Eaters of Lakewood, the Public Chapter A group for people who love food and love Lakewood

If you are reading this, then I am going to assume that you either have lived, are thinking about living, or currently live in Lakewood. If this is true, then I am going to pose a really simple question to you.

Do you like food?

My guess is that you probably do. As eating is a natural part of being human and food is required to sustain life, it is pretty important that we do it. If we must eat to keep ourselves alive, we might as well enjoy it. Lucky for you, you're in Lakewood. Lakewood is a city full of restaurants, diners and eateries of every taste and flavor one can imagine. If one were to try a different restaurant in Lakewood every month, it would take years to try everything there is to enjoy here. Although this is a monumental task, there is a new group in Lakewood that plans to do just that: the Eaters of Lakewood.

Eaters of Lakewood is a group designed for anyone who enjoys food and would like to see what Lakewood has to offer. Every month, a restaurant in Lakewood is chosen and on a selected date and time, the club meets at that restaurant. This helps expose people to places in Lakewood they may never have been to or even heard about. Not only does this widen a person’s horizons from the few restaurants they normally go to, but it also gives a Lakewood restaurant the business and exposure it deserves. It also gives everyone at least one night out a month, which, in the overly hectic world we live in, is nice.

The group was originally the brain child of Brian Ritschel and Sam DeBaltzo. During finals week at Lakewood High School, they decided to walk down to Chipotle for lunch. As the two walked around Marc’s Plaza, they discussed the idea of a club for people who like to eat. This idea of an ‘eaters’ club developed and became the group it is today. As for the name of the club, Brian and Sam lovingly remark that they picked it because when they asked their friends, none of them liked it.

Once they came up with the idea of the club and had a name, Brian and Sam joined forces with teacher Joe Lobozzo, who would be their staff sponsor and advisor. After a single meeting at the school, they scheduled their first eating experience at Pacers. That first night, there were 14 participants. Despite their numbers falling to only 8 at the next gathering, Eaters of Lakewood has been a continually growing phenomenon at LHS. By the conclusion of the 2008-2009 school year, Eaters of Lakewood had had 19 events at 17 restaurants in Lakewood over three school years. At the last meeting of the school year, in May, the club had 123 in attendance. As this was Sam & Brian’s last Eaters of Lakewood event as students, they decided to end where it all began: at Pacers.

Although they have graduated and are away at college, Eaters of Lakewood has by no means come to an end. In fact, it is expanding. At the close of the school year, Brian and Sam selected three promising students to continue their club, Frank Blackman, Bob Zimmermann and Luke Fesko. Also, Eaters of Lakewood is now expanding to the city at large with a new public chapter. Now, anyone who wants to see what Lakewood has to offer and enjoy some food in the process is welcome to join the Public Chapter of Eaters of Lakewood.

Eaters of Lakewood, the Public Chapter will be holding its first event at 56 West on January 23 from 6-10 pm. A $25 dollar gift card will be raffled off and a short survey will be handed out to rate the experience. These surveys will be tallied and reported in the issue of the Lakewood Observer that follows the event. However if you do not feel like waiting that long, or would like to find out more information about Eaters of Lakewood, our upcoming events or to become a member, please visit our website at www.EatersofLakewood.com. Eaters of Lakewood is also on Facebook, Myspace and Twitter, so you can follow us in whichever way you prefer.

So, come to EOL at 56 West and try a new restaurant, get your favorite dish or try something new, while enjoying good company and supporting local business.

(56West is located at 16300 Detroit on the northwest corner of Westlake and Detroit.)