Kaptur examines city’s economy

Ohio congresswoman says lakefront, local recipes can help city

Fligner’s Market remains one of Lorain’s best kept economic development secrets, a congresswoman said.

And according to U.S. Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur who spoke to a baker’s dozen of people at Crisp Fellowship Hall, 2623 Elyria Ave. in Lorain, family recipes quietly tucked under the table could be worth millions of dollars.

Lorain needs to look locally at what already is available to rebuild the city’s financial strength, Kaptur said.

For example, Fligner’s at 1854 Broadway Ave. touts the “largest custom cuts meat counter in the United States,” according to a telephone message at the store.

“I love Fligner’s,” Kaptur said. “I see (Ben Fligner’s) store as a draw. They have the best food, and it’s right here in Lorain.”

Kaptur asked what would happen if Fligner’s were to anchor a new shopping center that would

become a tourist attraction, possibly in the downtown area.

She also said she still is fighting to bring a Veterans Administration Clinic to Lorain, but Sheffield village is after the clinic, too.

Lorain City Councilwoman Mary Springowski said the former St. Joseph’s hospital needs to be torn down to make room for development.

And in Cleveland, food incubators help business startups prepare food in a professional kitchen to

test the market for a recipe, Springowski said.

The incubators also help with licensing, which is a big hurdle for entrepreneurs who would rent space, she said.

Also, food trucks could be set up on vacant lots downtown on scheduled days to further test the market, Springowski said.

Kaptur said she visited the Italian American Benefit Club in Lorain and tasted some of the best food she had ever eaten.

“There are recipes here that are worth millions of dollars,” Kaptur said, adding the lasagna tasted much better than anything she has tried from the

freezer section of a store.

Ethnic foods from the black and Latino communities are in demand right now, Kaptur said, referring to efforts of organizations such as Center for Integrated Food Technology, or CIFT in Toledo.

When the conversation shifted to the arts, Lorain activist Martha Pye said she has been encouraging the community to recognize black artists.

The Valor Home mural dedication was set for Sept. 24 while Springowski said more murals by local artists are being painted around town in various locations.

While others in Lorain

are talking about biking to work, Kaptur likes the idea of a Hyperloop, which is advanced passenger or freight transportation that travels 380 mph, Kaptur said.

Someone could eat breakfast in Lorain, get in the Hyperloop, travel to Chicago, work all day, and return to Lorain in the evening, she said.

The right-of-way for the Ohio Turnpike could be used for the Hyperloop, Kaptur said.

She also recommended expanding passenger rail transportation by separating passenger from freight tracks, which would be very expensive.

CAROL HARPER — THE MORNING JOURNAL Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur reaches with a microphone toward Bessie Eva Nelson during a community session with a baker’s dozen of people Sept. 22.