The Observation Deck

I've been told by someone at City Hall that several local business have asked if financial help is available from City Hall. Since the Hospital closure many businesess have suffered a decline in business. Most businesses operate on thin margins. It doesn't take much to push them over the edge.

Speaking of Operating Subsidies, does anyone know if Tax Abatements are being given out to first time homebuyers? I'm asking because of the big "flip" that is going on in my block. The next door neighbor heard from one of the project managers that his properties are eligible for tax abatements. I've never heard of this before so my curiosity is peaked.

I thought I saw that Cosmic Collectables on Detroit across from the hospital is gone, although I don't know when this occurred. Someone informed me that Aladin's is suffering from a loss of business. This is just the beginning. It appears that Summers is only interested in big real estate developers that were more than likely chosen by his best bud Jay Foran.

Summers/Siley's idea of "Economic Development" is really - the Economic Disembowelment of Lakewood.

Send 1100 customers out of town; they aren't buying lunch in Lakewood any more.

Let NY Life move out of Center North, there are 300 more customers not buying lunch in Lakewood any more.

Restaurants gone since about a year ago:
World of Beer;
Eddie & Eddie's (and Cerino's DO know how to run a restaurant);
Streatburger closed (because the church told them to move, and the place is still empty a year later);
Cleveland Pickle;
Pug Malone's;
Quaker Steak;
The Gorilla.

(Not counting Players which made a successful sale to a successor owner.)

Anybody counting?

1400 customers x $10/day for lunch x 5 days/week x 50 weeks/year = $3.5 MILLION dollars of sales. G-O-N-E.

IF a restaurant takes in $300,000/year, this is 12 restaurants that will be gone.

Who's next?

Marguerite Harkness wrote:Summers/Siley's idea of "Economic Development" is really - the Economic Disembowelment of Lakewood.

Send 1100 customers out of town; they aren't buying lunch in Lakewood any more.

Let NY Life move out of Center North, there are 300 more customers not buying lunch in Lakewood any more.

Restaurants gone since about a year ago:
World of Beer;
Eddie & Eddie's (and Cerino's DO know how to run a restaurant);
Streatburger closed (because the church told them to move, and the place is still empty a year later);
Cleveland Pickle;
Pug Malone's;
Quaker Steak;
The Gorilla.

(Not counting Players which made a successful sale to a successor owner.)

Anybody counting?

1400 customers x $10/day for lunch x 5 days/week x 50 weeks/year = $3.5 MILLION dollars of sales. G-O-N-E.

IF a restaurant takes in $300,000/year, this is 12 restaurants that will be gone.

Who's next?

How many independent physician's, dentist providers have left---Even CCF's Shannon Ricthie acknowledged that physicians left in anticipation of the hospital closing. Many have been force out of the medical building and have left Lakewood.

No worries, our hero "Cowboy" Mayor will make us the "Healthiest City In America" with the opaque "Health and Wellness" foundation he shares with CCF. It's just over the next horizon across the prairie... Giddy Up Partners!

Burger King's lunch business is off at least 20%. I bet that's a pretty good benchmark for other downtown restaurants.

Anyone know how to obtain sales tax data? That would be an indisputable measure.

As a quick point of clarification, The Gorilla is still open. It only closed for the Winter but is definitely still open.

I'm going to start walking a fruit cart around Lakewood.

1. That's one new employee in Lakewood.
2. I'll be healthier.
3. I'll help the health of my customers.
4. I'll employ Stan Austin (someone has to walk beside me with a sandwich board sign) as the face of the company and mascot. (Make that 2 new employees in Lakewood.)
5. With Stan Austin as my mascot, I can't fail!

Corey Rossen wrote:I'm going to start walking a fruit cart around

Stan - sign board.jpg

Sounds like the perfect project for the New Foundation!

More businesses hurting

I am told by someone in the business that the Forage is also experiencing some slowing in business.

This is the time of year that businesses, like bars/restaurants, pick up. There is a general lag from January through end of March/ early April. If the spring turning into summer numbers remain low then it is time to be concerned. Winters are traditionally bad for on-premise food industry establishments. Once cabin fever breaks numbers go back up.

Stan will be out with his "Toot for fruit" sandwich board sign - look for him on streets, in alleys and near park benches. Let get the fruit economy going!

World of Beer; Closed before the hospital and is reopened as the Detroiter
Eddie & Eddie's (and Cerino's DO know how to run a restaurant); is reopened as Burgers to Beer
Streatburger closed (because the church told them to move, and the place is still empty a year later); Building was sold by the church
Cleveland Pickle; Will be reopening with a different type of menu
Pug Mahone's;Will be reopening with a different type of menu
Quaker Steak; Parent company filed for bankruptcy protection and was acquired by Travel Centers of America
The Gorilla.Still open

So how does any of this relate to the hospital?

scott gilman wrote:World of Beer; Closed before the hospital and is reopened as the Detroiter
Eddie & Eddie's (and Cerino's DO know how to run a restaurant); is reopened as Burgers to Beer
Streatburger closed (because the church told them to move, and the place is still empty a year later); Building was sold by the church
Cleveland Pickle; Will be reopening with a different type of menu
Pug Mahone's;Will be reopening with a different type of menu
Quaker Steak; Parent company filed for bankruptcy protection and was acquired by Travel Centers of America
The Gorilla.Still open

So how does any of this relate to the hospital?

The Gorilla has gone through a change, one partner left.
Eddie served his lease and went back to Parma, where he had help, and his place is OK in a mall.

However I know of one business that bought space a little over a year ago that was told by the city, "You should clean up just selling food to the hospital and doctors." Similar to someone from the city telling the BBQ place in Bailey's, "If you just get lunch rush from University of Akron Students you will do well."

As far as Forage, most places see a slump after a couple months, and Corey who knows the business as well as anyone is right, January, February, March is brutal on many businesses where it snows.

I would imagine inmates that are looking for the same ambience as county jail and move into the new luxurious Lakewood Center North Apartments should flood into those restaurants.

City is just delusional. $1,000 apartments are not luxury apartments, they are apartments. Just apartments. Why does the city have to over state everything, EVERYTHING!

How come they don;t overstate the number of jobs they helped the city loose? We are closing in an 2,000 jobs lost.

WORST LAKEWOOD ADMINISTRATION, EVER.

EVER, and people are talking about it.

.

scott gilman wrote:World of Beer; Closed before the hospital and is reopened as the Detroiter
Eddie & Eddie's (and Cerino's DO know how to run a restaurant); is reopened as Burgers to Beer
Streatburger closed (because the church told them to move, and the place is still empty a year later); Building was sold by the church
Cleveland Pickle; Will be reopening with a different type of menu
Pug Mahone's;Will be reopening with a different type of menu
Quaker Steak; Parent company filed for bankruptcy protection and was acquired by Travel Centers of America
The Gorilla.Still open

So how does any of this relate to the hospital?

This is fascinating. For months our so-called "Finance Director" acted as the Mayor's PR spinmaster.
Has that job been turned over to the Fire Chief?

Michael Deneen wrote:This is fascinating. For months our so-called "Finance Director" acted as the Mayor's PR spinmaster.
Has that job been turned over to the Fire Chief?

Mike

Chief Gilman has been coming on the Deck speaking the facts as he sees or knows them for some time.

The only mistake I found in his post was Cleveland Pickle is gone, not coming back. The city voted for TJs Butcher Block with the $$$$. BBQ coming in.

I also know of at least three restaurants getting ready to open.

I would also underline that Chief Gilman not just works for the city but lives in Lakewood, and has the same right to his opinions as you and I.

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