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The Village of Paw Paw
The Village of Paw Paw has been around for a long time. The economy has traditionally been agricultural although it has become more of a bedroom community. There is still quite a bit of farming and processing (Coca Cola and Musselman's in Paw Paw and Welch's Grape Products in Lawton) but many residents commute to work in Kalamazoo these days. |
There isn't much nightlife so extracurricular activities at the high school are well attended. |
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Paw Paw has always been a summer destination, mostly for Chicagoans, and the population is much larger June-August, especially on the weekends. |
Wineries - There are a couple wineries left, St. Julien and Warner's . Their products are drinkable. They offer tours and have some dining areas that are somewhat charming. |
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Produce - Most of the grapes in the area are concords, i.e. for grape juice and Mogan David wine. They are harvested in September. (The Village hosts a Grape and Wine Festival in September.)
There is asparagus in the Spring and strawberries, cherries, blueberries, peaches, apples, tomatoes and melons in the Summer. Most of the local produce stands are just outside town in either direction. |
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Movies - The Strand Theatre is open every Friday and Saturday night. They have no Internet presence and their telephone really dials. Occassionally they take a walk on the wild side and open Thursdays as well. Featured films are generally those just prior to their DVD release. Nothing ever "opens" at the Strand. What they display on the marquee is generally correct. Everything else is suspect.
There are also a couple places that rent videos. The Movie Gallery and Family Fare Supermarket. They are both on M-40, on the way to I-94. |
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| Restaurants - There are three fairly decent restaurants in town. LaCantina has been in town forever and run by one of the prominent Italian families. The food is good but maybe a bit pricey. Dining on their deck overlooking the river is spectacular. They are in town next to where the river crosses Red Arrow Highway. Bistro 120 is two blocks away. The food is great and the portion values are good. The food is a little more imaginative with a little Michigan flair. They also have outdoor dining but, no river and they are closed Sundays. Kevin's, A Tavern on the River , is part of Warner Vineyards. They have river dining and a very quaint facility. I've never been there but have heard good things. |
Antiques - There aren't any good antique shops. Most dealers sell their wares from their barns. You will see several signs identifying antique dealers as you cruise the country roads.
Shopping - There is one fairly good grocery store in town. Family Fare Supermarket is at the intersection of M-40 and I-94, about a mile south of the town's center. The aisles are wide and the store is bright. For non-grocery items, you have to go elsewhere (like Kalamazoo) to do any serious shopping. There is a brand spanking new Tractor Supply store on the other side of I-94 and there is some discussion about a WalMart in the same area. I'm not sure that is an improvement. |
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