Today through Friday, there’ll be a cash mob event for several downtown Cleveland businesses hurt – financially – by falling debris. ideastream’s Brian Bull reports.
Last month, a parapet came apart and fell from the Garfield Building near East 6 th Street and Vincent Avenue. A minivan got crushed, but no one was injured.
But there have been lingering pains of another sort.
At Dave’s Cosmic Subs, owner Dan Lombardy looks out his storefront at the dark barrier of scaffolding and plywood that hides his business and six others from street view.
“You know what, I had somebody here yesterday, says “Oh, you’re finally open!” says Lombardy. " I mean, we’ve been open for about a week and a half now, so…still need to get some exposure out there, let people know we are open. Because…kinda makes you feel that there are a lot of people that don’t know we’re open yet.”
After the rubble fell, the street was partially closed as a safety measure. But City Councilman Joe Cimperman hopes this week-long cash mob will help offset the local businesses’ losses.
The unofficial event name is “Hit the Bricks on 6 th.”
“And what the City of Cleveland’s doing with Economic Development, Mayor Jackson, and Downtown Cleveland Alliance, is to try to get people -- who are probably going out
to lunch anyway -- to maybe change their dining habits or to double down on it. And to have lunch on East 6 th Street to support our fantastic restaurants there.”
As for the scaffolding, Cimperman doesn’t know how much longer it’ll stay in place, but figures it’ll be there during the week for safety.
The targeted shops include Dave's Cosmic Subs, Sappor Sushi, Tabu Coffee Company, Tea House Noodles, and Moriarty's Pub.