There's something special about Isabel Soto; featuring jewelry collections exquisite in design, craftsmanship and quality, coupled with a unique shopping experience. Please join Isabel Soto for its Grand Opening on Friday, November 13th from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m., and raise a glass to downtown Kalamazoo's newest gem.

Isabel Soto Jewelry
155 Farmers Alley
Kalamazoo, MI  49007

Contact: Nancy Weintrub
(269) 381-3900
http://isabelsotojewelry.com

2009 Kalamazoo Holiday Parade
Sponsored by Maple Hill Auto Group

Saturday, November 14, 2009

The annual Kalamazoo Holiday Parade is scheduled to step off at 11am Saturday, November 14.

Over 105 units, presented by community organizations and businesses, will take to the downtown Kalamazoo streets featuring festive, holiday-themed floats, a total of 14 marching bands, and five giant-size helium balloons showcasing
- Felix the Cat, sponsored by Meijer
- Rudolph, sponsored by Mavcon Construction and Development
- Pizzaz the Snowman, sponsored by Bronson Healthcare Group and Bronson Children's Hospital
- Odie, sponsored by Midwest Radio Group
- Madeline, sponsored by Downtown Kalamazoo, Inc.

Returning this year is everyone's favorite power-house, the WMU Marching Band, and a new face, Sponge Bob.

The parade will follow the traditional route by starting at Lovell and Jasper, continuing on Lovell to Park Street, then Park Street to West Michigan Avenue, and then West Michigan Avenue to Pitcher Street and then back to Lovell Street.

After the parade, downtown businesses and attractions will host a series of After Parade Day activities, most of which are free, and perfect for the family to stay downtown and enjoy hands-on activities. Here is a listing of activities planned for November 14, after the parade:

Counterpoint Pilates (303 N. Rose) will offer pilates for kids for two different groups; pre-teen & teens with 5 Stott Pilate's instructors.

Food Dance Market (401 E. Michigan Ave.) Stop in and get $1 off the price of coffee drinks; tell us you were at the Kalamazoo Holiday Parade.

Irving's Market (125 S. Kalamazoo Mall) will feature free Hot spiced Cider and hot chocolate with purchase.

Kalamazoo Antiques Market (130 N. Kalamazoo Mall) invites you to stop in for a free candy cane.

Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety (on the Kalamazoo Mall) will display their community policing vehicles along the Kalamazoo Mall between Michigan and South Street. Kids will be able to sit inside, look at the electronics, and see how these state-of-the-art vehicles are designed to serve and protect. Officers and their vehicles will be on the Kalamazoo Mall until 2 p.m. Vehicles include: fire truck, bomb squad, the Kalamazoo Peace Keeper, and the Kalamazoo County Emergency Response Mobile Unit.

Kalamazoo Valley Museum (250 N. Rose) from 12-4 p.m. will feature their Festival of Arts where local artists will demonstrate their artistic skills with fiber, metal, paint, glass and wood. This is a FREE hands-n day event for families with crafts for the kids.

Ladies Library Association (333 S. Park St.) will offer hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls before the parade beginning at 9am. Shop at Lucinda's Bazaar, tour the building, or enjoy lunch! Open 9 am Friday and Saturday, November 13 and 14.

Mangia Mangia (209 S. Kalamazoo Mall) will host free cooking decorating for kids.

Maple Hill Auto Group will feature the hottest 2010 models on display from Volkswagen, Audi, Volvo and Subaru, Hyundai.

Michigan News (308 W. Michigan) will host a color fest where kids can color pictures of super heroes, dogs, cats, nature, adventures or design their own. Supplies provided by Michigan News, FREE.

Nature Connection (359 S. Kalamazoo Mall) will host free Michigan food sampling.

Santa's Village (157 S. Kalamazoo Mall) is open from 1 to 3 p.m. with Santa available to talk about the plans for the holidays. Please note that Santa will be there as soon as he can after making his debut in the Kalamazoo Holiday Parade.

Sticks and Stones (124 S. Kalamazoo Mall) will offer free samples of hot chocolate while you watch your kids enjoy the KDPS vehicles.

Tempo Vino Winery (260 E. Michigan Ave.) will host a "Make your Own Holiday Ornament" where kids can color/write on a holiday wine label which will then be turned into an ornament that they can take home. It's FREE.

Theo & Stacy's (234 W. Michigan) will offer one free child entre with purchase of adult entry, offer good 12-4 p.m. parade day only (downtown location only).

The parade will be broadcasted live by Public Media Network, featuring parade hosts Anne Drummond and Dave Benson .

The Kalamazoo Holiday Parade is co- presented by DKA Charities, Maple Hill Auto Group and WRKR- Cumulus Broadcasting.

GET READY FOR A NEW LOOK FOR THE DOWNTOWN KALAMAZOO INC WEB SITE! It's actually not just going to be a new look, but a whole new web site with new navigation and features that will help us tell the full and complete story of downtown Kalamazoo, and ultimately help YOU get the information that you want. Fast. Friendly. Helpful. Interesting. That's what we're aiming for. Stay tuned. We're working toward a public launch date, but we might just surprise you soon with a sneak peak at the new and improved web site.

Sticks and Stones has a new location in its final throws of redevelopment at 124 South Kalamazoo Mall.  The former home of Frank’s Shoe Parlor (who reduced their size and moved to the Comerica Building last month) will receive a brand new façade and a completely remodeled interior.  “The additional space will allow me to expand into kitchen gadgets and more accessories for entertaining,” says store owner Susan Diffenderfer.  “People love to throw parties, and making the home look just right is our specialty.”

Casa Bolero, the new concept from Fandango owner Adam Renaud, will open in November at 116 East Michigan Avenue.  The building has new brickwork and paint, and the outdoor seating area has been expanded.  “We will heat the covered outdoor seating area so that we can use it more months out of the year,” says Adam.  Inside, an interior by SKP Design will be the backdrop for a full bar and Mexican-inspired menu.

Rustica will be a new restaurant at 236 South Kalamazoo Mall run by veteran Bill Weier, who opened the Wine Loft and Epic Bistro in prior years.  He is partnering with the Mandwee brothers, owners of Tiffany’s Wine and Spirits, so patrons will be treated to a carefully-selected wine list.  “Our food is inspired by European country cooking, where wine is artfully paired with regional food,” says Bill.  “The dishes will be simple and approachable, with lots of fresh produce from local farmers.”  Look for an opening in early November.

Peregrine Square, immediately south of Peregrine Towers on the south Kalamazoo Mall, has a new façade and four new residential units under construction.  “I needed to rework the entrance for the residential units on the third floor,” says Tom Huff, long-time developer of properties downtown.  “It was a good opportunity for me to put on a front that fits better with the design of the rest of the building.”  Tom expects to announce a new tenant soon in the expanded retail space on the first floor.

Frank's Shoe Parlor has moved to the Comerica Building after 20 years on the Mall.  "We had too much space there on the Mall," says Frank, who now does all his repair work offsite.  "For what we do here, it was more than we needed."

Frank's will continue to offer shoe shines at the shop, as well as shoe repair and dry cleaning drop-off.  Dry cleaning left on Tuesday can be picked up on Thursday, and charges are made automatically.  "It's a very convenient option for downtown workers," Frank says.  "We help people look their absolute best, all the way down to their feet."

For anyone interested, the classic shoe shine bench from the former location is up for sale.  Originally from the Detroit train station, the bench is covered in hand-carved wood and marble.  Interested parties may contact Frank at the store.

FOR KEY RELATED DOCUMENTS CLICK:

2009 State of the Downtown (Power Point)
2009 State of the Downtown Script (Word Document) .
2009 Downtown Comprehensive Plan
2009 Downtown Comprehensive Plan Illustrative Summary

Downtown Kalamazoo Incorporated presented the Promise of Downtown: 2009 DOWNTOWN KALAMAZOO COMPREHENSIVE PLAN to a record attendance at its annual State of the Downtown Address Monday, February 16, where over 350 community members gathered and another 100 tuned in via WKZO's web cam to be among the first to learn about the organization's long range plans for downtown development. As the name suggests, the plan looks to brand downtown as a center of education, offering continued learning experiences from "Pre-K to Grey", in alignment with The Kalamazoo Promise.

While establishing a foundation of focus in .

• Residential
• Retail
• Students
• Transportation
• Jobs
• Arts Culture

The Promise of Downtown outlines traditional planning efforts that include future Land Use Plans and prioritizes seven key transformative projects. The plan also emphasizes less traditional planning elements that include emerging trends such as senior housing opportunities, addressing homelessness and looks to establish downtown Kalamazoo as a center of excellence, city for children, and other initiatives. Key documents relevant to this plan, in summary or in its complete proposal are available above on line. Hard copies, while available for a small fee, are available but discouraged.

The Promise of Downtown, 2009 DOWNTOWN KALAMAZOO COMPREHENSIVE PLAN is the result of over 12 months of planning process managed by DKI staff and a Project Planning Team that includes planning consultants LSL Consultants, TSI Consultants, and Parking Solutions and the Comp Plan Team made up of DKI Committee Chairs and City staff members. Over 500 community members participated in a number of forums and focus groups that helped to identify the priories and equally important, identified vision elements that capture what the community envisions this downtown to be: ACCESSIBLE, PROSPEROUS, DIVERSE, GREEN, VIBRANT, and PROGRESSIVE.

The Promise of Downtown is still in draft form. Ideas for specific projects and initiatives are welcomed. Please contact our office via telephone at 269.344.0795 or send us an email to dki.org with "COMP PLAN INPUT" in the heading. The timeline for final public hearings and endorsements of the plan is as follows:

DDA BOARD MONDAY, 4.20.09
3:00 pm, City Hall

PLANNING COMMISSION.
THURSDAY, 5.07.09
7:00 pm, City Hall


CITY COMMISSION
MONDAY, 5.18.09
7:00 pm, City Hall
City Commission.