Kalamazoo’s name is so distinctive strangers around the world have been known to break into song at hearing the name. With such a recognizable moniker you’d think Kalamazoo wouldn’t need nicknames, but through the years changing names have reflected the city’s refusal to stand still. The Zoo, Celery City and the Mall City are a few. The innovative thinking that brought downtown K’zoo the nation’s first pedestrian mall in 1959 continues to work today. Innovators have developed thriving life sciences, biotechnology and pharmaceutical firms. They build on the expertise of Kalamazoo’s universities. Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Davenport College all are centers of research, development and technology. They surround a downtown vibrating with condos, apartments and homegrown, top-notch restaurants. The universities are woven into the city’s social fabric and contribute to a cultural scene that Kalamazooans love to boast about. The Kalamazoo Symphony, Kalamazoo Institute of Art and a vibrant local theater community are a few of the offerings. Locals also love their festivals that fill the air with music and the scents of ethnic foods wafting over the Arcadia Festival grounds and the Kalamazoo River. Outdoor activities from biking on the Kal-Haven trail to disc golf and standard golf on a nationally-acclaimed course in Milham Park are the start of the city’s leisure side. Sports fans have competitive college teams, minor league baseball and hockey to follow. And it all comes with a Promise. All high school graduates who live in Kalamazoo qualify for a scholarship that pays 100 percent of their tuition at any public university or community college.
A Kalamazoo hairstylist whose early childhood was spent in foster care remembers being bullied for her matted hair. She's launched Dream of Kalamazoo Foundation to change that — especially for youth who live in mixed-race homes where ways of caring for BIPOC hair may be new.
Financing is coming together for Hawthorne Park, a four-story apartment building with ground-level commercial space in Kalamazoo's Edison neighborhood. The building is expected to be 52,523 square feet in total with 2,935 square feet dedicated to commercial use. Those working on the project hope the space will attract entrepreneurial businesses such as a coffee shop or a tobacco store.
To tempt tastebuds for Kalamazoo's upcoming Canadiana Festival and its World Champion Poutine Contest, Chef Channon Mondoux, festival organizer, and SW Second Wave Food Writer, shares her recipe for 'healthy' poutine, that French Canadian guilty pleasure of fries, cheese curds, and brown gravy.
Kalamazoo's last-standing 'newsstand' is still the place to go to check Kalamazoo's pulse. Once filled with newspapers from around the world, Michigan News has migrated toward the literary — thousands of books, many by local authors, hosted readings, and the largest collection of magazines around. Read all about it!
Global Ties Kalamazoo introduces Kalamazoo to the world and brings the world to Kalamazoo. Compared to cities like New York or Chicago, Kalamazoo might not seem like a draw for foreign dignitaries and international leaders in their fields, but the memorable homestays and sense of community make the city an appealing destination.
Changing schools, onset of puberty, social media, post-pandemic after-effects, and increased pressures to succeed create a 'perfect storm' for middle-school-aged students, particularly as they navigate their social lives. Voices of Youth's Henry Bickel interviewed a teacher and school counselor to find out more.
Construction work is progressing on six condominium units and 1,800 square feet of commercial space at 1601 E. Main St., spearheaded by the Kalamazoo County Land Bank to help the Eastside Neighborhood develop affordable, mixed-income housing, and more space for new businesses.
Children's author and mother Teresa Baker sought to fill a gap in programming for young people of color. Brown Boy Brown Girl, LLC markets books by BIPOC authors, holds a youth reading/writing program, and so much more.
StoryCorps first came to Kalamazoo in 2007. Since then StoryCorps has had a special connection to WMUK and Kalamazoo, returning for a Military Voices Initiative project and the One Small Step project. During its recent visit, 96 special stories were recorded.
National Night Out is a Kalamazoo summer tradition, a chance to connect with neighbors, police, and resources. People "need to see the fun and silly, interactive side of law enforcement," says Community Service Officer Dajanick Barlow. "We do a lot of good things in the community." Check out these great photos!
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