What Happens on July 30th?

On July 30, tickets go on sale for the Lakewood Historical Society's biennial "Come Home To Lakewood" house tour. Always a sell-out, the house tour lets us satisfy that voyeuristic tendency in all of us. (Admit it—you love walking at night when the lights are on so you can see in people's houses—we all do!) The tour will be on Sept. 9 from 1 to 6 p.m.

The inherent character of an antique home is enough reason to see the residences on this year's tour. Equally interesting, though, are two adjacent Madison Avenue commercial properties, as the current owners have interpreted their spaces to suit the needs of their businesses. David Krebs, of AoDK Architecture, and Charity D’Amato, of Chartreuse graphic design studio, spend long hours at work when in the midst of a project. Both need space that is not only functional for their work, but serves as a home away from home. You’ll be fascinated to see how both have even incorporated outdoor spaces into their offices. David took a mid-century Lawson’s store, more recently the Cat Clinic, and turned it into an open, contemporary space filled with the tools of his trade. Charity’s interior design is also contemporary, with chartreuse accents playing a major role. Both businesses have received awards for the exteriors of their buildings from the Lakewood Heritage Advisory Board. With offices like these, their employees must look forward to going to work every day!

Advanced sale tickets for the House Tour are $20 and will be available beginning July 30. Tickets may be purchased by mail, at the Oldest Stone House, or at these retail outlets: Beck Center for the Arts, 17801 Detroit Ave.; First Federal of Lakewood, 14806 Detroit Ave.; Geiger’s Clothing & Sports, 14710 Detroit Ave.; Local Girl Gallery, 16106 Detroit; Oldest Stone House, 14710 Lake Ave.; Rozi’s Wine House, 14900 Detroit Ave.; Mitchell Sotka, 19071 Old Detroit Road, Rocky River; and at V Regalo/The Desk Set, 19315 Detroit Road, Rocky River. Tour tickets and tickets for the Patron Party Saturday, Sept. 8 can be purchased online at www.lakewoodmuseumstore.com.

A limited number of tickets may be available the day of the tour at the Nicholson House for $25 each. Patron Party tickets also can be purchased by mail or at the Oldest Stone House during business hours. For more tour and benefit information, contact the Lakewood Historical Society at 216-221-7343 or go to www.lakewoodhistory.org.