Add The Green Tomato to the independent retail establishments shuttering their doors
this year. The Coventry Road purveyor of super cool and kitschy items from Hello Kitty
to Smart Women will close permanently in the next couple of months. Many reasons
influenced owner Gayle Lewis decision to close, including escalating rents on Coventry
and competition from corporate mall chains like Hot Topic. The news adds to a spate of
recent independent retail closings or relocations including Shaker Square’s Balaton
Restaurant, Phil the Fire, Lush Boutique (moved to Legacy Village), The . In addition,
Bruce blog has heard a rumor that Valerio _______, who is proposing an Italian market
called La Madre in the former Coventry Co-Op space, is pulling out of his deal. How will
the news impact the infinitely walkable Coventry Village which has been without a
market since the Co-Op pulled out two years ago?
It seems multiple factors are conspiring against these independent operators. In some
cases, high rents, a poor economy, bad business decisions or recent news that the open air
market is being sold may have started an outmigration of tenants. On Coventry, not all
buildings (or landlords) are equal. The tenants in the building owned by Tommy Fello
(including Record Revolution and High Tide Rock Bottom) reportedly enjoy stable rents.
Meanwhile, the building where Green Tomato operates changed hands recently and,
based on his own writings, the new landlord is extremely aggressive in his management
policies.
Each store has its own set of issues, some relate to an analysis of their market – if there
are enough customers with cash to burn and not a lot of competition close-by, developers
argue, a store should be feasible. Without knowing the market analysis for Green
Tomato, it’s hard to say what is the biggest factor contributing to its demise. Is it a
combination of the economy tanking and a lack of traffic on Coventry in the last year?
Lewis blames lower sales this year in part on the economy and on Coventry Road
practically being shut down for part of the year when the new street and sidewalks were
put in. But, Lewis’ cost to purchase a Hello Kitty t-shirt is a lot higher that Hot Topic’s,
so Green Tomato ends up being a high overhead, low margin business. On top of that,
Green Tomato’s rents escalated from $14 per sq. ft Gross to $25 sq. ft Triple Net in five
years. Triple Net means she pays part of the building’s taxes, maintenance and insurance.
Gail says a recent bill for $1,500 from the landlord to cover ‘overages’ in the Triple Net
rubbed salt in the wound.
Would Coventry be a less viable street if Hot Topic moved in and replaced Green
Tomato? Certainly, and not just because of the vaunted ‘independent spirit’ of Coventry
(which seems more and more threatened). Profits for corporate interests that headquarter
out of state don’t circulate back through the local economy. Sales taxes and income taxes
would be a zero sum gain. Gail adds that a shorter shopping season for open air markets
versus the climate controlled mall are another factor to consider. Also, a perception that
parking doesn’t exist or isn’t convenient has plagued places like the Centrum movie
theater on Coventry or Dottie’s Diner on Lee Road (again, other business factors
conspired to close both). But, often the walk from the parking lot at the mall is longer
than that from the Coventry Road garage.
It’s been argued that tenant mix influences the success of a neighborhood retail center. In
the case of Coventry, tenant mix has plagued the street. Most recently, independent
operation Goodies, which serves frozen and baked desserts, opened in the former
Coventry Optical space. A month later, a sign appears that Stricklands, an Akron-based
frozen custard chain, will move into the space next to CD Warehouse. What gives?
I just stumbled across your sight yesterday, love it...
In the one article
about coming back to Cleveland/Lisa Kious, I printed
out because I love
stories like that where people come back after moving
to \\"cooler
places\\". After the article settled in I realized
that I remember a Lisa
Kious from when I went to Urban Planning School at
Cleveland State. It is
very cool that she would be coming back to Cleveland.
Sometimes things in
Cleveland start to feel a little hopeless, especially
when some of its
biggest supporters and creative people move away. Lisa
coming back is a
positive note.
Hopefully I will run into her at
Nates or Malley\\\'s.....
That is, when I come back to visit or move back..
William Marthaller, Washington, D.C.
Event for blog
June 16
Ohio EPA one-day green building and sustainable
redevelopment training session for local governments. Ohio EPA has
proposed new sustainable development/green building practices as
ranking criteria for the next round of Clean Ohio funding. The agency is
providing this training to explain what are sustainable developments and
green buildings, and how they can benefit communities. Case studies from
within Ohio provided. Email or call 614- 644-3749 for more information.
Look into HB 217 -- school finance reform (being introduced this week)
introduced in Ohio Assembly by GOP
timeline -- before recess (aggressive)
seen as "fixing the schools"
want a political victory
The guv aka John McGovern writes to Bruce blog to remind us to
Help support local farmers, the greening of greater
Cleveland, and su hambre del estomago with a visit to
the Coit Road Farmers Market in East Cleveland. I
believe it is the only farmer's market to stay open
year round and feature ONLY locally grown produce.
Many of the farmer's hail from the fertile Cuyahoga
Valley and/or farm organically.
If you are in Cleve/Shaker Hts, take Taylor north to
Euclid, hang a right and the first left is Coit. The
market is near the intersection of Noble and Coit.
Saturday's at the Market are usually full of special
events such as those listed below.
Peace and good eating!
Subject: Fwd: Spring goat cheese, fresh herbs, plants for
the garden
Date:
Fri, 21 May 2004 20:42:06 -0400
From:
John McGovern <theguv@mac.com>
[ Add To
Address Book ]
To:
Marc Marc <marc@hotelbruce.com>
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<fontfamily><param>Gadget</param><color><param>0000,808
0,0000</param>Friend
s
Help support local farmers, the greening of greater
Cleveland, and su
hambre del estomago with a visit to the Coit Road
Farmers Market in
East Cleveland. I believe it is the only farmer's
market to stay open
year round and feature ONLY locally grown produce.
Many of the
farmer's hail from the fertile Cuyahoga Valley and/or
farm organically.
If you are in Cleve/Shaker Hts, take Taylor north to
Euclid, hang a
right and the first left is Coit. The market is near
the intersection
of Noble and Coit.
Saturday's at the Market are usually full of special
events such as
those listed below.
Peace and good eating!
john</color></fontfamily>
Begin forwarded message:
<excerpt><bold><fontfamily><param>Helvetica</param><col
or><param>0000,0000,
0000</param>From:
</color></fontfamily></bold><fontfamily><param>Helvetic
a</param>KON500@aol.
com
<bold><color><param>0000,0000,0000</param>Date:
</color></bold>May 21,
2004 6:24:15 PM EDT
<bold><color><param>0000,0000,0000</param>To:
</color></bold>KON500@aol.com
<bold><color><param>0000,0000,0000</param>Subject:
</color>Spring goat
cheese, fresh herbs, plants for the garden
</bold></fontfamily>
Hello!
Please share this Market memo with friends -thank you!
Coit Road Farmers Market in East Cleveland.
15000 Woodworth Road at Coit
near E. 152 St./Noble Rd. intersection
HOURS
Wednesdays 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Saturdays 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Open all year
216-249-5455 during Market hours; 440-286-5326
anytime
www.coitmarket.org
SPRING RAINS MAKE FLOWERS and VEGETABLES GROW
Cliff Schultz had some of the most beautiful homegrown
broccoli on
Wednesday,
and he will have more tomorrow.
leaves are edible
on
You know even the
broccoli, when it is this fresh and tender.
still
available, and
Rhubarb is
asparagus. Also Controlled Atmosphere apples, Mutsu &
Melrose. To
the farmer, CA
storage means that a bumper crop of apples can be
stored for a longer
period,
and still compete with apples that are available from
NY State,
Washington
State or the Southern Hemisphere in our spring.
customers we get
used to crisp
As
apples all year, and with CA storage our local apples
will make us
happy!
Cliff will also have locally grown, vine-ripened
hydroponic tomatoes.
They
are very good, taste like summer tomatoes.
FRESH & TENDER SPRING SALAD GREENS
Barb Foose of Blooming Patches Farm is harvesting the
most tender leaf
lettuce, several varieties, along with rocket (a
pungent green), and
sorrel. She
also has fresh cut herbs, basil, thyme, chives to help
bring the taste
of a new
season to your cooking.
very healthy
perennials
Barb has a good variety of
and herb plants for your home garden, and some heirloom
variety
tomatoes.
ORDER ORGANIC GRASS FED BEEF
If you sampled the dishes that Linda Griffith was
cooking last
Saturday, you
may wish to order this delicious, healthy beef raised
in Ashland,
Ohio. Amish
farmer John Keim visited Coit Road Farmers Market last
Saturday, and
talked
about his reasons for farming organically for over 30
years. See
Kathleen for
information about ordering and a price list.
arrives at
Market
frozen and vacuum wrapped.
OYSTER & SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS * * *
The beef
See Kevin, the Spice Hound, for organic oyster &
shiitake mushrooms -he may
cook up some samples to taste.
whole stems of
oyster
We've discovered that
mushrooms are great on the grill!
ARTISANAL BREADS # # #
Elizzabeth will have a sweet and savory selection of
hand made
breads...
Saturdays only.
Keep in touch with Ohio's family farms and farm
products -- we have
local
apples, maple syrup, eggs, all-natural cheeses from the
Original Amish
Cheese
Co-op in Middlefield, trail bologna, garlic, jams &
jellies, and honey.
Available by special order for Coit Road Farmers Market
customers:
Grass-fed
Angus beef, locally raised on a certified organic Amish
farm. See
Kathleen at
Market for more information.
!!! SPICES !!!
Many varieties of dried peppers,
whole spices -- fresh
tortillas and tortilla chips.
salsas. Also
Indian spices
for curries.
finishing
salt. See
SEA SALT!
Home made special recipe
including fleur de sel, a nice
the Spice Hound.
! ! ! Enjoy a cup of Fairly Traded, locally roasted
Crooked River
coffee
while you shop.
in bulk, whole
beans only.
Crooked River coffees also available
Avon and Watkins products also available.
Thank you for supporting our Market project!
Kathleen