How will Gen Z vote?
Local political insiders from this generation discuss what matters to a new wave of voters. PAGE 12
STEP TO THE BEAT IN COMO PAGE 9
A DECADE OF FIRST FRIDAYS PAGE 18
MEET SOME SODA CHEMISTS PAGE 25
COME TOGETHER
Ialways knew that I enjoyed magazines as a reader, but I can now wholeheartedly say I love the process of putting them together. One of the best parts of producing Vox is the collaborative nature for our content.
On each of our stories, we have writers, editors, digital producers, designers and social media producers who do their best to make sure pieces shine online and in print. It’s safe to say that without this collaboration, our stories wouldn’t have the same reach or impact on our local community. We all have unique perspectives and backgrounds that make our content richer.
The same can be said for the Columbia community. We have so much more to gain in connecting with people and sharing with those who are different than ourselves.
We see the significance of togetherness in Vox’s coverage of the upcoming Mid-Missouri PrideFest (p. 5). The event is all about uniting those from all backgrounds to celebrate members of the LGBTQ+ community. Be-
cause diverse people join together to support this community, the festival acts as not only an event, but a safe space.
During voting season, it can be difficult to see glimpses of connection. One of our feature stories unpacks what local Gen Zers are doing to get involved in the 2024 election (p. 12). In hearing from a diverse group within Gen Z, we see how a new generation of voters is coming into the political scene, as well as the issues that unite this population.
We’ve seen people gather to celebrate monthly First Fridays for 10 years (p. 18). And after the July fire at Orr Street Studios, the community had the vital role of rising up to support local artists.
At Vox, we keep the local community at the core of what we want to highlight. As you’re flipping through these pages, we hope you see glimpses of unique perspectives and stories that make up Columbia. In stepping back, it becomes increasingly clear we’re better together.
MICAH BARNES Editor-in-Chief
Behind the issue
With the general election coming up Nov. 5, we were curious about the newest kids on the voting bloc: Gen Z. For the first time, many in America’s second youngest generation will be able to cast their votes for candidates, from the local county commissioner to the president of the United States. We wanted to do a story that explored how this natively online generation might approach making voting decisions. In the story (p. 12), you’ll hear from four local Gen Zers who are involved in Columbia and Missouri politics. The group speaks on what they know of the political landscape, as well as what we can expect from this younger generation. —Abigail Ramirez
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
MICAH BARNES
MANAGING EDITORS GRACE BURWELL, CAYLI YANAGIDA
DEPUTY EDITOR ABIGAIL RAMIREZ
DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR MJ MONTGOMERY
AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT EDITOR DAVID TALLANT
ART DIRECTOR VALERIE TISCARENO
PHOTO DIRECTOR ASHLEE KLOTZBEUCHER
MULTIMEDIA EDITOR OLIVIA MAILLET
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTORS LILY CARROLL, SHIRIN REKABDAR-XAVIER
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
CULTURE LILY CARROLL, BRIANNA DAVIS, OLIVIA MAHL, OLIVIA MAILLET, KATE RAMSEYER
EAT + DRINK SAM BARRETT, SARAH GASSEL, SHIRIN REKABDAR-XAVIER, KEVIN UTZ, ELENA WILSON
CITY LIFE BAILEY BECKER, ETHAN DAVIS, LAUREN GREEN, SOPHIA KOCH
STAFF WRITERS SARAH MOURA, AUSTIN GARZA, ALEX GOLDSTEIN, SARAH GOODSON, SYD MINOR, MJ MONTGOMERY, ASHLYNN PEREZ, ALLY SCHNIEPP, EMMA ZAWACKI
SOCIAL & AUDIENCE KALYN LAIRE, ALEX XU
DIGITAL PRODUCERS HAVEN DAGER, ASHLEY DICKEY, PRAJI GHOSH, NAOMI M. KLEIN, KENZIE RIPE, OLIVIA RODRIGUEZ, NATALIE TAN
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS SOFIA AVILA, MADY CARRUTH, KEARA CONNOLLY, MAYA DAWSON, AUDREY ELLIS, CAMI FOWLER, CHARLIE WARNER
CONTRIBUTING PRODUCERS ARABELLA COSGROVE, CHARLIE DALGREN, JAKE MASZEWSKI
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR HEATHER ISHERWOOD
EXECUTIVE EDITOR LAURA HECK
WRITING COACHES CARY LITTLEJOHN, JENNIFER ROWE
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ADVERTISING 882-5714 | CIRCULATION 882-5700 | EDITORIAL 884-6432
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024 VOLUME 26, ISSUE 7
PUBLISHED BY THE COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN LEE HILLS HALL, COLUMBIA MO 65211
Cover design: Valerie Tiscareno
Cover photography: Vanina Dimitrova
Photographer Vanina Dimitrova works with our four local Gen Z political insiders in our studio.
Learn more about some of the friendly faces you’ll see at this year’s PrideFest.
Find your Halloween costume, try new downtown eats and get ready to crank that Soulja Boy.
Just her cup of tea
Sip sweet relaxation at Wynnsome Cake and Tea shop downtown.
A festival on the rise
See new faces in new spaces at this year’s Biscuits, Beats and Brews.
Surf’s up for this trio
Bringing California style to mid-Missouri, this local band is making waves.
Gen Z will have its biggest presence yet in the 2024 election. Vox examined what matters most to the youngest voters.
The North Village Arts District has a lot of heart. Orr Street artists recover from a fire, while First Fridays marks 10 years.
A sweet St. Louis treat St. Louis-famous gooey butter cake makes it way to local CoMo bakeries.
No boring drinks here. Sipz Sodas offers a twist on traditional Coke or Sprite.
Check
these places with pet-friendly patios that cater to you and your dog.
Photography by Jessie Zhao, Elena Fu and Allie Satini and courtesy of Monsterya, Caroline Larson and Olivia Myska
Prepping for Pride
Mom and dad huggers, drag artists and a Tooty Fruity Human Slot Machine will be at this year’s PrideFest. Will you?
BY MAYA DAWSON
Art Smith wouldn’t say he’s a professional hugger. He just has a lot of experience. He and his wife, Amanda Smith, have been volunteering at the Mid-Missouri PrideFest since 2019, where they offer free mom and dad hugs as well as high fives and fist bumps.
They are two of the many volunteers, performers and community members who work to bring the Mid-Missouri PrideFest to life each year.
The family-friendly celebration features over 170 vendors, in addition to live music and performances. PrideFest takes place in the North Village Arts District and at Rose Music Hall Sept. 28 and 29.
Smith says some people’s hugs are quick and then they’re on their way. But for others, “It’ll be a long, 20-second deep hug, and you know, sometimes they’ll say things that just break your heart,” he says.
Bringing some CoMo mojo
While the Smiths ready their open arms, drag performer Veronika Versace is preparing a show for DIVAS by Design, a Columbia-based network of drag entertainers. In addition to hosting and performing in the Drag Showcase, Versace is leading the fest’s parade on Sept. 29 as the 2024 Pride Parade Grand Marshall.
“(PrideFest) is not just something for big cities,” Versace says. “It’s nice seeing them in smaller towns, too. There’s representation here. We matter. We belong
Doolady
Michele Doolady, a preschool teacher in Columbia, accepts hugs from her students during the 2023 MidMissouri PrideFest. These moments are some of her favorite memories from pride, she says.
in this community.”
One of Versace’s first drag performances was at the Mid-Missouri PrideFest in 2015. “I was like, last place, but I didn’t care,” she says. “I just wanted to be on stage.”
Fresh fare at the fest
While Versace has grown as a performer, the fest has grown, too. Last year, the fest doubled in size, adding a second street. “Now we have the extra space and we can build on what we already have to enhance our programming,” says Janet Davis, the
president of PrideFest.
This year the fest is hosting an artisan court on St. James Street for the first time. The court’s festivities include performers and vendors with food and alcohol for sale. During the parade, on the block of North Fifth Street between Broadway and East Walnut Street, there will be a sound-free, light-free sensory area.
A designated family area is going to be at the corner of Park Avenue and Orr Street, which was organized by Michele Doolady, a Columbia resident and preschool teacher.
“You could not walk through PrideFest, even for five minutes, without having a huge smile on your face,” Doolady says. “It’s just nothing but positivity. The sun is usually shining. I don’t want to sound cheeky, but it really is just the best way to spend a day.”
The family area will have activities such as a drag story time booth, a makeyour-own soda station and a game called the Tooty Fruity Human Slot Machine.
BE IN THE KNOW
Here are a couple insider tips for atttending PrideFest Sept. 28-29.
New this year is a sensory-friendly area of the parade on Fifth Street between Broadway and Walnut Street, says PrideFest President Janet Davis. The parade takes place at 11 a.m. Sept. 29.
For the 8 p.m. drag showcases, drag performer Veronika Versace recommends arriving early.
“Don’t think you can roll in at 8 o’clock when the show starts, and get a seat because it’ll be packed,” Versace says.
Taking pride in the process
Doolady says she believes it is important the family area provides more than just entertainment. She plans to offer information at each booth about how to be a better ally, such as resources to help parents choose more inclusive books for their children and information about finding diverse social media content creators.
“I think just the representation is important,” Doolady says. “It’s important for kids to walk through the space with their peers.”
Doolady has several favorite memories from past PrideFests. Such as the times when her preschool families visited her, when her son joined her in the parade on roller skates or working with the drag artists.
They are all wildly different experiences, but for fest volunteers and organizers, that’s the point. The fest is a chance to bring together different groups of people with countless experiences. Find out more at midmopride.org.
Illustrations by Valerie Tiscareno
Vox Picks for
SEPTEMBER OCTOBER
Soulja Boy as he pops off at The Blue Note. The viral early-2000s rapper and producer is showing off his latest album, Soulja Season on the Stacks on Deck Entertainment Group (SODMG) Tour, along with Mvstermind, Rocky’Jay and DJ Requiem. Start your month with a bang and get ready to “crank that” to old and new favorite songs and memories. 8 p.m., Oct. 3, The Blue Note, 17 N. Ninth St., $25, thebluenote.com
Each month, Vox curates a list of can’t-miss shops, eats, reads and experiences. We find the new, trending or underrated to help you enjoy the best our city has to offer.
BY LILY CARROLL AND ELENA WILSON
READ Splinters: Another Kind of Love Story by New York Times best-selling author, Leslie Jamison. Then, join The Missouri Review for a conversation with the author and associate editor Kylan Rice. It’s part of The Missouri Review’s Miller Conversations on Literary Publishing series. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is requested. Oct. 9, 6:30-8:30 p.m., room N201 BC Memorial Union on the University of Missouri campus, free, tmrmillerconversations.eventbrite.com
DON’T WAIT until Oct. 30 to put together your Halloween costume. Witch costumes continued to be the most popular in 2023, but there are so many possibilities for pop culture themed attire. T-Swift and Travis Kelce’s #87 Chiefs jersey? A trio of Powerpuff Girls as a Love Island nod? Beetlejuice stripes? Spirit Halloween opened for the season Aug. 1, but with a little creativity and some local vintage pieces, you can create a DIY look that’s uniquely yours. Deco to Retro, 212 Business Loop 70 E; Leo’s Vintage and Variety, 9 N. Ninth St.; Maude Vintage, 9 N. Tenth St.; Party City, 21 Conley Road; Spirit Halloween, 1400 Forum Blvd. #1C
PREPARE
your taste buds for a slew of new restaurants that have opened downtown — or will soon. Try authentic pineapple fried rice at the newest Thai restaurant, Kinkao, in the former Chim’s Thai Kitchen location. Mahi’s Ethiopian Kitchen and Dada Döner have expanded from their pop-up and food truck roots into brickand-mortar locations. Chains like Hokkaido Ramen and D.P. Dough are both opening soon, adding fresh options for eats in The District. Dada Döner, 1201 E. Broadway; D.P. Dough, 114 S. Ninth St. #101; Mahi’s Ethiopian Kitchen, 905 Alley A #1; Hokkaido Ramen, 1007 E. Broadway and Kinkao, 904 E. Broadway Suite 101
REGISTER
eligible to vote in Missouri for the Nov. 5 general election. In addition to the presidential and U.S. Senate races, Boone County voters will cast votes on Amendment 3, which seeks to establish constitutional reproductive rights, and Proposition A, which aims to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour in the state of Missouri. In Missouri, register online, in person or by mail. Early voting is Oct. 22 to Nov. 4. Find polling locations and links for registration and sample ballots on the Boone County Clerk site, showmeboone.com/ clerk
Photography by Jack Copeland and courtesy of Boone County, Flickr and Saralinda Bauer and illustrations by Valerie Tiscareno
Just her cup of tea
Emma Briner infuses authenticity and care into every element of Wynnsome, a tea and cake shop that puts customer relaxation first.
BY ABIGAIL ZORN
It’s said that the best things in life are unexpected. For 24-year-old Emma Briner, the unexpected was Wynnsome Cake and Tea in downtown Columbia. The shop, which opened in February, offers tea, cake by the slice and various coffee drinks — all using ethically sourced ingredients.
Briner has worked in coffee shops all over the world, including Asia, Central America and South America. Her seven years of barista experience and time spent abroad gave her the background to create a culture of hospitality and relaxation at Wynnsome.
In an episode of the Vox Voice podcast, Briner talked about the stress-free philosophy and intentional simplicity behind Wynnsome.
What was the inspiration for opening Wynnsome?
The original owner (of the previous business at the location) is from Thailand, and I lived in Thailand for a little bit, and we kind of bonded over some soup that she was selling. So this all started with me getting emotional over a bowl of soup. I worked at a coffee shop, and I’ve been a barista for a little over seven years, and before that, I lived overseas. All of my life, you can look back and see how it was funneling toward that.
Why do you prioritize using ethically sourced ingredients?
Cultures are built around tea ceremonies and that has been important to me working through this specific trade, whether that’s coffee or tea. I was looking for tea companies that were direct trade. That means that they have direct relationships with the farmers, where they source their tea and how they get it, so it’s ethically sourced. It’s a step further from fair trade where you can get a stamp of approval
if you fill out a form and it’s the right thing, but you may not actually have that relationship. Because I lived overseas — and I worked really closely with different coffee farmers and saw a lot into that world — it’s really important to me. That’s how I source that.
How do you decide what tea to feature in your shop?
I try to keep a huge variety. The concept of Wynnsome is really simple, which allows us to get really detailed with our two offerings, cake and tea.
What is your favorite tea on the menu?
I have to be careful with this because I told everyone my favorite tea and now we’re sold out. So now, I don’t even get to drink it. I’m just kidding. The peach blossom is really, really good, especially for the springtime. It’s a white tea, it’s a little bit more delicate and it’s really light and refreshing. I love anything with peaches.
What has been your most memorable experience since opening?
CAKE MY DAY
Wynnsome Cake & Tea is located at 1020 East Broadway, Suite G and is open 12 to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Find out more at @_wynnsome_ on Instagram or wynnsome.org. Hear from owner Emma Briner as part of the ninth season of Vox Voice. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
was like, “Oh my gosh, I’m never going to make it.” It was just funny because then the next day when I ate food and drank water and slept normally, it was so sweet and so emotional to be able to go into the space and interact with people and be like, “Whoa, something that was impossible a few months ago is possible today.”
I think the best days, honestly, are every day I get to be in there. It’s quiet and tuned out and people are just having conversations and laughing and enjoying.
What type of environment do you hope to create at Wynnsome?
Emma Briner prioritizes ethically sourced ingredients in her shop, which offers many different flavors of tea and cake, as well as coffee.
I hope people walk out of Wynnsome being a little bit more in touch with why we do the things we do. We really prioritize rest so that we can work hard so that people can come and rest. And, I love people’s passions. I love when people are doing what they’re passionate about. The team that we’re building, everybody’s pressing into what they love to do well.
Hopefully, people will just feel in-
on the rise
As Biscuits, Beats and Brews enters its fourth year, it relocates to Cooper’s Landing. Here’s ale you need to know about this fest.
BY AUDREY ELLIS
This year’s Biscuits, Beats and Brews festival will lean heavily into the “beats” of its name. Not only will the fest relocate from Rocheport to entertainment-friendly venue Cooper’s Landing, there also will be two stages to showcase free music.
“As soon as one band ends on one stage, another band is going to be kicking off on the other,” Colin LaVaute says. LaVaute is one of the primary organizers of the festival.
Spanning from Oct. 4-6, the festival is free to attend and will feature constant live music along with food. The fest has been around since 2020 and gained additional attention last year after the cancellation of the Treeline Music Fest.
LaVaute started the festival in 2013 as the Rocheport Oktoberfest. Later, with Harold’s Donuts as a partner, he rebranded the festival to the Rocheport Donut Festival with a more family feel in mind. After Harold’s Donuts closed in 2021, LaVaute and Bryan Maness, who owns Ozark Mountain Biscuit Co. and Endwell Taverna, collaborated to organize Biscuits, Beats and Brews, which was held in Rocheport for three years.
This year, LaVaute decided to move the festival to Cooper’s Landing to give “a soft place to land” for those upset by Treeline’s cancellation.
Attendees are encouraged to bike to Cooper’s Landing. Biscuits, Beats and Brews is partnering with Walt’s Bike Shop, which will be handing out
Travis Feutz is a country singer out of Nashville, Tennessee, who’s inspired by the Old West. He’ll be playing at this year’s Biscuits, Beats and Brews festival.
vouchers to attendees. If guests obtain a voucher and can prove they biked to Cooper’s Landing, they’ll earn a free biscuit from the Ozark Mountain Biscuit food truck. If biking isn’t an option, there is paid parking with a shuttle service to Cooper’s Landing. LaVaute encourages visitors to “trust the process” and “listen to staff” to help ensure smooth transportation to the site.
Biscuits, Beats and Brews will cater food from multiple local restaurants and food trucks, including the Ozark Mountain Biscuit Co., Endwell Taverna, Roux Pop-Ups, Kokomo Joe’s Tacos, Tasteful Findings and Voodoo Sno. Drinks will be served by the Cooper’s Landing Country Store.
“People come together around good food and camaraderie and good music. And that’s what the Biscuits, Beats and Brews festival really is about — bringing people together to hear music and socialize,” Maness says.
The festival has 18 artists in its lineup this year, including seasoned pros and up-and-coming talent. Here are three of the artists providing unforgettable entertainment for its attendees.
Steve Ewing
Steve Ewing is a multi-genre musician from the St. Louis area. Originally, the lead singer for The Urge, a reggae meets hip-hop meets ska meets punk band, Ewing began pursuing his solo music career after The Urge broke up in 2001.
Ewing plans to do a little bit of everything with his setlist. “We do a little bit of my Steve Ewing music, we do
some Urge music, we do some classic cover songs that I was into growing up,”
Ewing says.
Artist’s pick: “Sexy 79”
Crowd favorite: “Sweetest Enemy”
See him: Oct. 6
Monsterya
Local teen band Monsterya began making music after a school talent show. The girls were influenced by music at a young age, inspired by their parents and pop culture to pick up an instrument. Classifying their band as “punk rock,” Monsterya has performed around Columbia in the past and looks forward to playing at Biscuits, Beats and Brews.
“I love getting the crowd involved and just belting and playing the music that I love,” Skylar Gorzok, lead singer and bassist of the band, says.
Monsterya includes (from left) Skylar Gorzoch, Olyssa Herico and CJ Grove. The group plans to debut its first original song at the festival.
PARKING POINTERS
If you’ve visited Cooper’s Landing, you’re familiar with the small dirt lot used for parking. The Biscuits, Beats and Brews festival will offer $5 parking at a lot on Smith Hatchery Road, five minutes from Cooper’s Landing. Free shuttles will bus people to the festival. If the lot is full, staff will direct drivers to alternate parking. Find the full lineup, a list of food vendors and more at biscuits beatsbrews.com.
The group prides themselves on their crowd work. Gorzok and her bandmates CJ Grove and Olyssa Herico, who play guitar and drums respectively, all say their favorite thing about performing is getting absorbed in their audience’s energy.
Monsterya is going to perform a few covers of songs by Metallica, Green Day and The Runaways. The band will also debut their first original song “Sounds Like Fun.” “We’re still working on it but we’re going to play a lot of energetic stuff that we love,” Gorzok says.
See them: Oct 6
Travis Feutz
Steve Ewing plays with The Urge, the Steve Ewing Band, the Steve Ewing Duo and Master Blaster.
Country musician and Missouri native Travis Feutz started his music career after seeing his first concert as a teenager at The Blue Note in Columbia. “I would say that day changed me in so many ways, where I didn’t know how I was going to do it, but I was like, ‘How am I going to do this? I think I’m going to figure out how to do this,’ ” Feutz says. Known for his songwriting, Feutz’s music has a “Texas roadhouse music” style. Looking ahead to the Biscuits, Beats and Brews festival, Feutz is excited to continue performing. “When the band’s hitting right and the music’s good and you’re with (the band) on stage, there’s no better feeling,” Feutz says. Artist’s pick: “Cowboy Songs”
Crowd favorites: “Drinking With Ghosts” and “Honky Tonk Dream”
See him: Oct. 5
Photography courtesy of Monsterya and Steve Ewing
Surf’s up for this CoMo trio
The members of Wilson Park Rangers put their own spin on 1960s surf rock, bringing jazz, funk and rockabilly together.
BY GRACE BURWELL
For Hunter Bailey, Eric Kvam and Jalen Julian, surf rock is a state of mind. During a typical Wilson Park Rangers rehearsal, the sounds of watery electric guitar and Beach Boys-esque vocals reverberate from a tucked-away warehouse in Columbia’s Arcade District.
The young musicians are transforming a genre with roots in 1960s California surf culture into a staple of the mid-Missouri music scene. High-energy, guitar-heavy rhythms and improvisation are some of the band’s trademarks.
Playing with surf rock Bailey, the bassist and vocalist, says while they don’t only play surf rock, that label helps the group stand out. “I’ve never heard of a band of people our age that are surf rock,” drummer Julian says.
The trio hopes to hook listeners
Photography by Caroline Larson
with a combination of nostalgic vocals and modern production. Beyond surf rock, Bailey, Kvam and Julian draw influence from jazz, funk and rockabilly. Audiences will likely hear different renditions of their favorites at performances. In addition to original songs, the band puts groovy spins on tunes like “Murder on the Dancefloor” and “Escape (The Piña Colada Song).”
Getting the band together
In the summer of 2022, Bailey and Kvam, the latter being the band’s guitarist, set in motion their plan to form a three-man band. They met in ninth grade where they both played the trumpet in Hickman High School’s marching band. Later, after writing songs together during their freshman year at the University of Missouri, the duo wanted to create something more established. They needed a drummer, but no-
body felt like the right fit. The solution? They posted a “seeking drummer” message to a MU Class of 2025 Snapchat story. Julian, who dropped out of MU two years ago to focus on music full time, responded. “I had not played in a single band in Columbia yet, but I had my own drum set and I wanted to really get started,” Julian says.
Wilson Park Rangers released its first two singles, “White Explorer” and “Mr. Samsara.” Then in April, the band released “Thelma,” which Julian describes as “miles ahead” of their previous discography.
The meaning behind the band’s name is as playful as their music. Kvam, who created the moniker, was inspired by Wilson Park in the East Campus neighborhood where he and Bailey live. “The park is so dinky and uninhabited, there’d be no reason for it to have park rangers,” Bailey says. The trio ran with it — Kvam says the band doesn’t take itself too seriously. “We’re all pretty goofy people,” he says.
Discovering their sound
Julian learned to drum alongside his father, who played guitar in a high school band. “He decided that his 6-year-old would be a good drummer for him to play along to,” Julian says. “He showed me what he knew, and I’ve been playing ever since.”
“I’VE NEVER HEARD OF A BAND OF PEOPLE OUR AGE THAT ARE SURF ROCK.” —drummer Jalen Julian
Kvam’s musical interests also developed early. Growing up in a house filled with classic rock inspired Kvam to learn the guitar, as well as piano and trumpet. He started taking guitar lessons at 8 years old.
Bailey got his start taking trumpet lessons at age 11, and taught himself the basics of bass guitar in high school.
In the band’s process of creating music, Bailey usually comes up with the vocal melody and lyrics of a song. The band records in Julian’s home studio, and he digitally produces every track. “It is really an assembly line,” Kvam says. During rehearsals, Bailey croons into the microphone, methodically strumming the bass. Kvam improvises dreamy, dynamic riffs on his pastel Fender Charvel guitar. Julian launches into seamlessly spontaneous drum solos. It flows together — like waves.
Hunter Bailey (from left), Jalen Julian and Eric Kvam record in Julian’s home studio. The group will perform at Rose Music Hall Nov. 7.
w h a t i s gen z
For the first time this November, almost two-thirds of the Gen Z age group will be able to vote in a presidential election. Vox talked to four Gen Zers who are involved in local politics about how voters their age think about the issues that matter to them — and what they’re saying about the upcoming election.
STORY BY ABIGAIL RAMIREZ PHOTOGRAPHY BY VANINA DIMITROVA
DESIGN BY VALERIE TISCARENO
EDITING BY SARAH GASSEL
g o i n g t o d o w i t h
TAs members of Gen Z who also are involved in local campaigns, Parker Ezell (from left), Cole Bower, Ava Wischnewski and TJ Benoist spend time figuring out how to reach voters of their own voting bloc. These experiences give them unique insight into the political priorities of their generation.
ick-tock, Gen Z, your general election is almost here. To say the 2024 election year has been eventful is an understatement. Americans expected a 2020 rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. Then summer happened.
The first presidential debate on June 27 was followed by an avalanche of calls for Biden to end his campaign. Just over two weeks later, there was an assassination attempt on Trump. A little more than a week after that, Biden stepped down, resulting in the rise of Vice President Kamala Harris and the phenomenon of her Brat summer.
For many in Gen Z — who’d been skeptically watching the race between 81-year-old Biden and 78-year-old Trump — the entrance of Harris, 59, along with her social media savvy team, was invigorating. An August poll by NPR/PBS News/Marist found that 80% of eligible Gen Z and Millennial voters say they plan to cast a ballot in November. That’s a 15-point jump from a poll conducted one month earlier.
Even before the events of summer, this election was going to be a milestone for this generation. With almost two-thirds of the Gen Z age group (roughly ages 12 to 27) able to vote for the first time in a presidential election, the question is: What
will Gen Z do to American politics in November?
Four Gen Zers active in local politics — Ava Wischnewski, 19, TJ Benoist, 19, Cole Bower, 21, Parker Ezell, 20 — are answering that question by working for local or statewide campaigns, or running for office themselves. That vantage point has allowed them to see this election cycle as both Gen Z voters and as campaign insiders working to court their own voting bloc.
Dissatisfaction of the digital generation
These new Gen Z voters are entering the American political world with a bone to pick. They grew up with the trauma of school shootings and a global pandemic. They’ve seen progress stall on issues like climate change or the accessibility of education. They’ve watched rights be stripped away. But Gen Z isn’t being quiet about it. On social media, on college campuses and at community protests, they express their discontent and their unique, disillusioned experience with modern America and how it affects them and their futures.
Ava Wischnewski, TJ Benoist, Cole Bower and Parker Ezell are part of the millions of Gen Zers who will be eligible to vote in their first presidential election this year.
Ava Wischnewski says she believes elected officials and older generations hear Gen Z’s concerns, but still aren’t acting on them. Wischnewski is the campaign manager for Gregg Bush, the Democratic candidate for state representative in Ava Wischnewski (left), a campaign manager, says she believes the lack of shared experiences between current politicians and Gen Z creates a disconnect.
Missouri’s 50th District in Boone County. “I think about gun control,” Wischnewski says. “All of us are the ones who had sit-in drills. We had to deal with when the alarm went off and be scared that someone was there. No one’s passed a single thing to do with it. Same with climate.”
TJ Benoist, 19, a candidate for county commissioner of St. Francois County in southeastern Missouri, says young voters should turn that skepticism into productive dissent.
“If you want to start seeing younger and more progressive, or younger, more conservative candidates, you need to get involved,” Benoist says. “Write your congressman, write your local rep. I email my state representative far too often, probably. But that’s your right. Go watch them in Jefferson City — go to Washington, D.C., if you even want to — just getting involved at the ground floor and working your way up is the only way we’re gonna get change, even at the presidential level.”
Party politics meets death by a thousand political issues
The unique experiences of Gen Z voters bring them to the polls with motives different from other voting blocs. While many other generations vote for candidates that reflect their party lines, Reed Howard, the chief strategy and public affairs officer at Future Caucus, told NPR that Gen Z is more likely to vote for candidates based on issues. In a 2023 study, researchers at American University’s Sine Institute of Policy and Politics found that health care, the economy and cost of living, abortion, workforce policies, the environment and gun violence are the top issues young voters consider when thinking about how they will vote in November.
Molly O’Rourke, senior advisor with the Sine Institute, told NPR that many young voters might feel neglected by politicians who ignore their generations’ experiences. Wischnewski, who was involved with climate advocacy before entering politics, agrees with that view. “There’s this frustration on the national scene with the concept of special interest because there’s so many things our generation has been fighting for and cared about, and nothing’s been happening.”
School shootings and mass shootings continue. In the 20212022 school year alone, there were 328 school shootings, according to the American Association of Pediatrics. On climate change, in June the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Chevron deference, which changes the authority of government agencies with expertise to create regulations, including environmental protection policies.
Charles Zug, a University of Missouri assistant professor of political science, says the future of national environmental policies could indirectly lay in the hands of voters. “There are ways that younger voters can pressure the system,” Zug says. “If
you turn out — if you vote — the system will respond, slowly.”
One area where voters have already been taking direct action is reproductive rights. After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, numerous state campaigns have sought to solidify the right to abortion on the state level. In Missouri, voters will take up that question on the November ballot. Amendment 3 seeks “to provide the right for reproductive freedom” in the state’s constitution.
Cole Bower, a 21-year-old campaign manager, says the new, young and energized voting bloc is a critical part to passing Amendment 3. “I definitely think turnout among the younger age group will be higher now than before Biden dropped out, and that will probably help Amendment 3,” Bower says. “The polling that I’ve seen has it winning pretty significant support among the 18 to 29 demographic.”
Bower is the campaign manager for Patty Lewis, a Democrat running for state senate in Missouri’s 7th District, and previously worked on Democrat Stephen Webber’s senate campaign for Missouri’s 19th District in Boone County. “There’s a lot this amendment needs to do to pass,” he says. “High youth turnout is just one part, so it helps, but it’s not the full story.”
Gaza is another issue important to Gen Z this election. On both state and national levels, candidates are seeing the effect of almost a year of protests against the U.S. involvement — and silence — in the Israel-Hamas war. In her speech at the Democratic National Convention, Harris addressed the humanitarian crisis and genocide there, along with maintaining allyship with Israel.
Scout Hudson, a MU student who has demonstrated on the issue locally and nationally, says Harris’ acknowledgment of the Palestinian humanitarian crisis might not be enough to earn the votes of those who want to see major party candidates condemn Israel’s actions. “I don’t really think politicians have made any progress in making a statement about the war, other than they’re not making a statement about the war,” Hudson says. “Harris’ acknowledgment of a humanitarian crisis is a good first step in many ways, but it doesn’t feel like it. It feels more like a pander as opposed to a legitimate assertion of her beliefs, and it definitely doesn’t clue me into any plan of action.”
Whether statements about Gaza are enough to sway individual voters, it is clear that stances on issues important to Gen Z will be critical in winning its vote.
Brat summer vs. MAGA mania
Forget the park or the playground. Gen Z is the first generation to grow up with smartphones and social media constantly at its fingertips. A 2023 Gallup poll found that over 50% of U.S. teenagers spend at least four hours a day on social media
apps such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X and TikTok.
Social media could have a large influence on Gen Z’s voting choices. According to Pew Research Center, about one-third of adults under age 30 utilize TikTok to obtain news. Additionally, Horizon Media found that 51% of Gen Z prefers the social media app as a search engine compared to Google.
In Boone County, local party leaders are taking intentional steps to interact with Gen Z digitally. Bower says that campaigns need to meet Gen Z where it is: on major social media platforms.
Enter Brat summer.
In her rise to the top of the Democratic ticket, Harris launched a social media campaign that targeted young audiences and communicated the campaign’s values through viral memes and trends. KamalaHQ — the Harris campaign’s social media handle — utilized the tagline “Kamala is Brat.” Running mate Tim Walz’s affinity to being a “Midwest Princess” and videos critiquing Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, took the younger corners of the internet by storm.
The success of her TikTok page could be attributed to its two Gen Z social media managers, Parker Butler, 24, and Lauren Kapp, 25. In an August interview with CNN, Butler explained that each app is curated to its target demographic: TikTok is youthful, Instagram is for Millennial voters, X is for “political junkies” and Facebook is for older generations.
Tony Lupo, who was the former chair of Boone County Republicans, says such efforts and dedication to numerous social media platforms is difficult. “I consider myself more tech-savvy and more media savvy than the average, late
Gen Xer, but I don’t think I could hold a candle to these kids,” Lupo says. “And it’s not easy to learn some of these new platforms.”
Despite the increased use of TikTok by younger voters, Boone County Republicans has stuck to more traditional apps, like Facebook. Because TikTok’s parent company is based in China, it “kind of dampers any enthusiasm, on our side, to take a plunge into TikTok,” Lupo says.
Benoist strategically utilizes different social media platforms for different purposes for his campaign in St. Francois County. He can also indirectly track campaign donations received to his presence and posts on social media — when he posts, his donations increase.
On a national level, both major party campaigns are utilizing apps’ streaming capabilities to bring rallies to the hands of young voters. The Republican and Democratic National Conventions, candidate speeches and interviews were streamed across platforms to ensure maximum exposure to the electorate. Additionally, the campaigns employed influencers and celebrities to endorse candidates online and on stage, thus increasing their ability to go viral and connect with younger voters.
Still, 20-year-old Parker Ezell, a former Missouri GOP campaign staffer, says Republicans generally are not maximizing the potential of social media to reach younger voters compared to Democrats. Before Biden ended his campaign, Ezell says he felt like Republicans spent more time talking about Democrats than policies on TikTok.
However, since then, Ezell saw a rise in conservatives’ efforts to connect with Gen Z on social media, with the push
county commissioner of St. Francois County.
Parker Ezell, 20, is a former Missouri GOP staffer. He says he has seen an upswing in how Republican candidates are connecting with Gen Z voters on social media.
TJ Benoist urges those dissatisfied with their political options to get involved. The 19-yearold is proving it’s possible as a candidate for
coming from conservative supporters rather than the Republican National Committee.
“(The Nelk Boys) are a really popular big group of YouTubers in their mid-20s,” Ezell says. “They’re really big with the frat boys and conservative men. They’ve had Trump and JD Vance on their podcast multiple times, as well as other conservative figures like Tucker Carlson. They’ve taken a really big lead on social media and TikTok on pushing a pro-Trump, conservative agenda.”
As candidates have pivoted their outreach efforts this election cycle, it is undeniable that attempts to reach Gen Z voters across social media platforms have transformed the campaigning landscape forever.
The power of Gen Z
No one in Gen Z is old enough to run for president (the age requirement is 35). The earliest that can happen is the 2032 election.However, if we’ve learned anything about this generation, it’s that they’ll do everything they can to make their voices heard until then.
They’re not going to sit and wait patiently. They’re searching for answers on social media. They’re mobilizing on Instagram lives and in TikTok videos. They’re protesting on campuses. They’re calling out their representatives, the president and their fellow Gen Zers.
They’re trying to be the change.
While it’s uncertain how the youngest voting bloc will influence the upcoming general election, there’s one thing America should expect: Gen Z will be heard.
“If you have giant issue voting blocs, you can get shit done,” Wischnewski says.
FIRST-TIME VOTER?
We have your back! Vox talked to Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon about advice for first-time voters. Lennon gave the lowdown on how to register, what to expect on Election Day and what you should and shouldn’t bring into a polling place. Wondering whether you can take a selife with your ballot for Instagram? Or how to register by Missouri’s Oct. 9 deadline? Scan the QR code for those answers and more.
Cole Bower became interested in politics during the 2016 presidential election.
STEPPING UP TO THE BALLOT BOX
Generation Z includes those born between 1997 and 2012. In the 2024 presidential election, 62.5% of that age group will be eligible to vote. A Pre-2024 Election Youth Survey from Tufts University’s Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement revealed more data about this generation.
• In 2024, 8.3 million more Gen Zers will be old enough to vote compared to the 2022 midterm elections.
• National youth voter turnout has been increasing. In 2016, 39% of people ages 18 to 29 voted in the presidential election. In 2020, that jumped to 50%.
• Cost of living/inflation, wages, gun violence, climate change and access to abortion are top issues of people ages 18 to 34.
• Among people ages 18 to 34 who identify as extremely likely to vote, 51% say they prefer a Democratic candidate while 30% prefer a Republican candidate.
The North Village Arts District puts the “art” in the heart in our city. This year, that feels especially true — as First Fridays celebrates a decade and Orr Street Studios rebuilds after a fire.
Orr Street artists fight the fire
After a fire destroyed their studios and years of work, these artists continue to make art.
BY SARAH GOODSON
itting in the back of church in St. Louis as a kid, Asia Long would make a peace sign with her hands, study the lines of her fingers and draw what she saw. Long has always been an artistic person. She says she was born a creative.
That imagination led her to join Orr Street Studios in 2022 as an artist-in-residence, which allowed her to have her own studio space, and better yet, a supportive community of fellow artists.
Then in July, Long and seven other artists learned that their studios were damaged in a fire. They lost materials, sketches, tools — as well as the studio spaces to work on their art. While such losses are devastating, they continue to focus on creating art.
Connecting with art
Long discovered her love for art when her mom helped her with a project for school. Long says her mother was busy with two jobs, so sometimes the only way to get her attention was through art. Drawing also served as an escape from the difficulties she faced as a child in poverty.
“I just kept trying to be better than I was last,” Long says. “I was always matching myself and one-upping myself, and then trying to show her. It really started out as a thing of attention, seeking to get time with her because her time was valuable. Then it just spiraled from there.”
A St. Louis native, Long moved to Clarksville, Tennessee, in 2015 and to Columbia in 2021. She helped run Clarksville’s Black Lives Matter chapter, where she utilized her artistic abilities.
Long describes her work as Black art, which she says is art created by Black artists that contains undertones of Black culture and expression. Black art is important to her because she grew up unaware of what an artist could be. “I didn’t know there were other Black artists that were creating artwork, Black art,” Long says. “Once I was able to step my foot into this world of art and visual creativity and got to see like this, there’s a space for us as well and a validation to it. Then that was inspiring.”
Orr Street Studios’ artist-in-residence program started in 2020. Its studio space is occupied predominantly by white artists, so the program was founded with Black and minority artists, who are underrepresented in the art community, in mind. Orr Street chooses three to four artists per year to participate in the program, providing studio space and resources so artists can develop their own practices.
Long applied for the program in 2022 and says it has given her a place to feel a sense of belonging. The opportunity to have her own studio as a young Black artist, to conceptualize her ideas and meet other artists has been a positive experience after living her whole life
Asia Long’s studio (above) was gutted by the July fire (top) at Orr Street Studios.
without this community.
“I lost everything”
Shortly after 2 a.m. on July 21, according to the City of Columbia Fire Department, a fire started outside of Orr Street Studios’ south wing. According to the Fire Department’s investigation report, the fire was started with a cigarette and a lighter. Still, the Fire Department says its origin and cause are under investigation. The south wing housed eight artists. Long’s studio suffered the most fire and water damage.
“I lost tools,” Long says. “I lost all the stuff, all the paint, all the extra stuff, like I had wood burning stuff because I did that wood burning piece. I lost all that.” Her crayons, pastels, oils and molds were gone. “I lost everything.”
Co-President of Orr Street Studios
Anne Jacobson says she was shocked when she first heard about the fire, which happened during the artists’ last month of residency. It hurts her to think about all the effort that has been poured into the pieces of artwork that were lost.
The fire department responded urgently to save the materials. “We had firemen in here that just started grabbing the artwork off of the walls,” Jacobson says.
William Wallace, another artist-inresidence, had a studio across from Long’s. His art consists of narrative-driven mixed media made of salvaged and repurposed
materials. Wallace’s studio filled up with water when the flames were doused, due to the south wing’s uneven floors. When he found out about the blaze, he says he went into a triage mindset, focused on what he was going to do when he got to the scene.
His lowball estimate for the cost of the damage was around $2,300. “The bulk of the damage was to a lot of my tools and materials, and I lost about four finished pieces,” he says. “We’ll see what happens (when) the dust settles, but there’s nothing to do but move forward at this point.”
Artist Tootie Burns has had a studio at Orr Street Studios for over 11 years now and does mixed media and collage art. She was in St. Louis at the time of the fire and rushed back to assess the damage. Burns lost over 20 years of sketches due to water damage, which weren’t valuable to anyone but her.
Still, she is choosing to continue her art out of her home.
Burns says she has knows the artists will recover from the fire. “We’re a resilient group, and we can work our way through this,” she says “I certainly plan to.”
Right now, the GoFundMe Orr Street Studios started after the fire has a goal of $12,500 to cover the losses from the eight studios affected by the fire.
Asia Long stands in her old studio that was previously damaged and closed.
HOW TO HELP
In addition to contributing to Orr Street Studios’ GoFundMe, you can purchase artwork from some of the artists affected by the fire.
Asia Long: coloredstudios.com
William Wallace: jhbart.com
An artist with or without materials Long is also grappling with what’s in store for her. “I’m in this transitional spot right now after the fire and just grieving that,” Long says. “I trust what’s next for me, but I just don’t know what it is, and I’m actually having to sit in this spot and understand that this comes with life. It’s really uncomfortable to sit in things you don’t know, but you got to do it.”
An artist who has lost everything is still an artist, Long says. Early in her life, she had only a pencil — the most basic tool for an artist. The soul of an artist is born to create, even without the tools and supplies gained along the way.
“What it’s like to be that without any extras or any materials seems, at first, invalidating because you lived in a world that was validating you through giving you those things, making sure you had the supplies to use,” Long says. “But it doesn’t change the fact that you are that. (The materials were) adding to who you already are.”
by Jessie Zhao
Photography
A decade of First Fridays
When Columbia’s art crawl started, organizers hoped a few hundred people would attend. Now, it’s an event thousands anticipate each month.
BY ASHLYNN PEREZ
he sky softens as downtown lights up. Beneath a bright green sign that reads “Art Lives Here,” a crowd gathers to hear a band belt an Aretha Franklin song. Next door, at Sager Reeves Gallery, a new exhibition is open, and the people inside the gallery move reverently from piece to piece. Across the street at Serendipity Salon and Art Gallery, local artists behind booths stocked with earrings or prints chat with guests.
It’s the first Friday of the month, which means the North Village Arts District is alive.
Ten years ago, this event started as a series of yard signs and a dream shared by a small handful of business owners. Now, the arts district — bordered by College Avenue to the east, Eighth Street to the west, Rogers Street to the north and Walnut Street alley to the south — celebrates a decade of First Fridays.
“We offer the whole art experience,” says Lisa Bartlett, owner of Artlandish Gallery, a small emporium of crafts and fine arts in the North Village Arts District. “We have this huge crowd of happy people. It’s like a mini festival every month.”
At First Fridays, you’ll see a diverse group of people enjoying art of all forms. It’s a place where you could see silver-haired women and teenage boys both dancing unabashedly to the same Tina Turner song. A man may be taking pictures of fresh-baked goods from Wishflour
Bakery before turning to the woman beside him. “Want a bite?”
“It makes art accessible to everyone,” says Serendipity Salon and Gallery owner Elizabeth Jordheim. Her background as an art educator makes it important to her that all people — the old, the young, those of different backgrounds — know that art is “for them.”
The first of many Before First Fridays was on the scene, Columbia had a similar event called Artrageous Weekends, which started around 2009 to 2011-no one seems to remember for sure. The quarterly celebration connected Columbia’s art lovers with its artists. Issues arose when the event organizers reduced Artrageous to twice a year while local business owners clamored for a monthly event.
The idea for something new started on Walnut Street, in the building that houses Artlandish and Fretboard Coffee. Bartlett snagged the idea for First Fridays from other cities that hold similar events. She kept the doors to her shop open late, and Fretboard did, too. She says it was a success for their businesses.
Then, in December 2014, Artlandish Gallery banded together with Orr Street Studios, PS Gallery (now Sager Reeves Gallery)
Grandma Glee creates a balloon in the shape of an octopus for attendees of First Fridays. Glee runs the service “Rent a Grandma” where she does magic, dancing, balloon animals, and jokes.
Photography by Jessie Zhao
and a few others to bring the first First Fridays to the North Village Arts District. “We were very nervous about whether people would attend,” local artist and North Village Arts District board member Tootie Burns says.
“It’s been really cool to watch,” says Nickie Davis, the executive director for the Downtown Community Improvement District. “They started as a ragtag group of artists. It’s been amazing to see them come asking for funding and now being able to fund a full art walk.”
A decade later, attendance has exploded. The event, which used to attract a couple hundred guests, now sees thousands on a monthly basis — new faces and regulars alike. “I still meet people that have never been to a First Fridays, but I see more and more people who say, ‘Hey, I’m back again,’” Burns says.
All these new faces every month bring in new recognition for the artists who have work featured or for sale. Bartlett says that once people get the chance to look at the art in her shop, she’ll often see them return in the next couple days to purchase something that caught their eye during First Fridays.
Columbia resident Blake Johnson has attended First Fridays for a couple years now with his family. “It’s fun to sit outside and have live music,” he says. His go-to stops are Fretboard and Rock Bottom Comics.
As the event has grown, the number of contributing businesses has grown, too. What started as six or seven businesses that opened their doors for First Fridays in 2014 is now close to 30, including Le Bao Asian Eatery, Cafe Berlin and Acola Coffee.
The art of reinvention
Jordheim says her favorite part of First Fridays is seeing different faces. She says new and different things happen each month. There are new art exhibitions to catch, a new local band to listen indoors and outdoors with new food and drinks available.
“It’s like throwing a big party,” Jordheim says.
The North Village Arts District has continued to expand its artistic offerings over the years. A recent example is the North Village Art Walk, which features 20 murals and sculptures for Columbia residents to enjoy. Bartlett looks forward to North Village Park— a new green space downtown that she hopes First Fridays attendees can spend time in.
For those who meander to the North Village Arts District, First Friday after First Friday, you can rest easy. There will always be something new to see next month.
PLACES TO VISIT
Art Underground participates in first Fridays. It is a studio that provides lessons for kids ranging from kindergarten to high school in watercolor, painting, charcoal clay and acrylics.
Rose Music Hall is open during First Fridays from 6-9 p.m. The 300-personcapacity venue has an indoor club, a patio and outdoor stage for summer shows.
The North Village Art Walk has a new installation, “The House that Joe Built.” It is a partnership with the adopt a spot program. It is a sculpture created by New Sculptures and painted by Craig Miles.
(Below) Kids gather to create art projects during the 10-year anniversary of First Fridays. (Above) Rochara Knight, a singer with The Honey Doves, performs a song during First Fridays.
by Jessie Zhao
Photography
A sticky, sweet St. Louis treat
Oh, gooey! Learn where to get a piece of the iconic classic butter cake in Columbia, or try local bakers’ new variations and flavors.
BY SAM BARRETT
Have you ever baked something and accidentally added the wrong proportions of ingredients? Baking requires precise measurements, and missteps can lead to a totally different creation. Many believe such a mistake was how gooey butter cake came to be.
“Nothing’s been verified; nothing’s been confirmed,” says George Mahe, dining editor for St. Louis Magazine, regarding the treat’s origins. The most common story takes place in the 1930s when a St. Louis baker tried making coffee cake and mixed up his butter and flour proportions. The cake turned out flat and gooey, but during a time of economic downturn, he sold it anyway.
“It went so well that I guess other
Photography by Allie Santini
bakers around St. Louis picked up on it,” Mahe says.
Gooey butter cake is normally an 8-inch square, one layered cake. It’s a basic cake flour mix with eggs, sugar and lots of butter, Mahe says. What makes the sweet popular is its unique consistency and flavor. Mahe says the texture can range from pudding-like to dense and describes the flavor as “insanely” sweet and sugary.
Since no dessert says Missouri quite like this iconic sweet, many Columbia bakeries have their own versions. Here are a few places selling a taste of St. Louis.
Eversweet Bakery
Abby Bullock, owner of Eversweet Bakery, specializes in gourmet cook-
For a twist on the classic, Eversweet Bakery offers gooey butter cake cookies (above). Or, try the blueberry version at Murry’s.
GOOEY ON THE GO
Pick up some gooey butter cake on the way home at Schnucks and Hy-Vee. In addition, you can try butter cake cream liquor at Schnucks, ice cream at Hy-Vee or butter bars at Walmart.
ies. Bullock knew she had to add gooey butter cake to her menu because it was a classic crowd favorite. “Anything that is rich and just full of flavor, I love,” Bullock says. Bullock says she decided on a cookie version because the original butter cake recipe can be “a little fickle.” Bullock has also switched up the flavor in the past with a chocolate butter cake cookie and recently introduced a lemon flavor. $3 per cookie; $18 for six; order online at eversweetbakery.com
Jowin’s Kitchen
If you’re looking for a classic gooey butter cake, try Jowin’s Kitchen. Owner Jean Nicklas founded the bakery three years ago and focuses
on butter cake. Nicklas is a South St. Louis native who takes pride in her homemade gooey butter cake recipe. She says her traditional recipe is authentic and nostalgic. “I do a lot of baking and sharing with friends and family,” Nicklas says. “It was the thing that people always wanted the most.”
$15 whole cake, $4 single; Parkade Plaza, 601 Business Loop 70 W., Suite 203 (or Columbia Farmers Market); jowinskitchen.com
Murry’s
Murry’s has been selling gooey butter cake since 1985, and there are two options. The first is traditional St. Louis style. Co-owner Jesse Lark says the consistency leans more gooey than cakey. It’s served with a dusting of powdered sugar and two scoops of ice cream.
The second is a blueberry gooey butter cake, more fondly referred to as the “bluey gooey,” although Lark says the creator of the blueberry butter cake hates that name.
$9; 3107 Green Meadows Way
Eversweet Bakery owner Abby Bullock makes her gooey butter cake cookies, which are one of her
many gourmet cookie flavors.
“AS SOON AS YOU TAKE A BITE, THERE IS JUST AN EXPLOSION OF FLAVOR ON YOUR TONGUE.”
—Abby Bullock, Eversweet Bakery owner
Make your soda pop
Dirty sodas are in, plain sodas are out. Luckily, the pos-sip-bilities are endless at Sipz Sodas.
BY OLIVIA MAHL
As you walk into Sipz Sodas, you’re flooded with choices. With 16 soda bases and over 30 flavors, including sugar-free options, customers may take some time finding their perfect drink.
As one customer looks at the three menus on the wall, she tells her friend, “Oh, I wanna try The Pom Pom — and, oh, The Dino.” Both have a Dr. Pepper base.
“What do you actually want to try?” her friend asks. “You keep saying a different one.”
“All of them!” she says, then asks an employee for help.
Sipz Sodas, located at 124 E. Nifong Blvd., opened in May 2023. The business is focused on dirty soda mixology, with sizes ranging from the 16-ounce Small Sip, to the 44-ounce Mega Sip. Dirty soda is a form of mixology that infuses carbonated bases with flavored syrups, purees and creams. Columbia has been bubbling over for these drinks.
What is a dirty soda?
Mixology refers to the skill of making mixed drinks and is often used for alcoholic concoctions. Sipz Sodas offers a twist on carbonated beverages for patrons, especially kids and families, who don’t want alcohol but still want something creative.
In 1767, Joseph Priestley created the first carbonated water, but his discovery wasn’t commercialized until 1793 by Johann Schweppes. The first soda fountains, or old-fashioned soda counters, appeared in the U.S. in 1819
Photography by Catie Cobble
and reached peak popularity in the 1940s and 1950s.
Today, dirty sodas are having another moment thanks to their growing popularity in Utah, which includes a large Mormon community who doesn’t drink alcohol. Famous artists like Olivia Rodrigo have furthered the trend by posting their dirty soda drinks on social media. Sipz Sodas is the only dirty soda location in Columbia, though other establishments have different dirty drinks.
There are two fountains behind the bar at Sipz — one for Coke products and one for Pepsi, which gives customers an assortment of combinations. There are also lemonade and energy drink bases available.
The store has over 50 drink recipes, but customers can also make their own.
Macee Borrowman, a former employee who graduated in May, says they experiment with different drinks and sometimes take inspiration from customers’ orders. “A lot of those drinks on the additional menu were drinks that people came in and ordered,” Borrowman says.
The Court Court is one of the most popular drinks on the menu, and
Sipz Sodas owner Brenda Andrus makes drinks at the south Columbia shop. Andrus says she hopes to get more involved in the community during its second year of business.
it was created by the owners’ daughter Courtney. It has a Dr. Pepper base with coconut, vanilla and coconut cream. The Allie Way — with lemonade, blue raspberry, passionfruit, strawberry puree and cream — was created by an employee.
Meet the owners
Owners Brenda and Joel Andrus are from St. George, Utah, which is where the first Swig shop, a popular dirty soda chain, was located. This sparked the inspiration for Sipz Sodas. After moving to Texas and then to Columbia, Joel realized few people had heard of this kind of soda shop. “It’s always kind of been in the back of his brain and wanting to do it,” Brenda says.
FIZZY FUN
Find Sipz Sodas at 124 E. Nifong Blvd., Suite J. The shop is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The Andrus family got the keys to their storefront on Jan. 3, 2023, and opened the doors that May. Since then, Brenda says she and Joel have learned a lot about running a business of their own. “I’m still learning,” she says, “but I feel more comfortable and confident headed towards year two.”
Brenda mostly focuses on behindthe-scenes work, including payroll, scheduling and ordering products. In the
beginning, Joel helped with the upfront work and construction. Now he assists with the financial aspects and helps when needed at the store and events. He’s also an associate professor at the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business at the University of Missouri.
A main priority for the Andruses is
the customer experience. Brenda’s favorite times at Sipz Sodas are when she is interacting with customers.
Angie Williams, a Sipz customer, says she always forgets what she orders, but one of the workers remembers for her. “They’re more confident in the products that they carry and the for-
A gummy shark sits on top of the Pink Winky drink. There are over 50 drink recipes for customers to choose from, several including the gummy shark.
mulas of each drink and are more willing to suggest things to you,” Williams says.
Getting involved
Sipz Sodas has worked with multiple sororities at the University of Missouri and a race event for Girls on the Run.
Along with partnering with different organizations, Sipz holds birthday parties, mixology events and mixology classes.
Julia Bradley, vice president of the Fighting Pretty Mizzou organization, partnered with Sipz for a profit share in October 2023. “Our members really liked it,” Bradley says. “I do go there a lot now. I have tried a bunch of drinks and I bring all my friends there.”
By working with the community, the owners connect more with people and spread the word about Sipz Sodas. “There is still a lot of Columbia that doesn’t know about us,” Brenda says. “We’re hoping to get into more schools and doctors’ and dentist offices to let them know who we are and what we have to offer.”
DISCOVER THE DISTRICT
Photography by Catie Cobble
Pierpont General Store welcomes dogs on its patio, including for a Sept. 15 Pups, Pints and Petting Zoos event, sponsored by Unchained Melodies Dog Rescue. Cory Bunetic brought his dog, Hobbes, for an afternoon in the sun.
Let the dogs out
Want to have a paw-some day? Here are some fur-friendly patios to visit while the weather is still nice.
BY BROOKE HAMANN AND MADI MORGAN
Dogs have the ability to be our best friends, family and even our number one supporters. So, when you’re out on the town and enjoying the fresh air, it’s natural to wish you could have brought your pooch along. Have no fear; Vox compiled a list of places around Columbia that allow you to bring your furry friend with you.
Beet Box
Craving Middle Eastern cuisine? Beet Box offers a casual dining experience and a pet-friendly policy, allowing patrons to enjoy locally sourced ingredients alongside their loving pet pals. Water bowls are provided upon request.
602 Fay St., Tuesday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Cooper’s Landing
Riverside Resort & Marina
Searching for a place to enjoy some music on the water? Cooper’s Landing Riverside Resort & Marina embraces a dog-friendly atmosphere, allowing attendees to relax with their canine companions while enjoying the Missouri River views and rotating food truck dining options. All dogs must be leashed, including on the campgrounds.
11505 Smith Hatchery Road, Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Dive Bar
Enjoy brunch or live music on the patio at Dive Bar while your best four-legged
Photography by Olivia Myska
friend wags their tail beside you.
1116 Business Loop 70 E, Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to midnight; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
D. Rowe’s Restaurant & Bar
This relaxed restaurant and bar creates a family-friendly atmosphere while providing a charming setting where guests can dine with their pups and enjoy its generous portions from their tasty menu options.
1005 Club Village Drive, Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
First Watch
Breakfast or brunch? How about both!
First Watch offers a homey atmosphere where guests can enjoy any meal on its dog-friendly patio, making it the perfect spot to dine with your cherished canine. Dogs are welcome at both locations.
1301 Grindstone Parkway Building D and 421 N. Stadium Blvd., daily, 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Fuzzy’s Tacos
Lettuce taco ’bout Fuzzy’s Tacos. You and your dog are invited to a tasty meal — as long as you’re both well behaved. The best part? There are more than five
types of tacos to choose from.
205 E. Nifong Blvd. #200, Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Ozark Mountain Biscuit & Bar
Ozark Mountain Biscuit & Bar is a combination of a brunch restaurant by day and bar by night. Enjoy the pet-friendly patio as you savor their specialty biscuits. P.S. The friendliness goes both ways; make sure your pooch is polite.
1204 Hinkson Ave.; Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Pierpont General Store
Pierpont General Store offers everything under the sun, including live music, brunch and dinner options. The store’s welcoming environment welcomes humans and their furry companions to the table.
7650 MO-163, Monday and Tuesday, 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Shakespeare’s Pizza
Local fave Shakespeare’s is known for its welcoming, family atmosphere, and that includes inviting the family dog along to
Hobbes rests happily at the third annual Pups, Pints and Petting Zoos event at the Pierpont General Store. The event was a fundraiser for Unchained Melodies.
the patios at all three Columbia locations. 225 S. Ninth St., 3304 W. Broadway Business Park Court and 3911 Peachtree Drive; Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Jada Gibbs and her dog, Lucy, relax in the shade at Pierpont General Store.
Shiloh’s Bar & Grill
While Shiloh’s Bar and Grill does not allow dogs inside for drinks and food, they welcome furry friends outside on the patio. They will provide them with as much water and as many pup cups as they want.
402 E. Broadway, Tuesday through Thursday: 11a.m. to 11p.m. ; Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. ; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
ADOPT ME
Looking to adopt a furry friend? Here are some local rescue centers where you can find dogs (and other pets!) in need of a new home.
Unchained Melodies Dog Rescue unchainedmelodies.org 573-814-8073
Central Missouri Humane Society 616 Big Bear Blvd. cmhspets.org 573-443-7387
Columbia Second Chance 24687 Highway 179, Boonville columbia2ndchance.org 573-882-5050
Photography by Olivia Myska
TO-DO LIST
Your curated guide of what to do in Columbia this month.
ARTS
PrideFest Series at Ragtag Cinema Kick-off Mid-Missouri PrideFest with Ragtag Cinema’s celebration of queer filmmaking. Including documentaries and silent films, this series has it all with four diverse flicks championing LGBTQ+ voices. Sept. 24 and 27, 7 p.m.; Sept. 28, 9 p.m.; Sept. 29, 1 p.m., Ragtag Cinema, $7-$11, 573-441-8504
Million Dollar Quartet
Rock out at Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre. This Tony Award-nominated musical tells the story of a legendary jam session with Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash. Don’t miss your chance to cash in on this piece of musical history. Sept. 27-29, 2 and 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 1-6, 2 and 7:30 p.m., Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre, $20$52, 660-837-3311
American Girl(s)
This hilarious one-act is anything but child’s play. After losing her aunt, a young woman grapples with grief, summer camp and the American Dream — all while her American Girl doll comes to life. It’s a satirical toy story you’ve never seen before. Oct. 3-5, 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 6, 2 p.m., McKee Gymnasium, Studio 4, $16, individual; $13, groups of eight or more, 573-882-2021
Tick, Tick, Boom!
Catch an explosive show at Talking Horse Productions with Tick, Tick, Boom! This compelling musical follows Jonathan Larson’s race to make his mark in New York before time runs out. The clock is ticking, so hurry and get your ticket. Oct. 11 and 12, 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 13, 2 p.m.; Oct. 17-19, 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 20, 2 p.m., Talking Horse Productions, $20; $18, students and seniors, 573-607-1740
Boone County Art Show
For one weekend only, the Columbia Art League transforms the Central Bank of Boone County into a local art gallery showcasing CoMo’s local artists. The weekend kicks off with a gallery preview fundraiser. The exhibition is free and all art displayed will be for sale. Sneak peek preview
Oct. 11, 8-10 p.m., $25; Oct. 12, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Oct. 13, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Central Bank of Boone County, free, 573-443-8838
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Do the time warp (again) at The Blue Note’s screening of a cult classic. This science fiction double-feature mashes classic horror with glam rock for a show that’s bound to knock your socks off. Costumes are encouraged. Must be 18 or older to attend. Oct. 23 and 30, 9 p.m., The Blue Note, $10, 573-874-1944
CIVIC
Boone County Hall of Fame Gala
Honor some of Boone County’s finest during a cocktail reception and dinner that includes auctions and video tributes. The Boone County Historical Society (BCHS) recognizes one living recipient, one posthumous honoree and one business or organization each year for induction. Proceeds go to the BCHS endowment trust. Oct. 5, 5-9:30 p.m., Country Club of Missouri, $160, 573-443-8936 or angela@boonehistory.org
Party on the Roof 2024
Keep up the festivities celebrating 10 years of First Fridays. This annual North Village Arts District fundraiser benefits the monthly art crawl where attendees can enjoy local food, great views, a raffle
and an art auction while supporting Columbia’s local artists. Tickets include hors d’oeuvres and live music. Oct. 13, 5-8 p.m., The Roof at the Broadway Hotel, $25, 573-442-2999
FOOD
Missouri Chestnut Roast Festival
Immerse yourself in Missouri’s vibrant agroforestry sector with this event for all ages that features live music, a kids zone and a hot lunch. Learn how trees produce edible crops, and witness the transformation of these well-known nuts from crunchy and bitter to soft and sweet. Explore a taste of chestnuts like never before grown at the University of Missouri’s Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Farm. Follow @ muagroforestry on Instagram for updates. Oct. 19, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., MU Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Farm, New Franklin, free, gbeebe315@gmail.com
MUSIC
Flyover Country
“The great musical cities of the heartland” are the inspiration for the band Flyover Country, which blends blues, Americana, soul music and more. Kick back and enjoy the soundscape from the provided picnic tables or bring your own chairs and blankets. Sept. 27, 6-8 p.m., Sentinel Park, free, thearcadedistrict.org
Boone County Art Show
First Friday Happy Hour
Looking to start October with a bang? Join The Fried Crawdaddies and Rochara Knight and The Honey Doves in celebrating the first Friday of October. Playing river roots grooves and soul music respectively, these two bands are sure to kick off your month on a high note. All ages are welcome. Oct. 4, 6 p.m., Rose Music Hall, $10, 573-874-1944
Colter Wall and Friends
Put on your cowboy boots and denim to join Corb Lund, Noeline Hofmann and Colter Wall at Central Bank Downtown Live! Soak up the western vibes of this musical atmosphere outside on Ninth Street. Oct. 9, 7:30 p.m., Ninth Street outside The Blue Note, $49.50, 573-874-1944
Anat Cohen, Peter Martin, Romero
Lumbambo:
From Rio to New Orleans
Not one, not two but three talented musicians’ soundscapes collide in this show. Playing the clarinet, piano and guitar respectively, these three artists will dazzle with their combined talents. Oct. 16, 7 p.m., Rogers Whitmore Recital Hall, $40, $25, students, 573-449-3009, ext. 1
OUTDOORS
National Alpaca Farm Days at Curly Eye
Spend a day at Curly Eye alpaca farm and learn about these furry friends’ contributions to Missouri agriculture. Hand-feed the animals, indulge in alpaca-themed crafts or invest in some functional alpaca products including shoe insoles, hand-knit sweaters and stuffed animals. Sept. 2829, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Curly Eye, free, 573-864-2716
The Betsy Farris Memorial Biscuit Run
Betsy Farris made her mark on Columbia as lead organizer of the Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival for nine years and remained a fitness advocate until her death in 2016. Round out this year’s Biscuits, Beats and Brews festivities with a 5K, 10K and half marathon. Join the race to receive a shirt, breakfast burrito from Dive Bar and an Ozark Mountain biscuit at the finish line. Oct. 5, 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., Flat Branch Park, $35-$70, offtrackevents@gmail.com
Sixth Annual Centralia Pumpkin Fest
Carve out time to celebrate the end of the pumpkin harvest season while preparing for Halloween festivities. This all-things-pumpkin party features craft vendors and food trucks that will provide kid-friendly entertainment and energy for the day’s activities. Oct. 19, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., City Square, Route 4, Centralia, free, 573-682-0038 or centraliamopumpkinfest@gmail.com
HONORED
PHOTOGRAPHY BY OLIVIA MYSKA
Mizzou defensive end Eddie Kelly Jr. kneels in the end zone before the game against the University of Buffalo on Sept. 7. MU football coach Eli Drinkwitz revealed after the Tigers’ 38-0 victory that Kelly’s mother had died unexpectedly on Sept. 4. Kelly was honored with the game ball because of his resilience and toughness during the difficult time. “For (Kelly) to still be here and for our team to play the way they did around him tonight — and that’s who they said they were playing for — was a special, special moment,” Drinkwitz said after the game. The wins against Buffalo and Murray State marked the Tigers’ first back-to-back shutouts since 1966, and the first time to hold two teams scoreless to start the season since 1935. In October, the lone home game will be MU’s Homecoming contest on Oct. 19 against Auburn University.
