Exploring Lorain Avenue (from West Blvd) to Kamms Corner, Cleveland, OH (September 10, 2022)
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- čas přidán 12. 09. 2022
- Part 2 of this video is here: • Riding through Rocky R...
In this video, we started at West Blvd and Lorain Avenue in Cleveland, OH, riding our bicycle and walking all the way to Kamms Corner. (In Part 2, we continued on to Rocky River Reservation). As I went down Lorain Avenue, I tried to talk about some memories of former stores and the current condition of things. Featured are:
-St. Ignatius Church
-Westown Square, where Sears used to be (before my time)
-Jefferson Park, including the unique bit of trivia that the benches there are from the former John Marshall High School building
-W. 140th area, and where the West Park Rapid station for RTA is
-The new shopping plaza being built at W. 150th Street, replacing the former Kmart
-The stores and bars leading up to Kamms Corner, and the stores at Kamms Plaza
Filmed on September 10, 2022. - Zábava
Poco Traveler Never Ceases to Amaze us . Watching your Rocky River Reservation Bike Tour took me back where us real Cleveland Indians grew up and never found landscape remotely familiar any where else . Every day you see something new there . Thanks Poco Travler😃
I went to John Marshall from 99-01. brings back memories
Nice ride. I was born in Cleveland and spent the first six years of my life in a house in the Edgewater Hill area. Across the street from the victory garden there at W73rd. and Detroit. I think I have been that Sears (when it was Sears) several times as a child. There was a Lionel model train store across Lorain from it. We would sometimes stop at an ice cream place called Zesto. This was back in the fifties. Lots of memories.
Variety theatre was very active in 70s. I saw Rocky there several times in 1976. It cost $1,00 for a ticket and back then you could stay in your seat and it again, all day long. Saw Green Berets in 1968 there as well
There was a G C Murphy's at Kamm's Corner Plaza in the 60's. I worked there my senior year at St Joseph Academy (65-66). A 5 & dime kind of store. What memories!
I also worked at Murphy's my Senior year 65-66. I also attended Saint Joseph Academy. I worked Friday and Saturday evenings. We must have been in the same graduating class. Small world!
Cool video. I have fiond memories of that area. Der Braumeister still there makes me happy.
This brought back memories
at 38;20 that was a Wendys. My van was stolen in the Giant Eagle parking lot back in 1994 and when it happened 2 cop cars were in the Wendys parking lot eating. On a sunday afternoon no less. I always told my wife to not shop there because it was known that cars would get stolen there, but she went there that day anyway.
Thank you
Enjoyed the ride and learned a lot about the neighborhood from your perspective. Glad to see you're 11¢ richer!
Haha, yes, I hoped that would get a chuckle out of someone. And thanks for listening to my own personal history.
I grew up in that area and went to that Burger KIng when it first opened.
Oh gosh...thank you for this...!!!...my neighborhood where I grew up....your commentary is always great!
That's awesome! I'm glad it brought up some memories; when were you last in that area?
55:47 That intersection coming up on your right where Triskett Rd. is coming in to meet Lorain, there was a Sohio gas station on that corner that was used in a television commercial.
I love the trivia!!
It really brings back so many memories.
Fairview Hospital was just that "Fairview Hospital". I was born there!
Greetings
1st through 6th grade
Saint Mel’s
I Lived on Grapeland Ave
My siblings and I weren’t allowed to go past W 150 or maybe w 117 no exceptions
My sisters and I always walked to the Huge library and stopped at the orange hut for ice cream.
I remember there was a sears nearly on the sidewalk at great northern.
My late husbands sons both went to Saint Ignatius.
Thanks again!!!
Your tours are so fun
When you say Great Northern Sears, did you mean the Sears at W. 110th and Lorain?
@@PokoTraveler
No, it was at great northern mall
North Olmsted, Ohio
I have been shopping on line for years.
Maybe it’s still there but it must be gone by now.
@@beehaas9400 Ah, I see. The Great Northern store closed in 2020; it had been the last Sears store that was still open in Ohio.
Went to the Variety and the Lyric theaters in the 50's growing up...35 cents for a double feature and cartoons..popcorn 15 cents also might throw in an episode of Buster Crabbe playing ??(I forget), Good times!!
That was enjoyable.
So interesting!
Across from Saint Ignatius was an A & P grocery store and Joan Avenue is right around the corner from Saint Ignatius off West Boulevard I used to live down that street . I would walk to that A& P for my mom.
Do you remember the smell of the fresh coffee beans being ground in the grinder? It smelled really good.
1:12:42 I was born in Fairview Hospital back in the 50's, but at that time it was located on Fulton Rd.
My niece was born in this Fairview Hospital that is coming up on your left. She is now in her 50's.
My mother was born in Italy in 1916 and died in this same hospital here at the age of 96.
I was born there too in 1950.
That marcos pizza use to be Donna catering. My first job back in 1978. Alot of wedding receptions and bridal showers. It was the whole building with 3 halls. 450 people could fit upstairs party room. Dennis Kucinich use to have many parties there upstairs with the police captains. What stories went on there-crazy
Thank you for commenting with your personal stories, I loved reading them! It gives my mind more layers of local history.
28:40 Cafe Roma. I been living in the Land of Dixie since the nineties but always make a stop at Cafe Roma while visiting Cleveland.
46:41 Before that K-Mart was there, there was a trailer park where mostly elderly people lived.
The public was very upset when the elderly were made to move to put in a K-Mart.... and now the K-Mart is gone.
Another story in the Naked City.
Life goes on.
48:57 I believe that building right there across the street from you was a Toyota Dealership called Metro Toyota.
I bought a brand new Toyota Celica there back in the seventies and paid cash for it.
I was working for the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Dpt. at the time, single, no children, and still living with my Italian mom.
Life was good.
1:06:40 That building across the street from you was a Tony's Restaurant back in the day.
Had some family parties down in the basement there. We filled the whole basement and then some.
I don't know what it is now, but back when it was Tony's, they had a great Sunday brunch.
1:01:19 Road that bike trail many times 70's - 80's. It was called the Emerald Necklace when I was riding it.
15:20 That diner was called Tony's and I've been there several times after a late night out doing the disco's back in the 70's. I don't know what time they closed but they were open and busy after midnight.
54:19 Where that Triumph store is coming up on your left was another building that was torn down. The torn down building was a Rick Cass Kawasaki motor cycle dealership back in the seventies. We would go there to get free tickets to Dragway 42.
16:45 There it is, the old Variety movie theater.
My friends and I would walk there on Sundays and watch a double feature for twenty-five cents.
Among many horror movies such as Two on a Guillotine, Kiss of the Vampire", The Hypnotic Eye... Cheesy flying saucer movies, I also saw "By By Birdie", A Hard Day's Night, and in person Ghoulardi (Ernie Anderson).
On the day we went to see A Hard Day's Night, the girls in the movie theater kept screaming every time The Beatles where on the screen. It was like The Beatles were really there in person.
3:49 The good old A&P grocery store coming up on your left.
He never mentions the, "Work Smart Store, at 117th & Lorain Rd." A great place for inexpensive, unique clothes, shirts, trousers, sweatshirts, socks, neckerchiefs and hats! Nurse's smocks too!
Yes, that place has been a staple there for awhile! I can't remember if I've mentioned it in any other videos while going down Lorain Avenue.
12:45 I think that All Keys place across the street from you was a Robert Hall clothing store back in the sixties.
My mom bought my first ever suite there for me.
1:09:23 Back in the 70's there was a Vic Tanny's gym in the corner there. They only had one locker room, so the whole gym was set up for alternating men and women's days.
I can't explain how this happened but on one of the men's nights when I was not there, some of the guys I knew were sitting in the steam room when a naked girl walked in. She saw the guys, gasped, and immediately walked out.
There was also a movie theater in this shopping center. I think it was called the "Westwood" but I am not sure of the name. I saw "The Graduate" and other movies there.
0:40 In that building across the street, on the second floor is where our family doctor's office was back in the sixties.
Good old Dr. Mooney.
On the first level was conveniently located a drug store to get prescriptions filled and a candy bar for me.
9:22 The Sears store parking lot is where I used to practice driving when I was old enough, and to left there was a Kresge's dime store, and then across from Kresge's on the side of the street you're on was a Giant Tiger store which had a grand opening with none-other than Jayne Mansfield cutting the ribbon.
6:48 I think there was a Watkins furniture store back in the sixties coming up on the left.
54:06 I would often use this back entrance to get to McDonald's in the seventies through the eighties as we were now living near w150th St. and Puritas Ave..
It was convenient for me to enter here and then leave on the W150th exit to continue on my way home.
Loved this bike ride Poco , and a norther story about that Marcos Pizza Parlor . Last time we were in CLE we sold the owner a Ibanez guitar at a fair dollar and he gave us a chefs special pizza on the house for playing it . Now we're back on tour and we performed at Bar CLE as we were booked to perform their Grand Opening 6 yrs. ago , last time we were here ...
but the music tour never ends.
Thanks again Poco Traveler for your videos 🎥
That's awesome, you guys must have so many small but fun stories of experiences like that. Keep spreading the love & music 😇
1:07:35 Okay, at this point I'll mention a fun fact.
Back in the day there was a bowling alley at Kamm's Corners and Phil Donahue worked there setting up pins before it was all automated.
15:18 I think there used to be a restaurant by the name of "Clucks" on w117th St. to the right and just north of Lorain Ave.
Great vid, you did miss the reason that it's called Kamms Corner, however. That building across the street at 1:07:25 is the original Oswald Kamm building!
Nice -- for some reason it's never crossed my mind to think about why it was called Kamms Corner. Now I'm Googling the context you're referring to.
My Mom grew up on West 135th just off of Lorain. 😊
Nice! Then I imagine the area looked pretty familiar.
41:30 Rapid Transit train going over the bridge there in the background.
57:18 I've used that library coming up on your left a few times.
Now they have restricted access, security cameras, and an on sight police officer in the library.
Crazy, huh?
13:51 That light brick building on your right and on the other side of Bosworth was a library. I don't know if it still is.
49:05 It's funny how we still use words that don't apply anymore today.
Words like "filming", or "dialing" a phone.
I remember the Sears there
My mom tells me many fond memories of that Sears.
They had some good fresh roasted nuts ,Especially the Spanish peanuts.
1:06:33 I think that building on your right that is now housing law offices, used to be a Cleveland Trust bank.
58:15 that Seven Seas Seafood place coming up on your left there USED to be a pretty good place to buy seafood. Not so much anymore.
Back in the day I would buy a 52oz. can of clams for making my famous clam chowder.
The place has seen better days.
Do you remember a bar, gym, auto shop about 110th Lorain owned by Giachetties? Had Apartments attached. Opposite side of Dimitrios Restaurant?
I'm not familiar with that, but I can suggest trying to join this group on Facebook: facebook.com/groups/ClevelandStreets/?ref=share&mibextid=NSMWBT
You might be able to ask about it, or search through the group (type 110th) to see old pictures people have shared.
Giachetti brothers. My dad boxed both of them.
57:40 I have a friend that lives on Silsby, which is just to the left as you go down W157th St.
1:10:50 I have a bike lock similar in design to yours and in case you are unaware, you can run that lock around your rear wheel and then through your main frame and by doing so you not only secure your bike, but also your rear wheel.
1:08:29 Good to see Gene's Place is still there.
It used to be a Perkins Pancake House.
16:03 If your concerned about getting a puncture in your bike tires, you may want to consider putting a strip of "kevlar" between your tire and your innertube. Once I did that, I never had another flat due to a puncture.
You can purchase this product at most bike shops and certainly on Amazon.
44:29 I bet there's a lot of stories that can be told about what happened underneath that bridge.
I shopped in the Kamms Corner Shopping Center
14:30 Is that the old Variety movie theater on your left?
45:07 Back in the seventies? there was an attempted grape in the grassy area to the left.
The girl was screaming and two guys came to her rescue and the grapest was not successful and of course caught.
Attempted grape, And the grapest?
56:51 On your left back in the 70's there was a police station there complete with jail.
Now torn down.
The 3 girls that were kidnapped for 10 years were found on the Westside, not the Eastside.
Indeed; I have slip ups occasionally with my narration.
We all do.@@PokoTraveler
43:46 I think in this place across the street from you was a car radiator repair shop that was owned and operated by a "woman".
She wore bib overalls, was all dirty and greasy from head to toe, a lit torch in one hand, looked and sounded like a man, but she was a woman and she did darn good work too.
Michelle, Amanda and Gina were kidnapped and held by Castro in a house on Seymour avenue, Which is on the westside not east.
Yeah, sometimes I brain goes haywire and I misspeak while narrating, lol
I would walk down Lorain to Carnegie Bridge to a Restaurant and have Breakfast of Sirloin Steak and Eggs.
Definitely was reiny regos
There was a shooting near West Blvd and Lorain, just recently
The area is generally safe (in the sense that I wait for and get off the bus there for years with no issue), but there are also random wanderers who hang out, so you definitely have to pay attention to your surroundings.
W.127 was the Lions Pub coke haven of the west side
Was that the Lion on Lorain? I never tried it, but remember when it opened and closed.
east side Cleveland what is the oldest German Catholic Church
6:15 I think the place on your left was a bank at one time.
I rented a house on West 160th and Lorain Ave.
12:53 I am pretty sure the car lot on your left was still there back in the sixties and my mom bought one of her first cars from there.
He cheated her by telling her it was a six cylinder when in reality it was a four cylinder. Even as a young child, maybe around ten years old, looking under the hood with all the adults including the salesman and only seeing four wires going to four spark plugs. I asked the salesman, "so this is a six cylinder" and he said, "yes". I told my mom later to have one of my older sisters boyfriends look at the car because I thought it was a four cylinder but I was afraid to say anything at the lot.
Once it was confirmed that it was a four cylinder and not a six, my Italian mother went ballistic and that salesman didn't see it coming and didn't know what hit him. He regretted cheating my mom. She made them by the car back for full price and even though they were very apologetic, said they made a mistake and thought it was a six cylinder, and wanted to sell her another car for the same price that WAS a six cylinder, she told them to shove it.
👀👂🏼
Do you remember Uncle Bill's on 117th and Detroit
No, but it was probably before my time, I presume.
My family and I went there all the time.
They had a really good plumbing section.
117th and berea rd. not detroit
1:06:14 Been there.
13:40 Back in the fifties I was told the place to your left was for orphaned boys.
I don't know if that was true or not.
It looks really neglected and dirty (crummy). Was it ever thriving?
Lorain Avenue hasn't seen a vast overhaul for awhile down the path I took. It gets more active toward Kamms Corner. The shopping plaza near W. 150th Street is mostly complete now, although the Aldi is still under construction.
Near W. 110th, there used to be a Sears that was booming back in the day.
It's not a street that you'd tell tourists to visit, but it's generally a safe street for those in the neighborhood.
Back in the 70's and 80's when the Variety theater was in operation it was. There was a Pinball arcade ,Papa Johns pizza place etc.
You overlooked the Pride of Erin 0n the corner of 123rd, on that _other_ side of the street.
Thanks. That's one of the challenges of riding down a wide street (trying to point out businesses on both sides). Also, a lot of the buildings on that side are either non-descript or often have closed windows, so it's challenging to know what is still in business vs. what's not.