Cleveland Heights
This Saturday, hop on over to the Heights Music Hop to check out a full lineup of bands in the Cedar-Lee District. There will be 30 bands playing at 16 different venues. Did we mention it's free?
On Friday, October 3rd, Bitcoin Boulevard U.S. businesses along Lee Road will host the release of the documentary The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin at the Cedar Lee Theater. Check out this interview with the filmmakers that originally appeared in our sister publication Pop City.
cle named by mag as one of nation's 'best up-and-coming nightlife cities'
Women's Health magazine teamed up with Yelp to find the “fittest, artsiest, foodiest, and just plain coolest cities on the rise in America.” The results of their research landed them this list: Social Climbers: 5 Best Up-and-Coming Nightlife Cities. Cleveland is among the best.
“For our first ever Social Cities package in the October 2014 issue of Women's Health, we teamed up with data scientists at Yelp to help us find the best (and most surprising) cities across America for different types of social scenes. For cities to rank high for nightlife, we looked at bars of all types --champagne bars, dive bars, gay bars, hookah bars, Irish pubs, sports bars, wine bars... you name it! We also looked for cities with a ton of dance clubs, night clubs, a solid karaoke scene, pool halls... and so much more. The five fantastic cities that we named our top up-and-coming nightlife hotspots had a LOT of all of the above on offer. If you're looking for a seriously fun road trip with your closest girlfriends, you should definitely add any of these bumping cities to your must-visit list.”
2. Cleveland, OH
“Sure, Cleveland has always rocked. Now, thanks to three reinvigorated neighborhoods, the city's nightlife pulses with a new sophistication. We're not talking cookie-cutter poshness: The after-dark ambience in these trendsetting locales are decidedly diverse.”
Mentioned in the item are the Horseshoe Casino, Ohio City's West 25th Street, Uptown, Cleveland Orchestra's Severance Hall, Cleveland Heights and The Grog Shop.
Read the rest right here.
“For our first ever Social Cities package in the October 2014 issue of Women's Health, we teamed up with data scientists at Yelp to help us find the best (and most surprising) cities across America for different types of social scenes. For cities to rank high for nightlife, we looked at bars of all types --champagne bars, dive bars, gay bars, hookah bars, Irish pubs, sports bars, wine bars... you name it! We also looked for cities with a ton of dance clubs, night clubs, a solid karaoke scene, pool halls... and so much more. The five fantastic cities that we named our top up-and-coming nightlife hotspots had a LOT of all of the above on offer. If you're looking for a seriously fun road trip with your closest girlfriends, you should definitely add any of these bumping cities to your must-visit list.”
2. Cleveland, OH
“Sure, Cleveland has always rocked. Now, thanks to three reinvigorated neighborhoods, the city's nightlife pulses with a new sophistication. We're not talking cookie-cutter poshness: The after-dark ambience in these trendsetting locales are decidedly diverse.”
Mentioned in the item are the Horseshoe Casino, Ohio City's West 25th Street, Uptown, Cleveland Orchestra's Severance Hall, Cleveland Heights and The Grog Shop.
Read the rest right here.
Several Cleveland companies have new faces on their staffs. Here’s a rundown of who’s in new positions.
Ben Faller is the Home Repair Resource Center’s new executive director. Since 2009, Faller has served as a staff attorney and chief housing specialist for the Cleveland Housing Court, working to expand the court’s problem-solving programs and engaging in outreach and policy work on housing and property issues. He previously worked for the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland on housing issues and operated his own small business as a general contractor, specializing in residential remodeling. Ben is currently an adjunct professor of law at CWRU and serves as the board chairperson for Larchmere PorchFest.
2005 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Bill Nemeth has signed on to lead JumpStart's Burton D. Morgan Mentoring Program after exiting his own company, Mirifex Systems, which was named the fastest-growing IT consulting firm in the United States in the 2005 Inc. 500 list. In his role, Nemeth connects JumpStart’s network of experts with entrepreneurs who need advice and guidance.
Marilyn Mosinski is the new director of business recruitment and development for Slavic Village Development, where she will work with area businesses and recruit new commercial retail and industrial companies to the area. Mosinski joins Slavic Village Development from MidTown Cleveland, where she was manager of planning and development. She is a lifelong Slavic Village resident, and has been active in the neighborhood’s growth and success.
Have a new hire to share? Email Karin with the details and we’ll spread the word!
Ben Faller is the Home Repair Resource Center’s new executive director. Since 2009, Faller has served as a staff attorney and chief housing specialist for the Cleveland Housing Court, working to expand the court’s problem-solving programs and engaging in outreach and policy work on housing and property issues. He previously worked for the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland on housing issues and operated his own small business as a general contractor, specializing in residential remodeling. Ben is currently an adjunct professor of law at CWRU and serves as the board chairperson for Larchmere PorchFest.
2005 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Bill Nemeth has signed on to lead JumpStart's Burton D. Morgan Mentoring Program after exiting his own company, Mirifex Systems, which was named the fastest-growing IT consulting firm in the United States in the 2005 Inc. 500 list. In his role, Nemeth connects JumpStart’s network of experts with entrepreneurs who need advice and guidance.
Marilyn Mosinski is the new director of business recruitment and development for Slavic Village Development, where she will work with area businesses and recruit new commercial retail and industrial companies to the area. Mosinski joins Slavic Village Development from MidTown Cleveland, where she was manager of planning and development. She is a lifelong Slavic Village resident, and has been active in the neighborhood’s growth and success.
Have a new hire to share? Email Karin with the details and we’ll spread the word!
Tampa Bay successfully hosted the Republicans in 2012, and Denver hosted the Democrats four years before that. Fresh Water decided to reach out to representatives from each city to see if our fair city could glean some best practices on how to pull off a successful -- and inclusive -- convention.
Despite our obsession with locally brewed craft beer, many of the ingredients that go into those suds are anything but local. But that is quickly changing as area brewmasters increasingly seek out ways to tap into the local ‘farm-to-pint’ movement by adding more and more fresh ingredients.
Alex Quintana grew up in Cleveland Heights, went to Heights High, and claims to have gone to college at the Tavern Company on Lee Road. (He was a bartender at that popular watering hole for five years.) Now, the Heights resident, who opened Quintana's Barber and Dream Spa with his wife Dawn 11 years ago, is expanding his footprint in the Cedar-Taylor area.
Quintana has purchased a building at 2190 South Taylor Road, immediately next door to the Colonial home where his business is located. They are now renovating the former beauty salon from top to bottom, inside and out. When the project is complete, the facade will be handsomely refreshed with new awnings, the interior will feature contemporary, brushed aluminum finishes and the entire place will be handicap-accessible.
"Nothing had been done to the interior since about 1984," says Quintana. "It had an interior like Mrs. Roper's beauty salon. We're making it more spa-like and modern."
Quintana's is unique, he says, because of the relationship between the two businesses, which are distinct yet complementary. The first-floor barbershop offers a "third place" for men outside of work and home, a kind of communal, comfortable man cave. The spa, which currently is housed on the upper floors, is a place where women can get massages, facials, manicures, pedicures and more. The renovation project will allow the spa to take over the former beauty salon, while the barbershop will gradually expand into the rest of the house.
Quintana says the Cedar-Taylor commercial district is becoming more vibrant. Not only are there fewer vacant storefronts than there were a few years ago, but the newly formed Cedar-Taylor Merchants Association is working on creating a new streetscape plan with public art and also forming a Special Improvement District.
All in all, Quintana is glad to be working in the Heights. "Cleveland Heights is a very unique community," he says. "Residents here are very passionate about where they choose to live. It's a pleasure to service this community."
Quintana has purchased a building at 2190 South Taylor Road, immediately next door to the Colonial home where his business is located. They are now renovating the former beauty salon from top to bottom, inside and out. When the project is complete, the facade will be handsomely refreshed with new awnings, the interior will feature contemporary, brushed aluminum finishes and the entire place will be handicap-accessible.
"Nothing had been done to the interior since about 1984," says Quintana. "It had an interior like Mrs. Roper's beauty salon. We're making it more spa-like and modern."
Quintana's is unique, he says, because of the relationship between the two businesses, which are distinct yet complementary. The first-floor barbershop offers a "third place" for men outside of work and home, a kind of communal, comfortable man cave. The spa, which currently is housed on the upper floors, is a place where women can get massages, facials, manicures, pedicures and more. The renovation project will allow the spa to take over the former beauty salon, while the barbershop will gradually expand into the rest of the house.
Quintana says the Cedar-Taylor commercial district is becoming more vibrant. Not only are there fewer vacant storefronts than there were a few years ago, but the newly formed Cedar-Taylor Merchants Association is working on creating a new streetscape plan with public art and also forming a Special Improvement District.
All in all, Quintana is glad to be working in the Heights. "Cleveland Heights is a very unique community," he says. "Residents here are very passionate about where they choose to live. It's a pleasure to service this community."
As the 2014 Gay Games play out with eclectic events all over town, it becomes clear how they will leave a lasting positive effect on the host city of Cleveland. Uniting beneath a banner of inclusion, collaboration and unity, participants and sponsors establish a spirit that will endure long after the lights have dimmed and the last athlete has left the track.
Jennifer Schwartz Wright has been named department chair of the art therapy undergraduate program at Ursuline College, her alma mater. A board certified art therapist and educator, Schwartz Wright previously worked in various positions at the Art Therapy Studio, most recently as executive director.
For the past 10 years Schwartz Wright has taught as an adjunct in Ursuline’s graduate art therapy and counseling program, where she was asked to develop core courses for an undergraduate art therapy major.
“It’s been so fulfilling to be able to teach these classes that I imagined,” says Schwartz Wright. “It’s most gratifying to help prepare future practitioners for their work helping people face the greatest of life challenges through art making. The sad truth is that our world indeed needs many more art therapists.”
Anna Beyerle has joined Beaumont School as the public relations and marketing manager. Previously, Beyerle was senior communications specialist with the Downtown Cleveland Alliance.
John Kandare has joined Zounds Hearing of Greater Cleveland as an audiologist. Kandare will be responsible for providing free hearing evaluations, custom fitting hearing aids, and providing client education, follow-up and service at various Zounds locations. “I'm really excited to add John to our already top-notch team,” says Zounds owner Glenn Harbold.
Denise Griggs has been named vice president of the Burton D. Morgan Foundation. Griggs joined the foundation in 2007 as chief financial officer and was elected secretary and assistant treasurer in 2010. Griggs is a certified public accountant and has assisted a wide variety of nonprofit organizations with financial-statement audits, tax compliance work, consulting engagements including internal-control implementation, board governance, and benefit plans.
Have a new hire to share? Email Karin with the details and we’ll spread the word!
For the past 10 years Schwartz Wright has taught as an adjunct in Ursuline’s graduate art therapy and counseling program, where she was asked to develop core courses for an undergraduate art therapy major.
“It’s been so fulfilling to be able to teach these classes that I imagined,” says Schwartz Wright. “It’s most gratifying to help prepare future practitioners for their work helping people face the greatest of life challenges through art making. The sad truth is that our world indeed needs many more art therapists.”
Anna Beyerle has joined Beaumont School as the public relations and marketing manager. Previously, Beyerle was senior communications specialist with the Downtown Cleveland Alliance.
John Kandare has joined Zounds Hearing of Greater Cleveland as an audiologist. Kandare will be responsible for providing free hearing evaluations, custom fitting hearing aids, and providing client education, follow-up and service at various Zounds locations. “I'm really excited to add John to our already top-notch team,” says Zounds owner Glenn Harbold.
Denise Griggs has been named vice president of the Burton D. Morgan Foundation. Griggs joined the foundation in 2007 as chief financial officer and was elected secretary and assistant treasurer in 2010. Griggs is a certified public accountant and has assisted a wide variety of nonprofit organizations with financial-statement audits, tax compliance work, consulting engagements including internal-control implementation, board governance, and benefit plans.
Have a new hire to share? Email Karin with the details and we’ll spread the word!
From Charles F. Brush to John D. Rockefeller, Cleveland has been home to entrepreneurs with innovations that helped shape the world. We take a look at some of Cleveland’s ground breaking companies -- some old, some new -- to see what makes the company unique, how it achieved its success, and where they stand today.
Artists are often the first to move into urban neighborhoods, and also the first to move out when rents escalate. Yet in the post-recession landscape, many communities are working with artists to transform blight, engage residents and reimagine their neighborhoods.
There has been a flood of new businesses that tout the city through an assortment of Cleveland-themed apparel and products or by integrating the city name right into the company’s branding. Many point to the recent recession as the dawn of this entrepreneurial movement, which coincided with a newfound pride of place.
university study ranks cities' walkability; cleveland in top 10
In a recently released report by the Center for Real Estate and Urban Analysis at George Washington University School of Business in conjunction with Smart Growth America, the 30 largest U.S. cities were ranked by how walkable they are. This is key indicator on how cities are shifting from suburban sprawl to urban infill.
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“The researchers, including Leinberger, first looked at Walkscore heat maps, focusing on areas that scored high. They then looked at areas with significant regional importance, meaning they have at least 1.4 million square feet of office space and more than 340,000 square feet of retail space. They combined these factors to determine areas they call "walkable urban places" or WalkUPs.”
But the report doesn’t just evaluate the present; it looks ahead.
“Researchers then tried to predict how these areas would grow in the future by looking at trend lines and pricing premiums in rent space, which indicate demand level. For example, demand around train stations in places like Washington, D.C. is so high commercial and residential renters can pay a premium of between 50 and 80 percent, said Emerick Corsi, president of Cleveland-based Forest City Enterprises Real Estate Services.
Coming in at No. 10 is Cleveland.
“Ohio's largest city hangs on to the bottom spot in the Top 10, but that may change soon. It's set to plummet to No. 24 in the future. Cleveland is one of a handful of older industrial cities where walkability is largely rooted in the past, where a strong city center is walkable while the rest of the surrounding suburban area lacks any kind of walkable urban space.”
Read the rest here.
?
“The researchers, including Leinberger, first looked at Walkscore heat maps, focusing on areas that scored high. They then looked at areas with significant regional importance, meaning they have at least 1.4 million square feet of office space and more than 340,000 square feet of retail space. They combined these factors to determine areas they call "walkable urban places" or WalkUPs.”
But the report doesn’t just evaluate the present; it looks ahead.
“Researchers then tried to predict how these areas would grow in the future by looking at trend lines and pricing premiums in rent space, which indicate demand level. For example, demand around train stations in places like Washington, D.C. is so high commercial and residential renters can pay a premium of between 50 and 80 percent, said Emerick Corsi, president of Cleveland-based Forest City Enterprises Real Estate Services.
Coming in at No. 10 is Cleveland.
“Ohio's largest city hangs on to the bottom spot in the Top 10, but that may change soon. It's set to plummet to No. 24 in the future. Cleveland is one of a handful of older industrial cities where walkability is largely rooted in the past, where a strong city center is walkable while the rest of the surrounding suburban area lacks any kind of walkable urban space.”
Read the rest here.
newsweek highlights lee road, the 'bitcoin boulevard' in cleveland heights
In a Newsweek article titled "Bitcoin Makes the Jump to Brick-and-Mortar in Cleveland," reporter Joe Kloc describes the details of a new digital currency, Bitcoin, and how numerous retailers on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights have adapted the system.
"Most of the customers at Mitchell’s Fine Chocolates in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, are locals who have been reared from birth on its chocolate-covered marshmallows, pecan turtles and half-dipped apricots," Kloc writes. "But lately, says Bill Mitchell, the shop’s 54-year-old proprietor, there have been some new faces."
Mitchell goes on to describe a fresh-faced couple who recently shopped at his store, and while the visit was unremarkable, the payment was anything but.
“I couldn’t even tell you what they bought,” the Mitchell confessed. But what he does remember is how the couple paid: "with about 0.12 bitcoins."
"Mitchell is one of a dozen shop owners on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights who have joined together to accept the controversial digital cryptocurrency in the hope of attracting new customers, and as a way to avoid credit card fees. Since May 1, bitcoiners have traveled to the tree-lined street in northeast Ohio from as far away as North Carolina. Here, they trade their bitcoins for ice cream cones, haircuts and handmade Colombian bracelets, and are sent off with a 'buh-bye now,' the local parlance on what bills itself as America’s first Bitcoin Boulevard."
“We don’t expect a windfall,” says Nikhil Chand, founder of the bitcoin consultancy CoinNEO, who conceived of Bitcoin Boulevard late last year. “This is about so much more -- about the hurt from the fees through traditional payment.”
Read the rest of the story here.
"Most of the customers at Mitchell’s Fine Chocolates in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, are locals who have been reared from birth on its chocolate-covered marshmallows, pecan turtles and half-dipped apricots," Kloc writes. "But lately, says Bill Mitchell, the shop’s 54-year-old proprietor, there have been some new faces."
Mitchell goes on to describe a fresh-faced couple who recently shopped at his store, and while the visit was unremarkable, the payment was anything but.
“I couldn’t even tell you what they bought,” the Mitchell confessed. But what he does remember is how the couple paid: "with about 0.12 bitcoins."
"Mitchell is one of a dozen shop owners on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights who have joined together to accept the controversial digital cryptocurrency in the hope of attracting new customers, and as a way to avoid credit card fees. Since May 1, bitcoiners have traveled to the tree-lined street in northeast Ohio from as far away as North Carolina. Here, they trade their bitcoins for ice cream cones, haircuts and handmade Colombian bracelets, and are sent off with a 'buh-bye now,' the local parlance on what bills itself as America’s first Bitcoin Boulevard."
“We don’t expect a windfall,” says Nikhil Chand, founder of the bitcoin consultancy CoinNEO, who conceived of Bitcoin Boulevard late last year. “This is about so much more -- about the hurt from the fees through traditional payment.”
Read the rest of the story here.
Eugene Malinskiy already is on his third startup and he's not even 30 yet. He created his first company when he was 16, later selling both for a profit. Now he's launched Dragon ID, a healthcare innovation and design firm that has grown from zero to 20 employees in the span of just two years.
Dragon ID is a biomedical startup that helps doctors and hospitals solve healthcare problems. The firm focuses on the medical device, health IT and surgery markets, and has a cross-functional team of whizzes to help healthcare professionals create solutions. The Dragon ID team is working on a number of products, but one that's getting buzz is EuCliD, which will be used in transcatheter aortic valve replacements to help prevent emboli from breaking away and causing blood clots or strokes.
Recently, Dragon ID moved from Shaker Launchhouse to the Heights Rockefeller building, where it is currently customizing its own space, including a lab, to accommodate growth. Malinskiy says the firm will benefit from having more professional offices and a location that's closer to where employees live.
"The City of Cleveland Heights was very welcoming," he says, referencing financial incentives that helped seal the deal. "They really want us here."
Malinskiy attributes Dragon ID's growth to the booming healthcare sector in Cleveland, where he can do business with the Clinic and other big players. "Being here, companies can come to us and say, 'We have this idea, what can you do?'"
Typically, Malinskiy and his cohorts receive an inquiry, then spend time vetting it, including attending surgeries, to understand the scope of the problem and potential solution. Once a solution is identified, the team builds a digital or physical prototype. Then, if the client decides to move forward, the company invests in bringing the product market through animal and human trials.
Dragon ID is internally funded through contracts with hospitals and doctors. The company has also won grant awards from MAGNET and the Innovation Fund.
Dragon ID is a biomedical startup that helps doctors and hospitals solve healthcare problems. The firm focuses on the medical device, health IT and surgery markets, and has a cross-functional team of whizzes to help healthcare professionals create solutions. The Dragon ID team is working on a number of products, but one that's getting buzz is EuCliD, which will be used in transcatheter aortic valve replacements to help prevent emboli from breaking away and causing blood clots or strokes.
Recently, Dragon ID moved from Shaker Launchhouse to the Heights Rockefeller building, where it is currently customizing its own space, including a lab, to accommodate growth. Malinskiy says the firm will benefit from having more professional offices and a location that's closer to where employees live.
"The City of Cleveland Heights was very welcoming," he says, referencing financial incentives that helped seal the deal. "They really want us here."
Malinskiy attributes Dragon ID's growth to the booming healthcare sector in Cleveland, where he can do business with the Clinic and other big players. "Being here, companies can come to us and say, 'We have this idea, what can you do?'"
Typically, Malinskiy and his cohorts receive an inquiry, then spend time vetting it, including attending surgeries, to understand the scope of the problem and potential solution. Once a solution is identified, the team builds a digital or physical prototype. Then, if the client decides to move forward, the company invests in bringing the product market through animal and human trials.
Dragon ID is internally funded through contracts with hospitals and doctors. The company has also won grant awards from MAGNET and the Innovation Fund.
There's more than one way to get around Cleveland. As more and more alternative transportation options like Lyft, Uber and pedicabs enter the local market, residents are discovering that it's increasingly becoming easier to leave the wheels at home. Fresh Water took them for a test drive.
Sometimes, even the most adventurous resident can grow a little too comfortable living in the same city after a while. But one can always find something new to discover if we just dig a little deeper. Lucky for us, a number of smartphone apps will help the explorer in all of us get reacquainted with the city we call home.
It's been four and a half years since the first edition of "Moon Handbooks: Cleveland" was published. Considering all that has taken place in Cleveland during that time, author and Fresh Water managing editor Douglas Trattner says that for the second edition, which was released this week, he went back to the starting gate.
gigi's on fairmount springs forward with glitzy new patio
Gigi’s, a small wine bar tucked into the quaint shopping strip at Fairmount and Taylor in Cleveland Heights, allows guests to experience the romance of French dining. Now, the restaurant is taking the experience to the next level thanks to a patio addition.
The outdoor space, located directly in front of the café, will include a fenced-in patio with seating for 22 people, umbrellas and flowers adorning every corner, and old-fashioned string lights that complete the ambiance.
Gigi’s opened its doors last November and has enjoyed great success as Gia Ilijasic and her husband James Patsch, the entrepreneurs behind the restaurant, knew they would. The restaurant opened as “a passion for both of us [that] turned into a business," says Patsch. That's evident the moment you walk through the door and see the attention to detail, delightful atmosphere, and passion for dining and entertaining that the owners possess.
That passion now flows outdoors onto the front the patio. The tiny interior and general lack of patio seating in town led the couple to start work on the project. As soon as weather becomes consistently warm, the owners intend to host live entertainment outdoors and possibly include a Jeni’s ice cream cart.
To play off the new patio, the owners hope to launch Friday Frolic, a community development program that involves keeping the shops of this tight-knit strip open later one Friday per month to increase foot traffic.
The energetic couple also is devoted to helping the community. Gia and Jim have created a program to raise money for nonprofit causes dubbed Magnificent Mondays. Each Monday in a given month, the cafe will donate 10 percent of its gross income to a selected charity. “Instead of just giving out small amounts to local charities, why don’t we pick a month and let our presence create an impact on the community in a much larger way," Patsch explains.
The warm welcomes start early at this neighborhood gem, like the pink lettering on the front door that reads, "Hello Gorgeous."
“Gia and I want everyone to feel like a superstar and to be received with love as soon as they walk in," Patsch beams with pride.
The outdoor space, located directly in front of the café, will include a fenced-in patio with seating for 22 people, umbrellas and flowers adorning every corner, and old-fashioned string lights that complete the ambiance.
Gigi’s opened its doors last November and has enjoyed great success as Gia Ilijasic and her husband James Patsch, the entrepreneurs behind the restaurant, knew they would. The restaurant opened as “a passion for both of us [that] turned into a business," says Patsch. That's evident the moment you walk through the door and see the attention to detail, delightful atmosphere, and passion for dining and entertaining that the owners possess.
That passion now flows outdoors onto the front the patio. The tiny interior and general lack of patio seating in town led the couple to start work on the project. As soon as weather becomes consistently warm, the owners intend to host live entertainment outdoors and possibly include a Jeni’s ice cream cart.
To play off the new patio, the owners hope to launch Friday Frolic, a community development program that involves keeping the shops of this tight-knit strip open later one Friday per month to increase foot traffic.
The energetic couple also is devoted to helping the community. Gia and Jim have created a program to raise money for nonprofit causes dubbed Magnificent Mondays. Each Monday in a given month, the cafe will donate 10 percent of its gross income to a selected charity. “Instead of just giving out small amounts to local charities, why don’t we pick a month and let our presence create an impact on the community in a much larger way," Patsch explains.
The warm welcomes start early at this neighborhood gem, like the pink lettering on the front door that reads, "Hello Gorgeous."
“Gia and I want everyone to feel like a superstar and to be received with love as soon as they walk in," Patsch beams with pride.