The former Tick Tock Tavern space in Cleveland’s Edgewater neighborhood was leased by Saravanan Chandrababu, owner of Downtown Cleveland’s Sausalito on Ninth. Interior work is due to start soon as an interior demolition plan was approved by the city (Google). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.
New restaurant coming to Cleveland’s Edgewater neighborhood
ARTICLE UPDATED MARCH 6, 2025
A public record filed this week provided the first indication that the space which housed the Tick Tock Tavern in Cleveland’s Edgewater neighborhood has a new lease on life. The owner of Downtown Cleveland’s Sausalito on Ninth was notified by the city that his plan to start renovating the recently closed, eight-decade-old tavern was approved.
A source who spoke on the condition of anonymity confirmed to NEOtrans that Sausalito On Ninth owner Saravanan Chandrababu will take over the vacated space of the Tick Tock Tavern that closed in December. The 4,400-square-foot restaurant, bar and party room space is located on the ground floor of a mixed-use building at 11526 Clifton Blvd.
The source did not provide information on what Chandrababu’s has in mind for the spot. No one at CBRE which had the listing for lease responded either.
Chandrababu responded to NEOtrans via e-mail, saying that he will make an announcement soon regarding his plans for the restaurant space, complete with renderings. “I want to announce big with all the details.”
On March 4, Cleveland Building Department Chief Tom Vanover issued a letter to Chandrababu notifying him that his interior, non-structural demolition plans submitted the day before were approved.
The large, 4,400-square-foot space that housed Tick Tock Tavern for generations, is outlined in red. It is between Papa Nick’s Pizza and Mad Chicken, on the ground floor of a century-old building with apartments above (CBRE).
“A city-registered contractor may now purchase the permit at Cleveland City Hall, Room 505,” Vanover wrote. “This approval is invalid if work has not commenced within twelve months of the above approval date.”
The permit would allow for the removal of the non-structural elements from the referenced first-floor space only. There was no dollar amount associated with the proposed work. Nor was any information provided as yet regarding the build-out plans for the new establishment.
Chandrababu has been in expansion mode. In 2023, he opened Sausalito Kirtland at 9270 Chillicothe Rd. — an American-fusion restaurant with a banquet facility. In fact, Sausalito does a big business in catering — something that the Clifton location can offer with its large space.
The Kirtland establishment expanded from Sausalito On Ninth, 1360 E. 9th St., in Downtown Cleveland. Featuring chef-inspired, locally sourced cuisine, the downtown restaurant opened in 2018 on the ground floor of the 15-story IMG Building.
The restaurant’s roots go back more than three decades when it was begun by noted restaurateur Gary Lucarelli who opened Sweetwater’s Cafe on Euclid Avenue. It moved to the Galleria at Erieview and changed its name to Sweetwater’s Cafe Sausalito.
In June 2019, Sausalito On Ninth was celebrating its first anniversary in its new location, the IMG Building on East 9th Street in Downtown Cleveland. But also that same year, the owner of that building went into foreclosure in a case that was resulted in the property being taken over by it creditors in January of this year (Google).
“Now, under the new leadership of Indian immigrant Saravanan ‘Babu’ Chandrababu, a re-envisioned restaurant resides in a beautiful, contemporary glass-front location along bustling East 9th Street in downtown Cleveland under the name, Sausalito on Ninth,” the restaurant’s Web site notes.
But the IMG Building’s ownership has been unsettled for six years. In January, creditors took possession of the 60-year-old building comprised mostly of offices from owner 1360 East Ninth CLE LLC after a long, bitter foreclosure case.
A securitized loan incorporated as a limited liability corporation was awarded a credit bid of $6.63 million in a sheriff’s sale last year, Ohio Supreme Court and Cuyahoga County records show.
On Clifton, the landlord of the two-story, 100-year-old building that held the former Tick Tock Tavern since 1937 is Clifton Medical LLC. It, in turn, is owned by James Hansen of Oakland, CA. He has owned the property since 2016, according to county property records.
The Tick Tock Tavern on Dec. 5, 2024 was only days away from closing after an eight-decade-long run. The interior space will be cleared of all non-structural elements and fit-out for its new establishment by skilled restaurateur Saravanan Chandrababu (KJP).
NEOtrans broke the story of the Tick Tock Tavern closing. The closure came as its owner of 31 years, John Tripodis, decided to retire rather than fight the city’s attempts to deny a renewal of his liquor license.
His ownership followed his employment there since 1975, working for his cousin Gus Katsaros who bought the establishment in 1972. After NEOtrans broke the story, Tripodis said he found a newspaper article from 1977 which reported that the Tick Tock Tavern was celebrating its 40th anniversary.
Following two separate, high-profile shootings, one in August 2021 and a fatal shooting in February 2023, both involving tavern customers, plus noise and other complaints, city officials fought Tripodis’ renewal of his liquor license.
“I’m getting railroaded by the city,” Tripodis said. “They made me responsible for what people do after they leave here. I hired security but I can have all the security I want and I can’t stop that. I thought that’s why we have police. But I saw the writing on the wall and decided now is a good time to retire.”
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