Contrary to popular belief, Akron is a vibrant, changing city. National chains like Applebee's get old, but people don't always have other ideas where to hang out. Here the Visor provides you with some of the best places in Akron you might have missed.

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Boba

At first glance, Boba, the quaint café at 356 S. Main downtown, appears new and modern. But if you look closely, you can see rough edges where paint has chipped off. The hardwood floor has nicks and scratches. These are the clues that Boba is lively, exciting and even rowdy at times.

Usually the café is a nice place to relax on a couch while you sip a bubble tea. On other nights, though, you may find Boba alive with musicians or dancing.

The food seems appropriate for its offbeat energy. The most popular item is the bubble tea. This green tea has added flavoring and tapioca pearls at the bottom of the cup. The pearls have the consistency of gummy bears and make the drink exciting and a little weird. The most popular flavor of bubble tea is strawberry, but mango, hibiscus plum, honey peach, passion fruit and green apple are offered. The bubbling tea costs $2.95.

Another cool find at Boba is the gelato, which can be hard to find in Northeast Ohio. Gelato is Italian ice cream made with milk instead of cream. The flavors are berry cheesecake, rum crunch, lemon or pineapple sorbet, chocolate-covered strawberry, peanut butter, pistachio and mocha. Coffee and an array of sandwich wraps are available.

The atmosphere makes it a suitable place to lounge after work or to meet interesting people. Boba often offers live entertainment by local acts. Along with these bands comes a crowd that makes Boba a fun place.

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Revival

In the Highland Square neighborhood is a little vintage clothing shop called Revival. Most of the clothes are used, though some are new. The drawing window displays are the first sign this is an interesting place.

Inside, the decor is astonishing. On the racks hang trendy vintage fashion for men and women. Pants, shirts, jackets, shoes, purses--anything you can think of--they have it, and it never disappoints. It seems like a store spotlighted in a magazine; you'd never believe it was in Akron. It's cheap, but it's not a typical thrift store. Some clothes are new, and a few local brands sell through the store. They have Rubber City Clothing Company tees and Campfire shirts by Hoban art teacher Micah Kraus.

How about this? They sell lots of other new home products like light fixtures, glassware and some cool wooden vases. They even sell kitchenware. Revival is worth the trip to 822 W. Market St.

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The Exchange

A library of cheap music, movies and video games, the Exchange, at 657 Howe Ave., is a great way to waste time hunting down a hard-to-find album.

To the left and the right of the entrance are glass-covered cases storing tons of CDs. Browse through the different sections, find that special item, find an employee to unlock the case, and get what caught your eye. Depending on the day and the number of customers, the employee may take your purchase up front or may let you keep it until you make your way up front. It's a matter of surveillance.

Here's how the system works: DVDs and CDs are in an alphabetic order that restarts three times. First are the items above $5, then items costing exactly $5, then $2.50 items. CDs are also set in 11 genre sections--rock, rap, country, techno, soul, blues, jazz, world, reggae, classical and Christian/gospel.

Dollar CDs and DVDs are spread throughout the store in no particular order. Video games are set up much the same as the music, but the order starts at prices above $10, then again at $10, $5 and $2.50.

They sell games from Nintendo, NES, PlayStation, Sega Genesis, Sega Saturn, Nintendo 64, and many more. They also sell comic books, most for just $1.

People with turntables or record players can find an abundance of vinyl in the store that sell for as little as 50 cents. The vinyl section is sprawling with classic Beatles albums, old-school hip-hop and funk, and rare '70s rock.

This store is great, especially when you're looking for a few things and don't want to spend too much.

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Wild Saddle

The old Springfield Lake Roller Rink in Lakemore is now converted into the Wild Saddle. The establishment markets itself as "the newest dance club for young adults."

It is open to 16- to 20-year-olds from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., and plays top 40, hip-hop, techno and dance. Walking in, you immediately think of a roller rink. There's the old soggy cardboard smell, the ticket counter with the bar attached, and the stone, carpet-covered wall protecting a round, wooden roller rink. The gross bathrooms seem to be made of sandstone slopped down with off-white paint. Enough with the negatives, but wait! The security is a questionable crowd of twentysomethings who like to flex their muscle at every opportunity.

On a good night, a person is lucky to make it onto the dance floor, where everyone is participating in a group dance, somebody's battling, or the people are eager to dance. Some nights this is not the case. You have to come in with the attitude that you're going to make the place your own.

Some nights have themes, like beach party night two weeks ago. Females dressed in bathing suits were admitted free. Anyone wearing a bathing suit was given a free drink. ID is required.

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Crave

"Home away from home" is the feeling the owners of Crave, an Akron restaurant, want to convey, but they certainly don't pretend to be conventional. If a family were to live in this home, it would certainly be an eccentric one.

One dish that demonstrates this motif is the grilled cheese and tomato soup. To put a twist on this classic home dish, Crave chefs serve two soups side by side. One is a cheese soup, and the other is the tomato.

The co-owners and head chefs, Deanna Akers and Aaron Hervey, have been working together for a long time, and their teamwork shows in the dishes. Unusual combinations are the norm at Crave.

Located at 57 E. Market St. in the historic district downtown, Crave attracts a diverse crowd. Both university students and businesspersons frequent the restaurant, which accommodates both relaxed and business moods. Large, comfortable corner booths make for laid-back evenings, and window tables allow for functional work sessions while eating.

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West Point Market

One grocery store in Akron is unlike Acme or Giant Eagle. It's a store where everything is considered gourmet. This place is the renowned West Point Market, located at 1711 W. Market St.

Rick Vernon owns the Market, which has been in the Vernon family since its founding in 1936.

West Point's success is based on the unique nature and high quality of its products, imported from all over the world. The Market offers a huge selection of products in a comfortable atmosphere that features classical music, warm lighting and lots of free samples.

Stocking thousands of wines and cheeses, the West Point Market is a connoisseur's dream.

The produce section offers more than ordinary fruits and vegetables. Yucca root, anyone? Nearby is the Market's impressive section of olive oils and vinegars. Shoppers will have no problem in the meat department either, as the butcher shop carries everything from dinner sausage to premium cuts of steak. The seafood section has an ample selection of fresh fish, such as yellowfin tuna and jumbo shrimp.

The Market also has a bakery. May is the 25th anniversary of the Killer Brownie, the bakery's signature item. A customer favorite, the brownie comes in seven varieties, each with a layer of caramel and topped with powdered sugar.

The West Point's Beside the Point Café is usually bustling as it serves a variety of gourmet lunch options. Customers will find customizable salads, grilled panini sandwiches, coffees and lattes, hot and iced teas, and pastries.

Next door is Mrs. Ticklemore's Tea Room, a lounge in English fashion, where patrons can relax with a hot cup of tea and a dessert.