The Observation Deck

Scuttlebutt on the street is that Ivory Keys is not just closed temporarily but has been evicted from their space. One of the musicians posted on a since deleted Facebook post that they needed security help to get some instruments back that were locked up inside. Can't say I'm surprised they closed, if true, but didn't think it would end in an eviction. Hope this is wrong and that their staff is able to keep their jobs and reopen soon.

Matthew Lee wrote:Scuttlebutt on the street is that Ivory Keys is not just closed temporarily but has been evicted from their space. One of the musicians posted on a since deleted Facebook post that they needed security help to get some instruments back that were locked up inside. Can't say I'm surprised they closed, if true, but didn't think it would end in an eviction. Hope this is wrong and that their staff is able to keep their jobs and reopen soon.

Matthew Lee

Social media full of all sorts of Bullshit now-a-days. The fact he removed would indicate, a problem with post. The family has a long history in the food business, which is not to say the rumors are not true, but I would be shocked had they not had to put a couple months up front in the lease. If Tom didn't that would show a certain desperation on the owners of the building, which wouldn't seem to indicate the healthy business community we have been assured exists.

To that point, many, many empty spots in town.

We shall see, we shall see.

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Just as a quick follow up, Ivory Keys has pulled its entire Facebook site and their website no longer has any information except "An all new site is coming soon".

http://www.ivorykeyspianobar.com/

Interesting......

They have officially closed:

https://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-he ... pay-issues

What an effen mess . . . and he has the gall to blame Lakewood?

So much for those of you who stood up for this great businessman

Matthew Lee wrote:They have officially closed:

https://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-he ... pay-issues

From the article: "locks placed on the front door by the landlord"

That's code for "someone isn't paying their rent."

Valerie Molinski wrote:

Matthew Lee wrote:They have officially closed:

https://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-he ... pay-issues

From the article: "locks placed on the front door by the landlord"

That's code for "someone isn't paying their rent."

Valerie

Two people padlock doors, landlords, but renters are still allowed access, or the Taxman.

In this case, the rumors are the former not the latter.

Amy

Some of us do not have the deep insight you have. Some are willing to give the benefit of the doubt, instead of giving in immediately to the social media kangaroo court of negativity. Some have suffered greatly with BS spread, with nothing to back it up. Some are willing to trust and wait for a statement to come from those being accused or stoned.

I know Tom, I know some of his staff, none let on to any problems.

You yourself had to wait it would seem to read his public statement before throwing the entire pool of whoever in the pit of his failure.

Me, having started businesses on a shoestring, I am willing to wait. Especially with a person trying to start something like a business in Lakewood.

I hope Lakewood finds someone to fill this space, but there is a lot of space on Detroit and Madison open. I know of two other businesses that are on the verge of closing, I hope not, and with them, I too will wait again and hope they sort things out.

.

Valerie Molinski wrote:

Matthew Lee wrote:They have officially closed:

https://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-he ... pay-issues

From the article: "locks placed on the front door by the landlord"

That's code for "someone isn't paying their rent."

Well rent aside, the story also says he wasn't paying employees, that's pretty low.

Gee, wasn’t too long ago the mayor was touting the place opening.
From the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce Facebook Page.

Here’s what the owner said about Lakewood:

I apologize for another location failure in Lakewood. Multiple restaurants have failed in this location.

My opinion Is that there are too many restaurants in this area.

It was a failed business plan in an area that cannot sustain the type of draw to keep it going.

https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/loc ... y-problems

Bridget Conant wrote:Here’s what the owner said about Lakewood:

I apologize for another location failure in Lakewood. Multiple restaurants have failed in this location.

My opinion Is that there are too many restaurants in this area.

It was a failed business plan in an area that cannot sustain the type of draw to keep it going.

https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/loc ... y-problems

Bridget

To be honest it sounds like a bunch of excuses, which pains me. Class in winning, even more class in losing is always the best plan.

When he was opening I was telling him that Lakewood having 138 places to buy prepared food it is a tough scene, and that the economics of Lakewood residents could probably never support that sheer quantity. However, Lakewoodites reward restaurants that can nail good ideas, good food, good service, and good price points.

While it seemed like the failed business plan, it sounded good when talking about it. Piano bars in the area were always big draws, years ago. Pier W, Swingos pulling good crowds with piano players. Even Blind Lemon, now the Foundry would get packed when piano players showed up there. He had mentioned having musical acts as the place got more established, even comedy on the small stage, so it would seem he was ready for diversity.

Funny as you drive around the city on a Friday and Saturday, you seem the same stand outs packed, others not so much. Some are breaking into that filling up status, but it seems hard to get large enough crowds to make money as opposed to just sustaining the business, which becomes very painful, and a tough juggling act.

Some places seem cursed, destined to never have a good business, then something comes along, and bam it works. I always remember a restaurant at the point of Brookpark Road, and Lorain, One comapny built the place and failed, another four places failed in quick succession, then Capt Taco held it for over a decade, making money. They closed some of their stores for personal reasons, and the next 5 places failed.

Last time I checked about a year ago, Lakewood has no more "bars" than in the past, but it has 50% more restaurants, and yes more of them serve alcohol.

FWIW

.

I will never understand why Mayor Summers gets all excited about the opening another bar but thought nothing of destroying a profitable Hospital.

There is something odd about Ivory Keys closing. It happened so quickly I didn't even have a chance to walk by let alone walk in. And the explanation why they weren't able to make any money raised questions. Did they have a cover charge? Did they have a drink minimum?

I don't feel like I've heard the whole story.

Jerry Ritcey wrote:

Valerie Molinski wrote:

Matthew Lee wrote:They have officially closed:

https://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-he ... pay-issues

From the article: "locks placed on the front door by the landlord"

That's code for "someone isn't paying their rent."

Well rent aside, the story also says he wasn't paying employees, that's pretty low.

Or the muralist, or the contractor(s) who worked on the space from what I can gather from subsequent comments and other articles.

Just a guess, but this is a probably a high rent building. If the Ivory Keys people didn't negotiate a free rent period during their buildout, they were in a deep hole the day they opened.