Picture it.
1995.
A Junior in high school transplant from Boise, Idaho to Chagrin Falls, Ohio.
Cue the potato jokes.
I was quite Chagrined (bah-dum-bum, tip your waiter) when, as a 16 year old, I was informed our new home would be half way across the country in Ohio, a state I’d never been to. Oh the anger of being a teenager forced to move!! It was a bit of an adjustment but I found the the east side of Cleveland had a lot more to offer than Bone Thugs n’ Harmony (shout out to ‘90’s rap).
Downtown Chagrin Falls always felt, to me, like a little east coast village that took a wrong turn around Massachusetts. Beautiful, locally owned store fronts featuring fashions, gift cards, books and the like. Intimate, low lit restaurants where the “glamorous folks” made their rounds about town. Quirky fun like glass blowing with a specialty olive oil shop and large play ground. I had my first and second jobs here and my personal interactions gave me so much fodder for undergrad and grad school papers. Major in Communication, kids!
It truly is a little village that caters to people of all ages.
We made so many trips back there, first as a couple and then frequently when our daughters arrived. An especially loved time for our girls was the annual Christmas Tree Lighting in Triangle Park. We felt like we were in a Hallmark Movie every time! And each May we would eat and ride our way around the Blossom Festival. The lemonade is to die for!
Chagrin Falls, Ohio is worth the trip. Make sure to stop by the popcorn shop and take in the Falls. Who knows? Maybe you’ll end up in a Hallmark flick!
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