A newly renovated Shooters in Cleveland’s Flats is scheduled to reopen March 19 under new ownership (Initiative PR). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.
MGK’s links to project publicly omitted
Shooters, an iconic Cleveland waterfront restaurant and bar, is scheduled to reopen under new ownership March 18 following a $1 million renovation and reimagining of the longtime establishment on the Flats West Bank, 1148 Main Ave.
Expanded programming, including brunch service and live entertainment, will roll out in the coming months. An expanded deck featuring a new waterfront performance stage and boat dock are expected to open in May.
In a testament of love to Cleveland, the new Shooters is led by a team of Cleveland natives who set out to reintroduce the landmark while championing local talent and bringing new ideas shaped by experiences from around the globe.
“Shooters is more than a restaurant or a bar,” the new owners said in a press release, without them being identified. “It’s a waterfront gathering place that was made for Cleveland. We are proud of where we are. We reopened Shooters to celebrate the water, the grit, the joy, the legacy of this place and our city.”
“We grew up here and believe that Shooters is for everyone,” the owners continued. “Families during the day, boaters in the afternoon, concert crowds at night. Familiar faces and new people – by friends, for friends, where all are welcome.”
MGK talks to employees at 27 Club Coffee which he founded in 2020. It is located on the Flats East Bank in Downtown Cleveland. Shooters, a second establishment with his involvement, will be located across the Cuyahoga River on the Flats West Bank (thetraveladdict.com).
Opening every day at 4 p.m., Shooters will close on most days at 10 p.m. except on Friday and Saturday nights when it will close at 11 p.m.
While the names of the owners weren’t identified in a press release issued today, the release about Shooters’ opening was distributed by Natasha Dubin-Collatos of Beverly Hills-based Initiative PR.
She is the primary media contact for the musician and actor MGK, formerly Machine Gun Kelly, born Richard Colson Baker. She didn’t respond prior to publication of this article as to why the owners weren’t named.
NEOtrans broke the story in 2024 that Shooters was being purchased and that MGK was involved with the ownership team. MGK grew up in Cleveland and calls the city his hometown, even though he’s lived in a dozen other places.
A source told NEOtrans that MGK and local restaurateur Pat D’Onofrio of Velvet Tango Room, Slyman’s Tavern and Inferno Flats (East Bank), were jointly pursuing Shooters in the last couple of years. Roger Loecy of Chardon had previously owned Shooters on the Water since it opened in 1987.
Shooters On The Water restaurant at Cleveland’s Flats West Bank has been in business since 1987. But it has been renovated by a new ownership group associated with artist MGK who grew up in Cleveland (NEOtrans).
Velvet Tango Room is owned by Cleveland-based CrossCountry Mortgage CEO Ron Leonhardt Jr. Leonhardt and Jon Pinney, managing partner of Kohrman Jackson & Krantz, jointly own Beachwood-based TurnDev — the development firm that oversaw Shooters’ renovation.
Los Angeles-based publicist Randy Henderson of Universal Music Group told NEOtrans that while MGK is not affiliated with the company pursuing the development, he is affiliated with the persons who are.
Public records show Shooters Yacht Club LLC was incorporated in Ohio with Andre Cisco listed as the registered agent and 1148 Main as the address. “Yacht Club” ultimately was left out of the restaurant’s branding.
Cisco is a Cleveland entrepreneur who contributed to MGK’s first album and continues today as part of MGK management team. Cisco also manages 27 Club Coffee, located at 1215 W. 10th St., on Flats East Bank.
The café was founded in 2020 by MGK. Its name is an homage to musicians who passed away at age 27 — Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Brian Jones, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and Amy Winehouse.
Shooters as seen from the land side of the restaurant in 2018 (Google).
Avenue Design of Los Angeles planned the renovation, introducing new updates while preserving signature elements of the original, 1987-built Shooters — including the blue and white tile floor that remains throughout the space.
Cleveland-based designers Danielle Pusateri and David Damier curated the finishing touches, including art and decor. And under Chef Ryan Boone, a new menu will combine classic, comfort staples with fresh ingredients and ideas.
“Shooters is a place that belongs to Cleveland, so the menu reflects that,” Boone said. “We call it ‘Coastal Cleveland’ — inspired by great waterfront dining around the country but grounded in the traditions and flavors of this city.”
Boone worked at a number of well-known restaurants in Greater Cleveland including the Greenhouse Tavern, Summer Place, Heart of Gold and Cordelia. He is known for shaping concepts, building strong teams, and creating menus rooted in nostalgia with a fresh point of view.
“It’s about elevating the classics and creating food that feels fun, familiar, and worth gathering around. I couldn’t be more proud of the team we’re building and of the people I get to do this with every day,” he concluded.
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