Ohio City
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.
as cleveland goes: how the local craft beer scene is shaping up
This is the first of a three-part series written by Columbus-based Kyle Kastranec that chronicles the state of craft beer in Ohio, and how it could lend insight into national trends and future growth for the entire industry. He begins with Cleveland.
"Over the last few years, a new wave of breweries has been reshaping the craft beer landscape along the shores of Lake Erie," he writes. "It's not the most mature market in the country; it's not even the most mature market in the region. But Cleveland, with its fleet of fledgling and developing breweries, is becoming a bellwether for national trends and craft beer's narrative arc across the country."
Kastranec writes how beer and breweries directly affect the local economy and the revitalization of neighborhoods.
"[Andy] Tveekrem returned to Cleveland in 2010 and partnered with a local entrepreneur, Sam McNulty, to launch Market Garden Brewery, a venture that kick-started the transformation and revitalization of West 25th Street and the entire Ohio City neighborhood. "When we opened, there was about 75% vacancy on West 25th between these three blocks," Tveekrem says. "Now it's zero."
Of course, Great Lakes Brewing played a major role in launching the craft beer scene in Cleveland and Ohio. "But more than that, the GLBC history has shaped the very fabric of the local brewing community. Everyone is connected, and all roads lead back to Great Lakes, whose culture and attention to detail has prepared the current generation of brewers to innovate, to adapt, to grow, to anticipate market demands, and most importantly, to ensure quality through it all."
Read the rest of this great beer feature here.
"Over the last few years, a new wave of breweries has been reshaping the craft beer landscape along the shores of Lake Erie," he writes. "It's not the most mature market in the country; it's not even the most mature market in the region. But Cleveland, with its fleet of fledgling and developing breweries, is becoming a bellwether for national trends and craft beer's narrative arc across the country."
Kastranec writes how beer and breweries directly affect the local economy and the revitalization of neighborhoods.
"[Andy] Tveekrem returned to Cleveland in 2010 and partnered with a local entrepreneur, Sam McNulty, to launch Market Garden Brewery, a venture that kick-started the transformation and revitalization of West 25th Street and the entire Ohio City neighborhood. "When we opened, there was about 75% vacancy on West 25th between these three blocks," Tveekrem says. "Now it's zero."
Of course, Great Lakes Brewing played a major role in launching the craft beer scene in Cleveland and Ohio. "But more than that, the GLBC history has shaped the very fabric of the local brewing community. Everyone is connected, and all roads lead back to Great Lakes, whose culture and attention to detail has prepared the current generation of brewers to innovate, to adapt, to grow, to anticipate market demands, and most importantly, to ensure quality through it all."
Read the rest of this great beer feature here.
Issue Media Group publications such as Pop City in Pittsburgh, The Line in Minneapolis and Soapbox in Cincinnati cover "what's next" in urban centers. In this recurring feature, we highlight the top stories in urban innovation from across our national network.
Rachel Kingsbury, a young, first-time entrepreneur who previously worked as a restaurant manager at Town Hall and Liquid Planet, has signed a lease to open The Grocery in a long-vacant building at 3815 Lorain Avenue. The 1,000-square-foot neighborhood market will offer everything from produce to meat to dairy, much of it sourced from local farmers.
"In addition to having thriving entertainment districts, other cities have essentials like grocery stores, bread shops and butchers," she says. "That's what spawned my desire to open a grocery store in Ohio City. This is something I felt was necessary for the development of Cleveland and the development of the neighborhood. I decided to focus more on organic-style products because people are becoming more conscious eaters. They're very aware of where their food comes from."
The owners are restoring the exterior through the City of Cleveland's Storefront Renovation Program. They will bring back the original transom windows, adding more natural light to the store, which has 12-foot ceilings on the main floor.
Kingsbury says she was attracted to the location because of other new businesses in the area, such as Jackflaps, which often has a line out the door during weekend brunch, she says, Platform Beer Company and Buck Buck Studio and Gallery.
She says that she wants her store to serve the entire community, and she's looking into accepting EBT and WIC. "This is the kind of place you go to shop every couple days and bump into your neighbor there. We want to be an integral part of building a very strong community."
In addition to local produce and pasture-raised meats, The Grocery will feature value-added products created by area food entrepreneurs. Kingsbury is partnering with the Economic and Community Development Institute (ECDI), a microlender with offices in the Midtown neighborhood, and Cleveland Culinary Launch to stock her shelves with products they're helping bring to market.
The Grocery will be open seven days a week: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Kingston is keeping the buildout simple, and has applied for permits and licenses through the City of Cleveland. She also is pursuing an equipment loan from ECDI. She plans to open in July.
Source: Rachel Kingsbury
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"In addition to having thriving entertainment districts, other cities have essentials like grocery stores, bread shops and butchers," she says. "That's what spawned my desire to open a grocery store in Ohio City. This is something I felt was necessary for the development of Cleveland and the development of the neighborhood. I decided to focus more on organic-style products because people are becoming more conscious eaters. They're very aware of where their food comes from."
The owners are restoring the exterior through the City of Cleveland's Storefront Renovation Program. They will bring back the original transom windows, adding more natural light to the store, which has 12-foot ceilings on the main floor.
Kingsbury says she was attracted to the location because of other new businesses in the area, such as Jackflaps, which often has a line out the door during weekend brunch, she says, Platform Beer Company and Buck Buck Studio and Gallery.
She says that she wants her store to serve the entire community, and she's looking into accepting EBT and WIC. "This is the kind of place you go to shop every couple days and bump into your neighbor there. We want to be an integral part of building a very strong community."
In addition to local produce and pasture-raised meats, The Grocery will feature value-added products created by area food entrepreneurs. Kingsbury is partnering with the Economic and Community Development Institute (ECDI), a microlender with offices in the Midtown neighborhood, and Cleveland Culinary Launch to stock her shelves with products they're helping bring to market.
The Grocery will be open seven days a week: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Kingston is keeping the buildout simple, and has applied for permits and licenses through the City of Cleveland. She also is pursuing an equipment loan from ECDI. She plans to open in July.
Source: Rachel Kingsbury
Writer: Lee Chilcote
If you're considering a move to Cleveland, there might be no better means to examine the broad range of residential options than by hopping aboard a City Life tour hosted by Cleveland Neighborhood Progress. In a few short hours, participants enjoy an immersive dive into a number of Cleveland's most in-demand neighborhoods.
On Thursday, May 1, Global Cleveland will officially launch its talent attraction campaign at a major event at the Cleveland Convention Center. The event -- like the organization hosting it -- is focused on increasing the population while strengthening the local economy.
crop bistro included in listing of cool restaurants in converted spaces
In a Thrillist feature titled, "Drinking in Banks and Jails: 21 Restaurants/Bars Converted from Very Different Buildings, Crop Bistro in Ohio City earns a spot.
"We've all been in a Thai restaurant that was obviously once a Pizza Hut, but even the ghost of a stuffed-crust pizza haunting your pad Thai has nothing on a cool, old building that's been converted to a place where you can stuff your face or give your liver a workout," writes Andy Kryza. "From an old elementary school to a jail and an airplane, these 21 joints keep their historical roots while also keeping you fat and happy."
Crop Bar and Bistro
Cleveland, OH
What it was: A gigantic 1925 bank, complete with marble columns, huge arches, and 17,000 feet of floor space.
What it is now: "One of Ohio's most-lauded restaurants, Crop has kept the integrity of the space intact -- from the remastered columns to the gigantic murals over the bar -- while cooking up high-end cuisine in an open kitchen set up right in the middle of the packed floor. In the basement, meanwhile, you can rent out the vault space, which is great for parties or, in the event of a zombie apocalypse, survival."
Read the rest of the listacle here.
"We've all been in a Thai restaurant that was obviously once a Pizza Hut, but even the ghost of a stuffed-crust pizza haunting your pad Thai has nothing on a cool, old building that's been converted to a place where you can stuff your face or give your liver a workout," writes Andy Kryza. "From an old elementary school to a jail and an airplane, these 21 joints keep their historical roots while also keeping you fat and happy."
Crop Bar and Bistro
Cleveland, OH
What it was: A gigantic 1925 bank, complete with marble columns, huge arches, and 17,000 feet of floor space.
What it is now: "One of Ohio's most-lauded restaurants, Crop has kept the integrity of the space intact -- from the remastered columns to the gigantic murals over the bar -- while cooking up high-end cuisine in an open kitchen set up right in the middle of the packed floor. In the basement, meanwhile, you can rent out the vault space, which is great for parties or, in the event of a zombie apocalypse, survival."
Read the rest of the listacle here.
In the recently released Best Hikes Near Cleveland, Fresh Water contributor Joe Baur offers readers a deep dive into some of the best local hikes Mother Nature has to offer. Seven of those hikes are urban, taking readers through Downtown, Ohio City, Tremont, Forest Hill and elsewhere. Here's an excerpt -- and an introduction by the author.
Now that we've emerged from our respective huts, it's time to stop squinting towards the sky and go do something. Sure, the usual line-up of outdoor activities awaits -- but aren't there any surprises left in CLE? You bet there are, and we're about to point you in the right direction.
Cleveland Neighborhood Progress and CharterOne Foundation have announced the creation of a Clean&Green Cleveland program, which offers a fully stocked trailer to assist neighborhood residents with beautification projects. The trailer comes equipped with all the tools and equipment necessary to clean up vacant lots, maintain community gardens, tackle neighborhood improvement projects, and more.
The nonprofit introduced the trailer as part of its ongoing efforts to beautify and reimagine vacant properties in Cleveland. The trailer is available on a "first come, first reserved" basis, according to the website. Applications, use forms, waivers and other information all can be found online, and groups are encouraged to apply. The trailer is for use in the City of Cleveland only.
In a release, CNP stated that the Clean&Green program will offer opportunities not only for beautification, but also for community building among neighbors.
Source: Cleveland Neighborhood Progress
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The nonprofit introduced the trailer as part of its ongoing efforts to beautify and reimagine vacant properties in Cleveland. The trailer is available on a "first come, first reserved" basis, according to the website. Applications, use forms, waivers and other information all can be found online, and groups are encouraged to apply. The trailer is for use in the City of Cleveland only.
In a release, CNP stated that the Clean&Green program will offer opportunities not only for beautification, but also for community building among neighbors.
Source: Cleveland Neighborhood Progress
Writer: Lee Chilcote
In Cleveland’s ever-evolving social media community, there is a wide variety of contributors to the civic dialogue. We've complied a list of some of our favorite voices -- a mix of up-and-comers and seasoned vets from different corners of the web who are using their blogs, podcasts and Twitter feeds to give the city a voice.
The City of Memphis is on the rise thanks to a growing startup community, investments in bike lanes, a burgeoning arts district and people moving back to the city. Through it all, the city has listened to its residents and embraced "lean urbanism." Cleveland should take heed.
cleveland selected as one of nation's most underrated food cities
Thrillist, the digital magazine for men, recently published a feature on the "The 7 most underrated food cities in America." Writer Dan Gentile included Cleveland in the listing.
"What makes a great food city isn't necessarily Michelin stars or food trucks per capita," he writes. "While NYC, LA, and Chicago have always shined brightest, and upstarts like Austin and Portland might be the kings of meals on wheels, there are a ton of cities out there where tradition and innovation mix into unique melting pots... full of melting food."
To compile the list, the writer reached out to community experts to state why their cities are considered underrated, and what spots you should be sure to try when you visit. For the Cleveland entry, that honor fell to Sam McNulty of Market Garden Brewery.
"Cleveland has been punching very far above its weight in the food and craft beer scene in recent years," McNulty states. "Having traveled all over the world and been a food and beer tourist on most continents, I am still thrilled when the plane touches down here in Cleveland, and I'm back in this Mecca of local food and local beer."
"Forbes magazine just wrote a piece about Cleveland being the new Brooklyn. And while they meant it as a compliment, we're actually much more a new Cleveland with our own authentic and edgy flavor."
Read the rest right here.
"What makes a great food city isn't necessarily Michelin stars or food trucks per capita," he writes. "While NYC, LA, and Chicago have always shined brightest, and upstarts like Austin and Portland might be the kings of meals on wheels, there are a ton of cities out there where tradition and innovation mix into unique melting pots... full of melting food."
To compile the list, the writer reached out to community experts to state why their cities are considered underrated, and what spots you should be sure to try when you visit. For the Cleveland entry, that honor fell to Sam McNulty of Market Garden Brewery.
"Cleveland has been punching very far above its weight in the food and craft beer scene in recent years," McNulty states. "Having traveled all over the world and been a food and beer tourist on most continents, I am still thrilled when the plane touches down here in Cleveland, and I'm back in this Mecca of local food and local beer."
"Forbes magazine just wrote a piece about Cleveland being the new Brooklyn. And while they meant it as a compliment, we're actually much more a new Cleveland with our own authentic and edgy flavor."
Read the rest right here.
Sometimes a single effort makes a thousand-fold difference. The theory holds true across the North Coast: From one small business that transformed Cleveland's image on the international stage to a silent flock of gleaming blue birds, the 216 is home to projects that while small in scale reap big rewards.
Meet Michael Croley, Jeff Draeger, Dave Lucas and Matthew Stipe, founders of Brews + Prose at Market Garden Brewery, a monthly literary series featuring readings by established and emerging authors in one of Cleveland’s most popular places to eat and drink.