Hudson’s Hidden Gems
Downtown Hudson offers too many locations that are missed by the majority of students at Western Reserve Academy. That’s why our staff compiled a list of 5 spots every WRA student should know about, but probably doesn’t.
Downtown Hudson – Downtown Hudson is a vital organ to the student life experience at Western Reserve Academy. Its close proximity offers a bonanza of shops, restaurants, and hangout spots to relax with friends. It is yet another thing that makes a WRA education so unique.
At the same time, academic life at WRA can be very time-consuming, and going out of one’s way to find new locations downtown may not be the most ideal. Besides, when places like Open Door Café, Ming’s Bubble Tea, and 3 Palms Pizza are satisfiable enough, why change?
1. Peace, Love and Little Donuts of Hudson (51 S Main St #4, Hudson, OH, 44236)
Everyone loves doughnuts (you better)! This small doughnut shop in the corner of downtown near the post office has a wide variety of flavors and combinations. As a smaller Doughnut shop, Peace, Love, and Little Donuts is said to have better quality and flavor in their products than more commercialized doughnut emporiums, according to Senior Will O’Brien ‘23. O’Brien describes “a very fun environment inside”, with the store’s tye-dye accents along with a prop Volkswagen Bus at the start of the order line.
Although Peace, Love and Little Donuts’s hours of Operation are difficult within the life of a Reserve student’s schedule, the funkadelic creamery is open on weekends. Make sure to check out Heath, Wind, and Fire And Oreo Cheesecake!
Weekend hours of operation: Friday: 8AM-3PM. Saturday: 8AM-2PM. Sunday: 8AM-12PM.
2. Johnny’s Diner (180 W Streetsboro St #8, Hudson, OH 44236)
Do you wake up at 9:00AM on weekends and cannot bear being deprived of hot eggs and pancakes for three hours? Do you also need to get a screen protector at Verizon? Well… you’re in luck! Eating at Johnny’s Diner is the perfect solution for you!
Johnny’s Diner is located past Acme (Walking in the direction to Chipotle), and is also close to places like Verizon and Otani. Johnny’s Diner possesses a vintage atmosphere inside, with a black and white TV, and humorous vintage signs and license plates overhanging the bar.
Longtime WRA faculty Mr. Warner enjoys eating at Johnny’s for its “Hudson feel”; it is locally owned and advertises local businesses. Mr. Warner recommends Johnny’s corn beef reuben, and their omelets. At last, the pre-bruch starvation crunch is over at Johnny’s Diner – if you decide to make the trek over!
Weekend hours of Operation: Friday: 8AM-8PM. Saturday-Sunday: 7AM-3PM.
3. Fair Trade on Main (134 N Main St, Hudson, OH 44236)
The Holiday Season is well underway, but you blank on a Christmas gift for your mom and sister. Relieve your fear of settling for yet another Amazon gift card, as Fair Trade on Main provides gifts for all members of your family. Fair Trade on Main Owner Pat Balnkenship opened her shop in 2014 with a mission to “share hope and joy around the world.” Mrs. Blankenship works towards this mission by acquiring hand-made inventory created by local, domestic, and international artisans. In doing this process, Mrs. Blankenship makes sure that none of her shop’s goods were created in unsafe working conditions, nor made from forced child labor.
Mrs. Blankenship’s inventory spans the entire globe. Artisans from Nepal provide hand-knit wool gloves, while cozy alpaca socks are made from Peru. Bingo! No more Target Christmas socks for your brother.
Weekend hours of operation: Friday-Saturday: 10AM-6PM. Sunday: closed.
4. Yours Truly Hudson: (36 S Main Street, Hudson, OH 44236)
Another hard workweek in the books, and you deserve a night out. But you want to try a different restaurant. Yours Truly is the perfect dine-out destination.
The eatery is on its way to Starbucks and Peace, Love, and Little Donuts. Yours Truly hostess Sammie Kolencik ‘23 notes that the “appetizers are really fun,” and that the overall menu bursts with creativity. One featured menu item are the Notso Fries – which are fries dipped in cheese and bacon. Kolencik says that some well – known dinner items are General Tso’s Chicken with saffron rice, and anything from the Burger Bar. Also, items under the “anything breakfast” section of the menu is served all day. “What’s not to like about it?” remarks Kolencik. Now that you read this, you should go grab some food at Yours Truly.
Weekend hours of operation: Friday-Saturday: 6:30AM-10PM. Sunday: 7:30AM – 9:00PM.
5. Teen Room at Hudson Library (96 Library Street, Hudson, OH 44236)
Need some resources on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in Central Asia? Need to pet a therapy dog? How about video games on a giant TV? These opportunities and many more are available through the teen resources at the Hudson Library. Senior Charlotte Hooker ‘23 claims the “teen room” as a great place for “fun leisure activities and workshops” for students in grades 6-12. Hooker recalls that the library has hosted previous workshops such as coding and robotics. Additionally, the library consistently holds tutor sessions for test prep, and has a larger inventory of resources than the library on campus.
How about some video games? Hooker remarked that the teen area has a collection of 9 large televisions, so any one can “get that Battle Pass.” Finally, the Hudson Library will host occasional visits from therapy dogs, where any WRA student can come visit and cuddle with a furry emotional supporter. Now go finish your research paper.
Weekend hours of Operation: Friday-Saturday: 9AM-5PM. Sunday: Closed.
With this unique guide, boarders and day students alike can better make use of their time at WRA, and may even find a new restaurant, shop, or experience. Not only that, you will be greatly supporting all these small businesses. Alas, you now have a reason to stop going to Ming’s with your friends, and grab an Elvis flavored doughnut instead!
– Tommy Cahill ’23
The Reserve Record 