This post was written by Alfred Brock, a Wayne resident who volunteers his time to help make the city a Great Place to Live. 

When I first moved to Michigan some time ago I had to ride down into Detroit for something – I can’t recall why – maybe going to Belle Isle or on my way down to the City to work.  I do remember, though, I had to go down early in the morning and come back in the evening.  I passed through Wayne heading east and when I came out the other side I recall thinking to myself, ‘What was that?’

 I am sure you have rolled down Michigan and noticed that like many other main drags the blocks go by unbroken by anything unique or with anything to attract the eye, the heart or the mind.  I was sure I had seen something there in Wayne, though I did not know what it was.

Returning home I would normally have taken the highway but I rode back west on Michigan Avenue to take another look at Wayne.  Sure enough – there it was (from the other direction) and it looked just as good with the sun going down as it did with the sun coming up.

I remember thinking to myself, ‘There’s place I would like to live.  I wish more of these towns would reach for something like this.’

A few years later and here I am.  Why do I love Wayne?

 When I am downtown working or shopping I can see east, west, north and south and into a vibrant future for myself and my family.  I can feel all around me the work that went into building Wayne.  I want to put my back into it and build Wayne too so my family can share in what Wayne has to offer.

There is a quiet strength in Wayne, like the kind of strength in the River Rouge which runs through it.  The people are a special sort – the kind that dream and then fashion the dream into reality from steel or plastic or rubber or electricity – even from the sun as we can see in the Ford fields just west of downtown. 

I show pictures of Wayne and talk about it to my friends and family who are from all over the world and you know what they say?

They say, “You live there?  That‘s a nice town.  That’s a nice place. That’s a good city.”

All that and more – and I guess I love Wayne most because it’s true.

Susan Rowe

I was going through my list of Christmas ‘thank yous’ and realized I owe a belated one to former Wayne City Councilwoman Susan Rowe.

Those who follow politics here know Susan served on the council for eight years and, instead of running for re-election, decided to run for mayor when her second term was up. She ran a good campaign but lost to incumbent Al Haidous.

I recently moved from Wayne and no longer attend those city council meetings, but I always respected what she tried to do as a councilwoman–even though it didn’t always make her popular with her colleagues. We didn’t always agree on things, but she made sense up there. I think the citizens will miss her presence.

Susan was a cautious spender, very conscientious with public money, and I appreciated that, too. Sheoften questioned things that needed questioning. She was active outside of her role on the city council, as well, with organizations like the Southeastern Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) and the Michigan Municipal League. Her advocacy efforts recently earned her a Woman of Distinction Award from the YWCA, and I think that was well-deserved.

I also want to thank her for following her words with actions, something sorely lacking in politics today. She said she was still going to be involved in the city and has been working with the Wayne Ripple Effect, a grassroots group of citizens determined to revitalize the town. She’s also been sending info to the city administration from the many municipal list services she’s still subscribed to–and would have been at the last city council meeting, too, if not for what she described as a terrible cold.

Maybe she’ll run for office again in two years, maybe she won’t. She hasn’t said, but at least she hasn’t ruled it out. Whether she does or not, I’m confident that she’ll be around town, helping out and trying to make things better–and for that, I say thanks.

The Historic State Wayne Theater

by Christine Easley

Built in 1946, the State Wayne Theater is a regional icon and a rare historical and architectural gem.  The art deco marquee ushers thousands of people down Michigan Avenue through the charming town.  Patrons come from all around to enjoy a movie experience at a price that fits their family budget.

The theater was purchased by the City of Wayne in 1991, at which time the interior was completely renovated, making it a multiplex theater with four auditoriums and nostalgic film murals throughout.  Another addition made with the renovation was a performance stage where a community starved for performing art could participate in or enjoy productions from talented neighbors or budding young actors.

The theater was chosen as the location for our prized Wayne History Mural and the City of Wayne Farmer’s Market.  The State Wayne Theater stands as a crown jewel providing culture and aesthetic beauty to a downtown and community that still believes in happy endings.

What a beautiful sight! Taken right here in Good Ole' Wayne. - Bernadette Brock

After viewing this video several members of the community have asked how they can contribute. If you are inspired to send a donation to the program mail checks payable to “Wayne Memorial High School”, Attn: Music Program and mail to 3001 4th Street Wayne MI 48184.

Tom Risdon, Bill Shaffer and Don Bodus on opening day

Just nine short months ago, longtime friends Bill Shaffer, Tom Risdon and Don Bodus opened the doors of Warriors 3 Comics & Games to the public. “I’m happy to have our shop in my home town,” says Shaffer. ”It means a lot to come full circle and build our business in Wayne.” Bill, a local who attended Monroe Elementary, Franklin Jr. High and Wayne Memorial High School, felt that opening his store here and moving back to Wayne with his wife was like coming home.

Warriors 3 Comics and Games Wayne Michigan

On May 7th, 2011 the store celebrated their first Free Comic Book Day, a National event that encourages locals to seek out comic shops in their community. W3 kicked off the day with their first artist signing, thanks to Tim Seeley (creator, writer and artist of the popular title Hack/Slash and others), as well as photo opportunities and giveaways for kids from The Flash!  They also partnered with the Wayne Public Library to donate over 150 comics for their FCBD event.

Hack/Slash's Tim Seely and Free Comic Day

Partnering and supporting other new local businesses, such as The Avenue Sports Bar and Grill and Karma Coffee, has been important to the owners.  Warriors 3 also held a raffle to support the William C Frank’s Furniture Company disaster relief fund and has participated with sponsorship in the community, like the Wayne Ripple Effect’s flower planter project and Adams Jr. High’s Lego Robotics team. “We picked Wayne for our shop because we see a lot of potential,” said Bodus. “It’s a growing area and we’re hoping our store will help build variety and bring more business to the shops downtown.”

The 1,800-square-foot shop is housed at 35613 (westbound) Michigan Avenue in the downtown district. Warriors 3 carries a variety of comic books, tabletop board games, collectible card games and gaming accessories, as well as offering weekly events for Magic: The Gathering, Poke’mon and role playing games like Pathfinder Society. “We’ve all had these hobbies most of our lives and it was comics and cards that made us friends in the first place,” said Risdon. “We’re excited to earn a living doing something we’re passionate about.”

Tom Risdon, Dave Richards as Gorilla Grodd, Don Bodus, Joe Zanetti as The Flash and Bill Shaffer

Tom Risdon, Dave Richards as Gorilla Grodd, Don Bodus, Joe Zanetti as The Flash and Bill Shaffer

For more information, visit www.warriors3.com or www.facebook.com/warriors3mi.

Watch their first-ever television commercial at:

Mike, an ordinary guy.

Most days you can find him out in the yard watering, mowing, weeding or tending to his little corner house in some way or another.

Early one morning in May, he turned to his wife (that’s me) as they sat on the front porch drinking their morning coffee and  he said, “I was thinking about putting a pot of flowers on each of the four corners here. Do you think the neighbors will mind, the corners are sort of theirs, too?” And he walked out across the yard to the corner to demonstrate his vision of placing flowerpots near the curbs at the crosswalks.

That night he picked up four brand-new pots, and planted them full of bright yellow marigolds, and pretty pink petunias with the good Miracle Grow soil. He placed them at the four corners of the intersection at Forest Ave & 4th Street.

He was inspired, he said, by the Wayne Ripple Effect flower planting project in the downtown. He says it’s just that he likes flowers around.

The first few days he checked on the pots frequently, knowing they were vulnerable out there unprotected in the public space that has no psychological barrier, no cyclone fence, not even a hedgerow to remind a passerby that this flower pot belongs to someone else.

Flowers on the corner.

He delighted in watching to see if people walking by noticed the flowers and in hearing passersby say to him “did you see these beautiful flowers someone put at the corners”.

Freshly planted.

One neighbor said that she and her daughter drove around the neighborhood to see if anyone else had flowers on the corners. At first they thought maybe the City did it.

Then this week some flowers were stolen from a nearby business and several people–all strangers–expressed concern that these pots were the ones. (They weren’t thank goodness!) People noticed! The flowers MATTER to them.

It’s been almost a month now that the pots have survived out there on the four corners getting more beautiful with each passing day. He just wanted to plant some flowers, but in the process he has inspired pride and concern for our neighborhood, and made the street a nicer place to walk. His flowers say, “People care about this place.”

He doesn’t think of this project as shining testament of one man’s unintentional effort to “Be the change you wish to see in the world“–but I do.

Karma Coffee Shop, Wayne Michigan

In his book, For the Love of Cities, Peter Kageyama says of coffee shops: “The arrival of a coffee shop in a neighborhood is often seen as a marker of progress and regeneration.”  Just over a year ago, the residents of Wayne were very excited to discover that a coffee shop was moving in on Wayne Road next to the Dairy Queen.

From that time Karma has hosted live local musicians, open mic nights, scrabble game nights and a variety of unexpected hometown fun. Stop by there just about any time of day and you might bump in to your neighbor or find somebody playing the old upright piano or strumming a guitar.

Karma Coffee can often be found out in the world in places like the Wayne Farmer’s Market and this year they are organizing and Art & Music Festival as part of the Cruisin’ Michigan Event on July 9, 2011.

This is why, Kageyama says, “The quintessential third space (not home, not work) remains the coffeeshop. From Starbucks to the most un-corporate espresso house, the local coffee shop is where you go to meet people, to read, to get online, to sit and to people watch…Places to sit and people watch, or simply rest your feet are undervalued for the crucial role they play in our affection for places.”

Thank you to Dave & Jen for creating this place for us to love!

Karma Coffee Shop booth at Farmer's Market

Karma Coffee Shop is located at 3015 S. Wayne Road, Wayne MI 48184.

Emily T. Rodler WMHS Class of '08

It seems as though just yesterday I was walking the hallways of Wayne Memorial, smelling the fresh aroma of “Zebra Hut” cookies wafting through the air, seeing students rush through the hallways at the sound of the minute bell, and entering classrooms where I would find some of my closest friends waiting to compare test scores. After 10th grade, I can remember the one thought that always ran through my mind and came out of multiple students’ mouths: “I can’t WAIT to graduate.” One of my proudest moments was walking across the stage with my blue cap and gown garnished with honors cords and medals on June 7th, 2008.

After a few months out in the “real world,” I was eating those words. Sure, I loved my first year of college. I commuted, so had the option of driving to class and then working the rest of the day if I wanted. It was nice to be able to start my classes at 10 o’clock instead of 7, too. However, I truly missed high school. More specifically, I missed Wayne Memorial.

I missed the sheltered feeling I had while I was amongst classmates that had worked on projects and ran the track in gym with me. I longed to sit on the football bleachers in my blue and gold Wayne hoodie, cheering on our Zebras during a Homecoming game. Most of all, I missed seeing familiar faces every day, like my friends that I had known since freshman year, and my favorite teachers who were more than teachers, but became friends I could joke with and confide in.

The thing I loved most about Wayne Memorial was the faculty’s genuine love for “Old Wayne High” and its students. To them, we weren’t just numbers like it feels in college sometimes; we were individuals with our own needs, and they cared enough about us to assist, and sometimes push us, to success.

The Wayne faculty’s love and devotion to students still remains a few years later, and my mom and I have seen the effect this has through my younger brother, Thomas. My brother always seemed to struggle in school, and he’d always managed to slip onto the next grade. Truthfully, I secretly worried he’d give up on high school, but my mom and I never gave up on him and neither did his teachers.

Thomas Rodler - State Runner-up (MD-18, CAD Rendering - Manual)

Recently, Thomas developed a love for drafting, and with the help of his teacher, Mr. Vasiloff, he has excelled tremendously. Like me, Thomas also found friendship within his teacher, “Mr. V.” as he calls him, and I know that has contributed to his success in drafting. Recently, my brother was entered into the Michigan Industrial Technology Education Competition and earned a first place ribbon at regionals and a second place ribbon at states. My family and I could not be more proud!

As I reminisce, I realize how much Wayne Memorial truly is a part of my family. My mom and all of her siblings went there, my brother will be a senior next year, and it played a huge role in the person I have become today. To this day, every time I see a zebra print blanket or purse, all of these cherished moments come flooding back. Go Zebras!