Along Euclid Avenue, to the left or east of Starbucks in the Hanna Building, will be the latest location of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream. The new parlor will take the entire space between Starbucks and the arched Euclid entrance to the historic building (Google). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.
New ice cream parlor at Hanna Building
While NEOtrans doesn’t normally devote an entire article to the planned opening of a small retail space, this is a new ice cream parlor in a high-profile location. And, of course, everyone loves ice cream, especially when it’s enjoyed before or after a show at America’s second-largest theater district, Cleveland’s Playhouse Square.
Ben & Jerry’s intends to open its fourth Scoop Shop retail location in Ohio and its second in Greater Cleveland at 1422 Euclid Ave. Its other Cleveland-area location is 20650 John Carroll Blvd. in suburban University Heights and is open from 12 noon to 9 pm daily. Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shops are independently owned and operated.
In addition to ice cream, a Ben & Jerry’s store menu also includes sundaes, milkshakes, brownies, cookies and the banana split brownie special. The Waterbury, Vermont-based company has been expanding retail locations nationwide featuring a new store design.
This latest location will occupy what was originally marketed as a multi-tenant space fronting Euclid between Starbucks and the arched entrance to the 124-year-old, 16-story Hanna Building, according to plans submitted to the city of Cleveland’s Building Department.
A permit application submitted to the city this week by HSB Architects + Engineers of Cleveland shows that the new store will involve approximately $300,000 worth of interior renovations to the 1,747-square-foot space.
Floor plan for the new Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop in Downtown Cleveland’s Playhouse Square district (HSB).
It includes a queuing/counter section to select products, two dining areas and a back-of-house/preparation space. While there won’t be an outdoor patio, it will offer bar-type seating along the windows facing Euclid.
“Interior fit-out of an ice-cream shop in an existing vacant shell space,” is how the renovation is described in HSB’s application. “Scope to include minor demolition, new partitions, millwork, kitchen equipment and all associated MEP (mechanical-electrical-plumbing). No exterior scope as part of these drawings. Future signage handled by others and submitted under separate permit.”
While the plans were submitted to the city and thus a public record, it appears that the ink isn’t yet dry on a lease agreement with property owner PSC Hanna Building LLC, an affiliate of the Playhouse Square Foundation, one of downtown’s largest real estate landlords.
“We don’t have anything to share at this time, but will reach out as soon as we do,” said Cindi Szymanski, director of communications at Playhouse Square.
The only other Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop in Greater Cleveland is located next to John Carroll University in University Heights. Unlike this store, the downtown location will not have an outdoor patio but will have seating along its windows facing Euclid Avenue (Google).
And no lease memorandum has yet been filed with the Cuyahoga County Fiscal Officer, as is often the case within at least a few days after any lease agreement is executed.
NEOtrans reached out to no avail to Ben & Jerry’s corporate communications and to the franchisee, Vivian Chidi-Murriel who listed a Toledo address in their contact information. That address is the location of a new Ben & Jerry’s store that was just opened by Chidi-Murriel in December 2024. Ben & Jerry’s third Ohio store is in Dayton.
The addition of a national chain is often considered a validation of a district’s market strength. But a source familiar with the new store who spoke on the condition of anonymity said Playhouse Square doesn’t need validation.
The franchisee sought the Playhouse Square store and Ben & Jerry’s approved it because the district gets 1.2 million visitors per year, the source said. That’s on top of foot traffic from residents, daytime office workers and special events that close the street and add even more foot traffic.
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