This was a blast to take part in! It was nice to have a BYOD (Drink) due to wine and canvas being…read moreon the rise and some people don't drink alcohol. I went with a decent size group and each one of us interpreted the painting that we had chosen a little differently. The instructor was our "guide" but not a strict coach which allowed all of us to use our creativity and make it our own. I enjoyed that the $35 price comes with all the essentials needed AND you get to take home your art. **This location also partners with a Yoga class. It's a shared space with multiple uses** One downfall I will say about this is, there are NO signs for telling you where Happy Our Art is. It was dark and rainy when we went and were only able to find the place because one of the ladies going the event had already arrived. We were guided by "Look for the sign that says Unwinding". I would certainly do this again! The class was fun, the instructor was friendly, and the space was perfect for a medium sized group.

I went to Happy Our Art for a work event. It was a nice event where we all painted together and was…read moreable to listen to music and talk. The instructor was very nice and guided us through the art piece and helped the beginners that had several questions. Happy Our Art is beautifully decorated. The art pieces are hanging with different designs for maybe the next piece you make. The website gives a calendar of the different pieces so you can know ahead of time. (Perfect for people like me that can choose ahead of time and go if they are doing something that I find cool.) Again, as mentioned, the staff was very helpful and responded quickly to email and any questions we had before our work event. The only concern I have is the location. It is really hard to find. Go on Main Street. Turn onto 9th Street and off 9th Street turn left onto Holiday Terrace. Look for Unwindings sign and it is in the basement of Unwindings. Overall: I will give them 4 stars. The cost is a little high but it is a fun event and could be good for date night or work events. The location is hard to find but now that I know. Next time I go, I won't get lost!

avolio is primarily a teaching facility. They do have a small shop with completed artworks for…read moresale, which was very nice. But I was very impressed with the teaching program they offer. I'm hoping I get back to Kalamazoo sometime in the next year so to take advantage of some refresher instruction and studio time.

These guys are the best! If you've joined a local mug club in which hand blown glasses are the…read moredrinking vessels, chances are its an Avolio masterpiece. They make the loveliest small, swirled glass cups for the art hops that they sell for only $10 including a wine or beer fill. We are building up a lovely collection. They also carry Christmas ornaments, vases, fishes, and more. Masters of their craft!

This was such a fun experience! We took the whole family and there was something for everyone. We…read morewere all nervous at first but the staff was super helpful and encouraging. We will for sure be back!

Very clean, quick check in and helpful staff. The kids had fun. Two hours was plenty.read more

Such great kind and knowledgeable owners -- and staff! I came in with so many technical questions…read more(I'm a beginner) and they helped me every step of the way! I left there feeling very confident and have already finished a few lovely projects! I couldn't have done it with out them! I'm so glad they are apart of our community and hope they stay for a VERY long time!! I would also like to mention they have a great selection of different kinds of yarn! The pricing is very reasonable!!

The overuse of AI generated images and text in their emails, social media and marketing is enough…read moreto put me off ever stepping foot in this store ever again. I am curious to know what the owners of The Bear and Fox DON'T use AI for, because they take AI use to an entirely new level and it really just comes across as lazy and unprofessional. Why should I spend my hard earned money at a business that is too lazy to invest in their own business by hiring a graphic designer for their logo, or at the very least spend a few minutes in an editing program to make a flier that is not visually abhorrent? Why should I go out of my way to shop local when this business is so lazy and cares so little that they need AI to regurgitate word salad for their emails and social media posts? Why even bother owning a business that is specifically catered to crafts if you are going to outsource every creative aspect to a robot? The AI is getting so exhausting. It is EVERYWHERE and it is a punch in the gut to see a business built around human creativity and handmade crafts use this kind of technology, despite the environmental impact and the theft that takes place to train AI models. I cannot speak for everyone, but fiber arts is my escape from being bombarded by AI and the need to be hyper-vigilant of what is real and what is fabricated. The incessant AI is just more than I am willing to tolerate tainting my hobby. I don't own a business, I am sure it is so much harder than it looks and I am sure the owners are just trying their best with the tools they have at their disposal. However, no amount of business optimization and time saving is worth what AI is doing to the planet, the fiber arts community and the communities living in areas where data centers are being built.

Honestly such a fun and beautiful place! The arcade is super spacious and I really loved that it…read morehas an entrance connected to the mall, which makes it so convenient. They have sooo many fun activities and games, axe throwing, bowling, go-karts, a restaurant, and a huge variety of exciting arcade games. The whole place feels modern, lively, and really well designed. I genuinely loved the experience, and I feel like having a place like this in Kalamazoo/Portage area is such a nice upgrade for the city. It adds something fresh and entertaining that we really needed. Definitely one of the most enjoyable spots I've visited lately, and I will absolutely be coming back again!

I was really excited to bring my granddaughter here a couple of weeks ago…read more We walked in and there was no one in front of us, so we were first in line. We stood there watching two of the three employees helping others, so I approached the third employee at the counter. I explained it was our first time and asked if she could help us. Evidently that was not her job, but instead of explaining that, she said we had to "get back in line." Umm, at this point other people had gotten in line, but we were not asked to go back to the front. We were expected to go back to the end, evidently. We simply left, and I emailed this company what happened while driving a go-kart with my granddaughter at Airway. They didn't bother to answer.

My wife and I went to see the Chicago show here and had a fantastic time. The seats were…read morecomfortable and the staff were all friendly and helpful. Overall we had a great time.

I've spent the last several years seeing shows at DeVos Performance Hall in Grand Rapids and I have…read moreto say I think we're a bit spoiled. They've done some renovations which have made the experience there better. Miller Auditorium could definitely use some polishing! It's a bit drab inside and feels like a high school auditorium to me. We recently attended Cats the musical there and enjoyed the performance, but there's room for improvement at the theatre. The main lobby/concourse area is super crowded and packed. Everything is on top of each other - bathroom lines, concession counter lines, coat check lines, merchandise counter lines, and box office lines - all squished into one narrow space. It has terrible flow and makes for a cramped experience. The women's restroom line was very long even when they announced the other bathroom upstairs. The restroom also has a big carpeted lounge area that seems like wasted space. There were also zero security measures in place - they weren't even checking tickets at the main entrance doors (they did check them right before you entered the actual auditorium). No metal detectors or checking of bags - something I'm just so used to at DeVos. It would be more secure and feel a bit safer to me with those measures in place. Our seats were off to the aisle side of the orchestra level. We had a pretty decent viewpoint, but I was very distracted by the ushers who were playing phone police and intercepting anyone taking photos or videos during the performance. That's totally understandable, but it was annoying when one of them rushed down our row in front of us to the middle of the section right during one of the quiet ballads. I think there should be a clearer announcement at the beginning of the performance, rather than being disruptive to other guests during the show. I would come back in the future if there's a show that I really want to see that's not in GR, but it's not the best theatre experience I've had.

I am deeply disappointed by my recent experience at the Civic Auditorium. What was once a…read morerespected, community-focused venue has unfortunately declined--largely due to the behavior of its staff and ushers. The staff were rude and unprofessional, and shockingly unaccommodating toward children. This was especially upsetting given that we were attending a production specifically geared toward families and kids, Annie. Instead of being welcoming or patient, the usher we encountered was dismissive and unfriendly, making it very clear that children and teens are not truly welcome here. This venue is no longer family-friendly, despite advertising family-oriented productions. If you're bringing kids or teens, be prepared for an environment that feels rigid, uninviting, and uncomfortable. What makes this even more disappointing is my long history with the Civic. My family has donated large sums of money (we could have bought a couple homes with the amount we've donated) over the past 30 years because we believed in its mission and its role in the community. Sadly, after this experience, we will no longer be supporting it. The Civic is simply not what it once was. If you're looking for a welcoming, inclusive place to enjoy theater with your family, I strongly recommend looking elsewhere. Do not take your family to the Civic!

The ciivic theatre is a great place to support the local arts. The venue is decent size and the…read moreseating is great for a perfect view of the stage. The plays are well done. If you haven't been, go! The tickets are reasonable.

This is the new WMU School of Art and gallery (museum quality) space. Wonderful collections of…read moreprofessional and student work -- free admission. It is a very nice contemporary example of architecture, also check out the new school of art facilities toward the back side of the building -- it is nice to have cutting edge fine arts facility in Kalamazoo. Check out the opening schedule for special events and artist lecture series.