I arrived a little early to pick up my order from Downtown Dayton’s Wheat Penny Oven and Bar, so I decided to grab something to read from the small front lobby. Among the free newspapers and flyers stood a tall, neon green pamphlet with “Dayton 937” emblazoned in big, bold type.
After a few minutes, I had found nine locations to catch fireworks, learned about three different Pride events, discovered nine ethnic eateries to try, and found seven curated date night ideas. I had not finished reading when my order arrived, so I folded the pamphlet in half and stashed it in my back pocket, already making plans to try the Honduran restaurant I’d just read about.
It turns out this scenario was pretty much what the creators of Dayton 937 had in mind.
“All the lists are of nine, three and seven,” said Dayton 937 co-founder Libby Ballengee. “That’s not overwhelming. That’s kind of easy to pick one and roll with it.”
After a year of canceled concerts and closed restaurants, Daytonians are looking to venture out and make the most of an event-filled summer. At the same time, a rapid re-opening timeline leaves local businesses scrambling to get the word out. Local promoters Libby Ballengee and Dayton Most Metro publisher Lisa Grigsby felt the time was right for their new project to make its debut.
Dayton 937, a bi-weekly guide to local dining and events, started to appear last June in small businesses around the city. The description on the cover states that the new publication wants to “help shine a light on all the fun and things to do” in Dayton. That is something the team behind Dayton 937 knows something about.
“We’re both evangelists for Dayton, I guess,” Ballengee said, laughing. “Or cheerleaders, or whatever you want to say. (Dayton 937 is) a natural extension of that.”
As a local writer and promoter, Ballengee has been shining a light on Dayton events for over 15 years. She also knows how important it is to get the word out about those events.
“There’s nothing worse than having a show and having really amazing musicians and there’s an empty room,” she said. “That’s the absolute worst feeling in the world.”
Ballengee teamed up with Grigsby to create a what-to-do guide aimed at reconnecting the community with local events in a way that is free and accessible.
“I get to promote my stuff…but it’s also kind of a way for us to just support all of our friends,” Ballengee said. “Whether it’s talking about Pride events and non-profit things that are happening, or small businesses who could just really use some free advertising.”
In drawing up the plans for the largely self-funded venture, Ballengee said it became clear that the guide would take the shape of a one-sheet printed pamphlet.
“It’s simple,” she said. “It’s not overly complicated. It’s not behind a paywall.”
Ballengee also cited the abrupt closure of Dayton’s long-running alternative newspaper in 2018 as another reason for the printed piece.
“I feel like there’s been a void since we haven’t had the Dayton City Paper,” Ballengee said. “Something you can just grab when you’re running in for coffee or you’re waiting for a lunch date…just something you can flip through that’s not your phone.”
Ballengee and Grigsby initially planned to launch the new venture as a rebrand of Dayton Most Metro last year, but COVID-19 delayed the project until June. Finally ready for publication, the pair first needed to find local businesses to carry the guide. The two promoters wanted to make their pitch in person, so they made a list of possible locations and started driving from business to business.
“The very first place we went to said no”, Ballengee said, laughing. “I was like, does this…kind of set the tone?”
Those fears were short-lived. Once the issues hit the stands, Ballengee said that the response was overwhelmingly positive.
“I was honestly super surprised that the next day we’re getting interviewed on TV,” she said. “There was a big outpouring of support.”
The initial 10-issue run will feature local music events and dining options, as well as rotating topics like road trip ideas and art exhibits. The guide will also rotate seasonal content such as festivals, pet-friendly patios and holiday events.
As for the future of Dayton 937, a downloadable PDF version is in the works and the next run could see a full-color makeover. The Dayton Most Metro website will also complete the transition over to Dayton 937. But, given the response Dayton 937 has received so far, Ballengee doesn’t foresee a lot of big changes on the horizon.
“People are gravitating towards things that are more simple, like one piece of paper with curated things to do…there’s some magic in just offering people simplicity.”
For more information, including where to pick up a copy of Dayton 937, visit mostmetro.com.
*This story was originally published in JOU 2101.
Kristina Bilbrey
Contributing Writer