Good to see them focusing on attracting local retailers.

 

Can local retailers afford to locate at Tower City?

I don't know, but I would hope that they are considering that since they are putting a focus there.

I noticed that yesterday while walking around TC mid-morning.  Sure there were more vacancies than usual, but there were several new boutique-type shops that I'd never noticed before that were selling men's and (mostly) women's clothing and accessories. 

 

I don't know that anyone has filled the Panera space yet.  Wasn't that downstairs by the cookie place?  I think the deli you're speaking of is one level up. 

 

In any case, things were buzzing yesterday morning with the CIFF getting started and the workday crowd in and out.  Caribou, for one, was swamped the whole time I was there reading the paper...

Hecht's and L&T were never known for "high quality".  Strawbridge and clothiers...ugh! that was a ghetto May Co.   -- MyTwoSense

 

Huh!!??  OK, I can go with you regarding Hecht's, to a degree.  But certainly not Lord & Taylor, which is just a half step down from Saks and Nordstrom and, in some folks' minds, equal to them.  And re John Wanamaker, I think you're being a tad Cleveland-centric.  Wanamaker and Strawbridge's were known for quality shopping and, I think, on the same plane as Higbee's was.  And as much as I was attatched to the Higbee's downtown building -- it's a travesty we can't get any another retailer in that classic space -- Wanamaker's old building, now Macy's, is in a class by itself with it's majestic 12-story atrium/court and gigantic organ, the largest musical instrument in the world.  That building is a Philly tourist attraction in itself.  Higbee's space was nice, but...

 

btw, I've always thought Higbee's and Strawbridge's buildings were more similar (than Higbee's and Wanamakers' buildings) and, I believe, built in or around the same year, 1931.  Strawbridge's is sitting empty empty as Macy's is the only generally, department store in downtown Philly, although they do have a Burlington Coat Factory and a (yikes) K-Mart; plus downtown Philly is 10-times stronger than downtown Cleveland, esp when it comes to retail... I sure would settle for even a Burlington or Target or even K-Mart at May's.  Something@!

^^ Tower City is a gem despite how poorly we may perceive FCE to be running it.  It's location, historic buildings and total connectivity (w/ the Rapid, the Q, offices, and our 2 leading hotels, among other things) will always make it viable no matter how many high ends leave -- and I am sorry Ann Taylor bit the dust.  And besides this, Tower City was beautifully and tastefully restored; it's still a visual delight.

 

... I still hope the medical mart convention center can be built near Tower City but, I know on this board, that cuts against the grain w/ the pro-Mall crowd.

Hecht's and L&T were never known for "high quality".  Strawbridge and clothiers...ugh! that was a ghetto May Co.   -- MyTwoSense

 

Huh!!??  OK, I can go with you regarding Hecht's, to a degree.  But certainly not Lord & Taylor, which is just a half step down from Saks and Nordstrom and, in some folks' minds, equal to them.  And re John Wanamaker, I think you're being a tad Cleveland-centric.  Wanamaker and Strawbridge's were known for quality shopping and, I think, on the same plane as Higbee's was. 

 

 

L&T is not on or near the level as saks/nordstroms as they only carry american designer clothing.  They are not even in the same leauge.  L&T is more on par with 2nd Tier Macy's.

 

I wasn' being cleveland-centric, but I might have been a tad to harsh.  The Philly stores were on the same level as Higbee's.

^^ OK, fair points, MTS.

Well erocc, here's one for you. :-P

 

Joe Borowski

April 10th

Dillard's Beachwood Place

Beachwood, OH

 

http://www.perryellis.com/ped/service/events.jsp

Ya think?

 

Avon overload?

With another retail center a possibility, real estate observers wonder if suburb is at a saturation point

 

By STAN BULLARD (Crain's)

 

4:30 am, March 10, 2008

 

Add “puzzlement” to the string of adjectives that usually accompany the advent of a rezoning proposal for another big, potential shopping center in bustling Avon.

 

The addition of consternation to the Lorain County community’s nearly constant pattern of controversy, court fights and construction when faced with shopping center developers’ plans shows how much the suburb has grown retail-wise — and raises the question of when one more retail project may be one too many.

 

More at crainscleveland.com http://www.crainscleveland.com

^I guess they've never been to the Ikea in Pittsburgh.  Now THAT'S a saturated retail area.

^I guess they've never been to the Ikea in Pittsburgh.  Now THAT'S a saturated retail area.

 

I haven't been out there in a while, but I think you may have missed the point of "saturated." In this case of the article I believe they mean, more than the market can tolerate, and its merely a case of cannibalization of the market.

As warm and fuzzy are the feelings that we have for Cleveland, I was slapped in the face by reality yesterday when the only 24x36 piece of foam board that I could buy downtown was $15 at Brothers or $30 at Kinkos!  Come on now! :roll:  Neither CSU bookstore sold it, CVS had none, and I wasn't about to spend $100 on some foam boards when it should cost about $20.  If I was a CSU student w/o a car I'd be p*ssed that the closest place is Steelyard--and we all know how getting to SYC isn't convienient for those of us who are car-free.  Ugh! Well at least I can eat and drink down here until I explode or gain 300 lbs--whichever comes first!

 

Ok, back to warm fuzy thoughts! :wink:

Call up Lakeside Blueprint, they may be able to sell you foam core for cheap.

cle2032, maybe I wasnt reading your post right, but what was wrong with Brothers?

these boards cost a few bucks normally--compared to Kinkos, yeah Brothers was a steal but still...

 

The point I'm trying to make is that someone needing a few 24x36 foam core boards--not a rare thing--should not have to call a special office supply company and have a special order delivered.  Maybe I'm spoiled from having lived in Chicago but it's not like I'm asking for some miracle.  I haven't checked lately but I hope we're not limited only to the traditional yellow post-it notes  either when it  comes to "over the counter" downtown office supplies.  What if I want neon orange?!  :wink:

 

Oh well, at least we can have customized pimp chalices made along prospect! :clap:

Local menswear label Arcane Wrath hitting it big

Posted by Kim Crow/Style Editor March 18, 2008 12:00PM

Categories: Style, fashion and beauty

 

Starting a revolution is easy.

 

But sustaining a revolution? Much, much harder. Just ask the folks at Wrath Arcane.

 

The Cleveland-based menswear design house is firmly, proudly committed to the "Made in the U.S.A." printed on its hang tags. But considering the decimated U.S. manufacturing sector, it's an ideal far easier dreamed than put into play.

 

 

More at cleveland.com http://blog.cleveland.com/lifestyles/2008/03/local_menswear_label_arcane_wr.html

 

 

well you go boys!!  :clap:

I love what these guys are doing.  I went on their website, after somebody mentioned them a while back and was very impressed, especially since one of them was about to move to New York before the other aproached him about starting the lines.  They seem to have quite a following as well.  I wish they could have kept the WHDistrict store open though, but their offices are in Midtown.  Too bad they cant make the clothes there as well!  Cleveland is lucky to have them.         

Ahhh. the good ole Dealer Plain.  I love that their headline calls the place "Arcane Wrath."  Great proofreading.

Memory lane anyone (Yes, I had a lot of extra time today avoiding work:

 

Higbee's rocked:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV6sI5Lmy98

 

Southgate USA:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4_Vb58q6G0

 

Sohio weather announcement...remember that weird music?

 

Gold Circle:

 

Horne's and Hill's:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVphfR7mPNw

 

Zayre:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J14d73-vOo8&feature=related

 

A good montage of Rolling Acres Mall material and footage from opening to present day:

 

I know you all will think what I'm about to say is corny, but that Higbee's commercial brought tears to my eyes.  I can't believe I'm sitting here crying.  I worked on the SOHIO "Ice Guard" campaign. 

 

Although we never shoped there, but those Southgate commercials were so funny back then.

 

Damn...

interesting thread, ive been away from cleveland for over five years now and its fascinating to know whats going on back home

 

what is with downtown? tower city can't even hold a gap anymore? YIKES. not even panera?

 

seems like DT is in a sad state of affairs...as far as retail...

Oddly enough suburbanites see Downtown as an appropriate place to drink till they yack and to howl at the moon, but not an appropriate place to come to buy some khakis.

wow no wonder higbees went out of business. that druggy commercial scared the bejeezus out of me. i don't remember that one, but i remember the higbees jingle very well, they used it in a lot of other commercials too.

 

yeah i had forgotten all about the weird sohio weather alert music, but that commercial brought it right back. ditto the southgate commercials. ya gotta love how they got the late ted knight aka ted baxter/judge smails to shill the place. that was a stroke of genius. fun stuff!

The Sohio weather music is just pure audio creepiness.  It's almost as bad as the Emergency Broadcast System.

The Sohio weather music is just pure audio creepiness.  It's almost as bad as the Emergency Broadcast System.

 

yeah i had forgotten all about the weird sohio weather alert music, but that commercial brought it right back.

 

Gee, thanks fellas! I can see my hard work is appreciated by my UrbanOhio brethren :whip: 

 

wow no wonder higbees went out of business. that druggy commercial scared the bejeezus out of me. i don't remember that one, but i remember the higbees jingle very well, they used it in a lot of other commercials too.

 

I loved those Higbee's commercials!

Boutique district would breathe life into city shopping

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Kim Crow

Plain Dealer Style Editor

 

Shopping can be a chore in Northeast Ohio, no doubt about it.

 

There's a certain segment of readers who insist we're in the Dark Ages when it comes to exciting retail. I don't agree with that, but I do realize once we get outside Beachwood Place and Chagrin Falls, there are very few centralized shopping districts that can offer an afternoon full of enticement.

 

More at cleveland.com http://www.cleveland.com

She makes some very good points here.  As many cool areas as there are in Cleveland, I think it has been an issue with having a critical mass of things like she mentions, that you find in many city's. 

Lots of potential for it, but too many places vying for it.  When things are so spread out, it is hard enough for the locals to know what exists where, but imagine visitors trying to find some of these places.               

I liked what she had to say, however, when is shopping a "chore"?  :wtf:  :wtf:  :wtf: That gal needs to get' wit me, I'll show her how to shop! :whip: :whip:

 

However, I don't think each community cultivating retail is a bad thing.  That makes the neighborhood interesting, and differentiate's it from the next neighborhood.

 

When things are so spread out, it is hard enough for the locals to know what exists where, but imagine visitors trying to find some of these places.               

 

Again with the negative, (I'll say it again, why can't we ever look at the positive??)  :roll: :roll: ugh.  So to spin this, I'll say, if a neighborhood is a "hit" people will want to go to "check it out".  Do you think Shaker Square, Edgewater, Ohio City just "happened" to be places people (residents and visitors alike) want to visit??  They are all popular because they are all different and via different forms of communication they are places Clevelanders think are popular, so the local and outside media and word of mouth makes them popular locations to live, work, dine, shop and visit.

 

With proper market locally each section of the city will cultivate it's own niche and following, making the cities neighborhoods just that more exciting.

Hardly being negative.  Maybe your the one spinning everything said into a negative?

Hardly being negative.  Maybe your the one spinning everything said into a negative?

 

No I just want people to look at both sides of the situation.  I don't think there is any reason not to have several different areas to shop, dine, explore, etc. 

 

Can you elaborate in detail on why you state the following?

Lots of potential for it, but too many places vying for it.  When things are so spread out, it is hard enough for the locals to know what exists where, but imagine visitors trying to find some of these places.               

I must say though that shopping is the missing least represented component in our great neighborhoods.  I love eating and drinking but I don't want to be 300 lbs either.  The best shopping occurs when you just happen to wander into a store--here, most places you have to "know" that you're going there.  Spontaneous shopping is when I spend the most! 

I don't think she was being negative. She is generally very complimentary of the fashion/retail scene in Cleveland, and I always find her columns refreshing. She is the complete opposite of Litt and Feagler.

 

She explicitly said she "doesn't agree" with criticisms of the retail scene in Cleveland. Her point is that we have a lot of great things happening all over the city. To really enjoy the city you have to get out and explore. There needs to be more vibrant walkable commercial districts (Doesn't that sound like our mantra?)

 

I enjoy all the different neighborhoods and commercial districts, because I know about them simultaneously. It is difficult to convince people of all the great urban character and revitalization in Cleveland when it involves a good deal of education and directions.

 

So far, the dots haven't been connected. There are many islands of revitalization that have not yet been bridged into one vibrant walkable city. I don't think that is being negative. I'm not knocking the city or lamenting, but I do agree with Crow - along with Stark - that we've maybe reached a point where instead of creating new dots, we should create stronger connections.

I agree.  I don't think she was being negative.  I think it was a well-written article.  She seems to "get it", which is more than can be said for a lot of her colleagues.

I agree.  I don't think she was being negative.  I think it was a well-written article.  She seems to "get it", which is more than can be said for a lot of her colleagues.

 

Kim is a neighbor of mine in Ohio City. She's one of "us".

that we've maybe reached a point where instead of creating new dots, we should create stronger connections.

 

Couldn't agree more.  Maybe this could be the start of a new thread.  Connecting Cleveland?  Isn't that the subtitle of the City's new 20 year plan?  Regardless, one of the first two dots I think we should connect are OC & Tremont.  Whether you walk through the valley are cross over it on Abbey Rd., it's not exactly aesthetically pleasing, let alone full of vitality!  I've often wondered how a little money could go a long way in making Abbey Rd. a fun/energizing walk, rather than an uninspiring one.  If this connecting street looked better, you'd likely get more investment from the private  sector.

Can you elaborate in detail on why you state the following?

Lots of potential for it, but too many places vying for it.  When things are so spread out, it is hard enough for the locals to know what exists where, but imagine visitors trying to find some of these places.               

 

Gee MTS it looks like everyone else did it for me....

Can you elaborate in detail on why you state the following?

Lots of potential for it, but too many places vying for it.  When things are so spread out, it is hard enough for the locals to know what exists where, but imagine visitors trying to find some of these places.               

 

Gee MTS it looks like everyone else did it for me....

 

Vulpster and the guv made good points.  Not everyone else.

 

I personally think cultivating what we have and planting seeds in new area's we'll get to that point.  Nothing  IN NO CITY happens overnight.  Hell there are plenty of area's of brooklyn, Chicago, DC or manhattan which have the same problem as Cleveland. 

True Religion has officially opened at Beachwood Place.

humph!  Now I know why my nephew is texting/calling me with a "Fashion APB"

I think the Traveler's Shoppe / Cleveland Trunk On Euclid and 13th is closing.  I saw they have a "moving sale" going on.  Sad.  I'll add this to the CAC as the 2 business the ECP ended that I actually care about (though I know that the CAC had a ton of problems pre ECP, and that was just the final nail in the coffin).

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20080403/FREE/466429466/1004&Profile=1004

 

Luggage store packs its bags downtown

 

By STAN BULLARD

 

12:53 pm, April 3, 2008

 

Scratch another legacy retailer from battered Euclid Avenue in downtown Cleveland.

 

This time it is Traveler’s Shoppes and Cleveland Trunk, a luggage and gift store in the city’s Theater District since 1936 that traces its history here to 1894.

 

More at crainscleveland.com http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20080403/FREE/466429466/1004&Profile=1004

 

^ that actually makes me feel a little better.

I doubt that PHS would let go of a tenant unless they felt pretty good that they could replace it with someone else. Still, I wish that they would relocate to another location in the cbd.

that building is going to need a lot of work to be a viable part of the "design district".  I have seen photos and behind that odd gravel-like 2 story facade is in fact a beautiful historic building.  I have no idea what type of shape it is in or even if it is salvageable.

But that's inexcusable that they would ask them to leave and not find an alternative space for these tenants that have been there for four generations.  I understand progress and putting some spaces to better use, but that's just wrong to do - they could have been asked to move to a different space, instead of being kicked out. 

I'm guessing that the key line was where the owners said they weren't interested in opening another location Downtown, because they are changing their business and moving towards retirement.

I'm guessing that the key line was where the owners said they weren't interested in opening another location Downtown, because they are changing their business and moving towards retirement.

 

Don't use those reading comprehension skills on me!  I prefer to make rash judgments!  ;)

The headline and first sentence of this article are not fitting at all!  :x  I was waiting to read ECP bashing and how it's destroyed the CBD!  D@mn, looks like I'll have to wait until next week's PD for an article like that!  :roll:

It's still a shame that they're looking to locate their warehousing, etc to a suburb. Nowhere else in Cleveland could've accommodated them?

 

But it's also very exciting that the District of Design is making some headway. Can't wait for that type of stuff to pick up speed.

 

I'm very interested to see what Cleveland will be like in about 5 years, economically speaking, I mean. I hope its diversity continues.