NATO Dayton Ohio: Updates on the NATO Parliamentary Assembly on Friday, May 23

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly is in Dayton for its spring session, which is causing a lot of changes downtown. Here are things to know about Friday.

• Click here for photos from assembly activity on Friday

Downtown bakery buoyed by online sales, loyal customers

Val’s Bakery manager Delaney Harmon said that the business has continued to do well while the NATO assembly is in town, driven partly by online pre-orders and DoorDash orders.

“People really showed up online,” she said.

In general, she said that their sales have been carried by loyal customers, adding that people from the nearby apartments are still going about their days, and there is still a good amount of parking near the 25 S. St. Clair St. business.

Harmon said that protests did not appear to be deterring their customers, who said they were still planning to come down to the bakery.

She said that a few people had taken business cards to hand out to people inside the NATO village.

When asked if they expect people from the assembly to feel at home at the European-style bakery, she laughed and said “I hope so.”

She encouraged people to still come out to downtown businesses, saying the bakery’s hours are still the same through the weekend.

“Don’t be afraid to come,” she said.

Downtown pet store feeling impact of security zone

Dee Fuerst, whose daughter Mariah Barrett owns Wild Whiskers pet store at 33 S. St. Clair St., said sales and foot traffic this week have been very slow at the store.

“It’s been a negative impact as far as sales because people don’t want to come downtown,” she said. “They know something’s happening and they don’t know if they’re going to have access to the store.”

The store is near the Fire Blocks District and the NATO security area.

Wild Whiskers was open all this week and will be open on Saturday, but then will close down on Sunday and Monday, which is normal.

Fuerst said her daughter talked with her customers ahead of time about the NATO Parliamentary Assembly so they could stock up on supplies if they wished.

Fuerst noted that a pet store is probably not as likely to be patronized by NATO delegates, guests and other international visitors as other kinds of businesses, like food, beverage and dining establishments.

“Maybe they can stuff a toy in their bag,” she said.

City releases apology to residents upset by unannounced fireworks display

Fireworks lit up the night sky north of downtown Dayton on Thursday night as part of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Warning of the loud booms and explosions, however, was only given roughly 30 minutes ahead of the display’s start.

“We’re truly sorry for the inconvenience and concern this caused,” the City of Dayton’s communications team wrote in a statement Friday morning.

• Fireworks light up Dayton sky as part of NATO Parliamentary Assembly

How are downtown businesses being affected?

Martina Scott, the owner of Boss Potatoes has been in business for four years, but has been in the kitchen of the Dayton Arcade since August 2024. The location is open Tuesday through Saturday’s.

She said her specialty is potatoes, especially gourmet potatoes from cheesesteak to buffalo chicken, salmon, chicken bacon ranch to anything one can name.

“Today will be my first day experiencing in the whole NATO experience,” Scott said. “I had outside events the beginning of the week, so today I’ll be open and I’ll get to see what’s really going on.”

When asked if she believes there will be a uptick in foot traffic and sales, she said. “So, I think it’s gonna happen. We have that new hotel inside of here and a lot of them are inside of there so I know it’s gonna happen. I am excited about it, and I was just talking about it while I’m getting ready, so I’m excited to see how it’s gonna make things grow.”

She said the security zone has had plenty of impact especially with parking for people and DoorDashers, but has been encouraging people to call ahead for orders so they (Boss Potatoes) can have it ready for them, or maybe be able to run out orders to them to make it easier on everybody. She added she is trying to work around that and said she doesn’t need any more barriers.

“I would say about 70 percent of my business is pulling up,” she said.

Scott said she is not stressed about the number of people and that she’s blending in and going with it because she’s not scared or nervous. She added, “everybody loves food and everybody loves my food.”

Editor Josh Sweigart spoke with the owner and customers at Salt Block Biscuit Co. in the Fire Blocks District.

There were about four customers around 10:30 a.m. Friday. Justin Mohler, owner of the restaurant, said business is “slow.”

“The streets are dead,” he said. “Probably because of all the blockage, and people are misinformed about things. It’s very unorganized.”

“I don’t think blocking off everything was necessary,” he said, noting that roads are barricaded blocks from where NATO delegates are meeting.

“Our sales are low and I still have to pay my staff for the week,” he said.

Salt Block is open regular hours Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Most downtown Dayton businesses open during NATO: ‘Not as slow as we feared’

Credit: Natalie Jones

Chef who cooked during Bosnian Peace Accords will make a meal for Swedish delegates in Dayton

Table 33 Executive Chef Keith Taylor recalled working as a 25 year old line cook at l’Auberge in 1995 when the Dayton Peace Accords was signed — ending the war in Bosnia.

He was a part of a team that cooked for Richard Holbrooke, the chief U.S. peace negotiator who served as assistant secretary of state for European and Canadian affairs at the time, along with several other key players such as Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic, Serbian President Slobodan Milohostsevic and Croatian President Franjo Tudjman.

• Read more about Chef Keith Taylor

Credit: MICHAEL HEINZ

From our Vintage Dayton Newsletter: Dayton Peace Accords ended Bosnian war 30 years ago

The negotiations that led to an agreement on Nov. 21, 1995 at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base put an end to the atrocities of the Bosnia war, a bloody conflict that destroyed many lives and tore families apart.

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Credit: AP

NATO secretary general is coming to Dayton

NATO’s highest ranking representative is coming to Dayton as the organization’s Parliamentary Assembly officially opens its spring session Friday afternoon.

The NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, will take part in sessions Sunday and Monday, NATO announced Friday. The assembly meets in Dayton through Monday.

Rutte will address the session’s Plenary Session and participate in a question-and-answer session moderated by the assembly’s president, Marcos Perestrello, of Portugal.

• NEW DETAILS: NATO secretary general is coming to Dayton

Traffic steady among Dayton roads, highways as NATO assembly reconvenes today

Traffic is steady into Friday in downtown Dayton where road closures and detours continue as a result of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

Traffic on the Ohio Department of Transportation traffic map as of 1:35 p.m. shows no major delays or backups on the streets of Dayton.

Traffic is flowing on I-70/I-75, and I-675 lightly this afternoon.

Multiple roads are closed downtown in the NATO Village restricted area with the security perimeter in place through Tuesday.

The security perimeter includes:

Southern border: Monument Avenue closed from Main Street to Riverside Drive
Northern border: Third Street closed between North Ludlow Street and North Jefferson Street

Dayton has sign boards with detours placed at: