UPFRONT AFTER ANNOUNCEMENT OF HEINEN’S CLOSING DOWNTOWN LOCATION, CITY LEADERS SAY THEY’LL WORK QUICKLY TO SECURE REPLACEMENT GROCERY STORE
TOM AND JEFF HEINEN MADE a gigantic bet on Cleveland when they opened up their 22nd grocery store in a historic downtown building on the corner of East 9th and Euclid in 2015.
They invested $10 million to convert the then-vacant Ameritrust Rotunda into a stunning two-floor full-service shop, accepting help from the county, tax credits from the state, and a quarter million dollar boost from City Hall in the process.
“It’s a big risk,” Jeff Heinen told the Plain Dealer/cleveland.com in February 2015. “We’re definitely ahead of the population curve.”
But 11 years later, the Heinen’s brothers stunned Downtown residents, workers and city leaders when they announced heartbreaking news that they would not be renewing their lease at 900 Euclid and would be shuttering the store on July 31.
It is the first store Heinen’s has elected to close in four decades, according to Heinen’s marketing manager Jackie Shultz.
The difficult decision came down to pure financials.
“The Downtown store was not profitable for us,” Shultz told Scene in a call on Friday. “It wasn’t breaking even, it wasn’t sustainable long-term. We were losing money.”
Co-owner Jeff Heinen echoed the same lament in a statement earlier on Friday morning. “Despite ongoing adjustments, the store did not reach the level of longterm sustainability needed to continue operating,” he said.
Heinen’s decision to cut its losses downtown has both practical and cultural implications for a city that’s relied on the grocery chain to bolster its own bets on a city center revival. Its glittering makeover of the 1908 Rotunda wowed visiting athletes, tourists and travel writers for the New York Times.
Kathleen Crowther, the head of the Cleveland Restoration Society, called it the “most beautiful grocery store in the world.”
But despite the store being at the forefront of adaptive reuse, a necessity for Downtown’s growing resident base, and a popular lunchtime spot for commuters, Heinen’s barely passed the 11-year mark.
Those interviewed pointed to a flurry of reasons: a stubborn remote worker base post-pandemic; high food prices amid growing inflation; the 2020 George Floyd riots; and a new reality for how Clevelanders now get their groceries. (Ninety percent of people today shop online and in-store, according to the Food Industry Association. Heinen’s began offering pickup and delivery in 2023.)
“This is a very, very different envi-
ronment than the one Heinen’s entered 10 years ago,” Downtown Cleveland Inc. President Michael Deemer told Scene, adding that “no stone was left unturned to help maintain Heinen’s presence at that location.”
Downtown’s population has grown to 21,000 people—with $1.5 billion of new apartments, proposed amphitheaters and entertainment centers completed or in progress—since Heinen’s opened the doors in 2015. But that population is just as willing to order groceries or dinner off an app as stroll down the street.
Heinen’s simply failed to adapt to the market needs of Downtown Cleveland, Deemer said.
“Downtown is a great market,” he said. “I’m fully confident we’re going to be able to find the right operator in the right space who can provide affordable, convenient grocery options for residents, workers and visitors.”
Mayor Justin Bibb, who reminded Clevelanders on Friday his office threw the Heinen brothers $250,000 of support over the past 11 years, echoed Deemer’s disappointment and optimism in a statement on Friday.
“We will continue working alongside our downtown stakeholders to expand access to high-quality food options and strengthen the services and amenities that residents, workers, and visitors deserve,” he wrote.
Downtown residents, meanwhile, are left without an option for now.
“It’s sad. I guess there’s nothing I can really do,” Tony, 34, who lives at The Bell five blocks north, told Scene shopping in the cleaning products aisle on Friday. “I
don’t know? Shop online and get my groceries delivered?”
David and Megan Borges, a married couple in their late twenties who moved into an apartment on Bolivar Road from Boston earlier this year, were eyeing wines in the Rotunda on Friday. They sighed when they heard the news.
David said Heinen’s being two blocks away was one of the reasons they chose to rent at Ten60 while he waits to start a job at the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office. Meaning, as he learned recently, not having to drive out of Downtown.
“Here I feel like you can walk to places,” David said. “You could do that old school, archaic kind of thing. You know, leave your house and walk to the grocery store.”
“Now, you gotta grab your car,” he said.
With Heinen’s gone, many pointed to Constantino’s Market on West 9th Street, or Dave’s Supermarket in the middle of Ohio City as remaining options.
Constantino’s spoke directly to the issue in a post on Instagram shortly after Heinen’s made its closure announcement.
“Here is the good news, neighbors: Downtown still has its grocery store,” they said, adding they’ve been in the Bingham on West 9th for two decades. “And we are not going anywhere.”
B.A. Sweetie Candy Company is Now Employee Owned
One of the largest candy stores is the country is now partially run by its own employees.
At the end of March, the B.A. Sweetie Candy Company has been restructed and
run under an employee stock ownership plan. Roughly 50 of its 70 workers now have a limited say in the company’s future along with more padded retirements after they leave.
That was the end result of previous owner Tom Scheiman’s exit plan for semi-retirement. He sought succession plan for the company and a way to keep productivity and employee morale high.
“The ESOP checked all the boxes,” Scheiman wrote in a press release. “All employees are now walking with a spring in their step. They own a part of a successful, nationally-known, Cleveland-based company.”
Founded by entrepreneur Benjamin A. Sweet in 1950, B.A. Sweetie grew to a gargantuan distributor of candies and a tourist destination. In 2012, its shop migrated to a 40,000-square-foot beige building off Brook Park Road, which houses over a thousand varieties of chocolates, popcorns, sodas from about 200 manufacturers, and more.
ESOPs, as their commonly known, are rare in Northeast Ohio but not without their benefits on the ground floor. Many company owners that make the switch, like Great Lakes Brewing (in 2024) and the AKA Team (in 2021), tout healthier retirement savings and a general boost in morale.
And, as the data shows, a better financial outcome.
A report released by Rutgers in 2024, which analyzed two decades of ESOP data, showed that workers with employee stock options were twice as weathly and worked three years longer than their nonESOP counterparts.
“Statistically, that’s what it’s shown,” B.A. Sweetie President Peter Kempton, Jr. told Scene. “When it’s gone to a ESOP, you see an uptick in productivity. People really take more of a—I guess, pun intended— more of an ownership of their jobs.”
“Our employees here all do a great job already,” he added, “it just gives them that extra incentive to really go the extra mile.”
And stay longer. Kempton predicted the average tenure for a B.A. employee -currently about four years -- might grow with workers cognizant of the perk for their pocketbooks. Though Kempton didn’t say what those financials would be, they would be “pretty significant” upon retirement, he said.
Workers have to be full-time and have at least a year under their belts before ESOP benefits kick in.
Photo by Mark Oprea
you’re Best in Show.
And it’s time once again to celebrate the people and businesses who make this wonderful city a truly vibrant and amazing place to live, as decided by you, the readers.
Tens of thousands of nominations and votes were tallied in the process, and for that we thank you. After all, no one knows the city better than you.
From newcomers to classic icons, you honored hundreds of your neighbors and friends who contribute every day to making the city the very best place to call home.
Without further ado, these are the winners of Scene’s Best of Cleveland 2026.
BEST OF CLEVELAND 2026
BEST ACTIVIST
1.Dr. Lady J
2.Rachael Collyer
3.Peter Bode
BEST APARTMENT COMPLEX
1.Iconic Living at The 9
2.The Bingham
3.The Lumen
BEST BED AND BREAKFAST
1.Inn of Chagrin
2.Historic Rider's Hostelry
3.Clifford House
BEST CHARITY OR NONPROFIT
1.Sanctuary for Senior Dogs
2.Live Like Erin
3.Remi's Pet Recovery
BEST COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY
1.Case Western Reserve University
2.Cleveland State University
3.John Carroll University
BEST COLLEGE RADIO STATION
1.WJCU 88.7 FM (John Carroll University)
2.WRUW 91.1 FM (Case Western Reserve University)
3.WZIP 88.1 FM (University of Akron)
BEST DRAG KING
1.Twisted Transitioner
2.Abel N. Willing
3.Radius Linze
BEST DRAG QUEEN
1.Meta Phase
2.Kellen Williams
3.Omega
BEST DRAG TROUPE
1.Latrice's Bombshell Brunch
2.Honk Honk Productions
3.Not Wearing Wigs
BEST ENTERTAINMENT PODCAST
1.Heavy on Cleveland - by RoXXXstarRadio
2.Cleveland America
3.Not Even a Podcast
BEST FAMILY OUTING
1.Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
2.Cleveland Metroparks
3.Cedar Point
BEST FREE OUTING
1.Cleveland Museum of Art
2.Cleveland Metroparks
3.Cleveland Metropark Zoo (Mondays)
BEST HOTEL
1.Historic Rider's Hostelry
2.Hotel Cleveland
3.Drury Plaza Hotel
BEST INDOOR WEDDING VENUE
1.The Mohicans Treehouse Resort and Wedding Venue
2.Windows on the River
3.78th Street Studios
BEST LOCAL INSTAGRAM
1.@imfromcleveland
2.@queersincle
3.@thingsivebeeneating
BEST LOCAL STARTUP
1.Farm Dog Fresh
2.Left Bank Creative 3.WXMX Cleveland
BEST LOCAL TV NEWSCAST
1.FOX 8 News
2.WKYC Channel 3
3.WCTU Cleveland 13 News
BEST NEWS PODCAST
1.Cleve It To Us
2.Lay of the Land
3.Not Even a Podcast
BEST NEWS REPORTER
1.Wayne Dawson
2.Stefani Schaefer
3.Mike Holden
BEST OUTDOOR WEDDING VENUE
1.Cleveland Botanical Gardens
2.Mapleside Farms
3.The Mohicans Treehouse Resort and Wedding Venue
BEST PLACE FOR A FIRST DATE
1.Cleveland Museum of Art
2.Birdietown Mini Golf + Lounge
3.Edgewater Park
BEST PLACE FOR A KID’S BIRTHDAY PARTY
1.Children's Museum of Cleveland
2.WhirlyBall Cleveland
3.Dave and Buster's
BEST PLACE FOR AN ADULT BIRTHDAY PARTY
1.16-Bit Bar + Arcade | Pins Mechanical Co.
2.WhirlyBall Cleveland
3.Birdietown Mini Golf + Lounge
BEST PLACE TO TAKE A VISITOR
1.West Side Market
2.Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
3.Cleveland Museum of Art
BEST PLACE TO WORK
1.Cleveland Clinic
2.Progressive
3.No Class
BEST PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOL
1.Saint Ignatius High School
2.St. Edward High School
3.Saint Joseph Academy
BEST PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL
1.Lakewood High School
2.Solon High School
3.Rocky River High School
BEST RADIO SHOW
1.Mornings with Brady Marks & Aaron Lux - 107.3
Alternative Cleveland
2.Danger Zone - 107.3
Alternative Cleveland
3.Rover's Morning Glory100.7 WMMS
BEST RADIO STATION
1.107.3 Alternative Cleveland
2.100.7 WMMS
3.Redline Radio
BEST SEASONAL FESTIVAL OR EVENT
1.Pride in the CLE
2.Feast of the Assumption
3.Cleveland Asian Festival
BEST SPORTS PODCAST
1.Bearded Browns Podcast
2.TMDE Sports - Ulterior Motives Sports Podcast
3.The California Penal League - A Cleveland Podcast
BEST SPORTS REPORTER
1.Terry Pluto
2.Ken Carman
3.Marcus Donald
BEST SPORTS TALK RADIO PERSONALITY
1.Ken Carman
2.Angel Ortiz
3.Anthony Lima
BEST TV NEWS ANCHOR
1.Betsy Kling
2.Wayne Dawson
3.Stefani Schaefer
Pride in the CLE. | Photo by Emanuel Wallace
BEST OF CLEVELAND 2026
BEST ACTOR
1.Cameron Woods
2.Marc Ross
3.Joe Quinn
BEST ACTRESS
1.Angel R. Reed
2.Theresa Wylie
3.Amanda Burry
BEST ART GALLERY
1.SPACES
2.Negative Space
3.Stella's Art Gallery
BEST ARTIST
1.Stina Aleah
2.Eileen Dorsey
3.Marcus Schafer
BEST ARTS/MUSIC/FILM FESTIVAL
1.Cleveland International Film Festival
2.IngenuityFest
3.Brite Winter
BEST BAND
1.Apostle Jones
2.Hair Nation
3.Vandalizard
BEST BURLESQUE TROUPE
1.Cleveland Burlesque
2.House of BurlesCLE
3.Shrimply the Best! Burlesque
BEST COMEDY VENUE
1.Hilarities 4th Street Theater
2.Imposters Theater
3.Mahall's
BEST CONCERT VENUE
1.Blossom Music Center
2.Beachland Ballroom & Tavern
3.The Agora
BEST COVER BAND
1.Bad JuJu Cleveland
2.Hair Nation
3.Billy Morris and t
he Sunset Strip
BEST DANCE PARTY
1.Sapphic Soiree
2.Emo Night by Lake Erie Emo Club
3.Sweet Spot
BEST DANCE TROUPE
1.Cleveland Burlesque
2.City Ballet of Cleveland
3.Ohio Contemporary Ballet
BEST DIRECTOR
1.Trinidad Snider
2.Lou Graziani
3.Javon Bates
BEST DJ
1.DJ SissyBunny
2.DJ GoodBoy Morgan
3.DJ NicNacc
BEST FEMALE COMEDIAN
1.Mary Santora
2.Deena Nyer Mendlowitz
3.Tabitha Jones
BEST FEMALE VOCALIST
1.CIIX
2.Mallory Jean Petrolla
3.Jenna Fournier
BEST FILMMAKER
1.Tom Kondilas
2.Dustin Lee
3.Javon Bates
BEST HIP-HOP ARTIST OR GROUP
1.Jinari Kemet
2.Black Voltron
3.Tobyraps
BEST ILLUSTRATOR
1.Aaron Sechrist (OKPants)
2.Lucy Bailey Art
3.Jordan Wong
BEST LOCAL ALBUM
1.Second Chances Don't Come Easy - Apostle Jones
2.It’s Just One of Those Things - Rellick
3.Mess of a WomanChayla Hope
BEST LOCAL AUTHOR
1.Laura DeMarco
2.ZM Delgado
3.James Renner
BEST LOCAL IMPROV
1.Flanagan's Wake
2.IKEA Near Me (Imposters Theater)
3.Yes Anderson (Imposters Theater)
BEST LOCAL PLAYWRIGHT
1.Rachel Zake
2.Lisa Langford
3.Eric Coble
BEST LOCAL RECORD LABEL
1.Wax Mage Records
2.Steadfast Records
3.Jib Machine Records
BEST LOCAL SKETCH COMEDY
1.Imposters Main Stage
Sketch Show
2.Bingo Death Match
3.Sad Boys Social Club
BEST MAGICIAN
1.Magic Mike
2.Rick Smith Jr.
3.Sergio Magic
BEST MALE COMEDIAN
1.Bill Squire
2.Lexx Vegas
3.Pope
BEST MALE VOCALIST
1.Chad Moon
2.Mikey Silas
3.Mike Rellick
BEST MOVIE THEATER
1.Cedar Lee Theatre
2.Capitol Theatre
3.Phoenix Theatres Great Northern Mall
BEST MUSEUM
1.Cleveland Museum of Art
2.Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
3.Cleveland Museum of Natural History
BEST PAINTER
1.Eileen Dorsey
2.Tessa LeBaron
3.Garrett Weider
BEST PHOTOGRAPHER
1.Kelly Funk (Funky Photos)
2.Robyn White Photography
3.Star Boy Images
BEST POET
1.R.A. Washington
2.Kym Essence Hunt-Edge
3.Jeweled Justice
BEST SINGER-SONGWRITER
1.Mikey Silas
2.Jenna Fournier
3.Mike Rellick
BEST STREET FAIR
1.Taste of Tremont
2.Lakewood Arts Festival
3.Larchmere PorchFest
BEST THEATER
1.Playhouse Square
2.Near West Theatre
3.Beck Center for the Arts
BEST THEATER COMPANY
1.Cleveland Play House
2.Cleveland Public Theatre
3.Great Lakes Theater Company
Cleveland Burlesque. | Photo by Emanuel Wallace
BEST OF CLEVELAND 2026
BEST ADULT STORE
1.AdultMart
2.Dean Rufus' House of Fun
3.Lover's Lane
BEST ANTIQUE SHOP
1.Flower Child
2.All Things for You
3.CLE Vintage
BEST ART SUPPLY STORE
1.Lakewood Art Supply
2.Blick Art Materials
3.Upcycle Parts Shop
BEST AUTO REPAIR
1.Bruce's Automotive
2.Washington & Lee Service
3.Conrad's
BEST BARBER
1.Steve Kolis (Safe Bet Cuts)
2.Julia Ramsey (Quintana's Barber & Dream Spa)
3.Patrick Corrigan (Black Cat Barbershop)
BEST BARBERSHOP
1.Black Cat Barbershop
2.Safe Bet Cuts
3.Top of the Line
BEST BIKE SHOP
1.Eddy's Bike Shop
2.Sixth City Cycles
3.Blazing Saddles
BEST BOOKSTORE
1.Loganberry Books
2.Visible Voice Books
3.Mac's Backs Books on Coventry
BEST BOUTIQUE
1.Forevergoldencle
2.Leona's Custom Hats
3.Mike the Hatter
BEST CAR DEALERSHIP
1.Westside Toyota
2.Mazda of Bedford
3.Central Cadillac
BEST CIGAR SHOP
1.Cousin's Cigar
2.Tremont Cigar Society
3.Cigar Cigars Ohio City
BEST CLEVELAND MAKER
1.STEM Handmade Soap
2.The Cleveland Caramel Corn Co.
3.Basil & Rex
BEST COMICS/COLLECTIBLE SHOP
1.Carol & John's Comic Book Shop
2.Doki Doki Kawaii Shop
3.Superscript Comics & Games
BEST CONSIGNMENT SHOP
1.Flower Child
2.Paradise Galleria
3.Consign Home Couture
BEST EYEWEAR
1.Eyes on Chagrin
2.Cleveland Vision Center
3.Avon Eye Design
BEST FASHION DESIGNER
1.Jen Frisco - The Tapestry Spool
2.Blair Ritchey
3.Rebecca Maxwell
BEST FLORIST
1.Indigo Florals
2.Urban Orchid
3.Blossom Flower Bar
BEST FURNITURE MAKER
1.Cool Hand Crftd
2.Arhaus
3.Crafts by Mr. & Mrs.
BEST GIFT SHOP
1.FunktiniLand
2.The Wicked Plant Co.
3.Wild Iris Home
BEST GROCERY STORE
1.Heinen's
2.Lucky’s Market
3.Giant Eagle
BEST HEALTH AND BEAUTY STORE
1.STEM Handmade Soap
2.Revival Body Care
3.SLFMKR
BEST HOBBY STORE
1.Willow Run Market
2.Lakewood Art Supply
3.The Wicked Plant Co.
BEST HOME/GARDEN SHOP
1.Petitti Garden Center
2.Lakewood Garden Center
3.The Wicked Plant Co.
BEST JEWELRY STORE
1.Oceanne
2.Kleinhenz
3.Alson Jewelers
BEST LOCAL CUSTOM MERCHANDISE
1.Cleveland Print Co.
2.M. Anderson Design
3.The Tapestry Spool
BEST LOCAL GAME STORE
1.Apple Jax Toys
2.The Exchange
3.Superscript Comics & Games
BEST LOCAL JEWELRY MAKER
1.Into the Pines
2.Oceanne
3.Red Sapphira
BEST LOCAL T-SHIRTS
1.CLE Clothing Co.
2.GV Art & Design
3.Holly Hobby
BEST MARIJUANA DISPENSARY
1.Rise Dispensary
2.Klutch Cannabis
3.Certified Dispensary
BEST MASSAGE SALON
1.Sacred Hour
2.Urban Haven Wellness
3.Evolve CLE
BEST MEN’S CLOTHING STORE
1.Geiger's
2.Mike the Hatter
3.Cool Hand Crftd
BEST OCCULT SHOP
1.Buckland Museum of Witchcraft & Magick
2.Cleveland Curiosities
3.Oktober's Occult Shoppe
BEST PET BUSINESS
1.Paws in the Land
2.Style Mutt
3.Basil & Rex
BEST PLACE FOR A MANI/PEDI
1.Shawn Paul Salon
2.50 Shades of Polish
3.Manifest Manicures
BEST PLACE TO BUY A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT
1.Guitar Center
2.YIR Music, Inc.
3.Lakewood Suzuki Strings
BEST PLACE TO BUY A WEDDING DRESS
1.Radiant Bride
2.Harper + Ivory
3.David's Bridal
BEST PLACE TO BUY HOUSEPLANTS
1.River Plant Co.
2.The Wicked Plant Co
3.Urban Planting Cleveland
BEST PLACE TO FURNISH YOUR HOME
1.CLE Vintage
2.Paradise Galleria
3.Mishi Lifestyle
BEST RECORD STORE
1.My Mind’s Eye
2.Mistake by the Lake Records
3.Blue Arrow Records
BEST RETAIL BEER SELECTION
1.Heinen's
2.Simone's Beverage
3.The Wine Spot
BEST SALON
1.Fre Salon & Extensions
2.Shawn Paul Salon
3.Marco Alexzander
BEST PLACE TO FIND A PIECE OF CLEVELAND
1.CLE Clothing Co.
2.FunktiniLand
3.Locally Spruced
BEST SMOKE SHOP
1.Puff n’Stuff
2.Daystar Boutique
3.Mayfield Smoke Shop
BEST SNEAKER SHOP
1.Second Sole
2.My Cuzin Vintage
3.Fleet Feet
BEST SPA
1.Vera Aesthetics
2.Sacred Hour
3.Quintana's Barber & Dream Spa
BEST STORE TO BUY CBD
1.Puff n’ Stuff
2.Cleveland Botanical Destination
3.CBD American Shaman Dispensary
BEST STYLIST
1.Marco Alexzander (Marco Alexzander Salon)
2.Shannon Leidich - Shawn Paul Studio
3.Kristen Hill - Wild Honey Hair Co.
BEST TATTOO ARTIST
1.Haley Gunz - Addicted Body Art
2.Stephanie StreeterTattoo Faction
3.Mikayla HylandMikayla Tattoos
BEST TATTOO SHOP
1.Reflection Room Tattoo Co.
2.Addicted Body Art
3.Chronic Tattoo
BEST THRIFT STORE
1.Value World
2.Common Threads
3.Flower Child
BEST TOY STORE
1.Once Upon A Time Toys
2.Apple Jax Toys
3.Sweets and Geeks
BEST VAPE SHOP
1.Planet of the Vapes
2.Puff n’ Stuff
3.High Society
BEST VINTAGE SHOP
1.CLE Vintage
2.Paradise Galleria
3.All Things for You
BEST WINE STORE
1.Rozi's Wine House
2.The Wine Spot
3.La Cave Du Vin
BEST WOMEN’S CLOTHING STORE
1.Banyan Tree
2.Nordstrom
3.Paradise Galleria
Sacred Hour. | Courtesy Photo
BEST OF CLEVELAND 2026
BEST ALCOHOL-FREE BAR
1.Sacred Vortex Teahouse & Kombuchery
2.Verbena Free Spirited
3.Sacred Waters Kava Bar
BEST BAR FOR GAMES
1.16-Bit Bar + Arcade | Pins Mechanical Co.
2.Birdietown Mini Golf + Lounge
3.Superelectric Pinball Parlor
BEST BAR PATIO
1.All Saints Public House
2.Old 86
3.The Fairmount
BEST BAR TRIVIA
1.Jukebox
2.Twist Social Club
3.The Islander
BEST BAR/CLUB FOR LOCAL MUSIC
1.Mahall's
2.Happy Dog
3.Winchester Music Tavern
BEST BARTENDER
1.Matt '"Chewy"" Thompson (Twist Social Club)
2.Spike (No Class)
3.Shaun '"Diggity"" Knapp (The Local Bar)
BEST BLUES CLUB
1.Brothers Lounge
2.Music Box Supper Club
3.BOP STOP at The Music Settlement
BEST COCKTAIL BAR
1.Cloak & Dagger
2.Porco Lounge & Tiki Room
3.LBM
BEST DANCE CLUB/BAR
1.Twist Social Club
2.Good Night John Boy
3.No Class
BEST DIVE BAR
1.Old 86
2.No Class
3.Lincoln Park Pub
BEST DRAFT SELECTION
1.Winking Lizard Tavern
2.Buckeye Beer Engine
3.Sauced Taproom & Kitchen
BEST EDM CLUB/BAR
1.Crobar
2.FWD Day + Nightclub
3.The Ivy
BEST GENTLEMAN’S CLUB
1.Christie's Cabaret
2.Larry Flynt's Hustler Club
3.Diamond Club
BEST HAPPY HOUR
1.Old 86
2.Rowley Inn
3.Funhouse
BEST HIP-HOP CLUB/BAR
1.B-Side
2.The Ivy
3.Rumor Bar & Lounge
BEST JAZZ CLUB
1.Brothers Lounge
2.BOP STOP
3.Nightjar
BEST KARAOKE
1.Corky's Place
2.Tina's Nite Club
3.Prosperity Social Club
BEST LGBTQ+ BAR/CLUB
1.Twist Social Club
2.No Class
3.Leather Stallion Saloon
BEST LOCAL BEER
1.Great Lakes Brewing Co.'s Christmas Ale
2.Fat Head's Brewery's Head Hunter
3.Great Lakes Brewing Co.'s Dortmunder Gold
BEST LOCAL BREWERY
1.Great Lakes Brewing Co.
2.Fat Head's Brewery
3.Forest City Brewery
BEST METAL CLUB/BAR
1.The Foundry
2.No Class
3.Mercury Music Lounge
BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR
1.Prosperity Social Club
2.Rowley Inn
3.The Local Bar
BEST NEW BAR
1.Easy Out
2.Birdtown Brewing
3.Jolene’s Honky Tonk
BEST ROCK CLUB
1.The Grog Shop
2.The Agora
3.Beachland Ballroom & Tavern
BEST SINGLES BAR
1.Old 86
2.Twist Social Club
3.Around the Corner
BEST SPORTS BAR
1.Winking Lizard Tavern
2.Easy Out
3.Dawg House Bar & Grill
BEST SPOT FOR DAY DRINKING
1.Rowley Inn
2.Easy Out
3.Twist Social Club
BEST UNDERGROUND MUSIC BAR/ CLUB
1.Little Rose Tavern
2.No Class
3.The Foundry Concert Club
BEST WATERFRONT BAR
1.Shooters Cleveland
2.Collision Bend Brewing
3.Whiskey Island Still & Eatery
BEST WINE BAR
1.La Cave Du Vin
2.Humble Wine Bar
3.The Wine Spot
Cloak & Dagger. | Courtesy Photo
Great Lakes Brewing Co. | Photo by Emanuel Wallace
BEST OF CLEVELAND 2026
BEST AFRICAN RESTAURANT
1.Zoma Ethiopian Restaurant
2.Habesha Ethiopian and Eritrean Restaurant
3.MoMo's Kebab
BEST BAGELS
1.The Cleveland Bagel Co.
2.Bialy's Bagels
3.Nubeigel
BEST BAKERY/PASTRIES
1.Luna Bakery Cafe
2.Blackbird Baking Co.
3.Fragapane Bakeries
BEST BAR FOOD
1.Rowley Inn
2.Prosperity Social Club
3.Easy Out
BEST BARBECUE
1.Woodstock BBQ
2.Landmark Smokehouse
3.Jones Bones BBQ & Grub
BEST BREADMAKER
1.On The Rise Artisan Breads
2.Leavened
3.Breadsmith
BEST BREAKFAST
1.Grumpy's Cafe
2.Juneberry Table
3.Martha on the Fly
BEST BRUNCH
1.Astoria Cafe & Market
2.Rowley Inn
3.Westsiders
BEST BURGERS
1.Heck's Cafe
2.Doinks Burger Joint
3.Rowley Inn
BEST BUTCHER SHOP
1.K & K Portage Market
2.Ohio City Provisions
3.The Village Butcher
BEST CAKES
1.Luna Bakery Cafe
2.Kelsey Elizabeth Cakes
3.White Flower Cake Shoppe
BEST CHEF
1.Doug Katz (Amba/Kiln/ Zhug)
2.Vinnie Cimino (Cordelia/ Rosy)
3.Eric Hess (Sora)
BEST CHINESE RESTAURANT
1.Li Wah
2.LJ Shanghai
3.Abundance Culinary
BEST CHOCOLATE SHOP
1.Malley's Chocolates
2.Mitchell's Fine Chocolates
3.Sweet Designs Chocolatier
BEST COFFEESHOP
1.Rising Star Coffee Roasters
2.Dahlia Coffee Co.
3.Gypsy Beans
BEST DELI
1.Joe's Fine Deli & Restaurant
2.Larder Delicatessen and Bakery
3.Lehman's Deli & Bakery
BEST DESSERTS
1.Rood Food and Pie
2.Rudy’s Strudel
3.Sophie La Gourmande
BEST DINER
1.My Friends Restaurant
2.Dinerbar on Clifton
3.Big Al's Diner
BEST DONUTS
1.Jack Frost Donuts
2.Brewnuts
3.Goldie's Donuts & Bakery
BEST FOOD TRUCK
1.Barrio
2.Jones Bones BBQ & Grub
3.Cheesy Dave's
BEST FRENCH FRIES
1.Good Company
2.Rowley Inn
3.Prosperity Social Club
BEST FRENCH RESTAURANT
1.L'Albatros
2.Le Petit Triangle Cafe
3.Chez Francois
BEST FRIED CHICKEN
1.Soho Chicken + Whiskey
2.Boss ChickNBeer
3.The Crispy Chick
BEST GERMAN RESTAURANT
1.Das Schnitzel Haus
2.Hofbrauhaus Cleveland
3.Der Braumeister
BEST GREEK RESTAURANT
1.Astoria Cafe & Market
2.Niko's Bar & Gyros
3.Mars Bar
BEST HOT DOGS
1.GLIZZYS
2.Happy Dog
3.FrankieLynn
BEST ICE CREAM
1.Mitchell's Homemade Ice Cream
2.Honey Hut Ice Cream
3.Mason's Creamery
BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT
1.India Garden
2.Cafe Tandoor
3.Tandul
BEST IRISH RESTAURANT
1.The Harp
2.P.J. McIntyre's Irish Pub
3.Stone Mad Pub
BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT
1.Luca West
2.Casa La Luna
3.Lago East Bank
BEST JAMAICAN RESTAURANT
1.Irie Jamaican Kitchen
2.Momma Q's Kitchen
3.Callaloo Café
BEST JAPANESE RESTAURANT
1.Ginko
2.Pacific East Japanese Restaurant
3.Sora
BEST JUICE BAR
1.Pulp Juice and Smoothie Bar
2.Beet Jar
3.Restore Cold Pressed
BEST KOREAN RESTAURANT
1.Korea House
2.Seoul Garden
3.Miega Korean Barbeque
BEST LATE NIGHT EATS
1.Barrio
2.My Friends Restaurant
3.Prosperity Social Club
BEST LATIN RESTAURANT
1.Barroco
2.Batuqui
3.Rincon Criollo
BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT
1.Cilantro Taqueria
2.Momocho
3.Cozumel
BEST MIDDLE EASTERN RESTAURANT
1.Aladdin's 2.Zhug
3.Sittoo's
BEST NEW RESTAURANT
1.Shooters Cleveland 2.ROSY
3.Joseph's 1818 Public House & Grill
BEST PHO
1.Superior Pho
2.Ninja City
3.Number One Pho
BEST PIZZA
1.Il Rione
2.Edison's Pizza Kitchen
3.Cent's Pizza + Goods
BEST POLISH RESTAURANT
1.Prosperity Social Club
2.Rowley Inn
3.Little Polish Diner
Thyme Table. | Courtesy Photo
BEST RESTAURANT
1.Rowley Inn
2.Westsiders
3.Artis
BEST RESTAURANT: ASIATOWN/ GOODRICH-KIRTLAND
1.Li Wah
2.LJ Shanghai
3.Superior Pho
BEST RESTAURANT: BELLAIRE-PURITAS/HOPKINS
1.Glizzys
2.The Aviator
3.Locos Street Tacos and Burritos
BEST RESTAURANT: BROADWAY/SLAVIC VILLAGE
1.The Hotdog Cafe
2.Good Vibes Bar and Grille
3.Daisy's
BEST RESTAURANT: BROOK PARKMIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS
1.Fat Heads Brewery
2.Santo’s Italian Restaurant
3.Rivals
BEST RESTAURANT: BROOKLYN/ BROOKLYN HEIGHTS/LINNDALE
1.Swensons Drive-in
2.The Hooley Pub & Kitchen
3.El Palenque
BEST RESTAURANT: BUCKEYESHAKER/BUCKEYE-WOODHILL
1.Batuqui
2.Poppy
3.Academy Tavern
BEST RESTAURANT: CENTRAL/FAIRFAX
1.The Crispy Chick
2.Angie's Soul Cafe
3.Table 45
BEST RESTAURANT: CLARK-FULTON/STOCKYARDS
1.Johnny's Bar on Fulton
2.Bruno's Ristorante & Catering
3.Pupuseria y Antojitos Guanaquitas
BEST RESTAURANT: CLEVELAND HEIGHTS
1.Tommy's
2.EDWINS
3.Zhug
BEST RESTAURANT: COLLINWOOD/EUCLID-GREEN
1.Doinks Burger Joint
2.Citizen Pie
3.The Standard
BEST RESTAURANT: CUYAHOGA HEIGHTS/GARFIELD HEIGHTS/ NEWBURGH HEIGHTS
1.Arthur Treacher's
2.49 Street Tavern
3.Jamaica's Drumpon Jerk
BEST RESTAURANT: DETROITSHOREWAY
1.Astoria Cafe & Market
2.Il Rione
3.Good Company
BEST RESTAURANT: DOWNTOWN
1.Cordelia
2.Marble Room Steaks and Raw Bar
3.Blue Point Grille
BEST RESTAURANT: EAST CLEVELAND
1.Angela Mia Pizza
2.John John Seafood
3.Libations Bar & Grill
BEST RESTAURANT: EDGEWATER/ CUDELL
1.Don's Lighthouse Grille
2.Landmark Smokehouse
3.My Friends Restaurant
BEST RESTAURANT: EUCLID
1.Stevenson's Bar and Grill
2.Mama Catena Vino e’ Cucina
3.Beachclub Pizza Bistro
BEST RESTAURANT: FAIRVIEW PARK
1.Gunselman's Tavern
2.El Arepazo y Pupuseria
3.Fairview Tavern
BEST RESTAURANT: FLATS
1.Collision Bend Brewing
2.Flat Iron Cafe
3.Alley Cat Oyster Bar
BEST RESTAURANT: GLENVILLE/HOUGH
1.Angie's Soul Cafe
2.Pearl's Kitchen
3.Fluffy Duck Café
BEST RESTAURANT: HIGHLAND HILLS, NORTH RANDALL, WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS
1.Don Ramon Mexican Restaurant
2.B&M Bar-B-Que
3.Millcreek Grille at JACK Thistledown Racino
BEST RESTAURANT: JEFFERSON/WEST BOULEVARD
1.George's Kitchen
2.Der Braumeister
3.Himalayan Restaurant
BEST RESTAURANT: WEST PARK/KAMM’S CORNERS
1.P.J. McIntyre's Irish Pub
2.West Park Station
3.Gene's Place to Dine
BEST RESTAURANT: KINSMAN/ MOUNT PLEASANT/UNION-MILES
1.Mt Pleasant Bar-B-Q
2.CMB Soul Food
3.Samone's Kitchen
BEST RESTAURANT: LAKEWOOD
1.Pier W
2.Rood Food and Pie
3.Cleveland Vegan
BEST RESTAURANT: LARCHMERE
1.Batuqui
2.Poppy
3.Scorpacciata Pasta Co.
BEST RESTAURANT: LEE-HARVARD/ LEE-SEVILLE
1.Angie's Soul Cafe
2.Shark's Seafood & Deli
3.Doc's on Harvard
BEST RESTAURANT: LITTLE ITALY
1.Mia Bella Restaurant
2.Trattoria Roman Garden
3.Etna
BEST RESTAURANT: MAPLE HEIGHTS
1.Mr. Wonderful's Chicken & Waffles
2.Sam Sylk's
3.WINGS Bar and Grill
BEST RESTAURANT: OHIO CITY
1.Momocho
2.Amba
3.Great Lakes Brewing Co.
BEST RESTAURANT: OLD BROOKLYN/BROOKLYN CENTRE
1.Dina's Pizza & Pub
2.Never Say Dive
3.City Diner
BEST RESTAURANT: PARMA/PARMA HEIGHTS
1.Das Schnitzel Haus
2.Stancato's Italian Restaurant
3.Corleone's
BEST RESTAURANT: ROCKY RIVER
1.Joe's Fine Deli & Restaurant
2.Wine Bar Rocky River
3.Westsiders
BEST RESTAURANT: SHAKER HEIGHTS
1.Brassica
2.Kiln
3.Northstar Café
BEST RESTAURANT: SOUTH EUCLID/ UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS
1.Geraci's
2.Los Arcos Mexican Cocina
3.Eat at Joe's
BEST RESTAURANT: ST. CLAIR-SUPERIOR
1.Slyman's
2.Goldhorn Brewery
3.Angela's Family Restaurant
Brassica. | Courtesy Photo
BEST RESTAURANT: TREMONT
1.Prosperity Social Club
2.Fat Cats
3.Rowley Inn
BEST RESTAURANT: UNIVERSITY CIRCLE
1.L'Albatros
2.Otani Noodle
3.Sittoo's
BEST COCKTAIL PROGRAM
1.Thyme Table
2.Westsiders
3.Artis
BEST RESTAURANT PATIO
1.Collision Bend Brewing
2.Merwin's Wharf
3.L'Albatros
BEST ROMANTIC RESTAURANT
1.Pier W
2.Marble Room
Steaks & Raw Bar
3.Jaja
BEST SANDWICHES
1.Slyman's
2.Herb'n Twine Sandwich Co.
3.Joe's Fine Deli & Restaurant
BEST SEAFOOD MARKET
1.Kate's Fish
2.Euclid Fish Co.
3.Shaker's Fish Market
BEST SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
1.Pier W
2.Blue Point Grille
3.Alley Cat Oyster Bar
BEST SOUL FOOD
1.Zanzibar Soul Fusion
2.Angie's Soul Cafe
3.Squash the Beef
BEST SPANISH RESTAURANT
1.Mallorca
2.Sangria y Tapas
3.Ibiza Mediterranean Restaurant
BEST STEAKHOUSE
1.Marble Room
Steaks & Raw Bar
2.Strip Steakhouse
3.STEAK Cleveland
BEST SUBURBAN RESTAURANT (EAST)
1.Flour
2.Batuqui
3.Joseph's 1818 Public House & Tavern
BEST SUBURBAN RESTAURANT (SOUTH)
1.Lockkeepers
2.Tita Flora's 3.Delmonico's
BEST SUBURBAN RESTAURANT (WEST)
1.Cabin Club
2.Luca West
3.Westsiders
BEST SUSHI
1.Ginko
2.Sora
3.Mizu Sushi
BEST TACOS
1.Cilantro Taqueria
2.Barrio
3.La Plaza Taqueria
BEST TEA HOUSE
1.Algebra Tea House
2.The Tea Lab
3.The Sacred Vortex Teahouse and Kombuchery
BEST THAI RESTAURANT
1.Thai Thai
2.Banana Blossom Thai
3.Ty Fun Thai Bistro
BEST VEGAN RESTAURANT
1.Cloak and Dagger
2.Cleveland Vegan
3.Foodhisattva
BEST VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT
1.Tommy's
2.Cleveland Vegan
3.The Root Café
BEST VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT
1.Superior Pho
2.Number One Pho
3.Phnom Penh
BEST WINGS
1.Good Company
2.Boss ChickNBeer
3.Rowley Inn
BEST OF CLEVELAND 2026
BEST BASKETBALL COURTS
1.Bay Village Parks & Recreation
2.HoopTech
3.Flow Basketball
BEST BATTING CAGES
1.Swings-N-Things
2.SportsVille
3.D-BAT
BEST BEACH
1.Edgewater Beach
2.Huntington Beach
3.Mentor Headlands
BEST BIKE TRAIL/TRACK
1.Towpath Trail
2.Cleveland Lakefront Bikeway
3.Ray's Indoor Mountain
Bike Park
BEST BILLIARDS
1.Iggy's Bar
2.B and G Tavern
3.Rookies Sports Bar & Grill
BEST BOWLING ALLEY
1.Mahall's
2.Corner Alley
3.RollHouse
BEST CAMPING
1.Kelleys Island State Park
2.Punderson State Park
3.Findley State Park
BEST COUNTRY CLUB
1.Avon Oaks Country Club
2.Shaker Heights Country Club
3.Canterbury Golf Club
BEST CYCLING STUDIO
1.Cycle Fly
2.Everybody Cycle
3.CycleBar
BEST DANCE STUDIO/CLASS
1.Beck Center for the Arts
2.Dance FX
3.Studio Soul
BEST DARTS
1.Harbor Inn
2.Easy Out
3.Kensington Pub
BEST DOG PARK
1.Taps & Tails
2.Lakewood Dog Park
3.Edgewater Park
BEST ESCAPE ROOM
1.The Escape Game
2.Escape Room Coventry
3.Perplexity Games
BEST FRISBEE GOLF
1.Hudson Springs Disc Golf Course
2.Sims Park Disc Golf Course
3.Astorhurst Disc Golf Course
BEST GYM
1.TFIT Studio
2.Cycle Fly
3.Tremont Athletic Club
BEST HIKING TRAILS
1.Rocky River Reservation
2.Ledges Trailhead
3.Whipps Ledges
BEST KAYAK RENTALS
1.41 North Coastal Adventures
2.Hinckley Lake Boathouse & Store
3.Great Lakes Watersports
BEST LASER TAG
1.WhirlyBall Cleveland
2.Scene 75
3.Arena 51
BEST PHYSICAL TRAINER
1.Gianna Wilkie (Cycle Fly, One to One, Free Hearts)
2.Tori Hvizda (TFIT Studio)
3.Shannon Harrell (Flow Yoga)
BEST PICKLE BALL COURTS
1.Cleveland Pickleball Center
2.Cleveland Premier Pickleball Club
3.Reese Park
BEST PLACE TO BIRD WATCH
1.Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve
2.Rocky River Reservation
3.Mentor Headlands
BEST PLACE TO ICE SKATE
1.Winterhurst Ice Arena
2.North Olmsted Recreation Center
3.Brunswick Auto Mart Arena
BEST PLACE TO PLAY TENNIS
1.Cain Park
2.Rocky River Middle School
3.The Flats Platform Tennis Center
BEST PLACE TO SKI
1.Boston Mills-Brandywine
2.Snow Trails
3.Alpine Valley
BEST PLAYGROUND
1.Edgewater Park
2.Preston's H.O.P.E. Playground Park
3.Beachwood Playground
BEST PUBLIC GOLF COURSE
1.Manakiki Golf Course
2.Big Met Golf Course
3.Sweetbriar Legacy Golf & Pro Shop
BEST PUBLIC POOL
1.Westlake Aquatic Center
2.Beachwood Family Aquatic Center
3.Thornton Park
BEST PUTT-PUTT
1.Birdietown Mini Golf + Lounge
2.Sweetie's Golfland
3.Sportsville
BEST REC SOCCER
1.Avon Lake Soccer Organization
2.Heights United Soccer Academy
3.Titan's United Soccer Association
BEST RECREATION CENTER
1.Broadview Heights Recreation Center
2.Westlake Recreation Center
3.Strongsville Recreation & Senior Center
BEST ROLLER SKATING RINK
1.United Skates of America
2.Chagrin Roller Rink
3.Roll Arena Elyria
BEST RUNNING TRAIL
1.Towpath Trail
2.Rocky River Reservation
3.Black River Reservation
BEST SKATE PARK
1.Lakewood Skatepark
2.Chenga World
3.Rivergate Park
BEST SKATE SHOP
1.Westside Skates
2.Skaters Edge
3.Next Level Skate Shop
BEST SPECIALTY WORKOUT STUDIO
1.Cycle Fly
2.TFIT Studio
3.Island Beats
BEST SPORTING GOODS STORE
1.Dick's Sporting Goods
2.Geiger's
3.Play It Again Sports
BEST YOGA STUDIO
1.Flow Yoga Studio
2.Yoga Roots
3.Cultivate Yoga
Edgewater Beach. | Photo by Emanuel Wallace
Manakiki Golf Course. | Photo by Emanuel Wallace
GET OUT EVERYTHING TO DO IN CLEVELAND FOR THE NEXT MONTH
WED 07/01
The Cleveland Orchestra at Cain Park
Anthony Parnther conducts the Cleveland Orchestra as it plays this special free concert at Cain Park in Cleveland Heights. The event begins at 8 p.m. 14591 Superior Rd., Cleveland Heights, 216-371-3000, cainpark.com
THU 07/02
Guardians vs. Chicago White Sox
The Guardians take on a Chicago White Sox team that has improved dramatically from last year’s team. Tonight’s game commences at 6:40, and the series continues through Sunday. Saturday’s game will feature a patriotic cap giveaway.
2401 Ontario St., 216-420-4487, mlb.com/guardians
FRI 07/03
America at 250
The Cleveland Orchestra celebrates America’s 250th anniversary with this special concert featuring performances of Copland’s Lincoln Portrait and Gershwin’s An American in Paris. The concert begins at 8 p.m. at Blossom. 1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com
SAT 07/04
Salute to America
The Cleveland Orchestra plays its annual Fourth of July concert at Blossom. The concert begins at 8 p.m., and yes, there will be fireworks. 1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com
MON 07/06
The Winchester Presents Locals Only
This event that takes place the first Monday of the month at the Winchester in Lakewood will showcase local bands. The $5 cover will go directly to the band. Doors open at 7 p.m. 12112 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-600-5338, facebook.com/ TheWinchesterMusicTavern
WED 07/08
BorderLight Theatre Festival
More than 40 productions will take part at Playhouse Square as part of this annual event that features performance art and theater. It runs through Saturday, July 11. 1260 Euclid Ave, 866-496-0535, playhousesquare.org
The Lion King
Winner of six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, the play presents a story “filled with hope and adventure set against an amazing backdrop of stunning visuals.” Tonight’s performance takes place at 7:30 at the State Theatre, where performances continue through Aug. 16. 1519 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org
THU 07/09
An Evening with Itzhak Perlman
Violinist Itzhak Perlman joins the Cleveland Orchestra for this special concert that features performances of several Beethoven pieces, including Romance No. 1 and Romance No. 2. The concert begins at 7 p.m. at Blossom. 1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com
FRI 07/10
Funny Marco
The comedian who boasts that he could be “the next Ghetto Oprah” is known for his ridiculous man-on-the-street interviews. He performs at 7 and 9:30 tonight and at 6:30 and 9 tomorrow night at the Funny Bone. 1148 Main Ave., 216-696-4677, cleveland.funnybone.com
SAT 07/11
78th Street Studios 25th Anniversary Party
This event honors Dan Bush, the owner and developer who founded and grew 78th Street Studios into what is reportedly the largest arts complex in Northeast Ohio. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and tickets cost $25.
1300 West 78th St., 78thstreetstudios.com
Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets in Concert
Tonight and tomorrow night at 7 at Blossom, the Cleveland Orchestra plays the John Williams score to Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets, which screens in high definition. 1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com
THU 07/16
Ohlsson Plays Rachmaninoff
The Cleveland Orchestra plays pieces by Wagner, Rachmaninoff and Dvorak at this concert that’s part of the orchestra’s Summers at Severance series. The performance begins at 7 p.m. at Mandel Concert Hall. 11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com
FRI 07/17
Guardians vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates have played well this season and hovered around the .500 mark, a big improvement from last year. They come to Progressive Field tonight for a three-game series. First pitch is at 7:10 p.m. 2401 Ontario St., 216-420-4487, mlb.com/guardians
Third Friday
From 5 to 9 p.m., many of the 78th Street Studios resident artist studios and galleries will be open as part of this monthly event. There will be live music, and Local West, a Gordon Square sandwich shop, will serve food. BARneo will have a selection of adult beverages as well. Admission is free. 1300 West 78th St., 78thstreetstudios.com
SAT
Music in the Garden
07/18
These free concerts featuring local bands take place on the first and third Saturdays throughout the summer at the Ben Franklin Community Garden. You can bring a lawn chair, and admission is free.
1905 Spring Rd., 216-459-1000, benfranklincommunitygarden.org
SUN 07/19
Salsa Across Borders
This annual event at the Rock Hall will feature live music and dance celebrations. It’s a day-long event that kicks off at 11 a.m. and concludes at 5 p.m. with an awards and closing ceremony.
1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., 216-515-8444, rockhall.com
MON 07/20
Guardians vs. Minnesota Twins
The Guardians take on division rivals, the Minnesota Twins, in what should be a tough four-game series at Progressive Field. Tonight’s first pitch is at 6:40.
2401 Ontario St., 216-420-4487, mlb.com/guardians
TUE 07/21
Outlab: Experiments in Improvised Music
Musicians are invited to bring instruments or any sound making device (drum kit and keyboard provided) that can be used to explore collective group improvisation. Please bring your own amps if needed. The monthly session begins at 8 tonight at the Bop Stop. Admission is free.
2920 Detroit Ave., 216-771-6551, themusicsettlement.org
FRI 07/24
Mind Magic Live with Mentalist Joshua Seth
Winner of the Magic Olympics at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, Joshua Seth has become one of the top comedy mentalists in the world. He reads minds and conducts psychic experiments blindfolded. He performs tonight at 7 at the Hanna Theatre.
2067 East 14th St., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org
SAT 07/25
Tacos & Tequila Festival
Shaggy, Chamillionaire, XZibit, Trina, Ying Yang Twins, Bubba Sparxxx and Murphy Lee will perform at this event that celebrates throwback hip-hop heroes as well as tacos and tequila. It takes place at ForeFront Field. 2009 Baseball Blvd., Avon, 440-934-3636, lakeeriecrushers.com
SUN 07/26
An Evening with Idina Menzel
Famous for singing the tunes on the popular soundtrack to the Disney film Frozen, Idina Menzel performs tonight at Blossom with backing from the Cleveland Orchestra in a show that should draw a capacity crowd. Andy Einhorn conducts. The concert begins at 7 p.m. 1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com
THU 07/30
Saint-Saëns’s Organ Symphony
Brian Wendel, a trombonist known for his score for The Godfather, joins the Cleveland Orchestra tonight at Mandel Concert Hall as it takes on Saint-Saëns’s “Organ” Symphony. The concert begins at 7 p.m. 11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com
FRI 07/31
Reginald “Bruh Man” Ballard
Famous for playing the “Bruh Man” character on the sitcom Martin, this standup comedian comes to the Funny Bone tonight at 7 and 9:30 and tomorrow night at 6:30 and 9. 1148 Main Ave., 216-696-4677, cleveland.funnybone.com
Guardians vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
The Guardians go up against the Arizona Diamondbacks for the first-and-only time this regular season. The National League Diamondbacks got off to a rough start but have recovered. Tonight’s first pitch is at 7:10, and fireworks follow the game. 2401 Ontario St., 216-420-4487, mlb.com/guardians
Idina Menzel joins the Cleveland Orchestra. See: Sunday, July 26. Photo: Courtesy of the Cleveland Orchestra
Tuesday
-$1 Hot Lather Shave/Beard Trim Day with a purchase of any haircut
Wednesday
- ”Ladies Day” Buy a basic haircut at $8 and recieve a Shampoo, Eyebrows or Facial for $1
Thursday- $1 Facial Day with the purchase of any haircut
Photo
WATERFRONT GLOW UP
Shooters 2.0 injects modern fun and an exciting menu into the iconic riverside destination
By Douglas Trattner
FOR A GROUP OF WEATHER NERDS like us, there was no better place to be than the sweeping riverside patio at Shooters in the Flats. We watched flashes of lightning skip across the watery horizon, making an already dramatic setting even more so. As tugs nudged massive freighters down the narrow tributary, the skies darkened, storm clouds approached and staffers moved diners into the dry embrace of the atrium-style dining room, where the views were nearly as good.
For decades, those matchless views alone were enough to lure diners to the West Bank of the Cuyahoga River. After all, Shooters was one of only a handful of actual waterfront restaurants, giving them a near monopoly on all that summertime fun. Who cares if the food was pedestrian, the service indifferent and the cocktails weak and overpriced.
But times have changed and quality waterfront restaurants now line the banks of the crooked river. Inertia no lon-
ger was enough to keep Shooters afloat, and the aging complex finally ground to a halt in 2024. Two years and $1 million later, Shooters is back. But while the coordinates and four walls might be the same, everything else has been buffed to a high gloss.
Before the storms rolled in, we paired the maritime views with a round of drinks and snacks. Gone is the rickety wooden boardwalk, replaced by a smooth, level and expansive riverside patio. Guests have their pick of clubby soft-seating spots or traditional tables and chairs. Wide, colorful umbrellas block the heat of the afternoon sun. While everyone around us was knocking back frozen piña coladas, margaritas and espresso slushies, we sampled our way through a good portion of the white wine selection.
Ryan Boone, formerly of Cordelia and Greenhouse Tavern, packs a ton of fun, flavor and whimsy into his well-composed plates and platters. The chef sidesteps cli-
ched “seafood shack” chestnuts in favor of approachable, shareable and multi-layered food with social-media-friendly plating and presentation. It’s an approach that is bound to anger longtime fans, but likely to attract a batch of newer, younger ones.
A large portion of thin and crispy chips ($12) is accompanied by a cool, creamy green onion dip with loads of fresh dill. If bagged chips and tubs of Lawson’s dip went to culinary school, this is the form they would depart in. Boone picked up some super-secret wing tech while working at Greenhouse and his confit wings ($16) have that distinctive dry and crisp but fall-off-the-bone-tender texture. The chef’s sauces and dips – here and throughout the menu – elevate everything they cling to.
“He’s known for his dips,” our server informs.
Just before the raindrops began to fall a trio of sliders ($22) hits the table. If there was a fear of them getting wet, it vanished as quickly as the burgers. Capped with melted cheese, sweet, caramelized onion and secret sauce, we devoured them long before shifting indoors.
It was stunning how a move of just a few yards could so alter the vibe. Whereas the patio was a laidback waterfront hang, the interior felt like it was already well into its night. Groups clustered around cocktails on sofas and banquettes in the dimly lit room. Cheers erupted from the nearby barroom, where the Knicks just
notched their third Finals win.
Our server made quick work of moving us, our food and beverages to a new indoor spot. The next round of food found us in a flash, this time a pair of grilled meat kebabs ($17), the juicy chicken slipping easily from the wooden skewers. They are balanced by a bright cucumber and chickpea salad, crunchy pickled veggies and another knockout dip. In the fish and chips ($21), two large flanks of walleye arrive in a thick jacket of breading alongside slaw, charred lemons and the chef’s special sauce. If you’re a fan of crispy beer-battered fish, this version might not be for you.
While striking in its presentation, a broccoli Caesar ($15) – molded into a shaved cheese-covered mound – was a bear to eat owing to florets that are closer to raw than crisp-tender and a butter knife that struggled to provide any assistance.
One of the most heartening consequences of all the recent Flats development is the return of boat traffic to the area. It might be hard to imagine, but “back in the day,” boats would be stacked three, four and even five deep along the docks by Shooters. Steadily, those pleasure craft are returning, encouraged by new docks and docking services, including an on-call dockmaster. If you spend $100 or more on your food and drinks, all docking fees are waived.
dtrattner@clevescene.com @dougtrattner
Courtesy
place since Flip Side closed,” adds Schoen.
EAT
BITES
Eugene Tavern now open in Chagrin Falls
By Douglas Trattner
BROTHERS MICHAEL AND TIM
Schoen opened the doors last week to Eugene Tavern (44 N. Main St.) in Chagrin Falls. The restaurant is located in the space that had long been home to Flip Side Burgers, which closed in 2024. The operators spent about three months converting the interior into a casual and inviting space.
“This will be a place where you and your wife or girlfriend can come on a date for a nice three-course meal with homemade desserts, or you can come in alone, sit at the bar and enjoy a burger and a beer,” says Michael.
There is seating for approximately 65 guests, including the 12-seat bar.
Michael made a name for himself with the Tinman burger at the Ohio City Galley. Diners will find that famous smash burger on the menu in two iterations – a single and a double – but it is joined by a half-pound steak burger for those who prefer something meatier.
“The neighborhood needs a burger
Boom’s Pizza to Open in Solon and Avon
In the starter department are items such as a soft pretzel served with Jarlsberg cheese spread, shrimp toast, and buttermilk fried chicken tenders with hot honey drizzle. French fries go through a meticulous three-fry process. They arrive in the form of tavern fries, tossed with herbs and parmesan cheese and served with malt vinegar aioli. They also accompany a steak frites starring grilled bavette and fish and chips made with Icelandic cod. Other entrees include a grilled Ohio pork chop with peach and sarsaparilla BBQ and a grilled cabbage steak with green goddess dressing.
The sandwich category includes a fried hot chicken sandwich, beet and pistachio burger, and a griddle-cooked PB&J with layers of pistachio butter, fig and cherry jams and Manchego cheese.
Eugene Tavern will be open for dinner and weekend lunch, with weekday lunches to be added a little down the road.
Also in the works for the Schoen brothers is a new barbecue concept that will go into the former R&D Sausage property (15714 Waterloo Rd.) in North Collinwood. Barbecue Gene is expected to open sometime in 2027. Diners can look forward to Montreal-style smoked meat, rotisserie chicken, housemade sausages, sides, cornbread, rolls and other smokehouse classics.
Ben Bebenroth launched Boom’s Pizza in Lakewood three and a half years ago. In 2024, the owners opened a spacious
new pizzeria across town at Van Aken District in Shaker Heights. Last week, the owners added a slice shop in the Market Hall at the same complex. And soon, Boom’s will add two new pizza shops to the quickly-expanding portfolio.
First up is a new shop in Solon (6130 Kruse Dr.), which is expected to open in August.
“It will be our first carryout and delivery-only shop – no dining room,” says Bebenroth.
Apart from the lack of a dining room (and liquor license), the concept is relatively unchanged, adds Bebenroth. The store will offer a menu that is identical to those found in Lakewood and in Shaker.
One major change, says the chef, is the doubling of oven capacity.
“That will greatly reduce wait times for pizzas,” he says.
Also in the works is a new pizzeria in Avon Commons Shopping Center, which is expected to open in September.
“We’re in the space already and we’re rolling forward on design,” says Bebenroth.
That location will have a small dining room for guests who prefer to enjoy those pies fresh from the oven.
Arthur Treacher’s to Open in Lakewood
The resurrection of Arthur Treacher’s Fish & Chips will continue this summer with a fourth location slated to open in July in the former Joe’s Deli spot at the corner of West 117th and Madison in Lakewood.
In recent years, George Simon and a team of investors purchased the Cuyahoga Falls shop, revived the Garfield Heights location (12585 Rockside Rd.), and opened a spot in Cleveland Heights which housed an Arthur Treacher’s from the 1970s to 1990s.
The newest operation for the iconic fish and chips restaurant will have a few tables but will mostly be focused on carry-out, says Simon, who purchased the building earlier this year.
Thanks to a unique relationship between prior longtime local owner Ben Vittoria, these last few Arthur Treacher’s locations adhere to the original recipes, seasonings and specifications. Diners can expect the same soul-satisfying items of their youth, such as crispy pie-shaped fish fillets, breaded shrimp, fried clams and fried chicken strips — all coming with fragrant hush puppies and thick, ridged “chips” just waiting to be doused in malt vinegar.
And the expansion plans don’t stop there.
“After we get this open we’ll be looking for our next location,” he says.
This past February, Juan Vergara announced the sudden closure of the Barroco restaurants in Lakewood and Westlake. He also indicated, at that time, that Hola Tacos and Amazonia likely would be transferred into the hands of “good operators” in the near future. This past May we learned that Hola Tacos was sold to longtime staffer Margarita Reyes, who has worked with the Vergara family since moving here from Colombia in 2017. And now we have learned that Amazonia in Lakewood is under new management as well, with co-owners Magdalena Medica and Juan Sebastian Albornoz Ramirez taking charge.
“I have been running Amazonia for the past 10 months,” says Ramirez. “We started talking with Juan in February and we became owners on May 1st.”
Medica and Ramirez have been a work couple since Cordelia’s earliest days. Many of the changes they have in store for Amazonia have been on the drawing board since they first arrived. These are not wholesale changes to the name, concept, food or beverage programs, but rather adjustments that clarify the vision.
“When I came here Amazonia was viewed as a pizza shop that served cocktails, and there was a little bit of a dichotomy with that because it was a pizza shop that didn’t allow people under 21 inside the house because of the alcohol,” Ramirez explains. “Now we are a cocktail bar with food as opposed to a restaurant with great cocktails.”
With respect to the vibe, the pair have eased away from the explorer theme and toward Latin American house. They’ve added “whimsical pieces and parts” that invoke the magical realism of Gabriel García Márquez. They ditched the QR codes and returned to physical, paper menus.
With respect to the drinks, guests should no longer expect to wait for a cocktail garnished with ants on a stick. Now, “it’s more of a new school-style of cocktails with Latin American flavors and inspiration,” says Medica. “When you walk into Amazonia there is a vibe to it. You want to carry that vibe to the drinks, and not just how the place looked.”
In the kitchen, wood-fired pizzas are still the stars of the show, but guests can expect a wider range of small plates that extend beyond the Mediterranean. There are also more vegan and vegetarian friendly options.
Going forward, both the food and cocktail menus will be change seasonally, with two major changes per year.
dtrattner@clevescene.com
Photo by Breanna Kulkin
Amazonia in Lakewood Has New Owners
MAGIC TOUCH
A new lineup reinvigorates local rock band Houdini’s Code
ByJeff Niesel
THREE YEARS INTO IT, THINGS HAVE finally started to click for local rockers Houdini’s Code. Last month, the group played a couple of well-attended shows in Akron. In addition, the local alt-rock station 107.3 just played the band’s new single, “Believe,” for the first time.
“I originally thought ‘Believe ‘was about being angry that little things can get in the way of relationships, but I realized anger wasn’t really the truth underneath it. ‘Believe’ is about family and losing touch and friends,” says singer-guitarist Kevin Cedar over coffee one afternoon at Mojo’s, a coffeeshop near his Bay Village home. “The truth is that I love [my family and friends] and believe in them. I think the purest form of love is genuinely trusting and believing in someone, even when things are complicated. The song is about believing that people can find their way back to each other, but it is also about believing in this band and even just learning how to believe in myself.”
The group’s new album comes out on Aug. 8, and the band will embark on a small tour to support it. The trek launches on Aug. 1 at the Northside Tavern in Cincinnati and then includes stops in Chicago, Green Bay and Geneva (for a private release party). The group will play in Columbus, OH, Bowling Green, OH and Youngstown later this year. “
Cedar, who grew up in Ashtabula County, originally befriended fellow bandmate Shawn Davis back in fifth grade; the two would eventually start the rock band Green Tea when they were in high school.
“I was the drummer,” says Cedar. “But when we went to college, we went on our ways. We stayed friends throughout the years. I went from drums to playing guitar and writing songs.”
Last year, the group finally got around to recording songs that it written over the course of a decade. The resulting album, Es-
cape, came out in March of 2024 on what would’ve been Houdini’s 150th birthday.
“There are versions of some of the songs [that are so bad] we can’t show anyone,” says Cedar. “But as we got better, the songs progressed.”
The group recorded the album in basements and small apartments. It even rented out an AirBNB to cut some tunes, which recall ’90s alternative rock acts like Foo Fighters and Local H.
“It really was a DIY project,” says Cedar.
The group took a DIY approach to the music videos for the album’s three singles, too.
“I’m a videographer, and a lot of it was me positioning the camera and getting in front of it,” says Cedar. “It got awkward at times. We always make the videos funny because we don’t take ourselves too seriously.”
Cedar grew up listening to his father’s classic rock collection, but hearing Nirvana for the first time introduced him to a new sound and ethos.
“I was obsessed with them,” he says of the grunge group from the Pacific Northwest. “It never made sense to me how they broke through to the mainstream. They broke the whole system. The whole story is fascinating to me. Obviously, the Foo Fighters are also a huge influence.”
Houdini’s Code recently underwent a lineup change, and Cedar says the current lineup, which also includes guitarist Juan Lopez, bassist Clarissa Cuomo and drummer Miqe Smith, is particularly motivated. One unique highlight: the album features drum performances from Kent Slucher (Luke Bryan) and Nik Hughes (Bush).
“We finally found the right lineup that
matches the vision,” Cedar says. “We all have the same dream and the same delusions, which I think is the only way a band really works. We now have three guitarists and a bassist and drummer. We don’t just play the songs now. We jam and try to be a good performing band now.”
Cedar says the difference with Believe is simply that the group has gotten better.
“As a musician, the evolution of becoming good takes a long time,” he says. “You suck for a long time. I didn’t know how to sing or play guitar. I’m actually starting to learn. People around us now have the same passion.”
The group has employed publicity stunts in the past — it has embarked on more than one farewell tour — to promote its music, and Cedar, who admits no band member practices magic, says that’ll be the case with the new album as well.
“We thought about hiring magicians to perform with us,” he says. “We want not good ones. We want ones where people are stunned by how awkward it is. We’re still thinking of weird things we could do.”
Houdini’s Code | Courtesy of Houdini’s Code
LIVEWIRE REAL MUSIC IN THE REAL WORLD
THU 07/02
The Church — The Singles Tour: 1980-2025
The Australian group that had hits in the ‘80s with moody tunes such as “Under the Milky Way” and “Reptile” brings its greatest hits tour to the Rock Hall. The show begins at 8 p.m. 1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., 216-515-8444, rockhall.com
SUN 07/05
Straight No Chaser
The vocal group performs at 7:30 p.m. at Northfield Park Racino. Known for its annual Christmas shows, the group will perform some of the best-known songs of summer from the last six decades, including Pharrell Williams’s “Happy” and Walk the Moon’s “Shut Up and Dance.” 10705 Northfield Rd., Northfield, 330-467-4101, northfieldparracino.com
TUE 07/07
Jack Johnson
The singer-songwriter and activist for the environment comes to Blossom. The show starts at 7:30 p.m., and the tour supports the soundtrack to the new documentary film, SURFILMUSIC, which traces how Johnson’s early years making surf films with close friends became a foundation for his musical career. 1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, livenation.com
The R&B Tour Starring
Usher Raymond + Chris Brown
The two R&B superstars bring their stadium tour to Huntington Bank Field. Both artists are coming off successful tours. Usher’s Past, Present, Future trek was a huge success and so was Chris Brown’s Breezy Bowl XX World Tour. The concert begins at 7 p.m. In addition, the tour has partnered with Global Citizen to provide access to quality education for children around the world by donating $1 for every ticket sold to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.
100 Alfred Lerner Way, 440-891-5000, huntingtonbankfield.com
SAT 07/11
Mike Campbell & the Dirty Knobs
The guitarist who famously played alongside the late Tom Petty for many years brings his solo project to Northfield Park Racino. The late Brian Wilson inspired the title track to Mission of Mercy, Campbell’s latest solos effort. The show starts at 8 p.m. 10705 Northfield Rd., Northfield, 330-467-4101, northfieldparkracino.com
WED 07/15
Jon Anderson & the Band Geeks
Yes singer Jon Anderson returns to the Agora with his backing band, the Band Geeks. He and his group of younger musicians will perform classics from the Yes catalog as well as original tunes (and yes, they too sound like Yes). The show starts at 6:30 p.m. 5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221, agoracleveland.com
Death Cab for Cutie
Produced and engineered by John Congleton and assembled from a mere three weeks of sessions, Built You a Tower, the latest effort
from the indie rock act out of the Pacific Northwest has a real immediacy to it. Songs such as the ratcheting “Punch the Flowers” should translate well live. The group performs at 6 p.m. at Jacobs Pavilion.
2014 Sycamore St., 216-861-4080, jacobspavilion.com
FRI 07/17
Tim McGraw & 49 Winchester
Veteran country singer Tim McGraw teams up with the up-and-coming country rock act 49 Winchester for this show at Blossom. It begins at 7 p.m. Earlier this year, McGraw
Singer-songwriter Jack Johnson returns to Blossom. See: Tuesday, July 7. | Photo by Tahnei Roy
released two brand new songs, “Pawn Shop Guitar” and “Song for America,” marking his first new music in over a year.
1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, livenation.com
SAT 07/18
Zac Brown Band: Love & Fear Tour
Known for live shows that often feature a slew of oddball covers in addition to original material, the versatile Zac Brown Band brings its Love & Fear tour to Rocket Arena. The concert begins at 7 p.m. One Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketarena.com
TUE 07/21
John Mellencamp
The surly singer-songwriter brings his greatest hits tour to Blossom. Slated to hit 19 U.S. cities, the tour will reportedly feature Mellencamp, a Rock Hall Inductee who is now considered classic rock, and his band performing all his “most beloved songs,” including some of which haven’t been played live in many years. 1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, livenation.com
THU 07/23
Pavement
The indie rock group that likes its music slanted and enchanted comes to the Agora. Doors open at 7 p.m. After Nirvana introduced the world of indie rock, Pavement benefited, and tracks such as the sardonic “Cut Your Hair” and “Gold Soundz” became underground hits. 5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221, agoracleveland.com
Slightly Stoopid
The ska-punk band from the ‘90s returns to Jacobs Pavilion. Over the course of the past 30 years, the group has maintained a DIY approach. The band founded its own record label, Stoopid Records, which released the platinum single “Closer to the Sun,” and gold singles “2am” and “Collie Man.” The Elovaters and Bumpin’ Uglies open the show. The concert begins at 6:30 p.m.
2014 Sycamore St., 216-861-4080, jacobspavilion.com
FRI 07/24
Parker McCollum
The country superstar performs tonight at 7:30 at Blossom Music Center. Last year, he released his self-titled fifth studio album and then followed it up this year with an expanded
version that includes four additional tracks, including the twangy fan-favorite “Big Ole Fancy House.”
1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, livenation.com
Zeds Dead
The electronic group performs at 6 p.m. at Jacobs Pavilion. The electronic group is promoting this tour as a career retrospective that’ll even include tracks from its early days when it posted songs on MySpace.
2014 Sycamore St., 216-861-4080, jacobspavilion.com
SUN 07/26
Brit Floyd
Singer-guitarist Damian Darlington reportedly formed this Pink Floyd tribute act because it wanted it to improve upon the work he did with his previous band, The Australian Pink Floyd Show. The group has been touring since 2011, and it performs at 6 p.m. at Jacobs Pavilion. Sun: July 26.
2014 Sycamore St., 216-861-4080, jacobspavilion.com
TUE 07/28
Train
On tour to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their breakthrough album, Drops of Jupiter, ‘90s pop-rockers Train headline this multiband bill that includes Barenaked Ladies and Matt Nathanson. The group delivers a feel-good concert that always goes over well at Blossom. The show starts at 6:45 p.m.
1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, livenation.com
THU 07/30
Evanescence
While this rock band is best known for its 2003 record Fallen, new singles such as the Garbage-like “Fight Like a Girl” show that it remains relevant. The concert begins at 6:30 p.m. at Blossom. Spiritbox and Nova Twins open, and the group has reportedly partnered with PLUS1 so that $1 from every ticket sold will support organizations providing humanitarian aid and medical relief to people around the world.
1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, livenation.com
scene@clevescene.com @clevelandscene
CLEANING HOUSE
By Dan Savage
Bisexual AFAB non-binary here. (And a Magnum sub!) I have a legal query I’m hoping you or perhaps one of your guest experts might be able to help with? I’m a self-employed cleaner in Portland, Oregon, who offers a discount for LGBTQ+ folks on first cleans. The discount attracts the kinds of clients I want, queer and straight. I don’t work for MAGA types or even third-party types — and that’s a twoway street. Those people don’t usually like my prices, pronouns, tattoos, and hair. I don’t want to be alone in their homes or take their money
I have a regular slot opening up for the first time in a while. Against my better judgment, I took to my old Facebook account and made a post, including said discount. Of course, some asshole from my conservative hometown felt the need to chime in and tell me it’s discriminatory and illegal. She went on to say she can’t “start a business that only hires straight, white women” but she’s obviously conflating two very different things. I did some research but can’t seem to find a definitive answer for this woman. To me, this is akin to a seniors’ or children’s discount at a buffet. Not every single senior or child eats less, but on average they do, and it gets their families in the door. Queer folks, on average, are less likely to have kids, and thus tend to have cleaner homes and more disposable income to spend on the kind of luxury service I offer. And literally anyone could get the discount, they’d just have to say it applies to them. It’s not like I’m gonna ask for proof!
At the end of the day, even if this is technically illegal, I’m still going to offer this discount on principle. The likelihood that someone sues me over $50-80 seems infinitesimally small. But I would like to know before I advertise this open slot again. Thanks so much and happy Pride!
Quote Unduly Enrages
Essentially Repugnant Sulkers
“Advocates for the rights of LGBTQ+ Oregonians fought for years to secure protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, which they finally achieved with passage of the Oregon Equality Act in 2007,” said Misha Isaak, an attorney in Oregon who has worked on important LGBT civil rights cases. “Still today, only 23 states have laws that protect our community from discrimination. The Oregon law applies to all businesses that offer services to the public; it does not distinguish between discrimination in favor of or against LGBTQ+ people.”
While our community fought for these laws because we were the ones getting
discriminated against based on our sexual orientations and gender identities — and while we’re still fighting for those laws in states where they’re still needed (and we’re going to have to fight to defend them in states where we’ve already won them) — these laws protect anyone and everyone from discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Which means it’s just as against the law in Oregon for you to discriminate against someone for straight or cis, QUEERS, as it would be for someone else to discriminate against you for being gay or bi or trans or pan or omni or ace, etc., etc., et al, etc.
“Of course, the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution trumps state laws, and the Supreme Court has said that businesses engaged in ‘expressive activities,’ like designers of wedding websites, have a free speech right not to participate in celebrating marriages they disapprove of,” said Isaak. “Is house-cleaning an ‘expressive activity’ under this line of cases? I doubt it. So, if QUEERS wants to be selective about their clientele, they should consider promoting their business based on classifications that aren’t protected under the law — like customers’ attitudes toward them.”
P.S. “The example of a ‘senior discount’ is an interesting one,” said Isaak. “Oregon’s nondiscrimination law specifically allows: ‘the offering of special rates or services to persons 50 years of age or older.’”
P.P.S. It’s also against the law in Oregon to discriminate against people for having children, QUEERS, so you might wanna keep “no kids” off your Facebook posts too.
P.P.P.S. You’re welcome and happy Pride to you too!
Misha Isaak argued the case that struck down Oregon’s same-sex marriage ban and served as in-house counsel for former Oregon Governor Kate Brown. He is now a partner at Stoel Rives.
I have built up a scary story about the club. My partner loves them. They are a great dancer. They connect with our friends and strangers really easily on a dance floor and it gives them life. We’re in a queer community where it feels like we’re being invited to the club every week. I love to dance, but I feel uncomfortable dancing with people. When I dance alone while my partner dances with other people, I feel worried that people are judging me, and my partner is disappointed in me. I’ve turned the club into a referendum on my worth and my sexiness, and I project sexual intent and meaning onto the type of dancing my partner does with our friends/other people. (I swear it LOOKS sexy, but this is just something folks like to do!) Now, I clam up when my partner tries to dance with me because I’ve gotten so uncomfortable, which makes me even more sad because I really do want to connect with them in that way. They tell me that it is not important to them that I be a sexy club dancer, they just want me to have fun. It adds so much friction in our day-to-day life that they love this thing and I’m so stressed and insecure about it. I can’t even tell if I like the club because I’m so caught up in this story.
I know your husband loves the club. The gays love the club. I know you don’t love the club. Has this ever been a struggle for you? Can you offer anything useful around this problem?
Private Dancer
Where’s the scary part of this story?
Your opening line had me braced for something terrifying — murder on the dance floor or married men on the downlow or truck-stop sushi on the dashboard — but all I got was two very different and very valid ways of loving the club.
You like dancing by yourself. Your partner likes grinding on other people. Your partner says they don’t need you to be a sexy club dancer — they don’t need you to love the club the same way they do — and instead of taking your partner at their word, PD, you’re telling yourself a story about other people judging you and/ or your partner being disappointed in you for not wanting to grind with him and his friends (old ones and brand new ones) on the dance floor. And while you don’t say what you worry other people might be thinking, PD, I’m going to climb out on a limb here and guess you’re worried other people think your partner is cheating on you and/or is interested in cheating on. But if you know that’s not what they’re doing… and your mutual friends know that’s not what they’re doing… and if they arrive with you, check in with you periodically (which is most likely what they’re doing when they try to dance with you), and they leave with you… who cares what other people at the club think?
The answer to that question, of course, is you. You care what other people think, PD, or you care about what you assume other people think. If you can’t get those thoughts out of your head… and if those thoughts are so destructive that club nights are causing daily friction in your relationship… why are you going to the club at all?
I’m a gay man in a long-term relationship with a wonderful boyfriend whom I love deeply. We’ve been together for many years, and I want to make clear from the outset that my concern isn’t about his appearance. I love him exactly as he is, and I would continue to love him at any weight. The complication is that I’m very much into bears. My boyfriend already has a bit of a belly, which I find incredibly attractive. Recently, he’s become interested in gaining a significant amount of weight and has talked about wanting me to actively help him get much fatter. He’s excited by the idea of being fed, encouraged to eat more, and embracing a much larger body.
I’m trying to navigate this respectfully. On the one hand, I don’t want to be fatphobic or assume that bigger automatically means unhealthy. I also don’t want to shame him for a fantasy or a body type that I genuinely find attractive myself. On the other hand, what he’s proposing isn’t just letting his weight change naturally over time. He’s talking about deliberately gaining a lot of weight fairly quickly, which would likely involve consuming large amounts of fatty, greasy, sugary foods on a regular basis. My concern isn’t aesthetic —it’s whether actively participating in helping someone gain substantial weight in this way could have serious
long-term health consequences.
Part of me worries that if I go along with it, I’d be enabling behavior that could increase his risk of health problems down the road. Another part of me worries that if I resist, he’ll hear it as rejection or judgment of his body. How should a partner balance respect for a loved one’s bodily autonomy, sexual fantasies, and personal choices against legitimate concerns about their health? Is there a way to support him and remain sex-positive without feeling like I’m helping someone I love harm himself?
Concerned Bear Lover
Your boyfriend wants to get bigger. You wouldn’t mind a bigger boyfriend. The thought of getting bigger turns your boyfriend on. The thought of him being bigger turns you on. (We’re clearly in kink territory here.) To me that seems like a Kink Yahtzee: your boyfriend’s kink is your kink and your kink is his kink. It’s a win-win-win-win…
Or it is the short term. Because over the long term, CBL, obesity carries health risks. The choice your boyfriend wants to make — rapid and significant weight gain — increases his risk for diabetes and heart disease and early death. But our bodies are ours to use, ours to enjoy, and ours to use up. So, while your boyfriend’s decision to get big fast could result in serious long-term health consequences… so could some person’s decision to smoke or go snowboarding without a helmet. Your boyfriend is an adult, CBL, and adults get to make their own (hopefully) informed decisions about the risks they’re willing to run in pursuit of happiness as they define it.
But just as your boyfriend needs to consider the health risks, CBL, you need to consider the moral hazards. Because if your boyfriend’s goal isn’t just to get bigger but to get morbidly obese — if he’s committing suicide by cheeseburger and you’re the one setting cheeseburgers in front of him —then you would not be helping your boyfriend explore a risky kink in a RACK-ish manner, CBL, you would be assisting your boyfriend in his self-destruction. But if you’re able to enjoy this kink together without going nuts… and if your boyfriend is going into this with his eyes (and not just his mouth) wide open… and if you can find a plateau weight where he’s bigger but still relatively and reasonably healthy… then you can build that bear with a clear conscience.
Got problems? Yes, you do! Email your question for the column to mailbox@savage.love! Or record your question for the Savage Lovecast at savage.love/askdan! Podcasts, columns and more at Savage.Love
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