the backyard might get the job done, but a built-in gas grill complete with burners and surrounding granite countertop makes for a more functional outdoor entertaining space.

Bars Indoor entertaining areas often include bars, so it makes sense that homeowners want to include a place to prepare and serve beverages to their guests. Homeowners with room in their budgets may want to install wet bars where they can rinse mixers, glasses and other items needed to prepare drinks for their guests.

Warming features Features that can keep homeowners and their guests warm after the sun sets include outdoor fireplaces and firepits. A 2016 survey conducted by the American Society of Landscape Architects found that fireplaces and firepits were the most popular outdoor design element in 2016. Such features can provide a focal point in the backyard while also extending the outdoor living season into autumn and even early winter.

Porch space Outdoor living spaces are often found in the backyard, but homeowners with bigger front yards than backyards may want to expand or open their porch spaces to create more space outside.

Porch swings and rocking chairs provide a great place to relax, and porch spaces are covered, meaning homeowners can continue to enjoy time outside even when it begins to rain.

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Types of firepits for your backyard oasis Metro Creative Outdoor entertaining areas are popular among homeowners, and firepits are one of the most sought-after additions to such spaces. In fact, a survey from the American Society of Landscape Architects found that fireplaces and firepits were the most popular outdoor design element in 2016. Various styles are available to homeowners who want to add firepits to their backyards, and choosing the right type may come down to budget, the amount of yard space available or even personal preference.

Wood firepit As their name suggests, wood firepits burn wood, which may appeal to homeowners who already have wood-burning fireplaces inside their homes. Because they don’t require homeowners to tap into gas lines, wood firepits are generally easy to set up and install, and many homeowners prefer the aesthetic appeal of crackling wood and flames that’s synonymous with wood firepits.

Gas firepit Gas firepits are touted for their convenience, as they don’t require homeowners to carry wood and build fires. Upon being connected to a gas source, gas firepits provide fire at the click of a switch. Gas firepits are also appreciated for their safety, as there is little or no risk that flames from gas firepits will grow too large and become difficult to control.

Gas fire tables Gas fire tables might be ideal for those homeowners whose sense of decor favors more modern looks. Gas fire tables come in a variety of shapes and sizes and, like gas firepits, there’s no need to struggle with lighting a fire or carrying firewood.

Tabletop firepits Homeowners, condominium or apartment dwellers with limited backyard space may want to consider the convenience of tabletop firepits. Restaurants may use tabletop firepits in their outdoor seating areas because they provide warmth and ambiance without taking up much space. Tabletop firepits fueled by gas will not need to be connected to a gas source, which may appeal to consumers who want something that’s simple as well as small.

Fire urns While they might not technically qualify as firepits, fire urns provide a similar effect as firepits. Fire urns are typically gas-powered and may be an ideal choice for homeowners who are looking for a unique, awe-inspiring feature for their outdoor entertaining areas.

Shaker Style Furniture, Accessories and Gifts “A Remembrance of a Simpler Life” Let us help you bring the feeling of history into your heart and home with our fine collection of Shaker inspired furniture, accessories and gifts.

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14895 South Ave., Suite D Columbiana, OH 44408

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330.892.6060

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Aebischer’s celebrates 90 years The watchman’s workbench that John Aebischer used to start his business 90 years ago is still used today at Aebischer’s Jewelry.

By KALEA HALL khall@vindy.com The watchman’s workbench that John Aebischer used to start his business 90 years ago is still used today at Aebischer’s Jewelry.

Also still used today is the dedication to put customers first and to provide quality service and product.

The store, located at 68 S. Main St., is now owned by thirdgeneration owners, Doug and Karen Aebischer. Their sons,

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Adam and Alex, are also a part of the business.

In April, the business celebrated its 90th anniversary by giving back to its customers. The anniversary celebration featured giveaways that included a 0.90 carat round diamond valued at $6,336; a diamond fashion necklace valued at $1,200; a Mariana necklace valued at $242.50; and a men’s watch valued at $450.

“It’s pretty incredible,” Doug said of the 90th anniversary.

“It’s pretty humbling as well. I am certainly proud that my two boys have decided to follow in the footsteps.”

Doug’s grandfather and grandmother, John and Johanna, came to the U.S. in 1927 from Switzerland. John, who had 10 years experience working in a Swiss watch factory, came to the Youngstown area knowing he would have work from the steelworkers who would need their watches fixed.

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John opened his first watch repair shop on Bridge Street in Struthers in April 1928. To get customers, he would set up his workbench in the window and take his own watch apart and then reassemble it.

Eventually, the business got into jewelry repair. Then they got into buying watches and jewelry to sell and became a full-service retail jewelry store.

“Gradually over the years we started introducing finer pieces of jewelry,” Adam said. “We sell only the finest cut.”

John’s son, Harold, took over the store in 1967. In 1976, the business moved to its current Poland location.

“This business has meant the world to me,” said Harold Aebischer, in a statement. “Seeing our jewelry get passed down through generations, and helping people celebrate the biggest moments in their lives, is an incredible experience.”

Doug believes John would have been proud of what the store has turned into today.

“It was never his intention to grow like this,” he said.

For Adam, it’s been exciting to work with customers that have worked with generations of Aebischers.

The event was a way to thank the community for its 90 years of support.

“The entire Aebischer family is grateful for the blessings that have allowed us to remain successful over the past 90 years,” Doug said in a statement. “We look forward to many more years of helping others commemorate the special people and moments in their lives.”

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JAGUAR XE Landmark Edition

SPORTY AND SLEEK

Introducing the 2019 Jaguar XE Landmark Edition Courtesy of Jaguar Jaguar has revealed a distinctive new special edition of its Jaguar XE sports sedan. The Landmark Edition features unique design enhancements and carefully chosen specification to showcase the very best of the award-winning XE. The Landmark Edition is based on the XE R-Sport with the addition of unique 18- inch alloy wheels that set the new model apart. The exterior features a sport front bumper, body-colored side sills and spoiler while the side window surrounds, door mirror caps, grille surround and side vents are all finished in gloss black alongside special Landmark badging on the side vents. The new 2019 model is available in a choice of three exterior colors – Yulong White, Firenze Red and Santorini Black.

Inside, the XE Landmark Edition builds on the R-Sport model’s luxurious leather upholstery with the addition of

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unique Landmark-branded treadplates to identify the special edition model. Customers also benefit from the most popular XE features – including Adaptive Xenon Headlights, front and rear parking sensors, and InControl Touch Pro satellite navigation system with 10-inch central touchscreen fitted – as standard.

Customers will be able to choose from the advanced, Jaguar-built 2.0-liter Ingenium gas and diesel engines – either the 247hp turbocharged inline-4 gasoline engine or the 180hp turbocharged inline-4 diesel engine – which deliver an exceptional combination of performance and refinement.

The 2019 XE Landmark Edition also features the latest advanced driver assistance technology, including a forwardfacing stereo camera as the foundation for its Emergency Braking system; Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR); Lane Departure Warning (LDW); Lane Keep Assist (LKA) and Adaptive Speed Limiter (ASL).

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All new Jaguar products come standard with a best-in-class ownership package, Jaguar EliteCare, which includes: • 5-Year/60,000 Mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty • 5-Year/60,000 Mile Complimentary Scheduled Maintenance • 5-Year/60,000 Mile 24/7 Roadside Assistance • 5-Year/Unlimited Mile Jaguar InControl® Remote & ProtectTM Full details about enhancements to the 2019 Jaguar XE, including pricing and specifications, will be subject to an announcement later this year, closer to the vehicle’s on-sale date. In the meantime, customers can visit www.

JaguarUSA.com for more information on the current Jaguar model line-up.

15035 Perry Highway • Wexford, PA • 724.940.3500 • bobbyrahaljaguar.com

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The Bella Fattoria Bed and Breakfast is located conveniently near the Mastropietro Winery.

Bella Fattoria Century farmhouse finds new life as modern bed and breakfast

By NATALIE WRIGHT nscott@vindy.com The Bella Fattoria Bed and Breakfast is a destination unlike any other. What was once a farmhouse located on the Mastropiétro Winery has transformed into a modern and relaxing retreat for travelers both near and far. Even though the home has been completely renovated, it still manages to hold on to the history of its past.

They think the house was built in 1899, current owner Brenda Hernan said. It was home to many families throughout the years, including Dan and Marianne Mastropiétro, the owners of Mastropiétro Winery. The Mastropiétros bought the house with the land for the winery. They lived in the home for about 10 years while establishing the winery before deciding to build their own custom home. They decided to sell the home with a couple acres of land. That’s when the property landed in Hernan’s hands.

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The bed and breakfast offers views of the Mastropietro Winery.

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A clawfoot tub gives this bathroom a relaxing, spa-like feel. Each bedroom has its own attached bathroom.

“At about that time, a friend of mine and I were trying to pitch a housing ministry to our church,” she said.

“This was for sale around that time so we thought it would be a good project for us to do to raise money for a ministry that we wanted to fund for people who are struggling. At the time, we had just been getting out of the housing crisis.”

Remodeling the farm house took about a year to complete. Bella Fattoria opened for guests in January 2015 and each year has seen a little bit more success, and another step toward the goal of funding the housing ministry.

“The first year, we still had to pay some of the bills,” Hernan said. “The second year, we were able to pay all the bills. The third year, we were able to pay all the bills plus the mortgage and we made a little bit of money.

So this year, we’re planning on making even a little bit more. We’re excited that we’re going to be able to put some money aside for the housing ministry and we’re going to form it and hopefully be able to help some people.”

Guests are drawn to Bella Fattoria because of its proximity not only to the Mastropiétro Winery, but other local wineries and two recreational lakes as well, especially once the weather turns warmer.

This bedroom has a unique canopy bed, complete with romantic curtains.

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“In the summer, the Mastropiétro Winery is in the backyard,” Hernan said. “There are actually another five wineries within 10 miles of here and two more within 15 miles… I promote to people from the Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Columbus areas for a weekend getaway, and in the local area for a birthday or anniversary getaway, because we’re situated between two lakes—Lake Milton and Berlin Lake— both of them being recreational lakes. Both have places where you can rent jet skis, pontoon boats, kayaks and canoes to take advantage of the lakes.”

Hernan said that Bella Fattoria makes a nice stop for people who are traveling to or from larger cities, such as Chicago or New York, because it is located just five miles off of State Route 76. Locally, people come for celebrations, such as birthdays and anniversaries, and to participate in events at the Mastropiétro Winery. In the summer, the winery hosts a hot air balloon festival and firework events are offered throughout the season. In addition to activities offered at Lake Milton and Berlin Lake, those staying at Bella Fattoria can take advantage of

hiking at Buckeye Horse Park in Ellsworth or Vickers Nature Preserve. They can also check out Noah’s Lost Ark, an animal sanctuary that caters to exotic animals.

Bella Fattoria is a unique destination to the area for a number of reasons, and top among them is the atmosphere surrounding the home. It offers a quiet retreat for those looking to take a break from busier city living.

“You know, it’s an old farmhouse, but it’s a mix of the old and the new,” Hernan said. “We’ve done a lot of renovation. We have brand new bathrooms and most people enjoy the peace and the quiet too.

Once in a while we’ll get someone who will say ‘it was so hard to sleep, there’s no noise.’ Even if you live in Youngstown or Boardman or Austintown, you’re used to a certain amount of noise and sirens and traffic. And people enjoy the peace and the quiet and getting away.

When the weather’s nice, they really enjoy sitting on the deck under the stars. Usually, when there’s a clear sky, you can see the stars really nicely and it makes for a little peace and quiet and romantic getaway.”

One bedroom features a custom copper fireplace facade.

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Guests can book a masseuse to come to the home and give massages in one of the common areas of the house.

Hernan would like to expand on that spa-like feel in the future by building an outdoor sauna and possibly offering manicures. Since guests can book single rooms or rent the entire house, Hernan hopes that the addition of these services will appeal to guests seeking a romantic retreat or possibly friends seeking a getaway together.

“I’ve had people from lots of different places,” Hernan said. “Different states… I had a woman stay who was from Italy, and another woman who was French. People all have different stories, different professions. It’s just really unique. It’s really fun to listen to their stories, where they’re from and what they do, about their families. I really enjoy that.”

The furthest a guest has traveled to stay at the bed and breakfast so far has been from Shanghai, China. Hernan fondly remembers them as a couple who individually lived in California and Shanghai, as well as their parents.

Bella Fattoria was the perfect middle location for them to meet.

Hernan’s favorite part of running the bed and breakfast is getting to talk with and connect to her guests, which she typically does at breakfast. Each guest has made an impression on her and given her a fond memory of them to carry with her even after their stay at Bella Fattoria is over.

“One guest showed me their wedding dress. Someone said, ‘I’m on my way to get married. I have my wedding dress in the car, would you like to see if?’ and I told her, ‘I’d love to see it! Bring it in.’ I’ve had people who are professional musicians who bring their instruments with them and play a little bit while they’re here. A lot of really unique things. That part of operating the bed and breakfast has been very exciting. I can’t remember all their names, but I remember them. They’ve left an impression.

I always get a good feeling about almost everybody who has been here,” she said.

In the future, Hernan has some plans in the works for the ways in which she would like to grow the bed and breakfast. She would like to look into the possibility of providing transportation to guests, and, in addition to completing the sauna, she dreams of adding a private treehouse on the property that can also be rented by guests.

“If I could, I’d really like to build a little tree house back in the woods as an extra spot, she said. “That would be really far down the road, but it would be really private and personal. Tree houses are so cute. And it would overlook the winery and it would be a really neat place to stay.”

Those interested in finding more information on the Bella Fattoria Bed and Breakfast can visit their website at bellafattoriabedandbreakfast.com, connect with them on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, or call them at 330-7202544.

Fewer Seams.

Better Fit.

2125 Broadway Rd. Hermitage, PA 16148 724-981-9333

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Motozilli Motocross Museum Motocross memories and more found at Motozilli museum

By NATALIE WRIGHT nscott@vindy.com Motocross. It’s an extreme sport that fascinates even those who could never imagine riding a bike. The sport has risen to Olympic fame throughout the years, but for Jim Iacozili it was a childhood passion that launched him through the ranks of professional flat track racing and inspired him to open the Motozilli Museum. But before any of that, Iacozili was just a child who knew he loved riding dirt bikes.

“I come from somewhat of a racing family—in cars. My uncle, Gus Iacozili, was a big stock car racer in the day of all the

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stock car tracks, and my father was involved with car racing also,” Iacozili said.

Iacozili’s father was a baker and the family owned Warren Baking Company. Iacozili said he was young, somewhere between the ages of 10- and 12-years-old, when his father bought him a mini bike and he really began to fall in love with riding.

Even so, his parents didn’t initially want him involved in racing.

“The true story of how I got into racing was they always told me that I was never allowed to race,” Iacozili said. “I met some friends riding in the woods and their father took them racing.

So one day they asked me if i wanted to go racing with them.

So I said, ‘yeah, I want to go!’”

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He told his father that he was going dirt bike riding with a friend, conveniently leaving out the part about racing. The race track was located in Orwell, and Iacozili didn’t leave his first race empty-handed.

“I won a trophy. So I’m 12-years-old and I come home with a trophy and they’re like, ‘Well how do you win a trophy just dirt bike riding in the woods?’ So I told them all about it. The next week my dad was at the racetrack with me at Orwell,” Iacozili said.

From that point forward, his parents supported his racing aspirations. However, racing came with an expensive price tag, something that Iacozili says still challenges racers today. To overcome this hurdle, in 1976 Iacozili’s father decided to buy a dealership with a friend.

“At that point, we met someone who became a good friend of mine and is still a good friend of mine, Thom Duma, who owns Thom Duma Fine Jewelers. So Thom’s dad was a jeweler and my dad was a baker. Thom and I became good racers and we had mechanics and stuff, and they felt it would be cheaper to own a dealership than to buy parts. So my father and Thom’s dad got the franchise and started the business… In ‘78, Mr. Duma wanted out. My partner until last year, Ken Vasses, bought out Mr. Duma and that’s how he and I became partners in the business and kept the business going,” Iacozili said.

Iacozili continued his professional racing career until he was 21-years-old. One of his favorite memories involves being booed after a race.

“As a novice racer in 1978, we went to the Harley Davidson 75th anniversary employee picnic in Milwaukee, Wis. They had a big fair event and they had a race. I was a novice expert at that time and I won the novice class on my Yamaha at the Harley Davidson employee picnic and in victory lane, when I took off my helmet, everybody booed

me because I wasn’t on a Harley Davidson.”

The bike he rode in that race is on display in the museum.

His other favorite racing memories involve Iacozili being able to do something that most people crave doing: sharing something they love with the people they care about. For Iacozili, the opportunity came about when he was able to race at local tracks.

“Because I was a professional racer I never really got to race around here, so my peers and friends from school, that all played baseball and football, never really understood what I did and why I was gone,” he said. “I won the professional race at the Trumbull County Fairgrounds and a lot of people know at that time Fred Perry, who was the mechanic for Warren Harley Davidson, was my mechanic. I got to give him a ride around the track with the checkered flag… I also won a race at Carrollton County Fairgrounds. Winning a couple races close to home was a big thing.”

Since retiring from his racing career, Iacozili has continued to fuel his passion for motocross at Triumph Yamaha of Warren. He said that the inspiration for the motocross museum came from the Packard Car Museum.

“What originally got me thinking about it was being involved at the Packard Car Museum down the street, because the Packard Car Museum had a motorcycle exhibit going on that they do every winter where they get local people with very collectible-type motorcycles to display them,” Iacozili said. “So that was my original thought of it.

Then as we ran out of room upstairs, we decided to put our offices in the basement and we had all of this additional room. That’s where I decided it would be kind of cool to put a waiting room for the customers who are here for service and to have all these vintage motocross

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bikes on display for people to see and reminisce about their past, which is what definitely happens down here. A lot of stories. At that point [“Rocket”] Rob Buydos [of Parts Unlimited] got involved, and Rob was able to give me a whole different level of bikes. Each bike has a story to it.”

The items featured in the collection are a mix of memorabilia and equipment from Iacozili’s racing days, from local collectors and from other former racers. Each piece has a story to it.

“We have Gary Younkins’s gold medals from the ISDT,” Iacozili said. “He was a world Enduro racer from Hubbard… Frank Gallo, who was a big Enduro racer, we have his trophies and pictures on display as well. Trevor Vines, who was one of Yamaha’s first factory freestyle racers, doing the backflips and everything… We have his bike. We have Fred Andrews’s—everybody will know of Fred Andrews because of Andrews Cycle back in the day. We have Fred’s GNCC Enduro bike.”

Among the collection are also items from George Quay, who started the Pro-Action Suspension company and is now the mayor of Beaver Falls, the motorcycle that Dr. Jerry Hrabosky sold in order to purchase the Harley Davidson dealership in Sharon, Pa. and was able to purchase back years later, and photographs taken by Larry “Rabbit” Smith, a photographer and journalist famous for his coverage of area racing events in the 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s. Copies of Smith’s book, “Rabbit’s Tales: The Adventures of a Motorcycle Dweeb” are available for purchase. The focus on local racing history makes it a perfect destination for motocross and motorcycle enthusiasts.

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“What’s really neat about our museum is it’s got a little something for everybody,” Iacozili said. “Even though we’re a Yamaha/Triumph dealer it doesn’t mean that it’s only Yamaha and Triumph people coming down here. Actually, I scrambled a couple months ago to get a Yamaha down here… But it’s a great destination, especially for people that drive up [State] Route 45 going to Geneva on the Lake in the summer. It gives them a reason to stop, have a cup of coffee, hang out down here and check it out.”

While Iacozili has plans to rotate the items and photos on display to offer more local collectors and enthusiasts the chance to feature their items, the current favorites among visitors to the museum are the mini bikes. “[They like] the small bikes, the mini bikes, because they can reminisce about how it was something that they had,” Iacozili said. “Some of the stock [bikes]—like Honda CR125s and CR250s—so many people in this area had those when they were kids or teenager riders.”

In the future, Iacozili wants to expand the museum into three complete segments for dirt bike, road race and flat track, which he is hoping to complete by June. He would also like to invite former professional racers to the museum for book signings, autograph sessions and more.

Those interested in finding more information on the Motozilli Motocross Museum can check it out on Facebook or Instagram by searching “Motozilli” or by stopping by the museum, located with the Triumph Yamaha of Warren dealership, during regular hours.

TRIUMPH

OF

WARREN

triumphofwarren.com • 330.847.7644 4867 Mahoning Ave., N.W. Champion, Ohio 44483

MON - FRI 9:00 - 6:00 SAT 8:00 - 2:00

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THE CLASSICS Cruise into the classic car market at John Kufleitner’s Galleria of Vintage, Classic and Pristine Cars

By NATALIE WRIGHT nscott@vindy.com Nothing showcases the history of American manufacturing quite like classic cars. They speak to us of a heritage of craftsmanship, a product that caused a boom in the economy and gave so many families the ability to have the ever-sought American dream. For those in The Valley that crave to own their slice of that history, the first stop is John Kufleitner’s Galleria of Vintage, Classic and Pristine Cars.

Kufleitner opened the Galleria in 2013, a year after he bought the facilities at a sheriff ’s sale. It was a former Yamaha, Suzuki and Honda dealership—the perfect location for Kufleitner to build a business around one of his lifelong passions: classic cars.

Kufleitner’s love of cars was fostered from a young age by his parents, who also shared that interest. He said that it was tradition for his family to talk about cars around the dinner table every night. He joked that his mother was also a “car guy” and he described her as a hot rodder.

“I can remember my mom had a ‘70 or ‘71 [Mercury] Cougar XR7 Eliminator,” he said “It was a bad car. She had a sticker on the back. It said ‘beep beep, who’s chicken?’ It’s a car 42

culture for us.”

He remembers the first time he ever sat behind the wheel of a car. He said he was about 5- or 6-years-old at the time and it made a big impression on him.

“So I’m in my dad’s ‘56 Chevy and I’m steering it,” he said.

“That was the first time I was behind the wheel of a car. There was no motor in it and there were about five guys pushing it.

That was my earliest experience in a classic or antique car. And I still have that car today.”

Kufleitner has expanded his personal collection a bit throughout the years. Though he says he isn’t partial to any particular brand of car and that every car he builds or restores is a favorite in its own way, there are a few cars in his collection that rank over the others.

“Probably my favorite car in the whole world is a ‘57 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible, and I have two of those. I have one that’s completely restored and we have another one that we’re going to get started on in a few months. The one that’s completely restored, I bought it out of Chicago. The second one I bought out of Hollywood and it was bought brand-new by Art Linkletter,” he said. “My second favorite would be probably my ‘64 Jaguar convertible.”

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His 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda, 1968 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500KR and 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS convertible also make the top of the list.

“My ‘57 Chevy convertible is one of my favorites as well. Of course, that’s so iconic. It’s one of the most iconic cars in the world. I have about five or six of them that I drive and then the rest of them I just look at,” he said. “My wife’s like ‘why do you build or buy these cars just to look at them?’ And I can’t explain it. It’s an addiction. I like to admire them just like you would ask someone, ‘why do you have a Van Gogh on the wall?’ To me, it’s art.”

Another of Kufleitner’s favorites is a 1934 aluminum body Rolls-Royce. He has the original purchase order and notes that the coachbuilder is one of the most revered in history. He said that they are about half-way done restoring it and he hopes to be invited to Pebble Beach to show it.

Despite having an impressive personal collection, Kufleitner said that he and his staff at the Galleria do sometimes get attached to the cars. He said that they become almost like his babies, and as much fun as it is to make money, they hate to see them go. That kind of care and attention is exactly what makes the Galleria the perfect place to search out a new classic car or to get one repaired.

“I think what is unique about the Galleria is—of course we have lots of really cool cars that are for sale—but the fact that we are able to finance old cars and we have a full-blown car restoration shop there as well. And a modern facility to work on late model new or kind of new cars that end up with little booboos or big accidents,” he said. “The fact that we have a retail body shop that is open to the public. We have all modern technology to work on old cars, so we can actually make the old cars even better. And we truly do make them just like new.”

It’s an idea reflected in the repair shop’s name: Just Like New Auto Collision Repair and Classic Car Restorations. The shop offers services that run the gambit of restoration or repair needs, from complete restoration to fixing dents.

“We can do a full-blown restoration for someone—and when I mean full-blown I mean we can do engine rebuilds, body restoration, interior restoration. Of course, when we do a complete rotisserie or frame off, we use new wiring harnesses,” Kufleitner said. “We try to make everything literally just like new or better because nobody wants to restore a car and then three months down the road after it’s finished have a problem and have to pull the motor back out of it or something. It just doesn’t sit well with people…. So we rebuild the engines, transmissions, rear ends… We have our own engine rebuilders.

There’s not much that we send out.”

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Kufleitner said there are some services the Galleria doesn’t offer in-house and those items have to be sent out, such as for chrome and upholstery work. He said that he has great relationships with the businesses that provide those services for them, and that he works with those businesses because they can offer the best product for the Galleria’s customers.

While the Galleria has many classic, vintage and pristine cars for sale on the lot, they also offer an additional service to customers who are perhaps looking for a specific car, and they are not intimidated by the challenge of finding a rare car. He spoke of a recent instance that they provided this service to a customer.

“We had someone that wanted a ‘64 Fuel-Injected [Chevrolet] Corvette, which is a pretty rare car. We found one in Colorado, so we flew one of our inspectors out to look it over, make sure the car was legitimate and once it was, we put a deposit on it. We completed the purchase process and we facilitated delivery from Colorado to Ohio,” he said.

Kufleitner and his staff spend a lot of time outside of the Galleria, traveling, doing research and gathering information on classic cars. He emphasized that in this business, you have to be proactive in finding and making a deal.

“The bottom line is you have to be there to give yourself an opportunity,” he said. “You can’t say, ‘I wish I would have been there’ because it’s a ‘now’ business. You just never know. You never know what you’re going to find. Sometimes you’re chasing something that just doesn’t happen, it never comes to fruition, but it’s part of the business.”

Customers come to the Galleria from all over the world in

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search of their dream car. In addition to buyers within the United States, Kufleitner said that the Galleria has had customers from Germany, England, Taiwan, South Korea, Canada, The Philippines, Sweden and more. He noted that buyers from Sweden tend to prefer big body convertibles. The local market, according to Kufleitner, focuses on GMs. “This town is car crazy. We love cars. Of course, in this market it’s a heavy GM dominated classic car market, but you still have your Mopar guys and your Ford guys and a little bit of classic European. But for the most part, it’s a Chevy town. You know, Camaros, Chevelles, Novas, ‘57 Chevys, that kind of thing. Corvettes,” he said.

He mentioned the local Classic Corvette Club and all they do in the area, both in terms of cars and their community fundraising efforts.

“I think the Classic Corvette Club in this area does an outstanding job. They don’t just do an outstanding job with cars, but with the community as well. Raising money for charities and stuff like that. These guys, they’re top-notch, first class guys,” he said.

Classic cars remain a great investment, Kufleitner said.

“I think it’s a beautiful place to park money,” he said. “You actually get to enjoy it, and they don’t really go down in value. They’ll dip from time to time. They’ll spike a little, they’ll dip a little, but overall they just gradually climb in value.”

Kufleitner attributes this growth to the fact that no more antique, vintage or classic cars are being made. He notes that while we are still making unique cars, they don’t quite have the same appeal that older cars have.

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“We’re still making cool cars, but we’re not making them like we used to,” he said. “Cars today are fast and fun, but they just don’t have the personality that cars had back in the ‘30s, ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s.”

The Galleria isn’t only a great place to shop for your next classic car, however. Those with a classic car that they would like to sell may also find what they are looking for there.

“If there’s someone out there that has a car that they don’t know what to do with, that they’d like to sell—maybe they inherited it or something that’s been in the family for a long time that’s not going anywhere, that they’d like to save—we write checks for classic cars every day,” Kufleitner said.

John Kufleitner’s Galleria of Vintage, Classic and Pristine Cars is open to the public on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m., and on Saturdays until 4 p.m. Those interested are welcome to stop out and see the cars anytime during open hours.

“They can stop out any time. It’s open to the public,” Kufleitner said. “It’s funny, most people think it’s a museum or something. But it’s open to the public; we don’t charge or anything. And we don’t badger people. When they come down, we just tell them to look around and enjoy. If they happen to see something they can’t live without, just yell.”

Welcome to

Bermann’s Lighting up the Mahoning Valley since 1928

We have chandeliers, table and floor lamps, ceiling fixtures, outdoor lighting, ceiling fans, mirrors, light bulbs, parts, repair, service and more...

(330) 726-7879

452 Boardman Poland Rd. Boardman, Ohio 44512 Open Monday - Friday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

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MErcedes-Benz 2018 E-Class Cabriolet

OPEN-AIR ELEGANCE Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz All-Season Comfort & Practicality Now on sale at U.S. dealers, the all-new E-Class Cabriolet is poised for any change in season. Available for the first time with 4MATIC all-wheel drive, the E-Class Cabriolet also boasts AIRCAP® wind deflector and AIRSCARF® neck-level heating technology to enhance comfort when driving with the top down.

The new E-Class Cabriolet four-seater combines pure, elegant design with long-distance comfort for four occupants and the latest E-Class technology. When the soft top is up, the E-Class Cabriolet has a silhouette similar to that of the E-Class Coupe and displays the same expressive proportions and clean lines.

The ‘hot and cool’ design idiom represents both elegance and intelligence, and shapes the appearance of the Cabriolet, which nevertheless exudes a unique character - especially when the soft top is down.

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Open-air driving comfort all year Maximum open-air comfort makes the E-Class Cabriolet a pleasure to drive. Mercedes-Benz was the first manufacturer to bring neck-level heating to market with AIRSCARF® technology, which makes top-down driving enjoyable even at low temperatures by circulating warm air around the neck area in cooler weather. The available AIRCAP® system was developed specifically for Mercedes-Benz cabriolets and consists of an electric wind deflector inconspicuously integrated into the roof frame and an electric wind blocker behind the rear seats. At the press of a button, this system reduces the interior turbulence for the rear passengers as well. A number of additional features make the EClass Cabriolet suitable for all seasons and weather conditions: • Acoustic soft top insulated to protect against heat and cold • Heat-reflecting leather in conjunction with leather appointments

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Individually folding rear seat backrests with throughloading feature • Available 4MATIC all-wheel drive • MAGIC VISION CONTROL® - the intelligent and highly efficient wash/wipe system for the windscreen – is heated when the outside temperature falls to prevent snow or ice from sticking in winter.

Starting at $66,300 for the E400 Cabriolet and $68,800 for the E400 4MATIC Cabriolet (not including $995 destination & delivery), the E-Class Cabriolet joins a range of convertibles in the Mercedes-Benz lineup. The extensive Mercedes-Benz Cabrio family includes the smart electric drive cabriolet, C-Class Cabriolet, recently redesigned S-Class Cabriolet, SLC, SL and AMG GT and GT C Roadsters and the ultra-exclusive MercedesMaybach S650 Cabriolet.

Premium-class fabric soft top With the new E-Class Cabriolet, Mercedes-Benz is continuing its tradition of high-caliber cabriolets with a classic fabric soft top. Available in dark brown, dark blue, red or black, the fully automatic acoustic soft top features sophisticated insulation that

reduces wind and driving noise at highway speeds. The soft-top structure and insulation has an equally positive effect on climate control and comfort, making the Cabriolet suitable for use yearround.

Even with the top down, the trunk capacity offers a high level of everyday practicality, with enough space to store luggage for a weekend getaway. The 50:50 folding rear seat backrests create a through-loading feature in the interior – another advantage when it comes to daily driving.

Larger and more luxurious: interior comfort for four Compared with its predecessor, the new E-Class Cabriolet has grown in length, width, wheelbase, and boasts a wider track.

Its considerably larger footprint benefits passengers in the rear in particular. On each of the four high-quality seats - which all feel like individual seats in their own right - passengers can all enjoy true comfort even on long journeys.

The luxurious seats for all four occupants feature a sporty sculpted individual-seat character. Standard-fit automatic belt presenters for the front seats help the occupants to fasten their seat belts.

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In Any Season, For Just One Reason:

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The Mercedes-Benz

2018 C-Class Cabriolet

The Mercedes-Benz

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