Lee Chilcote
This summer, the St. Clair Superior Development Corporation launched an initiative called "Retail Ready" with the objective of filling a slew of vacant storefronts along St. Clair Avenue. In partnership with local landlords, they offered enticements such as reduced rent, free buildout and marketing support. The goal was to create a "big bang" effect in which a number of shops opened simultaneously, bringing new life to this historic street.
Although the project has taken longer than anticipated, it has sparked a lot of fresh interest in the area, says St. Clair Superior Executive Director Michael Fleming. The faded strip also recently celebrated a new tenant, Nx Dance Studio, which opened its doors on Sunday with a room full of line dancers and music spilling out into the street. Three additional retailers are expected to open early next year.
Now, thanks to a $25,375 grant awarded by Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, St. Clair Superior is gearing up for a major public art project this summer that will beautify the street between E. 62nd and Addison. "Hope-Sketch: St. Clair Avenue Reimagined" will create large-scale public art with community input.
"We've always known that a major component to the 'pop-up neighborhood' would be public art," Fleming says. "Hope-Sketch will involve neighborhood residents and businesses in working with an artist to put together ideas as to what their hopes are for the neighborhood. Then they'll create a temporary art installation for one weekend and the whole street will come alive. Afterwards, a professional design firm, Agnes Studio, will distill the concepts into permanent public art."
Hope-Sketch will be completed in summer of 2013. In February, St. Clair Superior is also planning to celebrate kurentovanje, a Slovenian carnival event that is based on Pagan tradition. By then, Fleming hopes that new retailers such as an art gallery, coffeeshop and bakery will be open, with more on the way.
Source: Michael Fleming
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Although the project has taken longer than anticipated, it has sparked a lot of fresh interest in the area, says St. Clair Superior Executive Director Michael Fleming. The faded strip also recently celebrated a new tenant, Nx Dance Studio, which opened its doors on Sunday with a room full of line dancers and music spilling out into the street. Three additional retailers are expected to open early next year.
Now, thanks to a $25,375 grant awarded by Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, St. Clair Superior is gearing up for a major public art project this summer that will beautify the street between E. 62nd and Addison. "Hope-Sketch: St. Clair Avenue Reimagined" will create large-scale public art with community input.
"We've always known that a major component to the 'pop-up neighborhood' would be public art," Fleming says. "Hope-Sketch will involve neighborhood residents and businesses in working with an artist to put together ideas as to what their hopes are for the neighborhood. Then they'll create a temporary art installation for one weekend and the whole street will come alive. Afterwards, a professional design firm, Agnes Studio, will distill the concepts into permanent public art."
Hope-Sketch will be completed in summer of 2013. In February, St. Clair Superior is also planning to celebrate kurentovanje, a Slovenian carnival event that is based on Pagan tradition. By then, Fleming hopes that new retailers such as an art gallery, coffeeshop and bakery will be open, with more on the way.
Source: Michael Fleming
Writer: Lee Chilcote
It's a match made in culinary heaven, to be certain. Bursting at the seams of their respective home-based kitchens, an artisan cookie maker and a scratch baker have joined forces to open a cozy bakeshop and catering kitchen at 4261 Mayfield in South Euclid.
"It's busier than I expected -- we've got nice foot traffic and neighborhood traffic," says Bob Sferra, owner of the full-service catering company Culinary Occasions, who partnered with Christine Mehling of Better Bit of Butter Cookies to open the Better Occasions Shop. Sferra, who got his start under famed Cleveland chef Parker Bosley, has studied French pastry arts and sources many ingredients locally.
Mehling is known for her creative, artisan cookies, including the cranberry-coconut with lemon glaze and apricot-cashew with lime glaze. She uses only natural products, including real butter and eggs from free-range chickens.
Sferra's business is up about 20 percent from last year, something he attributes to his growing referral-based business and the storefront. "The front is nice. It opens up the conversation to someone wanting to cater a party for the holidays," he says, adding that the shop is "somewhere in between homey and a little bit hip."
Adds Sferra: "When you take butter, eggs, sugar, chocolate and dried fruit and make something without adding any junk… For me, it’s almost like when I was a kid growing up in an Italian family. It’s just good. It’s good and it’s uncomplicated."
The Better Occasions Shop is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Source: Bob Sferra
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"It's busier than I expected -- we've got nice foot traffic and neighborhood traffic," says Bob Sferra, owner of the full-service catering company Culinary Occasions, who partnered with Christine Mehling of Better Bit of Butter Cookies to open the Better Occasions Shop. Sferra, who got his start under famed Cleveland chef Parker Bosley, has studied French pastry arts and sources many ingredients locally.
Mehling is known for her creative, artisan cookies, including the cranberry-coconut with lemon glaze and apricot-cashew with lime glaze. She uses only natural products, including real butter and eggs from free-range chickens.
Sferra's business is up about 20 percent from last year, something he attributes to his growing referral-based business and the storefront. "The front is nice. It opens up the conversation to someone wanting to cater a party for the holidays," he says, adding that the shop is "somewhere in between homey and a little bit hip."
Adds Sferra: "When you take butter, eggs, sugar, chocolate and dried fruit and make something without adding any junk… For me, it’s almost like when I was a kid growing up in an Italian family. It’s just good. It’s good and it’s uncomplicated."
The Better Occasions Shop is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Source: Bob Sferra
Writer: Lee Chilcote
To be truly successful at neighborhood redevelopment, CDCs must change how they do business, says Joel Ratner, president of Neighborhood Progress Inc. They must adopt a holistic strategy that combines bricks-and-mortar development with high-performing schools, social services, and other amenities that residents need and want.
Since Eddie 'n Eddie opened its doors in downtown Lakewood, the place has been jamming, a testament to the growing foodie culture that has sprung up in the heart of this inner-ring suburb.
"With all of the restaurants here like Deagan's, Melt, and the Beer Engine, downtown Lakewood is really becoming a destination," says co-owner Eddie Cerino Jr., who created the restaurant along with his father, Eddie Cerino Sr. "It's not just locals. People are coming in from the 'burbs, and that's a great thing."
Eddie 'n Eddie is described as Americana-style food with Southern flair. Propping up the tag line "burgers, bourbon and apple pie" is a menu of prime and choice cut ground beef burgers, an extensive list of handpicked bourbons, and apple pies baked from scratch using the family's recipe.
"This is a concept that I have always wanted to open, inspired by a couple of restaurants in New York City," says Eddie Jr., who also owns Eddie's Pizzeria Cerino in Seven Hills. "I saw how big and hot bourbon was at these places."
At Eddie 'n Eddie, bourbon isn't simply on the menu -- it is soaked deep into it. The apple pies, desserts and sauces all have a touch of Wild Turkey. "It's gonna add that distinct caramel sweetness to it -- that's why it makes a fantastic barbeque sauce," says Eddie Jr. "When we do pecan pie, we do a bourbon glaze with it, and that light cream sauce really complements the pie."
Cerino is excited for World of Beers to open a franchise next door in February. The venue allows patrons to carry in food from other establishments. With Eddie 'n Eddie right next door, Cerino is chomping at the bit for a piece of the action.
Source: Eddie Cerino Jr.
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"With all of the restaurants here like Deagan's, Melt, and the Beer Engine, downtown Lakewood is really becoming a destination," says co-owner Eddie Cerino Jr., who created the restaurant along with his father, Eddie Cerino Sr. "It's not just locals. People are coming in from the 'burbs, and that's a great thing."
Eddie 'n Eddie is described as Americana-style food with Southern flair. Propping up the tag line "burgers, bourbon and apple pie" is a menu of prime and choice cut ground beef burgers, an extensive list of handpicked bourbons, and apple pies baked from scratch using the family's recipe.
"This is a concept that I have always wanted to open, inspired by a couple of restaurants in New York City," says Eddie Jr., who also owns Eddie's Pizzeria Cerino in Seven Hills. "I saw how big and hot bourbon was at these places."
At Eddie 'n Eddie, bourbon isn't simply on the menu -- it is soaked deep into it. The apple pies, desserts and sauces all have a touch of Wild Turkey. "It's gonna add that distinct caramel sweetness to it -- that's why it makes a fantastic barbeque sauce," says Eddie Jr. "When we do pecan pie, we do a bourbon glaze with it, and that light cream sauce really complements the pie."
Cerino is excited for World of Beers to open a franchise next door in February. The venue allows patrons to carry in food from other establishments. With Eddie 'n Eddie right next door, Cerino is chomping at the bit for a piece of the action.
Source: Eddie Cerino Jr.
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Caley Coleff first began collecting vintage furniture from flea markets with her grandfather when she was a little girl. Once the furniture was home, she'd watch her grandfather refinish it, absorbing his techniques even when he thought she wasn't paying attention.
This month, Coleff unveiled a vintage store that pays tribute to those early experiences while adding her own unique twist. Located at 11102 Detroit Avenue in Cudell, Heck's Revival is named after her grandfather, whose last name was Heck.
"I started doing stuff from my home because you can't afford nice, well-made furniture anymore," she explains. "If you buy something it's the cheapo [stuff] that falls apart. I had a lot, so I started doing custom orders and selling to friends. I never realized I was actually good at it, I was just making stuff that I liked."
Then Coleff met her business partner, Jill Krznaric ("It's Croatian, even though I'm not"), and a business idea was born. Krznaric is into retro items like old barstools, while Coleff likes to take French Provincial furniture and paint it with cool designs. Together, they found a space with hardwood floors that they liked and signed a lease.
"A lot of our stuff comes out of the trash," says Coleff, who is 26 years old and also tends bar. "It's beat up and broken and people think it's out of style. We stain it, prime it and put it back together. Then I paint it with cool colors and designs."
The most expensive item in Heck's Revival is a $400 dresser that Coleff painted with a white background and a black outline of Marilyn Monroe's face. The least expensive items are old retro kitchen stuff that sell for a buck apiece.
"As new as we are, I thought it would have taken a lot longer to pick up. We've been doing really, really well," effuses Coleff, who aims to create a younger, more accessible kind of vintage retailer. "People like it enough to tell their friends."
Heck's Revival, which opened in mid-November, has regular hours on Mondays from 12-7 p.m., Wednesdays-Fridays from 12-5 p.m. and Saturdays from 12-4 p.m.
Source: Caley Coleff
Writer: Lee Chilcote
This month, Coleff unveiled a vintage store that pays tribute to those early experiences while adding her own unique twist. Located at 11102 Detroit Avenue in Cudell, Heck's Revival is named after her grandfather, whose last name was Heck.
"I started doing stuff from my home because you can't afford nice, well-made furniture anymore," she explains. "If you buy something it's the cheapo [stuff] that falls apart. I had a lot, so I started doing custom orders and selling to friends. I never realized I was actually good at it, I was just making stuff that I liked."
Then Coleff met her business partner, Jill Krznaric ("It's Croatian, even though I'm not"), and a business idea was born. Krznaric is into retro items like old barstools, while Coleff likes to take French Provincial furniture and paint it with cool designs. Together, they found a space with hardwood floors that they liked and signed a lease.
"A lot of our stuff comes out of the trash," says Coleff, who is 26 years old and also tends bar. "It's beat up and broken and people think it's out of style. We stain it, prime it and put it back together. Then I paint it with cool colors and designs."
The most expensive item in Heck's Revival is a $400 dresser that Coleff painted with a white background and a black outline of Marilyn Monroe's face. The least expensive items are old retro kitchen stuff that sell for a buck apiece.
"As new as we are, I thought it would have taken a lot longer to pick up. We've been doing really, really well," effuses Coleff, who aims to create a younger, more accessible kind of vintage retailer. "People like it enough to tell their friends."
Heck's Revival, which opened in mid-November, has regular hours on Mondays from 12-7 p.m., Wednesdays-Fridays from 12-5 p.m. and Saturdays from 12-4 p.m.
Source: Caley Coleff
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Doug Katz, chef-owner of the popular Fire Food and Drink at Shaker Square, has purchased the defunct diners on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights and plans to use them as home base for his growing catering operation and open a funky, artisanal deli.
"It's a perfect catering kitchen," says Katz of the 3,000 square foot kitchen in the rear of the diner cars. "In one of the diner cars, I'm going to create a Fire-quality diner that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. In the other one, I'm going to create a space people can use for a catered function."
Katz, who lives in Cleveland Heights, fell in love with the diners 10 years ago when one of his neighbors, Big Fun owner Steve Presser, bought them in Maryland and New Jersey and then opened Dottie's Diner and Sweet City Diner. Although the project was unsuccessful, Katz hopes to realize some of Presser's original vision.
"We want to do something that the neighborhood really could use," he says. "The location is just sort of sleeping right now. The Bottlehouse is there. We're going to create a little district for ourselves and extend the Cedar-Lee District north."
The yet-to-be-named diner will offer egg dishes, locally roasted coffee, housemade baked goods that may include sticky buns and donuts, and classic diner items like hot and cold sandwiches, soups and salads that can be ordered in or made to go.
"This will not be the dollar-ninety-nine, blue plate special diner," he says, citing prices in the $10-15 range for main dishes. "It's going to be all about supporting local farmers and offering people the kind of diner experience I can be proud of."
Katz will also offer deli trays for parties. "We're going to do it in a really awesome house-made way," he says. "If we do a club sandwich, we'll make our own bacon."
Katz is shooting for a March opening.
Source: Doug Katz
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"It's a perfect catering kitchen," says Katz of the 3,000 square foot kitchen in the rear of the diner cars. "In one of the diner cars, I'm going to create a Fire-quality diner that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. In the other one, I'm going to create a space people can use for a catered function."
Katz, who lives in Cleveland Heights, fell in love with the diners 10 years ago when one of his neighbors, Big Fun owner Steve Presser, bought them in Maryland and New Jersey and then opened Dottie's Diner and Sweet City Diner. Although the project was unsuccessful, Katz hopes to realize some of Presser's original vision.
"We want to do something that the neighborhood really could use," he says. "The location is just sort of sleeping right now. The Bottlehouse is there. We're going to create a little district for ourselves and extend the Cedar-Lee District north."
The yet-to-be-named diner will offer egg dishes, locally roasted coffee, housemade baked goods that may include sticky buns and donuts, and classic diner items like hot and cold sandwiches, soups and salads that can be ordered in or made to go.
"This will not be the dollar-ninety-nine, blue plate special diner," he says, citing prices in the $10-15 range for main dishes. "It's going to be all about supporting local farmers and offering people the kind of diner experience I can be proud of."
Katz will also offer deli trays for parties. "We're going to do it in a really awesome house-made way," he says. "If we do a club sandwich, we'll make our own bacon."
Katz is shooting for a March opening.
Source: Doug Katz
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The iconic Sammy's Restaurant reigned over the Flats during the entertainment district's erstwhile heyday from 1980 through 2000. Now the venue is making a comeback in a new, transformed location at PlayhouseSquare that is set to open in December.
"We've always been restauranteurs at heart, and we wanted to get back to our roots," says Dena DiOrio of Sammy's, which has focused on catering and facility management for the past decade. "We're excited to bring more energy to a neighborhood that's really thriving."
The opportunity presented itself when the previous tenant, Star Restaurant, closed earlier this year. Sammy's is the caterer for PlayhouseSquare, so the choice was a logical one. The restaurant is being completely redesigned, DiOrio says.
"It will be a completely different storefront," she says. "You'll be able to see through the restaurant to the back wall, which was previously closed in. We're replacing it with a glass wall so visitors can see into the Ohio Theatre lobby."
The restaurant also will have a new entrance off Euclid Avenue, as well as a new layout with a "salon" in the front, bar in the middle and seating area in the back.
DiOrio says that Sammy's aim is to capitalize on PlayhouseSquare's identity as a 24/7 neighborhood and entertainment district whose vitality is fueled by its historic theatres. "We want to make it a destination restaurant."
Sammy's owner Denise Marie Fugo, who is DiOrio's mother, says that the new restaurant will perfectly blend the family's trifecta of experience in restaurants, catering and event management. "Most customers want us to do some kind of concession and banquet management. But we're restaurant people first."
The menu will feature modern American cuisine -- a mixture of small plates, classic Sammy's entrees and new signature entrees. Drink offerings include artisanal wines, microbrews, handcrafted spirits and signature cocktails.
Sammy's at PlayhouseSquare will be located at 1515 Euclid Avenue.
Source: Dena DiOrio
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"We've always been restauranteurs at heart, and we wanted to get back to our roots," says Dena DiOrio of Sammy's, which has focused on catering and facility management for the past decade. "We're excited to bring more energy to a neighborhood that's really thriving."
The opportunity presented itself when the previous tenant, Star Restaurant, closed earlier this year. Sammy's is the caterer for PlayhouseSquare, so the choice was a logical one. The restaurant is being completely redesigned, DiOrio says.
"It will be a completely different storefront," she says. "You'll be able to see through the restaurant to the back wall, which was previously closed in. We're replacing it with a glass wall so visitors can see into the Ohio Theatre lobby."
The restaurant also will have a new entrance off Euclid Avenue, as well as a new layout with a "salon" in the front, bar in the middle and seating area in the back.
DiOrio says that Sammy's aim is to capitalize on PlayhouseSquare's identity as a 24/7 neighborhood and entertainment district whose vitality is fueled by its historic theatres. "We want to make it a destination restaurant."
Sammy's owner Denise Marie Fugo, who is DiOrio's mother, says that the new restaurant will perfectly blend the family's trifecta of experience in restaurants, catering and event management. "Most customers want us to do some kind of concession and banquet management. But we're restaurant people first."
The menu will feature modern American cuisine -- a mixture of small plates, classic Sammy's entrees and new signature entrees. Drink offerings include artisanal wines, microbrews, handcrafted spirits and signature cocktails.
Sammy's at PlayhouseSquare will be located at 1515 Euclid Avenue.
Source: Dena DiOrio
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Last summer, leaders of the Flats Forward initiative assembled a diverse group of area stakeholders and sent them in a boat down the Cuyahoga River to talk about how they could solve their problems together.
If ever a vivid metaphor was needed, the experience provided one. "It was the first time that people from Cargill Salt were able to talk to people from the bike community in a real, honest, transparent way," says Dan Moulthrop of the Civic Commons, which helped to facilitate the event. "This was not a meeting up on the 24th floor somewhere."
The boat ride was part of an inclusive process designed to spur the revitalization of the Flats Corridor. For years, Cleveland's historic birthplace lacked an effective advocate. Now, after more than a year of work, a new group has formed.
Flats Forward Inc., Cleveland's newest community development corporation, will oversee the redevelopment of the Flats District. The group has a diverse board of stakeholders and a search is underway for an Executive Director. The group is currently housed within the offices of the Cleveland-Cuyahoga Port Authority.
At a recent meeting, Flats Forward representatives touted the East Bank project, the Port Authority's stewardship of the lake and river, the steadily advancing Towpath Trail and Rivergate Park as signs of positive progress in the area.
"When I got here, I was immediately drawn to the Flats and the industrial river valley, and I knew that the Port would get involved," said William Friedman, CEO of the Port Authority, of his organization's commitment to the Flats. "This is one of the most unique maritime environments in the world, and we can tap into that."
Source: Dan Moulthrop, William Friedman
Writer: Lee Chilcote
If ever a vivid metaphor was needed, the experience provided one. "It was the first time that people from Cargill Salt were able to talk to people from the bike community in a real, honest, transparent way," says Dan Moulthrop of the Civic Commons, which helped to facilitate the event. "This was not a meeting up on the 24th floor somewhere."
The boat ride was part of an inclusive process designed to spur the revitalization of the Flats Corridor. For years, Cleveland's historic birthplace lacked an effective advocate. Now, after more than a year of work, a new group has formed.
Flats Forward Inc., Cleveland's newest community development corporation, will oversee the redevelopment of the Flats District. The group has a diverse board of stakeholders and a search is underway for an Executive Director. The group is currently housed within the offices of the Cleveland-Cuyahoga Port Authority.
At a recent meeting, Flats Forward representatives touted the East Bank project, the Port Authority's stewardship of the lake and river, the steadily advancing Towpath Trail and Rivergate Park as signs of positive progress in the area.
"When I got here, I was immediately drawn to the Flats and the industrial river valley, and I knew that the Port would get involved," said William Friedman, CEO of the Port Authority, of his organization's commitment to the Flats. "This is one of the most unique maritime environments in the world, and we can tap into that."
Source: Dan Moulthrop, William Friedman
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The Cleveland-based developer The Foran Group has announced plans to convert a pair of historic buildings on W. 25th Street in Ohio City into 70 market-rate apartments. The game-changing project, in the works for several years, is the first big new housing project to get off the ground here since the Great Recession.
Positioned between the success of Ohio City's Market District and the popular Stonebridge apartment, office and condo complex, the new West 25th Street Lofts will bring fresh life and vibrancy to a critical dead zone in the heart of Ohio City.
"There is huge demand; we estimate that occupancy will be 93 to 97 percent," says Rick Foran of The Foran Group, who has partnered with developer Christopher Smythe to complete the project. "We're closing the gap between the established Ohio City area, Stonebridge and the Warehouse District."
The project, located at the corner of West 25th and Church, incorporates both the historic Baehr Brewing Company building and the former Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority on Church. It will include first floor garage parking, an interior courtyard that offers outdoor space, and 9,000 square feet of commercial space.
The Baehr Brewing Company, a two-story brick building that dates back to the 1870s -- and once housed horse stables, a powerhouse and a saloon -- will be completely restored on the exterior to federal historic standards.
Inside the buildings, existing historic features will be reincorporated into the apartments. For instance, the former CMHA building features a wood ceiling and iron girders, and these elements will soon become design accents in the suites.
Getting to this point wasn't easy. The project has complex, layer-cake financing from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), state and federal historic tax credits, and Cleveland's Vacant Property Initiative.
Foran expects to close on his HUD financing early next year, start construction immediately afterwards, and begin moving renters into suites by May 2014.
Foran hopes the project will prove catalytic for the neighborhood. Over the long term, a major new park is being planned on the hillside that slopes down to the Cuyahoga River from W. 25th -- an amenity for residents and the entire city.
Source: Rick Foran
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Positioned between the success of Ohio City's Market District and the popular Stonebridge apartment, office and condo complex, the new West 25th Street Lofts will bring fresh life and vibrancy to a critical dead zone in the heart of Ohio City.
"There is huge demand; we estimate that occupancy will be 93 to 97 percent," says Rick Foran of The Foran Group, who has partnered with developer Christopher Smythe to complete the project. "We're closing the gap between the established Ohio City area, Stonebridge and the Warehouse District."
The project, located at the corner of West 25th and Church, incorporates both the historic Baehr Brewing Company building and the former Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority on Church. It will include first floor garage parking, an interior courtyard that offers outdoor space, and 9,000 square feet of commercial space.
The Baehr Brewing Company, a two-story brick building that dates back to the 1870s -- and once housed horse stables, a powerhouse and a saloon -- will be completely restored on the exterior to federal historic standards.
Inside the buildings, existing historic features will be reincorporated into the apartments. For instance, the former CMHA building features a wood ceiling and iron girders, and these elements will soon become design accents in the suites.
Getting to this point wasn't easy. The project has complex, layer-cake financing from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), state and federal historic tax credits, and Cleveland's Vacant Property Initiative.
Foran expects to close on his HUD financing early next year, start construction immediately afterwards, and begin moving renters into suites by May 2014.
Foran hopes the project will prove catalytic for the neighborhood. Over the long term, a major new park is being planned on the hillside that slopes down to the Cuyahoga River from W. 25th -- an amenity for residents and the entire city.
Source: Rick Foran
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Doug Katz, chef-owner of Fire Food and Drink at Shaker Square, has partnered with Bon Appetit Management Company to open Provenance, a new restaurant and cafe at the Cleveland Museum of Art that blends locally sourced food with world cuisine.
"The name is so perfect for what I'm trying to create here," says Katz. The word provenance refers to the history of the ownership of an object. "We want to know where our food comes from just as the museum knows the lineage of its art, where it comes from and its authenticity."
Katz, whom museum head David Franklin calls CMA's "curator of food," says that Provenance actually is two venues in one. The 200-seat cafe offers quick service, while the 76-seat restaurant next door is a fine-dining establishment. Yet both offer made-to-order items carefully orchestrated by the celebrated chef.
The restaurant offers a limited menu of seven items emphasizing world cuisine. For instance, in tandem with CMA's exhibition "Wari: Lord of the Ancient Andes," Katz has designed a three-course prix fixe menu of Peruvian dishes. The cafe features world cuisine as well, but with a decidedly local flair. Right now, for example, visitors can order a Moroccan skewer platter with autumn vegetables. The chef makes a concerted effort to source much of his produce from area farmers.
The pastries are made from scratch by Luna Bakery, and Rising Star provides the coffee. "We're able to do all these things fresh, yet also support local businesses."
When asked about the source of his inspiration, Katz says, "We want it to be the quality of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, or of some European cafe somewhere. Yet I don't think there's a concept like this anywhere, to be honest."
The cafe's sleekly designed interior is attractive, but likely the best seats are at the tables near the museum's vast new atrium. "It's like a town center in University Circle. To see it come alive, it's such a great community spot."
Source: Doug Katz
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"The name is so perfect for what I'm trying to create here," says Katz. The word provenance refers to the history of the ownership of an object. "We want to know where our food comes from just as the museum knows the lineage of its art, where it comes from and its authenticity."
Katz, whom museum head David Franklin calls CMA's "curator of food," says that Provenance actually is two venues in one. The 200-seat cafe offers quick service, while the 76-seat restaurant next door is a fine-dining establishment. Yet both offer made-to-order items carefully orchestrated by the celebrated chef.
The restaurant offers a limited menu of seven items emphasizing world cuisine. For instance, in tandem with CMA's exhibition "Wari: Lord of the Ancient Andes," Katz has designed a three-course prix fixe menu of Peruvian dishes. The cafe features world cuisine as well, but with a decidedly local flair. Right now, for example, visitors can order a Moroccan skewer platter with autumn vegetables. The chef makes a concerted effort to source much of his produce from area farmers.
The pastries are made from scratch by Luna Bakery, and Rising Star provides the coffee. "We're able to do all these things fresh, yet also support local businesses."
When asked about the source of his inspiration, Katz says, "We want it to be the quality of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, or of some European cafe somewhere. Yet I don't think there's a concept like this anywhere, to be honest."
The cafe's sleekly designed interior is attractive, but likely the best seats are at the tables near the museum's vast new atrium. "It's like a town center in University Circle. To see it come alive, it's such a great community spot."
Source: Doug Katz
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Cleveland’s growing urban farming scene has gained national recognition as a creative response to the problems of foreclosure and vacancy. Now the challenge for these homegrown entrepreneurs is to develop business strategies that help turn their startups into year-round businesses.
Taco Tonto’s, a popular eatery in downtown Kent that has garnered a near cult following over three decades, is expanding to Lakewood with a second location in the home of the former Bela Dubby on Madison.
The restaurant, which offers a simple menu of tasty burritos and tacos handmade from fresh ingredients, opened a few weeks ago. The cozy space has been remade with bright colors, a vintage bar and a new wall dividing the kitchen from the cafe. There's also a handpainted mural featuring such fantastic delights as a half-man, half-bird drinking a margarita and a half-woman, half-goldfish holding tacos.
Taco Tonto’s offers an extensive selection of craft beers as well as meat and vegetarian burritos and tacos, burrito bowls, taco salads, pizzaritos, chips and salsa and guacamole. Menu items are reasonably priced from $5 to $10.
Lakewood owners John and Jill Crino had run Bela Dubby for the past nine years. The couple met at Kent State University and John has dreamed of opening a Taco Tonto’s ever since he graduated. When Bela Dubby had run its course, they contacted Taco Tonto's owners Kevin and Emily Yohn and made a deal.
"When the opportunity to open Taco Tonto's came up, we had no questions about whether it was a good idea," says co-owner Jill Crino, who is now a full partner in the entire business along with her husband John. "Taco Tonto's has a following."
"We don't even have a freezer for anything other than ice," Crino adds of the cafe's scratch cooking. "We cook in small batches so everything is always fresh."
Taco Tonto’s is located at 13321 Madison. It is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, until 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and closed on Sundays.
Source: Jill Crino
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The restaurant, which offers a simple menu of tasty burritos and tacos handmade from fresh ingredients, opened a few weeks ago. The cozy space has been remade with bright colors, a vintage bar and a new wall dividing the kitchen from the cafe. There's also a handpainted mural featuring such fantastic delights as a half-man, half-bird drinking a margarita and a half-woman, half-goldfish holding tacos.
Taco Tonto’s offers an extensive selection of craft beers as well as meat and vegetarian burritos and tacos, burrito bowls, taco salads, pizzaritos, chips and salsa and guacamole. Menu items are reasonably priced from $5 to $10.
Lakewood owners John and Jill Crino had run Bela Dubby for the past nine years. The couple met at Kent State University and John has dreamed of opening a Taco Tonto’s ever since he graduated. When Bela Dubby had run its course, they contacted Taco Tonto's owners Kevin and Emily Yohn and made a deal.
"When the opportunity to open Taco Tonto's came up, we had no questions about whether it was a good idea," says co-owner Jill Crino, who is now a full partner in the entire business along with her husband John. "Taco Tonto's has a following."
"We don't even have a freezer for anything other than ice," Crino adds of the cafe's scratch cooking. "We cook in small batches so everything is always fresh."
Taco Tonto’s is located at 13321 Madison. It is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, until 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and closed on Sundays.
Source: Jill Crino
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Tara Seibel, a Cleveland artist who worked as Harvey Pekar's illustrator before his death in 2010, has opened a gallery and studio in a pied-a-terre above Presti's Bakery on Mayfield Road in Little Italy.
"It's a boutique gallery," says Seibel of the second-floor studio that she leased several years ago when working for Pekar, but gave up after his death. This time, she plans to keep it. "You get to see beautiful architecture out the window, and there's a balcony. It's like a Paris apartment."
The Tara Seibel Art Gallery features "fine art at reasonable prices," including the artist's own illustrations, comic art, paintings, jewelry, scarves and greeting cards. She also markets artwork by other Northeast Ohio artists such as Cathryn Kapp (pencil drawings), Nicole Mawby (glass beadwork) and Mark Nafziger (pottery).
"I'm one of these insane Cleveland people who has moved away twice and come back," she says. "I want to build Cleveland and pioneer the art scene here. I feel really great about promoting other Cleveland artists and helping people that way."
Seibel also plans to offer workshops such as "Crafts and Laughs" that tap into the avante garde crafting scene in Cleveland. Her current art show, "Back to Earth," takes its inspiration from regional nature scenes and runs until December 1.
Regarding the Little Italy location, Seibel cites more than 50 other galleries and arts businesses in the area, along with great restaurants. "It's always bustling."
The Tara Seibel Art Gallery is located at 12107 Mayfield Road, Suite 202.
Source: Tara Siebel
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"It's a boutique gallery," says Seibel of the second-floor studio that she leased several years ago when working for Pekar, but gave up after his death. This time, she plans to keep it. "You get to see beautiful architecture out the window, and there's a balcony. It's like a Paris apartment."
The Tara Seibel Art Gallery features "fine art at reasonable prices," including the artist's own illustrations, comic art, paintings, jewelry, scarves and greeting cards. She also markets artwork by other Northeast Ohio artists such as Cathryn Kapp (pencil drawings), Nicole Mawby (glass beadwork) and Mark Nafziger (pottery).
"I'm one of these insane Cleveland people who has moved away twice and come back," she says. "I want to build Cleveland and pioneer the art scene here. I feel really great about promoting other Cleveland artists and helping people that way."
Seibel also plans to offer workshops such as "Crafts and Laughs" that tap into the avante garde crafting scene in Cleveland. Her current art show, "Back to Earth," takes its inspiration from regional nature scenes and runs until December 1.
Regarding the Little Italy location, Seibel cites more than 50 other galleries and arts businesses in the area, along with great restaurants. "It's always bustling."
The Tara Seibel Art Gallery is located at 12107 Mayfield Road, Suite 202.
Source: Tara Siebel
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Friends and colleagues Juan Vergara and Edward Padilla have opened Helvetica Juice Bar and Café in Lakewood, which offers authentic Latin American juices and cuisine with a Latin twist. The team hopes the space will become a gathering place for Cleveland’s graphic designers and creative class.
The café, which is named after a popular font used by designers, is located at 11823 Detroit Avenue across from Virginia Marti College of Art and Design.
“We’ve run out of food twice already,” says Vergara, who also co-owns Barroco Grill, a popular Columbian restaurant on Madison Avenue in Lakewood, with his father Carlos. “We got a huge turnout when we first opened. Now we know better!”
The café’s signature juices are made from pulp imported from Latin America. Other items include a plantain sandwich with beef and a vegan zucchini salad.
“What I did was take every juice from my childhood, very popular drinks in South America, that are different and people haven’t heard of up here,” says Vergara. “I put them all on the menu. We make them from ice, pulp, water and sugar. We also use agave syrup and soy milk. We make them so they’re almost like smoothies.”
Vergara and Padilla are both artists and graphic designers, so they designed the place as a hangout for creative types. “There’s really no place in Cleveland that’s designated for graphic designers,” says Vergara, who offers a library of graphic design books in the café and showcases successful local businesses on the walls.
Of the location near the Cleveland border, Vergara says, “The eastern end of Lakewood needs some love right now. With downtown becoming redeveloped, it is working its way out from the inside. So I thought, what better way to start?”
Source: Juan Vergara
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The café, which is named after a popular font used by designers, is located at 11823 Detroit Avenue across from Virginia Marti College of Art and Design.
“We’ve run out of food twice already,” says Vergara, who also co-owns Barroco Grill, a popular Columbian restaurant on Madison Avenue in Lakewood, with his father Carlos. “We got a huge turnout when we first opened. Now we know better!”
The café’s signature juices are made from pulp imported from Latin America. Other items include a plantain sandwich with beef and a vegan zucchini salad.
“What I did was take every juice from my childhood, very popular drinks in South America, that are different and people haven’t heard of up here,” says Vergara. “I put them all on the menu. We make them from ice, pulp, water and sugar. We also use agave syrup and soy milk. We make them so they’re almost like smoothies.”
Vergara and Padilla are both artists and graphic designers, so they designed the place as a hangout for creative types. “There’s really no place in Cleveland that’s designated for graphic designers,” says Vergara, who offers a library of graphic design books in the café and showcases successful local businesses on the walls.
Of the location near the Cleveland border, Vergara says, “The eastern end of Lakewood needs some love right now. With downtown becoming redeveloped, it is working its way out from the inside. So I thought, what better way to start?”
Source: Juan Vergara
Writer: Lee Chilcote