Even the cold can’t stop the FOMO

Live Music In Cleveland <> The 216 Scoop

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So many things happening that even the cold can’t stop the FOMO. Yes, there are all the pop-up bars, events, parties – but also dramas and moves unfolding with our sports teams.

Today, we say goodbye to a Cleveland tavern that is an institution on West Side.  We’ll say hello to two more this week. So stay with us as we bring the news – today, this week and into 2025.

OK, let’s go…

In today’s 216 Scoop Edition: 

• Iconic Tick Tock Tavern is closing after more than 75 years

• NELA Park celebrates 100^th anniversary with massive holiday lighting display

• Guardians off-season preview: Is Shane Bieber signing the first in many moves?

• Benefits of a domed stadium? Haslams say $1 billion a year; city, county disagree

• Party like its 1929: The Vault rolls out holiday theme, but the gifts are in the details

• Cleveland donut shop lauded for ‘Best Donut in Ohio

• Vintage Cleveland: The long-gone stadium that once hosted Browns, Indians

by John Petkovic, Mark Espinosa, Victor Takakura

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IN THE NEWS

The iconic Tick Tock Tavern is closing after more than 75 years

CLEVELAND - The clock is ticking on the Tick Tock Tavern.

For more than three-quarters of a century, the iconic family restaurant with the glowing red neon sign has been a mainstay at 11526 Clifton Avenue in Cleveland’s West Side.

Those days are coming to an end: The Tick Tock will close at the end of the year.

Owner John Tripodis is closing the business after 31 years of ownership. He started working there almost 50 years ago.

An online auction for its kitchen and dining items has already been scheduled. There will be an in-person walk-through Dec. 13; the auction will end Dec. 13.

The impending closure comes after two high-profile shootings that involved patrons and took place outside of the Tick Tock, one in August 2021, and another, which led to a fatality, in February 2023. It led to complaints about noise and unruliness about the venue and the neighborhood as a whole.

This stretch of Clifton Avenue in the westernmost part of Cleveland has been a magnet for charming vintage and antique shops, small bakeries and eateries for decades. After all, it boasted walkability, a mass of apartment dwellers and proximity to the lake.

The neighborhood lost some of its charm as turnover in shops increased over the last 20 years as more chains and fewer personal businesses moved in.

But the Tick Tock remained. It drew from walk-ups and those that had moved away from the neighborhood, but would return for the ribs and fish specials – and for the tradition.

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NELA Park celebrates 100th anniversary with massive holiday lighting display

EAST CLEVELAND - Cleveland and its first suburb, East Cleveland, were very different places when NELA Park flipped on the switch of its first holiday lighting display.

The city was booming with industry and finance. It was the fifth biggest in America, and had 2.2 times the population of today. Its little sister, East Cleveland, was a magnet for business; a home for millionaires, inventors and industrialists; a progressive suburb whose charter included provisions for women’s suffrage.

The 1924 NELA Park lighting ceremony marked a new era: Construction had concluded on the home to General Electric’s lighting division and the world’s first industrial park.

Those were different times, but NELA Park remains one of America’s most visited light shows. It features nearly a million lights and a variety of holiday images: snowmen, reindeer, snowflakes and Christmas trees.

GE Lighting, a Savant Company celebrated the centennial of the glowing display on Friday. It runs across the company’s 92-acre Noble Road in East Cleveland. Lights will be on 24/7 through Jan. 6.

Guardians off-season preview: Is Shane Bieber signing the first of many moves?

CLEVELAND - The Guardians’ wild season took Cleveland and MLB by surprise. It raised expectations, but also exposed issues that need to be addressed in the off-season. It officially begins today, with the start of MLB winter meetings in Dallas.

Here’s a preview:

Money: The playoff run netted the Guardians $15.5 million, much of which was divvied up between players and personnel. It sweetens the pot the team has to work from. Landing the first overall pick in the 2024 draft, however, came with a price: The team spent more than $11.5 million to sign its top picks, second baseman, Travis Bazzana, and pitcher, Braylon Doughty.

Starting pitching: The team finished the season with only one of the five starting pitchers it opened the season with, Tanner Bibee. As a result, the Guardians relied heavily on its stellar bullpen. It came at a cost: The bullpen looked spent in the playoffs.

Shane Bieber: The Cy Young winner’s season-ending elbow required Tommy John surgery. He just resigned with the Guardians for a two-year deal -- $14 million, 2025, with a $16 million player’s option for ’26. He could return around July, but the team is focusing on having him for a post-season run.

Young guys: Triston McKenzie and Logan Allen bombed. They didn’t get better after being dispatched to the minors. Gavin Williams started the season hurt and struggled after coming back, but the team is still high on him. Joey Cantillo, the team’s highest rated lefty prospect, increased velocity on his fastball and has a strong change-up. He needs to overcome control problems to be a factor.

The vets: Matthew Boyd stepped in to boast the rotation, but signed with the Cubs on a two-year, $29 million deal –too much for a 33-year-old with an injury history. Alex Cobb was impressive in three regular season starts (2.76 ERA, great control) but couldn’t stay healthy, and he’s 37. Ben Lively tailed off as the season went on, but he’ll be back to compete for a spot. The hope is that his decline was due to his workload; he pitched 151 innings, far more than ever before in his career.

Pitching Targets: The team could take fliers on low-risk reclamation projects with injury histories, like Cobb or Trevor Williams (Nationals), or 37-year old Lance Lynn (Cardinals).

Trade rumors: Josh Naylor and Lane Thomas have been floated as trade possibilities. Both are free agents in ‘26 and first-baseman Kyle Manzardo and highly-ranked outfield prospect Chase DeLauter are possible replacements. Naylor is more likely to go. The team touted the Thomas acquisition and unusual to move him months later. Also: Trading for a star would mean taking on a big contract… When was the last time the team did that?

Benefits of a domed stadium? Browns say $1 billion a year; city, county disagree

BROOK PARK - Has an NFL team ever released a report showing that its plans for a new stadium will be bad for the economy? No, not this time, either.

Haslam Sports Group, which owns the Cleveland Browns, has put out a report that asserts its proposed domed stadium in Brook Park would benefit not only the suburb, but also Cleveland and all of Cuyahoga County.

City and county officials rejected the findings and claims the reported was shared with either before its release.

“We don’t want to engage in a game of political football, but a biased report attempting to justify an unprecedented sum of taxpayer money for a new stadium,” said Kelly Woodard, director of communications for Cuyahoga County.

The report, conducted by Los Angeles-based RCLCO, finds that the mixed-use project would generate $1 billion in economic benefits per year -- primarily because a $2.4 billion domed facility and an adjacent $1.2 billion mixed development would be used year-round.

“The domed stadium can attract up to an additional 1.5 million visitors through a mix of year-round programming of various size and major events, compared to the existing open-air venue with limited year-round use,” according to the report. “In 2024, the domed stadiums in Detroit, Indianapolis, and Minneapolis hosted concerts and other major events three to four times more often than Huntington Bank Field, showcasing the greater event capacity of domed stadiums. Many of these tours and other events chose to bypass Cleveland, highlighting the potential for increased activity with a new domed stadium.”

The report doesn’t compare other types of venues to determine whether concerts are by-passing Cleveland for other reasons, whether geographic or economic. Detroit has long outdrawn Cleveland when it comes to concerts – in clubs and theaters.

The city has offered a $461 million toward a $1.2 development of the current home of the Browns. It has also floated closing Burke Lakefront Airport as part of a bigger update.

THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT

Party like its 1929: The Vault rolls out holiday theme, but the gift is in the details

CLEVELAND - Yes, it’s a Christmas party – check out the trees, wreaths, lights, Santas.

But it’s also another reason to check out the Vault, the subterranean cocktail lounge located in The 9. The Vault has just launched Deck the Halls, a themed holiday soiree that boasts themed décor and drinks.

Zoom in, zoom out: This spot is a snazzy, stunning maze of ornate rooms adorned with cushy couches, ornate wallpaper, moody lighting and, yes, bank vaults.

So, yes, bring your phones and not just so you can take selfies… Remember, less face and more space.

The vaults and the narrow corridors that connect them boast intricate glass and gears, hulking. They once kept the wealth of the Cleveland Trust Co., the iconic financial institution founded in 1894.

The lounge opened 10 years ago. Before the space sat empty for decades and in danger of a date with a wrecking ball. Good for Cleveland that didn’t happen. The 9, once known as the Ameritrust Building, was designed by modernist master Marcel Breuer and is prime example of Brutalist architecture.

Deck the Halls hours are Tuesdays-Saturdays, 5 p.m.-12 a.m. It runs through Dec. 23

NOTES ON A COCKTAIL NAPKIN

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

Brewnuts named home of Ohio’s best donut

CLEVELAND - They love craft beer. They love donuts. Hmm…

Yes, it was a no-brainer that Brewnuts, 6501 Detroit Avenue, Cleveland, would generate a lot of interest when it opened in 2017. But the Gordon Square donut shop has taken a different level – and then another, and another, and another one.

It’s a popular hangout, place to munch on innovative and colorful donuts, sip craft beer and even see a performer.

According to LoveFood, a popular foodie site, Brewnuts is also home to the best donut in Ohio:

“Cool Cleveland hangout Brew serves donuts and beer. And it also serves donuts made with beer. Craft beer is whipped into the batter, giving the handcrafted donuts unique flavor profiles and helping to counterbalance the sweetness. Customers rave about the huge, filling and unfailingly delicious donuts, with a main range embellished by rotating specials. The maple bacon, made with bourbon ale, is an enduring favorite.”

VINTAGE CLEVELAND

Cleveland Municipal Stadium, 1932

Before there was talk of a domed stadium, before there was Huntington Bank Field there was… Cleveland Municipal Stadium, which opened in 1931 and closed in 1995. The 81,000-capacity behemoth hosted the Browns and the Indians. This photo is taken from the first-ever baseball game at the stadium, when the Indians took on the Philadelphia Athletics in 1932.

Every edition, watch this space for a random snap from somewhere in Cleveland (and surrounding areas 😉). Where are we? Only true Clevelander will know. Tell us your guess on Instagram or Facebook, or simply reply to this email.

And don’t forget! Tag @LiveMusicInCleveland or @The216Scoop to get your photos in the Scoop!

WEATHER

Monday
53°F 🌡️ 43°F | 🌧️ | 90% | 💨 SSW 16 mph (14 knots)

Tuesday
48°F 🌡️ 35°F | 🌤️ | 24% | 💨 SW 15 mph (13 knots)

Wednesday
38°F 🌡️ 22°F | ❄️ | 64% | 💨 SW 14 mph (12 knots)

Thursday
26°F 🌡️ 20°F | ☁️ | 24% | 💨 SW 15 mph (13 knots)

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Live Shows in the 216

Monday

Beachland Tavern | MoKo BoVo | 6:30 PM

Tuesday

Happy Dog | Armor + Yambag | 8 PM

Wednesday

Gartner Auditorium | Magos Herrera | 7:30 PM

Thursday

The Asylum | Crown-Magnetar + Extortionist + Others | 7 PM

For tickets and more information visit: livemusicincleveland.com

The 216 Sports Arena

Upcoming Games

Cavaliers

Away vs. Orlando Magic, 7 p.m., Monday, Dec. 9

Away vs. Boston Celtics, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 10

Home vs. Atlanta Hawks, 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 12

Cleveland Monsters

Home vs. Lehigh Valley Phantoms, 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 12

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