West Side Market cleanup to begin Sunday Job expected to take five to 10 days; neighbors raising
money for vendors, workers
Plain Dealer, The (Cleveland, OH) - Saturday, February 2, 2013
Readability: >12 grade level (Lexile: 1490L)
Author: Debbi Snook, Plain Dealer Reporter
Cleanup will start Sunday at the soot-damaged West Side Market and will take five to 10 days to finish,
city officials said Friday.
The city landmark, fresh from its centennial celebration in November, has been closed since Wednesday,
when an early morning fire covered the interior walls and ceiling with smoke.
RestorX MD of Mentor, identified in the city's news release as a specialist in fire damage, was hired
through a "mayor's emergency," an expedited action that requires only the signatures of the mayor,
finance director and City Council president.
The cleaning is required by law, city officials said earlier, since the soot is considered unhealthy.
The contract for $276,000 will come from money previously identified in the city budget for market
upgrades and improvements.
While the market's main building is down, support for vendors is up and running in the community.
On Friday, customers, nearby restaurants and a bank began raising money for those losing wages and
sales.
Charter One Bank has given a $10,000 grant for vendor losses that will be distributed through a gift
certificate program with giveaways and a reopening event to be announced. Ohio City Inc., the
neighborhood development organization, will run the program.
A grass-roots movement has scheduled a "cash mob" for March 2 at the market. The social-media event
(tinyurl.com/pdwsmmob) of intentional buying already has more than 1,200 commitments. Organizers
say the date may change once the reopening is announced.
Local restaurateurs are chiming in. Michael Symon, Cleveland's Iron Chef, has Tweeted that he's working
on a benefit, with details soon to be announced. Happy Dog in the city's Gordon Square neighborhood is
donating $1 from the sale of every hot dog this weekend to a vendors' fund, and ditto for Market
Garden Brewery, one of the market's neighbors, which is donating $1 from each sale of its Market
Recovery Lager through Tuesday.
The city's market website, westsidemarket.org, has been updated to encourage shopping among the
few vendors still operating in the produce aisle and at off-site stores owned by market vendors.
While no one was injured in the fire, which apparently started in an electrical connection, vendors spent
Friday packing up smoke-contaminated food for city-sponsored disposal.
Denise Kahwagi, co-owner of Cake Royale, hustled through the arcade clutching four boxes to take
home kitchen equipment.
"We don't have a lot of time to get things out of here," she said, her face smudged with soot. "I had to
call my son to help."
Local restaurants who buy from the market are having to find new suppliers.
"We buy so much at the market," said Ghassan Maalouf, manager of Nate's Deli, which specializes in
Middle Eastern food. "Most restaurants in the neighborhood rely on the market for at least a few things.
We've all had to change to a temporary supply system."
Some of the outside businesses owned by West Side Market vendors include:
Cake Royale, tinyurl.com/pdwsmcake, 216-351-3553.
Campbell's Sweets Factory, campbellssweets.com, 216-965-0451.
Civilization (City Roast), cityroastcoffee.com/civil.html, 216-621-3838.
Frickaccios Pizza Market (Fairview Park), frickaccios.com, 440-227-6073.
Judy's Oasis, judysoasis.com, 216-252-3444.
Maha's Café, mahascafe.com, 216-741-9810.
Noodlecat, noodlecat.com, 216-589-0007.
The Olive and The Grape, theoliveandthegrape.biz, Mentor, 440-974-0778 and West Park, 216-2520778.
Orale! Kitchen Restaurant, 216-862-3117.
Pinzone's Market Fresh Meats, pinzonemeats.com, 216-351-0801.