Friday, August 12, 2005
Those Irritating Happy Badgers
I just don't like these people. Hemp necklaces and organic sandwiches are not the keys to nurturing our city's youth. The Cohens sent a letter to the editor:
Cultivate, nurture our city's youth
Parents call it a "safe haven." Teens call it the coolest place in Toledo.
From the day they were born, children have always endured two-way treatment. On one hand, your kid is the star of the music show and everyone is ecstatic. The same youngster finds herself in a crowd at a rock show and she becomes an intimidating menace.
In one instance, we complain about our youngsters leaving (brain drain) and in another, blame them for the downfall of Southwyck Shopping Center (Blade editorial, July 29).
How a city chooses to successfully nurture and cultivate our natural resource of young people is part of what creates a harmonious and optimistic city now and in the future.
The Happy Badger accomplished this, not by restricting, blaming, and admonishing kids, but giving them a place to be creative, expressive, and happy. It's amazing how responsible our youth can be when given these gifts.
It hasn't all been kids who have got the idea at The Happy Badger. Many "young at heart" people have supported the synchronicity and beauty of this multi-level concept by eating at our cafe and shopping at the store. See, it really could be one "happy" family.
Maybe that's why it feels so incredible when you walk in. The place is "cool" enough for everyone.
Youth represents the future. The future represents hope. This is our legacy. Make someone happy. (I wonder why we feel so bad right now?)
ALAN and DONNA COHEN
Founders
The Happy Badger
South Reynolds Road
I thought they already went out of business!?! It's not even that I think the Happy Badger was/is a bad place (great food). It's that I detest the idea of these old hippies making believe that their for-profit, capitalist business venture can save the world. It won't.
Cultivate, nurture our city's youth
Parents call it a "safe haven." Teens call it the coolest place in Toledo.
From the day they were born, children have always endured two-way treatment. On one hand, your kid is the star of the music show and everyone is ecstatic. The same youngster finds herself in a crowd at a rock show and she becomes an intimidating menace.
In one instance, we complain about our youngsters leaving (brain drain) and in another, blame them for the downfall of Southwyck Shopping Center (Blade editorial, July 29).
How a city chooses to successfully nurture and cultivate our natural resource of young people is part of what creates a harmonious and optimistic city now and in the future.
The Happy Badger accomplished this, not by restricting, blaming, and admonishing kids, but giving them a place to be creative, expressive, and happy. It's amazing how responsible our youth can be when given these gifts.
It hasn't all been kids who have got the idea at The Happy Badger. Many "young at heart" people have supported the synchronicity and beauty of this multi-level concept by eating at our cafe and shopping at the store. See, it really could be one "happy" family.
Maybe that's why it feels so incredible when you walk in. The place is "cool" enough for everyone.
Youth represents the future. The future represents hope. This is our legacy. Make someone happy. (I wonder why we feel so bad right now?)
ALAN and DONNA COHEN
Founders
The Happy Badger
South Reynolds Road
I thought they already went out of business!?! It's not even that I think the Happy Badger was/is a bad place (great food). It's that I detest the idea of these old hippies making believe that their for-profit, capitalist business venture can save the world. It won't.
