dwirthwein

Tried Paul Minnillo's new Flour this weeked in Moreland Hills. Beautiful, downtown-sleek space in a new, upscale strip center at Chagrin/SOM Center. Got there too late on Saturday to try much food (only pizzas being served at 11ish) - but very much enjoyed the bright flavors of the brick-oven, wood-fired sausage (salsiccia) and mushroom (fungi) pizzas - at the soapstone bar, $12 and $15 respectively for perhaps 10-inch, medium crust pies.

Jeni's in Chagin opened Friday and was very steadily busy all weekend long - despite much wind and rain on Saturday. I live just down the same street it's on (Main) - and passed through downtown probably 10 times Fri-Sun. Always a line inside - and almost always a line out the door (or WAY out the door) - even at 10 at night Have been 3x ourselves already (long-time Jeni's fans!) Portions are - and I mean it in a good way for my waist - modestly sized... Ice cream is $4, $5 and $6 for 2, 3 or 4 golf ball-ish+ sized scoops of any flavor combo you wish in a dish - waffle cone $1 more... Probably 20 flavors available now. Also have sundaes, floats and ice cream sandwiches (oatmeal creme - $5 - was killer...) Already heard some griping among locals about cost/size of Jeni's servings, lack of kids cones and whether Chagrin can support both Jeni's and the local institution the Popcorn Shoppe (where the ice cream is more of the "Kids Cone $1" variety...) - but there was no shortage of folks hitting the joint. My wife and I keep trying to explain to folks that Jeni's is a coup for the area - it's top quality and will be a destination - and that the product served - and the market it attracts - has little to do with what the Popcorn Shoppe does.

If Gilbert buys all of Tower City, I can't imagine that world class upscale retail would again give the mall a shot, as I think someone noted, but what about a world class outlet mall? That could be a big draw, casino or otherwise. The casino could help drive it.

Crocker Park.. After years of hinting - Anthropologie finally opening in old Z Gallerie space.. BCBG being added on Main St, B Spot in current Agave space - plus they have quite a social media campaign going - "you deserve more..." and are promsing more big announcements (though likely for stores already on east side... - though would be nice if Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie's sister store, woudl return the favor and move east to Legacy's Z Gallerie spot, etc...) Any idea what is next to be announced?

Now on to Eton - Two restaurant tenants (maybe more) locating in interior mall space opposite B Spot. Lululemon (once announced for Legacy on their own site) - opening first Cleveland store in old Penzey's space (which has relocated into a bigger space...). Former Design Within Reach remains vacant next to Orvis. Work just begun on old Smith & Hawken - not sure if this is being reworked as another entrance into mall - a store, a quick service restaurant (Potbelly? Appears they'll be entering the market soon based on what I've heard) or perhaps Michael Symon's new pizza concept (my guess). Or maybe another retail store? Anybody in the know?

Now for Legacy Village... Z Gallerie's 10,000 foot space remains empty after two years... Joseph-Beth's 25,000 or so sq ft space now vacant... Two tough spaces to fill based on size - too big for most mall retailers, too small for big box, etc... Container Store, West Elm, Dave & Buster's, maybe a restaurant, etc... come to mind, depending on which space and how it might be subdivided, if at all... Also, Legacy continues to have some spaces not leased in the nearly 8 years they've been there.. Anybody have insight or rumors?

It's been more than a month since the last poster posted on this board - so..... With Beachwood Place's owner, General Growth, finally reorganized, it appears leasing is once again occuring - at a pretty decent pace: Lego - first Cleveland store - 2000ish square feet - opens this weekend Forever 21 - approx 8000-10000 square feet - opens this weekend Children's Place - taking Mario's Spa space - under construction Skecher's - opening in front entrance wing - under construction Vera Bradley - first Cleveland store - just announced opening on first floor in Saks or Dillard's wing (as noted on site) With that said - still several key unleased spaces - including the Brooks Brothers 8,000ish square foot space on 1st floor (they moved a year ago - and announced they were moving 2 years ago... - still not tenant) - plus the Sony Style space - another 6000-8000 square feet. Also, several underutilized/temporary spaces - with nail (or eyebrows?), massage, etc... Three years ago, some on this board were hearing strong rumors of Burberry (already in Columbus. Indy, Pittsburgh), A/X Armani Exchange (actually announced by Beachwood Place as coming to what is now a new Limited), Tiffany & Co (already in Cincy, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Indy, tc... - Cleveland is largest market in country without one) - and last year a Michael Kors store was announced on site - still there, I think - but never came... Anybody know anything about what else might be on the way?

And vegan bakery next to salad place at eton

to addcto above, meant to say that Barrett's Facebook page notes Bittersweet as current employer, alomg with lola, etc...

Interesting, too.... Symon's acclaimed pastry chef Cory Barrett left Lola last Summer, but just quietly came back from Seattle to work for Symon. Original Eton Symon place was to be a patisserie/dessert spot, called Bittersweet, which was scrapped in favor of B Spot. However, Barrett is back and now and lists Bittersweet as one of the places he works... i wonder if other plans are in the works, too....

Guessing pizza place (P Spot? Pizza Symon?) going in at Eton, noted above. Location proven and has seemingly good Stark relationship.

Crains food blog today repors that Michael Symon opening pizza place on east side in November. Construction also happened to start last week on a remodeling of the former Smith & Hawken space at Eton, which is on the front of building, mere feet from his b spot. I'm guessing we know the location.

Did not open. Still some pemits to get. 1-2 weeks.

Skyline is a "taste" whether you love it or not (I do from my years down in Cincy....) The three local locations (Brooklyn, mayfield, stow) are fine, but never really seem to have caught on, but in Cincy, they are a part of the culture.... a skyline, gold star or other type is on every block.

Melt is going in new building across street from Winking's independence location. Their liquor license was applied for in Dec. I posted the address on Melt's Facebook today, but they quickly removed it. Can be found online easily.

The interior portion of Eton, opposite the B-Spot, Albert's Furs, etc.. is undergoing a renovation right now, after several failed businesses in that space (the combo gourmet bites/wine bar place with floral dept and knick-knacks, etc...). Without knowing more, it's unclear if they are going to enclose this area or leave it open - though eatin at B Spots interior patio has been much more pleasant with that area closed off - since it is far too big/empty a space and just doesn't give off a good vibe in its present state). The one announced tenant is Chop-It Salad Co (www.chopitsaladco.com) - which apparently is a local company with two other locations. Their website leaves quite a bit to be desired. A yogurt place would make sense - likely being the tart yogurt like Pinkberry or Red Mango - which are hot on the coasts. As for the comment about Stone Oven - I love their pastries - but I loathe the grumpy people who work there. They could take the whole operation up a notch by actually being organize, helpful and friendly.

I just moved from Hudson after a decade there. It was clear to me that about 90% of the people in Hudson not only considered themselves Akronites, but thought Cleveland was some far off land which they could only read about in books, despite downtown, let alone the suburbs, being only 35 mins door to door... I just couldn't understand it.. While I personally don't sense a rivalry, I find it funny that Cincy and Dayton, which are still metro areas miles apart from each other and with more separate identities than CAK and CLE, may end up one huge metro area in this Census, Ohio's biggest (which folks down there are rooting for) while the much larger Canton, Akron, Cleveland area, which is a continuous 60 miles from downtown to downtown, likely won't be counted as one metro...... and nobody seems to care. Another case of NEO taking the backseat...

msa1092 - you ask about the boutique hotel... It was described as a "business class" hotel in the press release and then "boutique" in other stories during the day - and a rendering I saw on WKYC tonight showed a hotel logo that clearly said "Aloft" - the hip Starwood property that's a business class boutique hotel. Based on that, I can only assume that's the main company they're talking to. It's a great name to bring to this town - travelers are really liking Aloft, but, at the same time, I was just in Green Bay, WI - and THEY already have an Aloft, so it's far from the exclusive type one might hope (Hotel Monaco, etc..) http://www.wkyc.com/video/default.aspx?menuid=172

Whole Foods closed the checkout lane on the Cedar Road side awhile back - the one by the wine/beer - and there's now a sign there that says, "This register is permanently closed" or something like that. You can use the entrance/exit - but can't check out there anymore.

March 2001 (not June as I'd said...): The IKEA/Chagrin Highlands story http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-10978490_ITM

Some interesting stories about why IKEA and other big retail may not have been built in Chagrin Highlands - and then why some retail was... but not yet the IKEA that should be there... Why the idea of big retail was initially killed: http://www.coolcleveland.com/index.php?n=Main.RoldoLinkPonyAgainUpForDickJacobs Why some retail got built: http://www.clevelandmagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=586CA122EB394032BD4AA3B686FF03D9&nm=Editorial&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=1578600D80804596A222593669321019&tier=4&id=1826DBA753D94685BE135E8108471EFD More: http://www.avonhistory.org/janas/zj19.htm And look what I found on UrbanOhio from 2005: Re: West Chester: Ikea Coming to Union Centre « Reply #66 on: September 20, 2005, 09:29:53 PM » Quote -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- this was a comment on a recent cleveland.com thread. anyone have any info? any truth to it? "I believe that Mayor Marcia Fudge of Warrensville Heights was the one who essentially told IKEA (the huge and very desirable retailer that any other town would die for) that they couldn't build on the Warrensville Heights property of Chagrin Highlands because that city didn't need any more low-paying retail jobs in that city... (which seems like a joke, of course...) This was 3 or 4 years ago. I curse her to this day (literally). Would have put that city on the map, as I see it and provided jobs and large tax revenue --- ridiculous. Now Chagrin Highlands, as whole, has a maximum square footage for retail stores that is about 20% or less of what IKEA would need. IKEA has seemingly given up on our town - when Chagrin Highlands was where it naturally could have gone. Short-sighted, Mayor Fudge."

Harvard Park is Warrensville Heights.... Mayor Marcia Fudge is an evil woman... Cleveland Marriott® East 26300 Harvard Road Warrensville Heights, Ohio 44122 USA Harvard Park Shopping Center 4045 Richmond Road Warrensville Heights OH 44122

This was back in June 2000, I believe, and Crain's lead story was that IKEA was eyeing the Harvard/271 exit. I called my wife, on vacation in Colorado to tell her the great news... prematurely... What ended up happening was the the city or county quickly moved to limit any store size to avoid big boxes.... - fearing Walmart, etc... would pounce on that spot and that offices were better uses for the land for tax purposes. I think the limit was around 50,000 sq feet and IKEA would have been 250,000+ sq ft. Lots of nasty - "no big retail" kinds of comments obviously from those who had no idea the draw IKEA would be... Marcia Fudge, mayor of Warrensville Heights - was one of the most vocal over the years - swearing off big box stores like IKEA as poor uses for the land and that they could do better (though I can't imagine what she think Linens-N-Things or Filene's Basement are) and essentially saying "Not in our town" --- when, truth be told, something nice like IKEA would look 2nd class in a 4th rate suburb like Warrensville Heights...

Revamped Stark website this week - in time for ICSC show. Has new rendering of Warehouse District (plus Crocker Park Phase III): www.starkenterprises.com