Shumrick and Leys: A Place to Relax with Friends and Enjoy Norwood

Driving along Highland Avenue in Norwood between Montgomery Road and Ridge Avenue, industrial businesses abound. But tucked away in the strip, is a new budding distillery that is gaining traction in Norwood and the surrounding neighborhoods.

Shumrick and Leys hosted a grand opening in June 2017 and business has been booming since. Founded by Terry Shumrick, Bill Easley and Ted Hinckley, the distillery boasts of delicious liquors and offers customers a relaxing, comfortable, industrial ambience to enjoy their drinks.

Shumrick, Easley and Hinckley began toying around with distilling in 2013 at Shumrick’s brother’s farm in 2013. After refining the process, they decided to look for a building to launch their business and rented their current space on Highland Ave. After remodeling and preparing the space for production, they spent a year distilling and aging their spirits before opening this year.

Their signature drink is their Norwood Mule, a riff on the well-known Moscow Mule, that combines ginger beer, blackberry vodka and lime. Their drink menu includes a rotating list of seasonal cocktails along with flights of their liquors. Current liquor offerings white rum, aged rum, bourbon, vodka, blackberry vodka and horseradish vodka (intended for use in bloody marys). Liquors can also be purchased in bottles.

Shumrick is the chief distiller, and he’s always looking opportunities to experiment with new flavors and offer something unique. Looking to the fall, he’s planning to experiment with pumpkin and coffee.

Along with delicious beverage offerings, Shumrick and Leys has partnered with Gordos to offer barbeque pork, ribs and wings from a food truck. They are also planning to regularly incorporate music into their weekend evenings.

The best part of Shumrick and Leys isn’t the drinks or the food. Shumrick and Leys offers Norwood residents and neighbors a place to come, relax over a drink and enjoy time with friends while supporting a local business. The recently renovated warehouse tasting room, which features a barrel-lined wall and view into the production area is relaxing and full of character. With their fine spirits and great space, Shumrick and Leys will undoubtedly become a landmark in Norwood.

Hours at Shumrick & Leys Distillery are Friday: 4pm - 10pm, Saturday: 1pm - 10pm and Sunday: 1pm - 7pm

 

Written by Abigail Murrish. Abby resides in Norwood with her husband, Mike. You can see her work at abigailmurrish.com and also listen to her delightful podcast focused on life in the Midwest called "Our Midwestern Life." 

Looking for a date idea? There's an app for that!

Have you ever found yourself with a free evening wondering what to do with someone you love? Maybe it’s a visitor, maybe it’s your significant other, maybe it’s a friend?

We know that Cincinnati is an up and coming city with tons to offer, but when the time comes to figuring out something to do, it’s easy to come up blank.

That is the problem a new app developed in Cincinnati is hoping to solve. DateCrawl is an app developed by Derek and Jessica Tye and Blake Galloway. The app gives users different date ideas based on a location, budget, activity level and attire. Although developed in Cincinnati, the app is designed to be use throughout the country.

 

Date ideas are user generated and reviewed. Feature destinations range from from parks and restaurants to entertainment venues and local business. Every date recommendation includes a minimum of two stops and up to five stops, along with info about how much to budget, how far the stops are from one another and what the ambience of the date is. Additionally, users can review dates, providing helpful feedback about dates for prospective users.

“This app is going to answer that question 'what do we do tonight?' for couples,” Datecrawl Creative Director Blake Galloway explained in a recent interview.

DateCrawl is effective because the dates aren’t generated by businesses or marketing professionals. Instead, the dates are ideas from folks like you and me looking for some new ideas for fun activities.

Here’s a favorite date that I shared on the app:

BBQ and Beer: Order lunch at the Eli's BBQ Findlay Market Location. While your food is being prepared, wander around Findlay Market and enjoy seeing all the fun vendors and sampling groceries you can't find at your typical Kroger. Once your food is ready, pick up your BBQ, walk down to Rhinegeist, grab a beer and enjoy your Eli's there.  

Although designed for couples, DateCrawl is a great tool to use when figuring out something to do with friends and family. DateCrawl does more than just offer restaurant reviews. DateCrawl provides users with practical ideas about how to enjoy a date with loved one and make some memories.

Here are some other ideas pulled directly from the DateCrawl app - 

Aaron K from Norwood suggests enjoying dinner at Red Feather Kitchen, grabbing coffee at Deeper Roots Coffee and then ending the evening at MadTree Brewing. He adds that if it’s a nice night out, you can walk from location to location!

Marcia M from Clifton recommends heading to a beautiful park in Clifton if you’re looking for a relaxing picnic. She advises starting at Al-Madina Market & Grill to pick up an inexpensive lunch, head to Bellevue Hill Park to enjoy your food and enjoy a great view of Cincinnati then end your time at Highland Coffee House for a drink.

If you want a romantic evening that includes a fun activity, Emily G, from Golf Manor, recommends starting at the Candle Lab OTR and creating a candle together before heading to Sotto for a candlelit dinner. Then, finish off the evening with a walk through Washington Park.

Written by Abigail Murrish. Abby resides in Norwood with her husband, Mike. You can see her work at abigailmurrish.com and also listen to her delightful podcast focused on life in the Midwest called "Our Midwestern Life." 

This Year, Experience Summer In Cincinnati

 

School is almost out for the summer and friends are discussing plans for vacation, but what if everything necessary for a great summer is waiting right outside the front door?

Whether in an effort to save money or natural resources (by skipping the driving or flying), more people today are opting for enjoying their time off with staycations—vacations in or near their hometown. Here in Cincinnati, summer is the perfect time to take in the local fun that is often overlooked for more distant or exotic destinations.

Summer festivals abound in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky and are a great way to get a taste of true Cincinnati culture. For starters, consider attending Covington’s Maifest (May 19-21), Cincinnati’s May Festival (May 19-27), or the Ohio River Paddlefest (August 6). Music lovers should check out Bunbury Music Festival (June 2-4) for an international lineup and Northside’s Rock ‘N Roll Carnival (July 3-4) for local favorites.

For outdoor adventurers, there are plenty of recreational opportunities both within the city limits and within a quick few hours’ drive. Those hungry to get out of the city and outdoors can rent a cabin in the nearby Red River Gorge or Hocking Hills.

For an afternoon getaway, rent a canoe and paddle down the Little Miami River or

take a hike on one of the Cincinnati Parks or Hamilton County’s many trails.

Kids, especially, can benefit from the city’s many parks and recreation areas,

including free spray parks. For a full day in the heart of the city, park at Washington Park in Over-the- Rhine and ride the Cincinnati Bell Connector down to the Smale Riverfront Park where the whole family can enjoy a ballgame or a meal at the many nearby restaurants.

This summer, go against the flow and save money and time by staying close to home. There is certainly enough to see and do to fill your summer to the brim.

 

Article writer, Liz McEwan is a proud wife, mama, urbanite, musician and blogger. Follow her at The Walking Green and on twitter at @thewalkinggreen.

 

 

 

Local Spotlight- Gadabout Doughnuts!

When Karina Rice was thinking about small business ideas, she decided to give doughnuts a try. Karina and her husband Chaz saw an opportunity to put her creativity and love of food to work and tap a new market in Oakley and surrounding neighborhoods.

“Chaz and I were talking about what we could do small business wise, and we landed on doughnuts,” she said. “Doughnuts hold their own well. You don’t have to do everything you can just do one thing. I had actually not made doughnuts before we started doing that. But because of a familiarity in the kitchen and with flavors and ingredients, it was not difficult to figure out. So we decided to do that and have done it.”

Thus, Gadabout Doughnuts was born.

Though she’s experimented with cake and yeast doughnuts, the majority of doughnuts Karina sells at Gadabout are sour cream doughnuts. Sour cream provides the doughnut batter a dense, rich crumb. The dough is fried, then coated with a glaze upon cooling.

“Don't come looking for a Krispy Kreme type of donut. That's not what these are,” writes a Yelp reviewer. “The texture of these is heavier than that, much closer to cake. One doughnut makes for a delicious breakfast.”

A hallmark of Gadabout Doughnuts is the innovative flavors of their doughnuts.  Whether coconut or espresso, lavender or vanilla, Karina likes to experiment with different dough and glaze combinations. When deciding what flavors to offer, Karina looks to the seasons and asks herself what’s missing in the market. In the winter, Paradise Grapefruit is a favorite. In the spring and summer, Blueberry Lemon is a crowd-pleaser.

Behind the delicious flavor combinations is Karina’s love for the process of creating these beloved pastries,

“I love making the doughnuts... I love feeling the dough on my hands as I roll them,” she explains. “Different doughs hold up differently, and when we have that perfect texture, it’s like, ‘Oh, we’ve got it! This is so great.’”

Karina said glazing the doughnuts after frying them is one of her favorite parts of the process.

“Watching them set is so pretty and the natural colors that come from the fruits and other ingredients we use is really fun to see them come together.”

Gadabout Doughnuts doesn’t have a brick and mortar storefront. Karina specializes in pop-up shops and catering orders. Karina and Chaz make the doughnuts at Findlay Kitchen, then takes her product to area businesses that sell products that pair well with her doughnuts. Karina has sold her doughnuts at breweries, coffee shops and local markets throughout Cincinnati.

Keep up with the whereabouts of Gadabout Doughnuts by following them on Instagram and Facebook at @GadaboutDoughnuts.

Abigail Murrish

Local Spotlight: Brick Coffee Company

Local Spotlight: Brick Coffee Company

Stop by Brick and say hello to one of the kind souls, Dan, Zach, Jenesis, Dey'veon or Nate, behind the counter as they navigate the fine line between running a business and promoting community in the great city of Norwood one drink at a time.

What Does a REALTOR Do To Earn Their Commission

What Does a REALTOR Do To Earn Their Commission

A good REALTOR® will make your real estate transaction flow smoothly through each step of the process, leaving the impression that their job is fairly simple. The fact is – that couldn’t be further from the truth. Anyone who has ever lived with a REALTOR® knows how difficult their job is. If you’ve never spent much one-on-one time with a REALTOR®, you may not understand how different their job is from the average everyday job.

Home Values on the Rise in Cincinnati (Time to sell?)

We want to list your home!

According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, home sales have increased 12% in March, compared to the same time period last year. Meanwhile, the median price for homes has also risen, from $125,000 to $138,000, here in Cincinnati. Employment rates continue to rise in the area meaning that we certainly have willing and able buyers. These numbers reflect the overall trend nationally, as well.

This means that most areas around town are seeing home values rise simply due to the continuing recovery of the market. If you have put off selling your home in favor of better markets, now might be the time to reconsider. 

We would LOVE to help!

Listing with a Keller Williams Advisors agent, in Cincinnati, means fewer days on market and higher sale prices on average (per Cincinnati MLS). Let's also not forget that we are much cooler than the competition (citation needed). 

:)

Cheryl Ferry and her Team have the experience and knowledge to accurately price and sell your home. Backed by Keller William's great reputation, Team Ferry is growing into a force to be reckoned with. We would love the chance to represent you in one of your most stressful times of your life. 

(Check out some more reasons to choose us)

Let us know how we can help! Contact us, directly, HERE or call 513-289-2320

Peak Season is Almost Here

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Despite what our blog said in late 2014 (click here to view that blog post) about Winter being a great time to sell a home, the peak season for real estate, in terms of actual homes being bought and sold, is Spring and Summer. Since Christmas and New Years are in the rearview and the sun is, now, overhead an increasing amount daily until the Summer Solstice, right now is the time to actually start considering those home repair/beautification projects in order to give your home it’s greatest possible value and, hopefully, a shorter time on market when you are ready to list. Let’s face it, if you are going to list your home in 2015 you have already been mulling it over for the past several months to year and, most likely, you would prefer your home to sell for higher and not lower. So, today on the blog, we are going to tackle some basics to help make your home stand out in the market.

 

First, let me promote myself, my team (about us) and all real estate agents out there by saying, if you want your home to sell for more money, for less time on the market and with less hassle to you, the best advice I can give is to go with a licensed real estate agent to sell your home. Do not get me wrong, there are always extreme cases that break the mold but in general, a good real estate agent has your best interest in mind at ALL times. If you are like me, you probably imagine money flying out the window when the thought of using an agent crosses your mind but let me quickly give a few reasons for using an agent.

 

  1. A real estate agent does not have an emotional tie to your home and will be unbiased when it comes to pricing it. As emotional beings, we tend to add value to homes due to the memories we have within them. An agent will look at the market and experience to price it rather than focusing on the fact that your kids were raised there or some other emotional tie.

  2. An agent has more resources at their disposal to allow your home to be seen by more people. Agents pay dues in order to have access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and unless you are willing to also pay to have your home listed on the MLS your home will not be.

  3. Agents in Ohio are required, by law, to keep all records involving real estate transactions for at least 3 years.

  4. Agents know how to make your home look good. My team even has a professional photographer to ensure your home is seen in the best light. Anyone with a point-and-shoot camera or smartphone can photograph a home but a professional will get the best results. For fun, check out some bad real estate photos HERE

  5. Closings. I am not sure I need to say more, here.

 

Now, let’s get into the good stuff…

 

When it comes to home repairs, it’s best to just do them. (Yes, that statement is extremely easy for me to say but is not something I always do.) Be it dripping faucet or leaky roof, no home buyer wants to be burdened with fixing something left over from the previous owners. New buyers want to close the deal, get the keys and enjoy their new home (after unloading, unpacking and arranging furniture of course). But, not all repairs are the same when the goal is to make your home’s value as high as you can before selling so we found a good article that delves into which home repairs are better than the other. You can read that HERE .

If your repairs are in order and you are simply trying to beautify your home prior to selling then start in the kitchen or bathrooms. If I have the choice between two similar homes and one of the homes has new cabinets and appliances in the kitchen while the other looks like it came straight out of 1990 then I am most likely going to be selecting the updated one to make an offer. No, updating appliances in the kitchen or fixing up the bathroom does not ALWAYS equal more money in your pocket at closing but it does increase the likelihood of your home getting multiple offers. Multiple offers, however, do, often, equal more money in your pocket at closing. So, why is it so important to update kitchen or bathroom and not a living room or bedroom? Ultimately, you can paint a living room or bedroom wall or replace/remove carpet but there is not a whole lot else to do save remodelling. On the flip side, kitchens and bathrooms have more to keep updated. And, like I mentioned before, no new homeowner wants to deal with leftover projects from the previous owners. This includes updates. HERE are some more tips from another source.

My final tip is a very simple one. If you are thinking of selling your home, attempt to get it looking clean and as neat as possible right now. We have seen homes not yet listed be sold because it sat in a prime location or other factor. Waiting until the home is listed and you have a potential buyer asking to come through can put you in a pinch trying to tidy up. It will never hurt to start early on the process of deep cleaning.

Again, talk to an agent. Better yet, call Cheryl Ferry at 513-289-2320 to discuss the possibility of listing your home. She will be able to help determine which updates to the kitchen or bath will be most beneficial based on the other homes in the neighborhood. There are many things that we can say in a blog to help sell your home but when it comes to actually listing your unique home in a unique neighborhood in a unique city, Cheryl’s expertise will help you navigate that experience. Our goal, as a team, is to come alongside folks and guide them through one of the most stressful times of their life by educating them and working hard to ensure your interests are put first.

 

Thinking of buying a new home in 2015?

If you are considering purchasing a new home in 2015, we wanted to pass along a great way to get a jump start on the process. I am willing to bet that a lot of you have certain criteria or features in mind that you want to see (or not see) in a new home. Maybe you simply want to have a first floor master with wood floors or just a basement that is finished? Maybe you have a more specific idea of your next home and it includes a log construction with 4 bedrooms, all over 12’ x 12’ in size, with a view of the river near Columbia Tusculum?

(Selling a home this winter?)

Why not start seeing homes that meet your specific or general requirements as they enter the market?

Contact us HERE and let us know what you are looking for. You will have the ability to receive automatic updates when new homes enter the market that match what you are looking for. You can be as specific or as general as you would like but the idea is to start seeing some of these homes now while you are still consumed with holiday activities so you have a better idea what to expect once you are ready to commit and make an offer. You will be ahead of the rest of the folks who start actively looking at the same time. 

For example: Let’s say I am fairly certain that once the holiday parties have abated and life returns to a more normal pace, I am going to be ready to officially start my active search for a new home. Let’s face it, I have been thinking about what I want (or do not want) in a new home for the past year and so I would love to streamline the search process once I have committed. By clicking HERE, and submitting a note of what I am looking for, I am able to start receiving emails showing me what is entering the market as it enters the market. So while I am at my parent’s home in eastern Kentucky eating Christmas dinner or watching the ball drop in Times Square, I will be able to see homes, that meet my specifics, as they enter the market back in Cincinnati without me actively searching. So, when I am ready to start actually viewing and entering homes in the middle of January, I am able to jump right into the search because I am already updated with what is out there that looks good to me.

That sounds great but I certainly do not want to receive email updates.

You do not want to get automatic updates emailed? You do not have to. We can give you a link to your portal, that we set up, and you can access it when YOU want. That means, clicking HERE and submitting what you are looking for, we will set up the portal and give you the link to access that information on your own terms without getting annoying emails.

Am I committing to anything by doing this?

Absolutely not. There are federal laws in place to keep you protected from being tricked into anything when it comes to Real Estate. Plus, we are not in the practice of tricking folks into doing business with us. We want you to have as little to worry about as possible when going into one of the most stressful seasons of your life, moving.

Need some help?

Send us a note with "Portal Setup" in the subject line then let us know what you are looking for in the message section. We should respond within 24 hours addressing your message and answering how we can move forward in the process of finding you a home. 

Still unsure?

Meet with us! Let us buy you coffee and let's talk about how we can help you along your journey. Set up an appointment submitting a note with "Set up a meeting" in the subject line. 

Do not forget to like us on Facebook! You can also engage us there, too!

Selling your home in Winter

Who says Winter is a bad time to sell a home?

We have all, surely, heard the idea that when the cold, dark days of Winter approach the best practice is to pull your home from it's active listing and re-list once Spring has sprung and warmer weather has arrived. After all, no one is motivated to buy a home around the holidays and certainly not when the ground (and road) is covered in snow and the dreaded polar vortex is funneling cold, arctic, air out of Canada, right? Well, that may not be totally accurate. There is a study conducted by Redfin that seems to turn these notions, of Winter being a bad time to sell, around. They found that not only are homes listed in Winter more likely to sell one week QUICKER (average of 26 days on market from Dec 21-March 21 compared to 33-36 days on market for average sales other times of the year) but also for more money! But why?

 

Think about it. Who are buying homes during this time of year? Those who are motivated to buy because of job relocation or other factors. Here in Cincinnati, incoming GE and P&G employees provide a fair amount of motivated buyers but let's not forget about the large amount of medical personnel moving to the area due to our excellent hospitals. Also, Cincinnati, as a whole, is becoming much more attractive to small business owners and growing families. And, these relocations do not magically stop simply because it is snowing. We constantly hear of clients pulling their homes off the market when the cold approaches but that means those who leave their homes up suddenly experience less competition with the same amount of motivated buyers. What does that mean? That means that the sellers are in control during these months and that is why we see home selling for more money and faster. 

"Isn't Winter the 'off-season' for Real Estate agents?"

You will hear that but that is not the case at Keller Williams Advisors and certainly not with Cheryl Ferry and her team! We advise sellers to stick it out in the Winter because in the end it usually works in their favor. Sure, that might mean a little extra work in keeping the sidewalk clear of snow and ice as well as simply enduring the cold while making your home more appealing but if you are serious about selling your home and for more money then it is definitely worth it! With this information in mind, give Cheryl a call at 513-289-2320 to discuss listing your home, now, while you are still in control.

That being said, let me recommend a few things to help make your home a little more appealing during the Winter. 

As I stated earlier, keeping outside paths clear is a must. You want to make a showing at your home as pleasant as possible for the potential buyer so make sure the inside clutter is picked up and out of sight and the overall space is well lit. A warm and cozy home is extremely inviting so turn the thermostat up slightly for showings or have a fire in the fireplace. (What is more warm and cozy than a fire in a fireplace?) Use scented candles as well but do not over do it. The goal is to make this house, that you are trying to sell, feel more like a home to those who are coming through so take an hour or so and walk through your home and try to view it from the perspective of a buyer or better yet have your Realtor or a friend walk through and ask for feedback. 

List your home with us! Contact Cheryl at 513-289-2320 or email at CherylFerryrealtor@gmail.com.