“I love being able to take the skills and abilities that I’ve been fortunate enough to acquire from my father, pass them on to my son, and my grandchildren,” said Steve Rich, Owner of Rich Family Meats, located at 230 Main Street in Port William, Ohio. Growing up around his family’s meat processing plant in northeastern Ohio, Steve learned the importance of hard work and family from a young age. When combined with his wife’s support and his son, Chad’s, “entrepreneurial type spirit”, the family chose to purchase and refresh the meat business from a local doctor three years ago. Rich Family Meats offers catering, custom butchering services, and a wide variety of retail products, including Walnut Creek Amish products from northern Ohio—these products include jellies, jams, salsas, butters, and even frozen goods. The store also sells locally raised meat in both frozen and fresh cases that they cut and vacuum seal in house, preserving the shelf-life and freshness of the products compared to some big box grocery stores. Beyond selling the products at their physical location, the products can also be found at Lumberton General Store, the Jamestown Market, and even at local restaurants and booths for fairs, festivals and events. During hunting season, the business even expands their processing to deer processing, and will carry snack sticks and summer sausages. In addition to those expansions, they also plan to offer online sales starting in 2025. To Steve and Chad, it just simply “means a lot” when customers enjoy their products. Steve’s proudest moments are watching his family’s involvement in the business. “For us, having the family together and having something we can do together, teaching our grandchildren how to count money back, how to handle customers, and then seeing our sons… Seeing them grow in skills and other abilities, that’s fun”, Steve said. Listen to Steve and Chad’s full story on episode 55 of The Real Change Podcast. Learn more at richfamilymeats.com . 🍎 Apple: bit.ly/rcwp-apple 🟢 Spotify: bit.ly/rcwp-spotify 🎥 YouTube: bit.ly/rcwp-youtube 😎 Website: bit.ly/rcwp-website

At Schappacher Farms, you’re “not just picking pumpkins out of a bin or off the ground”, according to Bethany Schappacher, a co-owner of Schappacher Farms, located at 3068 OH-73 in Wilmington, Ohio. Schappacher Farms started in 1994 when Butch Schappacher, another co-owner of the farm, was inspired to host his young daughter’s class for a field trip. The original farm, located in Mason, Ohio, operated successfully for over 20 years until Butch and his wife, Sherry, decided to sell the farm after Butch’s parents passed away. A few years later, the pair, along with their son, AJ, and daughter-in-law, Bethany, decided to purchase the property formerly known as ‘Oak Lawn Farm’ in Wilmington and restore it. While casually looking for property, the four noticed the farm for sale and fell in love with the potential. After renovating the 1800’s era barn and adjusting the property to fit their agritourism needs, AJ and Bethany moved into the farmhouse on the property, fully embracing the farm-lifestyle with their young daughter. Schappacher Farm is unique in that they don’t charge for admission. Butch stated, “I want them to come, enjoy the farm, and get a taste of ag, and not have to pay for that.” The farm features a hayride, corn maze, straw room, petting zoo, grain bin basketball, and giant straw slide. The petting zoo also features three Highland cows. Bethany emphasized that the farm was “not just providing a service or good” but providing “an experience”. Most importantly, Schappacher Farms allow visitors to pick pumpkins directly off the vine. Butch mentioned that their farm has 30 to 40 varieties of pumpkins, including blue and white varieties. For Butch, farming is “a way of life”, and beyond his own pumpkin farm he still farms acreage in Mason for the Cincinnati Zoo that provides hay for all of their animals. Listen to Schappacher Farms’ full story on episode 54 of the Real Change Podcast. Learn more at schappacherfarm.com . 🍎 Apple: bit.ly/rcwp-apple 🟢 Spotify: bit.ly/rcwp-spotify 🎥 YouTube: bit.ly/rcwp-youtube 😎 Website: bit.ly/rcwp-website

Editorial Note—Real Change Wilmington believes it is good to address difficult topics in a way that is positive, constructive, and lighthearted. This article is not investigative journalism, it is simply an attempt to go through Greg Pitzer and Darrell Petry’s “fire hose” of evidence and emotions to understand why the two continue to seek more answers about Casey Pitzer’s death, and what exactly would bring them a sense of peace and justice. Who are Greg Pitzer and Darrell Petrey? Greg Pitzer is the father of four children, one of whom is Casey Pitzer. Casey was a 32 year old, single mother of two when she was found deceased in the retention pond near the by-pass north of Walmart in 2013. Growing up, Casey was a straight-A student, described by her family as a “fun girl” who “never got in trouble”. So, when the determined cause of Casey’s death was an “accidental drowning” due to an overconsumption of alcohol, Casey’s family was confused. Due to this and additional confusing evidence, Greg began fighting for his daughter’s case to be reinvestigated. Darrell Petrey grew up locally, had rebellious years, but was thankful to his mother for pulling him out of it and teaching him that “right is right and wrong is wrong”. As an adult, he worked a union job until transitioning to buying and selling items full-time. Greg lived a “rough lifestyle” where he used to drink heavily, which led to him getting shot and losing his right arm. This would eventually lead the two to meet, as Greg needed additional help sharing Casey’s story. After Darrell learned about several cases that he believed were not handled properly by local law enforcement, he started a local Facebook group focused on crime, which eventually led to connecting with Greg and the creation of the Facebook group, Justice for Casey Pitzer. The two have been insistently fighting for more information about the case. What evidence do they claim to have for sure about the night Casey passed away? Bowling Ally Footage: Greg and Darrell have videos that show Casey at Uncle Louie’s Lounge dancing. They also have videos of Casey leaving the bowling alley heading towards Walmart. Walmart Footage: Greg and Darrell have footage of Casey’s designated drivers’ car and the suspects’ car meeting at Walmart. The suspects’ car entered and exited the parking lot several times—however, it is unconfirmed that it is the same vehicle. Witness Testimony: There was a female witness who claims to have driven past Casey on the bypass—however, after Darrell spoke to her again, exact details have changed. What evidence they claim is missing or confusing about the night Casey passed? Injuries and Defensive Wounds: Greg and Darrell believe that Casey had many undocumented injuries and defensive wounds—these include neck markings that resemble rope burn, hand injuries, and a broken leg. Lack of Photographs: No direct photographs of the injuries were taken, in addition to a lack of many other photos that Greg and Darrell believe are customary of autopsys. Rope and Milk Crate: A sonar image of Casey’s body in the pond shows a rope tied to a milk crate. These items were not mentioned in any reports besides the sonar image and were not retrieved from the pond. Condition of the Body: When Casey’s body was recovered from the pond, Greg and Darrell believe that she appeared to be in a state of rigamortis rather than bloated from seven days in the water. She was also found with items clenched in her hands, which Greg and Darrell believe to be inconsistent among drowning victims. Intact Makeup: Despite Casey wearing “cheap makeup”, her makeup was still intact when her body was recovered 7 days later. Boots: Casey’s boots were also removed and set by the pond. Greg and Darrell also find this odd, as they believe she would not intentionally remove her boots, which were hard to remove, to go swimming in March. Destroyed Evidence: Those boots, Casey’s clothing, biological evidence, and her rape kit were destroyed just over 5 years after the original investigation. Coroner’s Report: The coroner’s report was allegedly filled out by the coroner’s secretary, which the two also find disturbing. In that report, the secretary mentions that Casey had 16 shots and 8 beers–a claim that Greg and Darrell dispute due to Casey’s demeanor in the videos they received of her. Phone Records: Greg has only received Casey’s phone records, rather than those of all of the suspects subpoenaed by the sheriff. Lie Detector Results: Of the two suspects, one received inconclusive results on a lie detector test and the other received a “deceptive” result. Despite this, the two were not questioned again, according to Greg. Suspects’ Car Sold: The vehicle was sold a few weeks after Casey was found dead and the inside was never photographed. What is Greg’s current theory of what happened the night Casey passed away? Greg and Darrell believe that Casey had a “normal night of having fun, drinking responsibly” and estimate that she only consumed 6 drinks in a 6 hour period. Then, they believe Casey was possibly picked up by the suspects, raped, murdered, and then dumped in the pond—or then extracted from the pond and placed back in the pond later. Why the aggression and character accusations at City Council meetings? In regards to Greg and Darrell’s approach at City Council meetings, Darrell defended their actions, claiming that they have never “started off being mean or aggressive” but that “the aggression only comes out after being lied to, manipulated, or when intimidation is brought [upon them].” Darrell even argued that any parent in Greg’s shoes may react in the same manner, due to such an enormous loss. Was it their plan all along to sue the City for $300k over “free speech” violations? Darrell’s answer when asked if it was in his plan to sue the city all along was simple, “If I wanted money, I’d be working my full-time job.” After the costs of legal aid and the cost of his involvement over the years, Darrell explained that the money from the lawsuit was less than that he could have received from his full-time job. He argues that he was not seeking money, but accountability for public officials. What information and action would give Greg a sense of peace and justice? According to Greg, peace will only be possible if he receives a complete file of the records investigators collected, an answer to all of his questions, and all of his concerns addressed. Additionally, Greg wants all of the phone records subpoenaed by the sheriff from the night Casey passed away, including those of all the suspects, in order to learn the full story. Greg said, “I won’t give up. Until the day I die, I’ll be fighting... Her kids do deserve to know the truth.” Listen to Greg Pitzer and Darrell Petrey’s full story and details of the case on episode 53 of the Real Change Podcast. If you have tips about the case or want to learn more, join the Facebook Group, ‘ Justice for Casey Pitzer ’. Listen to episode 53 of the Real Change Wilmington Podcast, 'The Story of Casey Pitzer - Beyond the Spectacle' with Greg Pitzer & Darrell Petrey, on your favorite podcast player below: 🍎 Apple: bit.ly/rcwp-apple 🤖 Google: bit.ly/rcwp-google 🟢 Spotify: bit.ly/rcwp-spotify 🎥 YouTube: bit.ly/rcwp-youtube 😎 Website: bit.ly/rcwp-website

The National Church Residences, a Christian organization committed to providing “comfortable housing, socialization, and health care to older adults”, plans to build a senior apartment complex in Wilmington on Lynne Lane. At a City Planning Commission meeting last night, the commission approved the organization’s request to rezone a 3.911 acre portion of the Williams Farm Subdivision from “suburban commercial” to “multi-family”. On the acreage, National Church Residence plans to build Lynne Lane Senior Housing, consisting of 60–90 single bedroom units for seniors 55 and up. The apartment complex would feature a “community room, warming kitchen, fitness room, on-site property management, on-site laundry, and an outdoor patio.” The next step is City Council approval. National Church Residences has also submitted a Low-Income Housing Tax Credit( LIHTC) proposal with the Ohio LIHTC program. This would finance a portion of the total costs of development via an equity investor.

At a recent City Council Public Workshop meeting, Ron Fithen, the Police Executive for Administrative Services, spoke about bringing Flock Safety cameras to the City of Wilmington. The goal of these cameras would be to prevent and solve crimes more quickly. The cameras would be placed around the city to photograph license plates and the rear of vehicles only. Fithen proposes that the city needs 17 cameras to ensure that each entry and exit to the city is covered. The cameras have aided in solving hit and runs, robberies, AMBER Alerts, Silver Alerts, homicide cases, and more. Each camera costs $3,000. Fithen has been applying for state grants since 2021, hoping to install the cameras. Walmart also gave $3,000 in hopes of reducing petty theft. Fithen specifically mentioned Daniel Smith, a local man killed in a hit-and-run. He said, “Had we had Flocks Safety cameras in use that night here in the city of Wilmington, that case, that person would’ve been arrested and handcuffed that night, within 12 hours… when it took almost four or five days to get that case wrapped up.” The technology is used by over 430 law enforcement agencies in Ohio, including some in Warren, Clermont, and Montgomery counties. Upon installing the cameras, the city will have access to all of Flock’s cameras across the United States. Fithen mentioned that those using the cameras within the region have seen a 9% increase in the closure of cases. Fithen also addressed privacy concerns, emphasizing the data is only stored for 30 days, the cameras are not a facial recognition tool, and are not used for speeding violations. A Flock representative even mentioned that the ACLU is considered a friend to Flock Safety. Learn more at wilmingtonohio.gov .

🏡🩷 “Do what you fear” - Kat Williams with EXP Realty joins the podcast to discuss what it takes to be a “hyper local” real estate agent, as well as news about the new ‘Creekview’ neighborhood at the old Drive-In property by DR Horton. Listen to episode 52 of the Real Change Wilmington Podcast, 'Your Premier Real Estate Concierge' with Kat Williams, on your favorite podcast player below: 🍎 Apple: bit.ly/rcwp-apple 🤖 Google: bit.ly/rcwp-google 🟢 Spotify: bit.ly/rcwp-spotify 🎥 YouTube: bit.ly/rcwp-youtube 😎 Website: bit.ly/rcwp-website

Husband and wife team Josh and Terri Schlabach are the founders of Wheelies on Mulberry, a new bike shop in downtown Wilmington at 171 S Mulberry Street that opened for business in May of this year. Both Josh and Terri are originally from Northeast Ohio where Josh was raised in the Amish community and Terri was raised in the Mennonite community. Growing up, they both worked on farms, went to public schools, and were very involved in their churches. Their communities taught them a strong work ethic, to do things right (not half way), and to always deal with integrity and tell the truth. As young adults, Josh and Terri traveled with different international mission organizations, but didn’t meet each other until a mutual friend introduced them in the states where they connected over their new perspectives on the world. Looking back, Josh said, “I felt like Terri was a Kent State, 4.0, brilliant student [who was] going places in the world, and I’m a construction worker... I just felt like she was out of my league, and I guess I still feel like that.” From Terri’s perspective it was kind of the same thing. She added, “I felt like his friends really loved him, and girls loved him, and I felt like we are not in the same camp. So I think when our paths crossed and we figured out we were both interested in each other, we didn’t date very long [before getting married].” While the couple were dating, the construction company Josh was working for offered him a 6 month position in Wilmington to help reach Dayton and Cincinnati markets, which he accepted, and so he would drive to Kent State on the weekends to visit Terri where she was finishing a degree to teach English. After 6 months, Josh’s company offered to move him back north, but Josh decided instead to buy a house and make Wilmington home. After getting married, Terri worked at Wilmington City Schools as a substitute teacher part-time so that the couple could have more flexibility to travel, but once having children, Terri decided to be a full-time mother—which she said is “very normal in the Amish and Mennonite community” and also allows her to enjoy volunteering all over the community. In 2008, the company Josh was working for closed their local office because of the housing crash when DHL left Wilmington. Josh was again offered to move back north, but instead decided to stay and start his own company doing exterior renovations until 2016 when he and his business partner were offered to buy Ellis Fence and merge companies to what is now Ellis Fence and Home Exteriors. Josh and Terri presently live on North South Street with their 4 kids and are no longer part of the Amish or Mennonite communities, but instead attend Dove Church on Rombach Avenue. “I think what attracted us there was some of the same values we had growing up [which were] simply it seemed like the people there were really focused on strong community,” said Josh. The Schlabach’s first saw the property where Wheelies is now while on a walk and later submitted an offer in 2021 when it still hadn’t sold. Their plan was to build condos in the back, but when not enough presold, they pivoted to first build a commercial building in the front. The idea to start a bike shop and restaurant was a combination of things: 1) there is no other competition within 20 miles and the Schlabach’s got tired of driving out of town for bike repairs; 2) the property borders the Luther Warren Peace Path so they envisioned customers test driving bikes, and 3) on their family trips to Europe and Germany they noticed “nearly every bike shop has a cafe of a restaurant attached to it”, said Josh. Ironically, neither Josh nor Terri have any experience with either running a bike shop or a restaurant, but Terri said, “I’ve learned in being married to [Josh] for 19 years that what makes him thrive in life is to bite off more than he can chew, and then to figure it out—that’s fun to him... It’s very much not my personality, but there’s something very deep down in his core that has a lot of faith that it will work out.” An unexpected “gift” for Josh and Terri since starting Wheelies has been the opportunity for their children to work and learn life skills. “These mechanics are willing to train our children... even [in] customer service... and I love that our manager pushes them,” said Terri. Terri is also proud of their ‘Cycling Without Ages’ program that lets seniors and those with handicaps experience the trails in a bike pedaled by someone else. Terri’s father was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when she was 9-years-old and she said, “anytime you live with a person who’s moving through the world in a wheelchair you never see the world the same... you’re always looking for how that person is going to be with you”. Now that Wheelies is open, Josh said, “it’s really humbling on the receiving side now where people are coming and giving [us] dollars for the service [we’re] providing... It’s one of those things you can’t really explain but the right people came along and partnered with us at the right time.” Terri added, “Jen Purkey and Brad Hayes [who run the Trail Haus restaurant next to Wheelies] are geniuses at what they do... it’s a huge advantage for us to have them there.” Listen to Josh and Terri’s full story on episode 50 of The Real Change Podcast. Wheelies is open Tue, Wed, and Fri from 11am–5pm, Thu 11am–7pm, and Sat 9am–12pm. Learn more at wheeliesbikes .

Founder of Project TRUST, Jim Boland, joins the podcast to share how the program has been making a positive change in local schools over the years by hosting annual 3-day retreats for middle school students that are designed to help break down barriers between different social groups. The students then return to school with a newfound respect, trust, and relationships with peers outside of their familiar social groups. Listen to episode 51 of the Real Change Wilmington Podcast, "Project TRUST (with Jim Boland)", on your favorite podcast player below: 🍎 Apple: bit.ly/rcwp-apple 🤖 Google: bit.ly/rcwp-google 🟢 Spotify: bit.ly/rcwp-spotify 🎥 YouTube: bit.ly/rcwp-youtube 😎 Website: bit.ly/rcwp-website

In light of Wilmington’s rising housing demands, D.R. Horton, the developer of the new Creekview neighborhood being built at the old Drive-In Theatre property (1129 N. Route 134), was proud to showcase that 9 homes have already been sold before their Open House Walk-Through held on August 21, 2024. Kat Williams, a local real estate agent who is working with D.R. Horton and their sales rep, Cory Strong, shared that she expects even more people to start looking for housing in Wilmington with the LG/Honda battery plant being built in Jeffersonville that plans to create 2,200 new jobs in the area. Kat also shared that the new Creekview neighborhood has the potential to create over 100 new homes in Wilmington by the completion of its phase 2. At the Open House Walk-Through, one of the new home’s owners, the husband of a young couple from Minneapolis, shared his thankfulness for the project. The couple had recently moved to Wilmington after he received a job as a worship leader in Sabina. Before D.R. Horton started the project, Kat shared that another company originally bought the land and planned to develop “affordable housing” until losing funding. While there has been some push back that the Creekview homes are not “affordable”, Kat explained that the median home price in Wilmington right now is $245k, and as people downsize or upsize their homes, it will create more affordable housing options in other areas of the community. Currently, the Creekview homes range from $254k to $380k, and D.R. Horton is offering special 4.5% interest financing through their own lending company to make the homes even more attractive with outside interest rates currently around 6.5%. Finally, Kat was excited to share that all of the new homes include “ free smart home technology” that can link all of the devices to Alexa which she recorded a video of on her YouTube Channel at youtube.com/@OhioRealEstateConcierge . Learn more at drhorton.com .

Each quarter, The Murphy Theatre tries to host a ‘Coffee and Donuts’ event to update the community on the state of the theater and upcoming changes. Steve Burnette, Executive Director of The Murphy Theatre, started the Fall 2024 meeting by sharing that last weekend the theater officially finished their ‘2,000 Bulbs of Light’ campaign to restore their historic marquee. The event included a community comedy improv show, a marquee lighting celebration, and yellow cupcakes to symbolize the marquee bulbs. Steve continued by sharing details about this year’s Christmas show. The Murphy Theatre is working with the company who shot ‘The Nutcracker’ in Wilmington last year with Ben Stiller to use the theater for the Midwest premiere of the movie, and have a live performance of The Nutcracker by the company involved with the movie. Another update Steve discussed was that The Murphy Theatre will be in a commercial for ‘Ohio Goes To The Movies’ that will be shown in theaters across the state. Next, Steve discussed two upcoming conferences The Murphy Theatre staff is attending, Max Expo and Ohio Arts Presenters, to learn how to be better stewards of The Murphy Theatre and decide acts for next year. They hope to increase programming for families and school events. Later, Amanda Martin, Associate Director, shared that these conferences help The Murphy Theatre build relationships and even get better deals on upcoming acts, which saves the theater money. Before going into community questions, Steve announced The Murphy Theatre will be increasing Friday night movies in 2025, with the first Friday of the month’s movie being free for families thanks to sponsors. Responding to a community question, Amanda gave an update on the retained Hotel and Lodging Tax. According to her, the income from the tax is first distributed to both The Clinton County Visitors Bureau and the City of Wilmington, who then distribute the funds to organizations that apply. The Murphy Theatre has a meeting scheduled for September 4, 2024 at 9:30am to discuss their quarterly ask for funds. The Murphy Theatre will be asking for $30,000 to help support their programming and repairs. Then, in 2025, The Murphy Theatre plans to change from a quarterly ask to an annual ask. Steve added that The Murphy Theatre applies for these funds in part because of how the theater helps bring in people to local hotels that contribute tax, not to mention additional business to local restaurants. Amanda finished by saying that the tax brings in around $160,000 annually. Learn more about The Murphy Theatre and their quarterly public meetings at themurphytheatre.org

Today, Judge Tim Rudduck’s Drug Court, and many local resource providers, hosted ‘Overdose Awareness Day’ at Denver Park to remember those who have lost their lives to overdose and also celebrate survivors. Local resource providers offered support for families and treatment for those ready.  “People get free here.” - T.S. Learn more at You-Turn Recovery Docket .

"I was nothing... I was a criminal, I was a bad guy, and I'm here. I got past it, I overcame it. Anybody can—it's just a matter of if they want to, that's it. Everything is a choice", said Chris Walls, Owner of For the Love of Ink Tattoos & Body Piercing located at 47 S South Street in downtown Wilmington, Ohio (across from the Clinton County Courthouse). Chris was born in Wilmington where his grandparents on his mom's side owned a wrecking yard in Lumberton and his grandfather on his dad's side was a pastor in Clarksville before starting an antique shop in Reesville. At age 7, Chris' parents got divorced and shortly thereafter he moved with his mom to Sydney, Ohio. "I had a rough upbringing", said Chris, who at age 12 got sent to Juvenile Detention. Chris got his first tattoo at age 13 from a biker nicknamed 'Bear'. Then, at age 14, Chris dropped out of school and got a work permit to work full-time at a skating rink where he worked from ages 11 to 15 before leaving with a traveling carnival to Florida. At age 17, Chris came back to Wilmington where he, "got a girl pregnant". The two of them (along with her mother) moved to Phoenix, Arizona to live with her grandmother. By that time Chris was already covered in tattoos, so the local skating rink wouldn't hire him. Instead, he went to work for a telemarketing company selling light bulbs, household cleaner, and other items. "I had no idea I could even talk to people", said Chris. "[But] for the first time in my life I found something I was good at other than roller skating". The company recognized Chris' sales skill and promoted him to manager and then to door-to-door sales. One day, while Chris was selling to employees of a car lot, the manager of the car lot walked out, and when he found out that Chris had sold to all of his employees, he offered Chris a job on the spot. However, because Chris was still under the age of 18, he put Chris through school until Chris was old enough to sell cars. At age 19, Chris moved back to Sydney where he again could not find a job because of his age, so he became a criminal. He started robbing people and getting into alcohol. This ended with Chris being convicted of a violent felony and separating from his wife-at-the-time. When Chris got out of jail in 1999, Chris said, "I made the conscious decision that I was never going back. I was tired of hurting people." One of Chris' friends let Chris stay with him and started taking Chris to church where Chris met his now-wife, Amy. Chris saw her one day and told his friend, "that's the kind of chick I could spend the rest of my life with", to which his friend replied, "that's pastor's daughter, she's off limits." However, a month later the two were together. Chris and Amy started living in a camper at a resort where Chris got a telemarketing job, and then later relocated back to Wilmington when the company consolidated their operations. Having entrepreneurship in his blood from his grandparents, Chris eventually got the itch to start his own business and opened a thrift store. Unfortunately, this was around the time DHL left Wilmington in 2009, and people stopped spending money, so Chris started doing whatever legal thing he could to make money, including selling hot dogs, making candles, and tattooing on the side—which he had done on and off since he was a child. Eventually, Chris opened his first tattoo shop on Mulberry where State Farm currently is, and later also rented the space where The Banned Book Nook currently is in order to keep out an adult novelty store. "Since day one of opening this business I have worked to get rid of the negative stereotypes of [tattoo shops], that's why we allow kids here. We don't tattoo kids, but we allow people to bring their families. We want this to be a family thing", said Chris. Despite this, Chris later experienced some community backlash after he expressed plans to move his tattoo shop to the yellow building on the corner of Wood and Locust. According to Chris, a small group of neighbors started a 'God Hates Tattoos Club' and complained at City Council that they "didn't want those kinds of people" in their neighborhood. Ironically, Chris and Amy already lived just a few doors down from the property. Looking back, Chris views the experience as a blessing because Hope House Women's Shelter was able to use the building for a time and he was able to find the building where they are located now, which has better parking. The building was owned by Bill Marine, who Chris talked into a 5-year land contract after thieves stole the HVAC system from the roof (in broad daylight) causing $60,000 in damage. "People who worked at the courthouse told me they seen them doing it but thought they were just workers", said Chris. Since buying the building, Chris and his friends have slowly restored it to the family-focused tattoo shop he dreamed about—and Chris has even grown in his ability to make peace with the occasional community critic. Chris says two of his most meaningful tattoos are: 1) the Black Eyed Peas 'Where is the Love?' anti-discrimination symbol, and; 2) one that says "$2.40", which is all the money his dad had in his pocket when he passed away, as a constant remind for Chris to do a better job taking care of his own kids when he is gone.  Hear Chris' full story on episode #046 of our podcast on your favorite podcast player. Learn more at fb.com/FortheLoveofInkTattoosandBodyPiercing .