This document discusses strategies for fostering retail entrepreneurship in Cleveland's neighborhoods. It provides details on revitalization efforts in several neighborhoods, including the 5th Street Arcades downtown, the Gordon Square Arts District, the Waterloo District, Buckeye neighborhood, and Asiatown. Initiatives described include attracting new small businesses through grants and low-cost space, enhancing public spaces through streetscapes, murals and parks, and developing mixed-use properties to support retail. The goal is to strengthen neighborhood retail districts through local entrepreneurship.

1. Fostering & Attracting
Retail Entrepreneurship
in Cleveland’s
Neighborhoods
June 20, 2013
Neighborhood Retail The City of
Cleveland
Department of Economic Development

2. Yesterday’s “Suburban”
Retail Shopping Districts

3. Storefronts & Boutiques

4. Retail District
Neighborhoods of Focus
 5th
Street Arcades -Downtown
 Gordon Square Arts District
 Waterloo District
 Buckeye
 Asia Town

5. Euclid–Colonial Arcades
 2012
 49 Storefronts of which 20
or (41%) were vacant;
 Zero events after 5:00
utilizing the space;
 Main use – Pedestrian
Connector from Prospect to
Euclid Avenue during
inclement weather;
 More ghosts than shoppers!

6. 5th
Street Arcades
 2013 New Mission – “Start-up or Incubator”
space for locally-owned Retail Shops.
 Partnerships-Cumberland
Development, City of
Cleveland, Charter One
Bank, & Downtown
Cleveland Alliance;
 Formula – Incentives!
(loans, forgivable loans,
grants, below market
rate rent, creativity).

7. 5th
Street Arcades
 Retail Grant Competition
• On May 9th
2013, kick-off to
celebrate the winners!
• 6 businesses were awarded grants
and will be open by summer 2013;
• New Businesses include: Bright
Green; Pour; Soulcraft; Sushi 86;
Fra Angelica; Prestigious Fashions;
Alphonso’s; and the Tea Lab.

8. 5th
Street Arcades
 Soulcraft – a
gallery featuring
furniture from 12
different Cleveland
based designers &
makers;
 Bright Green – a
boutique featuring
jewelry, handmade
soap, baby gifts
with an organic &
natural theme.

9. 5th
Street Arcades
 Fashion Week
Cleveland;
 Attracted
hundreds to the
event!
 Music, food,
fashion, fun,
Fifth Street
Arcades!

10. Gordon Square Arts
District
 Economic Cornerstone on Cleveland’s west side;
 Over $500 million invested in new housing, business
attraction, investment in the arts and neighborhood
beautification.
 Key projects include: (1) Current renovation of
Cleveland Public Theatre; (2) Restoration of the Capital
Theatre; (3) Construction of the Near West Theatre; (4)
Streetscape Improvements; and (5) Additional parking
featuring public art and sustainable landscaping.

11. Gordon Square Arts
District

12. Gordon Square Arts
District “Cafés”
Stone Mad Pub – Great Food, Music,
Historic Preservation, and Artistry &
Craftsmanship!

13. Gordon Square Arts
District “Cafés”
 Red Stone – one of many locally-
owned restaurants & cafés;
 Chef’s support locally grown food;
 Gypsy Beans – one of the 1st
new
business in the neighborhood in
2007!

14. Gordon Square Arts
District “Local Food”
 Recipient of Cleveland
Magazine’s 2013 Silver
Spoon Award for “Best
New Restaurant!”
 Features roof top
garden;
 25 jobs created;
 Received funding from
the Neighborhood Retail
Assistance Program
Spice Kitchen & Bar

15. Gordon Square Arts
District “the Arts”

16. Gordon Square Arts
District ”Retail Boutiques &
Café Storefronts”
Retropolitan
Luxe

17. Gordon Square Arts
District “Streetscape”
 Public Art
 Sustainable
landscaping;
 Decorative lighting
 Utility lines buried
underground;
 Wider sidewalks to
allow for outdoor
cafés;
 Storefront signage.

18. Waterloo District
 In 2012, a developer /
restaurateur announced plans
to open up to 5 new
restaurants on Waterloo
 New eateries, art
businesses, retail shops
and Beachland Ballroom
together will establish
Waterloo as a premier
destination

19. Waterloo District –
Collinwood Rising
 A creative way to combat
urban vacancy and foreclosure
in the North Shore Collinwood
neighborhood
 DIY Work-live
space for artists
available for as
little as $6,500
 $1.1 million grant
from LINC and
others

20. Waterloo District –
Collinwood Rising
 $500,000 ArtPlace Grant to
convert vacant home into artist
storefront, vacant storefront
into performing arts incubator,
and redesign of a playground.
 Project Light Switch –
coalition of business
owners
 Crop Rocks – food,
music, and performances

21. Waterloo District
 Emerging destination
in City’s North
Collinwood
neighborhood
 Beachland Ballroom
anchors district
 District Needs:
• Dining
Establishments
• Off street parking

22.  City and CDC collaborating
to create public parking
with financial assistance
from Vacant Property
Initiative – Local Parking
Needs
 New restaurants receiving
funding assistance through
the Neighborhood Retail
Assistance Program
 New streetscape project
will further enhance district
Waterloo District

23. Buckeye Neighborhood
 A walkable street with much of
existing commercial buildings still in
place
 Jazz culture both past & present
 Buckeye Merchants
Association, a group of
businesses with over 200 jobs,
meet regularly to promote and
build on assets of the
neighborhood

24. Buckeye Neighborhood
 St. Lukes -Conversion of
historic assets into new
residential housing to support
the neighborhood retail.

25. Buckeye Neighborhood –
Public Art
 Utilizing local
artists to design
murals, paintings
on public & private
buildings
 Public art is
incorporated into
trash cans,
planters as well as
sidewalks and
neighborhood
parks.

26. Buckeye Neighborhood –
Painting the Street!
 Public Art that
depicts the
Buckeye
Neighborhood

27. Buckeye Neighborhood –
“Mom & Pop” Small
Businesses
 Nikki’s Music –
A Neighborhood
Retail
Institution

28. Buckeye Neighborhood –
“Mom & Pop” Small
Businesses
 #1 Beauty Supply –
the “Wal-Mart” for
Hair Products

29. Buckeye Neighborhood –
Urban Farming
 Growing healthy fresh local food
for the Buckeye Residents on
commercial vacant lots

30. Buckeye Neighborhood –
Reimagining Architectural
Assets
 Vision for
Tomorrow –How
do we get there?
 Yesterday

31. AsiaTown
 Asia Town Center – A
115,000 sq. ft. building
featuring a grocery store, 4
restaurants and 24
boutique shops / services in
a former industrial building.
 $2.2 million
investment in 2008;

32. AsiaTown – Cultural Cafe’s
 Siam Café & KoKo Bakery
are popular Asian-owned
businesses that have
invested in the growing
Asiatown Neighborhood.

33. AsiaTown – Retail Boutiques
 China Merchandise Exhibit
provides “general store”
experience while shops at
Asia Plaza give a “boutique
emporium” experience.

34. AsiaTown – Mixed-Use
Storefronts
 “Mixed-use” space can
be found across the
neighborhood. Several
restaurants share their
2nd
floor space with
residents and other
tenants.

35. City of Cleveland
Kevin Schmotzer
Executive – Small Business
Development
Dept. of Economic Development
(216) 664-3720
kschmotzer@city.cleveland.oh.u
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