Rhythm on the River Concert Series in Grand Rapids, OH

There are so many wonderful things happening throughout the summer in Grand Rapids, OH!  Among our favorite events is The Rhythm on the River Concert Series.  Every show is a different genre so you are certain to find at least one performance (if not all of them) that is sure to please.

At The Grand Kerr House, we love starting Concert Sunday with a leisurely breakfast on the front porch (Bob makes the best omelettes!), walking into town afterwards to do a little window shopping (OK, sometimes I do a lot of real shopping), grabbing a late lunch at one of the many fine Grand Rapids restaurants, meandering along the towpath (with the beautiful river views), then grabbing our chairs and settling in for the show.  What a perfect Summer Sunday!

The event is held by the Wright Pavilion on the towpath along the Maumee River.  Concerts begin at 4:00 p.m. and are FREE and open to the public.  Be sure to bring a chair or blanket, maybe even a picnic snack, then relax and enjoy the show.

In the event of inclement weather, events are moved to the Old Fire Station on Main Street.

This year's schedule is:

June 17th - DC Taylor - 50's through Today's Hits
June 24th - Toraigh - Traditional Irish Folk Music
July 1st - Bliss - Acoustic Rock/Folk
July 16th - Quartet Bernadette - Unique Blend of Jazz, Pop and Gems from the Great American Songbook
July 29th - Buddy Love and the Coconuts - 50's & 60's Rock Band
August 26th - North Coast Big Band - Jazz, Swing Music, Big Band Sound
September 9th - Ol' Creek Road - Folk Band Playing Bluegrass & Gospel
October 7th - Otsego Swing Choir & Marching Band

Hope to see you there!

You Can't Judge A Book By It's Cover - Or Can You?

Today someone called and asked if the house has had any renovations since she stayed there several years ago.  Where to begin?  On the exterior-

We had the four chimney stacks rebuilt ....

Then we had the exterior painted...

Put on a new roof...

And the porch is still a work process...

That's a lot to get done in just six months - especially when it was six winter months!  But we are so happy with how everything has come together.  Now to start working on the inside...

Welcome to Kerrent Knews!

Welcome to Kerrent Knews - The blog site for The Grand Kerr House, a Queen Anne Victorian (soon to be a B&B) located in Grand Rapids, OH.  My husband, Bob, and I purchased her last Autumn at an auction.  We did not go to the auction with the intent of bidding, let alone buying, this 8,000 square foot lady in distress. We went to see who would be crazy enough to want this home built in the 1880's that is in need of so much TLC.  Much to my surprise, it turned out to be us!

The Kerr House was owned by the same family for almost 100 years until, 40 years ago, it was purchased by Lauri and turned into a Spa and Wellness Center visited by guests from around the world.  Visitors could spend a day, a weekend, a week, or even longer at The Kerr House relaxing and rejuvenating with breakfast in bed, massages, herbal wraps, reflexology, yoga classes and more.  With the declining economy, Lauri was forced to close her doors and the home fell into the hands of a couple who purchased it (also at auction) not knowing what they wanted to do with the building but recognizing her good bones and great potential.  Unfortunately, the new owners were not able to develop a viable plan or adequate funding for the The Kerr House and it went up for auction again in 2016.  That's when Bob and I fell in love with the dream (did I mention the word "crazy" earlier?).

So here we are, six months later, with a website, a Facebook page, a blog, and a story to share.  I hope you will check in with us often to see how we are doing and what the Kerrent Knews is.  I promise to share the good, the bad and the ugly and hope that through your comments and feedback, we can return The Grand Kerr House back into the beautiful lady that she deserves to be.