Building Local Power

A Heyday in the Toledo Life


Listen Later

Johnetta Turner McCollough and her husband, Nelson, ran The Spot, a popular restaurant on Dorr Street, Toledo, that was more than just a business—it was, well, the Spot. Known for its lively late-night gatherings and frog legs The Spot offered a unique space where people came to eat, unwind, and enjoy jazz music after the bars closed. Johnetta was only 24 when her husband Nelson was tragically killed, and soon after, their restaurant, home, and the spirit of Dorr Street were destroyed by urban renewal. Promised development turned into empty lots and minimal investment, leaving a fractured community in its wake. Reflecting on her experiences, Johnetta recalls the profound loss: "We didn't miss it until it was gone. It was a time when the people who owned the businesses were friends, neighbors, and Black. They employed Black people, and it was a good time. But we didn't realize what we had until it was taken away." Dorr Street's legacy lives on in the stories of those like Johnetta, who remember its culture, resilience, and spirit. Though the street as they knew it is gone, its impact on the community and those who lived it will never fade. For the full episode transcript and related resources, visit the episode page at ilsr.org: https://ilsr.org/articles/a-heyday-in-the-toledo-life

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Building Local PowerBy Institute for Local Self-Reliance

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

95 ratings


More shows like Building Local Power

View all
PBS News Hour - Brooks and Capehart by PBS News

PBS News Hour - Brooks and Capehart

1,222 Listeners

Reveal by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX

Reveal

8,467 Listeners

Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff by Democracy at Work, Richard D. Wolff

Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff

1,980 Listeners

Unbuffered by Institute for Local Self-Reliance

Unbuffered

28 Listeners

Scene on Radio by Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University

Scene on Radio

91 Listeners

The Strong Towns Podcast by Strong Towns

The Strong Towns Podcast

421 Listeners

Code Switch by NPR

Code Switch

14,668 Listeners

The Dig by Daniel Denvir

The Dig

1,587 Listeners

Local Energy Rules by Local Energy Rules

Local Energy Rules

47 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

112,347 Listeners

Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer by Civic Ventures

Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer

1,500 Listeners

Bad Faith by Briahna Joy Gray

Bad Faith

2,708 Listeners

The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

The Ezra Klein Show

16,327 Listeners

Volts by David Roberts

Volts

644 Listeners

The Interview by The New York Times

The Interview

1,676 Listeners

Organized Money by Rock Creek Sound

Organized Money

235 Listeners

Open Circuit by Latitude Media

Open Circuit

140 Listeners