Partner: Larchmere District
Community
Larchmere District
Upbeat Vitality, Offbeat Charm.
The Larchmere District starts at East 120th Street and extends east to North Moreland – one block north of Shaker Square, and is home to rich arts and culture, local businesses, and more!
The district also hosts annual events like the Holiday Stroll, Larchmere Festival, and the PorchFest and is a great partner destination to the Square.
Partner: Shaker Square Area Development Corporation
Community
Shaker Square Area Development Corporation (SHAD)
Serving the vibrant and diverse neighborhoods of Buckeye & Shaker Square.
Shaker Square Area Development Corporation’s mission is to provide the people and businesses of the Shaker Square area with the leadership and action needed to foster well-maintained, economically strong neighborhoods.
SHAD’s focus is on advocacy of Shaker Square and its adjacent neighborhoods, and communication. You can learn more about their impact in the SHAD Connection, a quarterly award-winning newspaper, featuring news about Shaker Square and its communities.
Profile: Scott Kim, Owner of SASA
Community
Profile: Scott Kim, Owner of SASA
Fine Japanese cuisine at Shaker Square
Shaker Square has long been known to attract diners from across Greater Cleveland to its range of fine dining and internationally-inspired restaurants. One such restaurant is SASA, which became Cleveland’s first Japanese Izakaya restaurant when it opened its doors at Shaker Square in 2007.
SASA owner and chef Scott Kim takes pride in more than just being the chef of a highly regarded Asian bistro, as being a sought after community destination at Shaker Square comes with great importance to him as well.
“Lots of chefs can cook, but not all of them are a part of the community,” Scott said of his bistro’s deep ties to not only his customers but also to many families in the surrounding community. He and his wife Brenda make it a point to get to know the individuals and families who regularly dine at SASA.
Scott and his wife Brenda take pride in owning their business on Shaker Square, a destination the Kims refer to as a “backbone of Cleveland’s retail scene” and a place where all tenants and visitors benefit from the range of amenities offered here.
In addition to Japanese cuisine, you can enjoy handcrafted cocktails, sake, and craft beer. You can check out SASA’s full menu and plan your visit below.
Profile: Courtney Laves-Mearini, Owner of Cleveland City Dance
Community
Profile: Courtney Laves-Mearini, Owner of Cleveland City Dance
Something for everyone: Cleveland City Dance has been a regional draw to Shaker Square since 2008
Whether you’re three or 83, Cleveland City Dance has something for you. A staple in the Greater Cleveland area since its founding in 1965, it’s the region’s premier dance school offering a variety of classes for children, teenagers, and adults.
Owner Courtney Laves-Mearini moved this esteemed dance school to Shaker Square in 2008, and she’s worked to double her student population since then.
As a longtime neighborhood resident and business owner, Courtney appreciates what the Square offers without having to get in a car: “if I need something I can walk to the grocery store, there are restaurants to eat at, there’s music on the weekends.”
“Shaker Square has the feeling of a downtown but it’s smaller,” she added. “There’s a lot of potential here, we just need to bring it all together and make sure people know about it.”
Notably, Cleveland City Dance is the resident home of the City Ballet of Cleveland, providing students with the opportunity to audition for this pre-professional ballet company.
Program offerings include ballet, boys ballet, jazz, modern, tap, hip-hop, and adult classes and conditioning.
Profile: Elina Kreymerman, Owner of Shaker Square Dry Cleaning & Tailoring
Community
Profile: Elina Kreymerman, Owner of Shaker Square Dry Cleaning & Tailoring
Three decades of dedicated customer service
2024 marks 30 years of serving customers at Shaker Square for Elina Kreymerman. Just two years after immigrating here from Ukraine in 1992, Elina opened Shaker Square Dry Cleaning & Tailoring in 1994.
With her business continuing to run strong three decades later, today Elina is the longest-tenured business owner on Shaker Square. Elina credits the neighborhoods surrounding Shaker Square, and the loyal customer relationships she has forged, for making her success possible, especially amid the challenges posed to businesses in recent years.
“Shaker Square is a great place,” Elina shares. “A lot of businesses like ours did not survive the pandemic, but we have very loyal customers around here. We know our customers, we know their children, we even know their dogs! We’re a local business that serves our local community.”
If you speak to customers who frequent Shaker Square Dry Cleaning & Tailoring, you’ll soon realize the quality of service and attention to detail the business offers. Some customers from a few towns over even opt to drive past closer dry cleaners to drop their clothes off at Elina’s business.
The next time you’re looking for dry cleaning, tailoring, or altercations, look no further than this neighborhood icon to meet your needs.
March 2024 Newsletter
Newsletter
March 2024
The Agency Team visits Cleveland to begin the Shaker Square Vision Plan
After first acquiring Shaker Square and then beginning to stabilize it with millions of dollars of capital investments, the third phase officially kicked off in March. The Shaker Square Vision Plan began with a dynamic, two-day strategy session led by CNP and BBC. Our partners from the AGENCY, which was selected from a pool of eight firms by the Shaker Square Steering Committee, arrived in Cleveland and spent two days engaging with members of the Steering Committee, touring Shaker Square and the surrounding neighborhoods, and laying the groundwork for a year-long comprehensive planning process full of thorough engagement and planning.
The Shaker Square team will use future newsletters and social media to keep you and other community members informed about upcoming engagement activities, opportunities to contribute your thoughts and ideas, and key project milestones, partners, and updates. We can’t wait to share more with you!
- Read this Cleveland.com article that shares more about the Visioning Process for Shaker Square.
- Learn more about AGENCY’s partnership with Shaker Square
Spotlighting Woman-Owned Businesses on the Square
In celebration of Women’s History Month, we’re shining a spotlight on the incredible woman-owned businesses right here at Shaker Square.
From boutiques like Fashions by Fowler offering unique fashion finds to cafes like Psychopomp serving up delicious drinks, these entrepreneurs contribute to the vibrant tapestry of our community.
- Kamron Khan Photography
- Shark&Minnow
- Cleveland City Dance
- City Ballet of Cleveland
- North Union Farmers Market
- Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival
- Fashions by Fowler
- Psychopomp Cafe
- Shaker Square Dry Cleaning & Tailoring
- Pari House of Photography
- Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
- Mastermind Your Business
View the Full Shaker Square Directory
Capital Improvements to Enhance and Improve Shaker Square
It is our commitment to keep you and other community members updated on the work we are doing to improve Shaker Square through ongoing capital improvements aimed at enhancing the overall experience for our community.
You can’t always see the improvements we are making, but some of the most recent investments include:
- Improved lighting: The recent completion of lighting enhancements, including LED installations, additional poles, and uplighting, alongside asphalt renovations behind Dave’s and CVS, marks significant progress.
- Roof repairs & replacement: We finished replacing and repairing sections of flat roof across all four quads of Shaker Square.
- Facade improvements: We completed comprehensive masonry, carpentry, and storefront facade work for Dave’s Grocery and the former T-Mobile space. Our team continues preparing additional carpentry in the former Balaton space so that it can be installed quickly this spring.
- HVAC Installation: Our team has ordered and started installing new HVAC units, with completion anticipated by June.
Celebrating Today’s Tenants and Welcoming New Neighbors
We’re thrilled to announce the growth of our Shaker Square community by celebrating those who sign new leases and are committed to the Square, as well as welcoming new tenants and their employees. So, we want to celebrate the following businesses:
- Daves Market, Quadant C
- Dave’s Market has been a cornerstone of our community since 2005, and they have signed a five-year lease extension for their location at Shaker Square! Stay tuned to see improvements that will help retain current customers and attract new ones. A special thank you to Dave’s for their dedication to Shaker Square and our community!
- Kamron Khan Photography, Quadrant C
- We have some new faces at the Square, including Kamron Kahn Photography! The new photography studio will be located across from Dave’s Market (in the former T-Mobile space) and is set to open by the end of March.
- Pari House of Photography, Quadrant B
- Exciting news! Pari House of Photography is joining Shaker Square. They will utilize an office space in Quad B as a photography showroom, offering clients a display of their work and a convenient location to explore their services.
- Burten, Bell, Carr Development, Quadrant B
- We’re pleased to announce that Burten Bell Carr (BBC), one of the joint owners of Shaker Square that leads community engagement, will be opening an office in Quad B to serve residents of the Greater Buckeye area, including Shaker Square and Larchmere. This strategic move underscores BBC’s dedication to fostering local connections while positioning them at the heart of Shaker Square’s vibrant community.
- Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival, Quadrant B
- Exciting news for film lovers! The Greater Cleveland Film Festival, known for its annual festival hosted at Shaker Square, is setting up its offices in Quad B.
See Full Shaker Square Directory
Coming Soon: Our New Visitors Center
Exciting developments are underway at Shaker Square with the imminent opening of a new Visitors Center, slated to open by the end of April.
This multifunctional space will serve as a convenient hub for merchants to provide leave-behinds and newsletters. Additionally, it will offer a welcoming environment for the community to relax, with seating and lounge areas available. With the capacity to accommodate small meetings of 10-20 people, the center will also provide essential services such as water and refreshments for Police and Fire personnel.
Moreover, it will serve as a central hub for property management, offering a shared office space for tenant meetings and ensuring a daily presence on the premises.
Focused on Safety
Ensuring the safety of our community is paramount, and we’re pleased to announce that the City of Cleveland and the Cleveland Police are in the final stages of integrating our video cameras at Shaker Square into their citywide FUSUS System. This collaboration should be finalized by the end of March, which will increase safety for visitors, customers, tenants, and everyone at Shaker Square.
Upcoming Events
North Union Farmers Market
Shaker Square
Saturdays
8 AM – 12 PM
Mark your calendars for the return of the North Union Farmers Market on Saturday, April 6 at Shaker Square. This outdoor market takes place from 8 am to 12 pm every Saturday. Remember, SNAP benefits are welcomed and matched up to $25!
Golden Montessori Plant Sale
Golden Montessori, Shaker Square
Saturday, March 30th
12 PM – 5 PM
Join Golden Montessori for their first annual plant sale fundraiser! They will have a variety of plants available for purchase including vegetables, seeds, herbs, and house plants (both common and rare). All proceeds go to supporting the school. Plant sale open til 5pm or until they run out! Learn more at the link below.
Learn More About Upcoming Events
Please utilize the link below to submit any upcoming events in the neighborhood. Your contributions will help us keep our community informed.