The Klutch Cannabis store on lower Prospect Avenue in Downtown Cleveland has a sign that used the same style as the original Record Rendezvous sign dating from when the store opened here in the 1940s. The entire 1908-building was renovated for $1.6 million (NEOtrans). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.
Variety of retailers opening new locations downtown
There is a recent surge of retailers opening in Downtown Cleveland due in part to a growing traffic base coming from several sectors. One is the continued strong residential population growth. Another is the increasing number of return-to-office requirements by employers. And the last is the growing number of year-round entertainment options downtown, based on the hours of operation of the new retailers.
Opening tomorrow at 10 a.m. at an historic location, 300 Prospect Ave., is Klutch Cannabis, which calls its new location a flagship retail dispensary. The site is historic because it is the old Record Rendezvous building — the site where the term “Rock and Roll” was first coined and where Cleveland was forever solidified as the “Cradle of Rock and Roll.”
The new Klutch Cannabis dispensary was designed to honor the cultural legacy of its iconic heritage. Dating back to 1908, this landmark building starting in the 1940s was one of the first places in the world where rock and roll records could be purchased.
But after Record Rendezvous closed in the 1980s, the building had remained largely vacant. It had fallen into disrepair until it was a recipient of $250,000 in Historic Preservation Tax Credits from the State of Ohio to aid in its restoration and preservation.
Not only was a new storefront added to a building that had been vacant for 40 years, the entire structure was renovated for $1.6 million, breathing new life into one of several historic structures on Lower Prospect that were neglected for a long time (NEOtrans).
“Our flagship Cleveland location is more than just a store — it’s a tribute to Cleveland’s spirit of creativity, innovation and community,” said Klutch Founder and CEO Adam Thomarios in a written statement.
Cost of renovating the four-story, 16,609-square-foot building was estimated at $1.6 million in several public records. The store intends to be open seven days a week at 10 a.m. each day, closing at 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and at 10:45 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
Klutch’s flagship location will feature its full line of connoisseur-grade cannabis products, including exclusive drops and limited releases, along with customer favorites from the company’s Habitat by Klutch line, Klutch’s Ohio-exclusive brand partners, and other cannabis companies including Cookie’s Corner.
“We’re honored to breathe new life into this landmark and to provide a world-class retail experience that honors its past while setting the bar for the future of cannabis in Ohio,” Thomarios added. “As always, we remain steadfast in our mission to deliver exceptional experiences for Ohio consumers.”
Located on the Euclid Avenue side of the 200 Public Square office tower, Ebreeq Coffee House opened in May to solid reviews of its Yemeni coffee, pastries and other beverages (Ebreeq).
Another storefront that’s already open later in the evening is Ebreeq Coffee House. It opened in May on the Euclid Avenue side of 200 Public Square, a 45-story office tower. It offers Yemeni coffee, pastries and other beverages. Ebreeq Coffee House is open daily from 8 am to 10 pm.
According to Cleveland Magazine, the ground-floor café aims to bring a taste of Yemeni coffee culture to the city, with a focus on authentic flavors and traditional preparation methods.
The coffee house offers a unique, culturally inspired interior design with traditional Yemeni music creating an immersive experience for customers. Pontia Architecture of New Albany, OH was the cafe’s designer.
The owner, Public Square Nassim LLC Et Al of Great Neck, NY, invested at least $110,000 into building out the 2,200-square-foot space, according to its architectural building permit filed with the city.
The westernmost storefront on the left side of The Beacon Apartments tower on Euclid Avenue will be the new home of a Dollar Bank branch (Google).
Nearby, on the ground floor of the 28-story Beacon Apartments tower, 515 Euclid Ave., will be a new Dollar Bank branch. Integrity Design of Ingomar, PA submitted plans to the city for the storefront building earlier this month.
The storefront to be occupied has been vacant for at least several years. It is the westernmost space on the ground floor of the Beacon, between the Old Arcade and Balance Pan-Asian Grille. Potbelly Sandwich Shop is the other ground-floor tenant at the Beacon.
Dollar Bank intends to invest about $500,000 on fitting out the 2,300-square-foot space, according to its permit application. It will have teller counters, several offices, a conference room, a coffee bar for customers and employees and an ATM outside along the sidewalk.
Plans for a Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop were approved by the city’s Landmarks Commission in late-June, showing this storefront design for the Euclid Avenue façade of the Hanna Building in Playhouse Square (Landmarks).
Lastly, construction work is underway on Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop, 1422 Euclid Ave., in Playhouse Square. It is only the second such Greater Cleveland location for Ben & Jerry’s. The first is in suburban University Heights near John Carroll University.
NEOtrans broke the story on this retail addition in April when a permit application for $300,000 worth of interior renovations was submitted. Its 1,747-square-foot location is between Starbucks and the arched entrance to the 124-year-old, 16-story Hanna Building.
Hours of operation for the Playhouse Square spot are not yet available. However the University Heights location is open from 12 noon to 9 pm daily. Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shops are independently owned and operated.
END
