Euclid Square Mall Santa Christmas Castle

Did you visit Santa at Euclid Square Mall? If so, send me your photos and I'll publish them here!

A few days ago, the Euclid Historical society featured a post of mine from 9 years ago, showing the Euclid Square Mall "Santa" Christmas castle for sale.

They wondered if it was still for sale. The listing has been long removed. The asking price was $20,000, and the mall actually set the castle, and other decorations up in Christmas 2005.

Castle set up in Euclid Square Mall in 2005

Christmas decorating at Euclid Square Mall, 2005

Well I pulled some strings (sent an email) and found out what exactly happened to Euclid Square Mall's Santa Christmas castle.

We still own the castle.  I bought it back in 2005 and stored it there until 2013 when I pulled it from storage, fixed it up and have leased it out the past two holiday seasons.  It is currently leased to a mall in Toronto Canada for this season. 

It looks as good as it did when it was used at the mall for so many years.

If you are interested in leasing it let me know and I will be happy to send you information on how to obtain this very unique piece for next year's holiday season.

Joe
EuclidBeachPark.com

So there you have it! One of the Euclid Beach Boys fixed it up, and it's currently in use at a mall in Toronto! I think it should have its own Instagram account or something. Follow it around the world.

 And also my heart is the warms with holiday cheer because Joe says, "It looks as good as it did when it was used at the mall for so many years." I can truly appreciate folks who restore things and keep history, even something like a holiday mall castle, alive and well.

Here's the picture Joe was kind enough to send me:

The Santa Castle and throne in Toronto, Canada, Christmas 2016.

Euclid Square Mall Toys R Us: 10 Years Later

I have got to hand it to whomever designed the original brown roof, rainbow-striped building, because it looks as good now as it did 10 years ago.

Euclid Square Mall Toys R Us (1264 East 260th) in 2006.

Euclid Square Mall Toys R Us (1264 East 260th) in 2016.

Even the paint on the "wooden" planks hasn't aged that badly. Toys R Us in Euclid opened in September 1988, and closed in 2002.

September 15, 1988 "Now Open" Euclid Toys R Us ad. Nintendo AND California dream Barbie!

Toys R Us owned the property from 1988 until 2006. They sold it to MCM Don Fisher Manor Apartments, LTD in 2006 for $600,000.

In September 2014, it was sheriff deeded to Lakeview Holding (OH) llc., then sold to SNS Properties llc. in February 2015 for $125,000.

I think it would be nifty to own an old Toys R Us but I don't know if it'd be $125k nifty...

At any rate I know the place was used for overflow (furniture) storage in the last decade. In 2012, Euclid schools held an auction there. The pictures suck hard, but I snagged one where you can truly appreciate that inside, it still looks like a Toys R Us, too.

Euclid Toys R Us boarded-up store front

Many, many feels.

Thanksgiving in Euclid, 1941

In 1941, not only were houses popping up all over Euclid, including those in my very own subdivision built by Benton Lefton, but President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bill officially establishing the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day.

You've either got all your ducks, err, turkeys in a row, or you've yet to go shopping. No judgement.

Here's what the week of Thanksgiving ad for Fisher's Master Market looked like in 1941, approximately 75 years ago.

• Turkey 33¢/lb.
• Cranberry sauce 13¢ a can
• Canned pumpkin in a big can - 8¢
• Philadelphia Cream Cheese, 2 for 19¢
• 34¢ for a gallon of apple cider
• A shiny dime for a loaf of bread
• Coffee... 19¢ a pound...
• 6¢ a pound for apples and...
• $1.45 for a carton of cigarettes

Celery was cheap too, but who cares about celery.

Before turkey talk and ads for Christmas presents, those folks getting their copy of the Euclid News Journal were greeted by a few paragraphs of things they had to be thankful for. 

The paper hit doorsteps November 21st, and Thanksgiving in 1941 was the 26th. 11 days later, the United States would officially enter World War II.

 

A Tribute to Kenneth J. Sims: 1971 Euclid Jaycee Directory

Here's a page out of the 1971 Jaycee Euclid Directory that pays a nice tribute to former Euclid mayor Kenneth J. Sims.

I came across this recently and was struck particularly by a paragraph about how Euclid built new schools, pools, sewage plants, and improved public transportation. All while having the lowest taxes of any area suburb.

This is timely as the Euclid city schools are pushing hard for a bond (Issue 111) to pass that will ask residents to pay more in property taxes, to the tune of over $96 million dollars.

How is it that Euclid used to be on the extreme low end of the tax collection, yet have a school system so successful that people bought houses so their children could be enrolled in Euclid schools?

Perhaps continually raising the taxes didn't help, and chased industry outwards in all directions. If so, and I think that's a valid argument, will adding on more taxes help or hurt the city? You decide.

Click me.

Spotted in 2016: A Euclid Red Lobster Billboard!

Faithful readers of the blog or long time area residents know that Euclid Square Mall's Red Lobster restaurant opened in 1983, and was briefly The Hunt Club Sports Bar & Grille. I don't think there has been anything at this location in this century.

We were out and about today and all the way out in Painesville, we spotted a billboard that has been covered by trees and brush since before 1994. The forest is being cut away for something and it has revealed a hulking billboard advertising 2 Red Lobster locations: Mentor and Euclid.

Holy crap.

1994 - can you see the billboard?

How about in 2004?

2010, you can see the billboard buried in the brush.

As early as late 2015, the billboard is visible.

 Ready ready ready?!

Euclid Square Mall: Closed

For those people out there who are fans of finality, here's one you'll find oddly satisfying: Euclid Square Mall has been officially closed by the city of Euclid, Ohio, for multiple safety violations by ownership.

The churches are all attempting to relocate.

Euclid Square Mall 186 - Harry London's Chocolatier

Do you remember going to London's Chocolatier at Euclid Square Mall? It was unit 186 - right next to York Steak House/Ponderosa.

November 25 1988

Here it is today:

London's Chocolatier was previously located at 22402 Lakeshore Blvd.

At the turn of the 20th Century, fine confections were associated with the delicate hand-craftsmanship of the Swiss, or the rich, smooth cream and butter used by the Belgians. In Canton, Ohio, Gilbert London was teaching his son Harry the fine art of confections by using recipes and techniques from the family’s strong European traditions.

Harry London learned over time and through the eloquent teachings of his father the true art of making fine confections. He found that in a world where more always seemed to be the norm in creating anything of wonder, the art of chocolate making broke all traditional rules. He learned that quality was more important than quantity. Chocolate needs to be simple and pure, rich and complex, and filled with blends that are subtle - yet irresistible.

In the early years, Harry London made these delicious delicacies for his friends as holiday gifts. The gifts were cherished, and soon Harry was receiving requests for his fine hand-made chocolates. In 1922, Harry — a steelworker by trade — soon decided to make chocolate his life’s work and left his job at the steel mill. Thus, Harry London Candies was born.

Starting with a small kitchen in his home, Harry London created some of the finest chocolates in the world. In the early 1950s, after a home fire, Harry London opened its first candy factory and store. Through the years, his family traditions and recipes are still held to exceptional standards, for only the purest ingredients are used.

In May of 2006 Harry London joined the 1-800-Flowers.com family of brands.

Source

Euclid Manners Racing Club

Here's a nifty find! A membership sticker from the Euclid Manners Racing Club! Sadly the car did not come with it.

GeoGuess: Can You Name This Location?

Been around Euclid a while? Have a keen eye for your surroundings?

Here's a structure located in Euclid, the top picture is from 1963, and the bottom 2014.

Any idea where it's located?

The Many Inn's of 27981 Euclid Avenue

In 1963, the city of Euclid welcomed a new Holiday Inn at 27981 Euclid Avenue.

In the Fall of 1969, the Holiday Inn at I90 and East 279th Street became Sheraton Inn.

Inside the Sheraton Inn you'll find Zappone's Western Reserve Restaurant and Lounge.

Zappone's nationally acclaimed Western Reserve Restaurant and Lounge, featuring cuisine par excellence and live entertainment.

15 years after the doors open, the hotel becomes Euclid Inn in 1984. Their dining room is called the Pewter Mug.

In 1986, there are ads running and the inn is going by the name of North Shore Inn.

But only a year later, the hotel has become a Best Western.

The last name the hotel would go by was Ramada, and came to be in late 1990 or early 1991.

The restaurant now goes by JP's on the Avenue.

The Ramada name was short lived. The hotel was vacant by some time in 1992.

In 1994, Mayor David Lynch tried to lure investors into turning the hotel into an 80,000 square foot theater.

Mayor David M. Lynch is trying to help raise the curtain on a proposed $13.5 million theater that will seat 3,800 patrons and book a wide spectrum of top entertainment acts.

The Procaccianti Group, a Rhode Island company that owns the old Ramada Inn at Euclid Ave. and Interstate 90, near the Lake County line, wants to tear down the building and put up an 80,000-square-foot theater.

The project is not ready for prime time yet, however, largely because of financing problems. Lynch has been busy trying to get loan guarantees.

The mayor is optimistic about the proposal, but said finding money to put it together would not be easy.

"Commercial financing is very tough to come by," he said.

Lynch will present plans for the project, including the proposed loan guarantee, to council members at a City Council Executive Committee meeting Monday.

Douglas Bonoff, whose family has successfully run a similar theater in Warwick, R.I., would manage the Euclid theater. He said the closing of the Front Row left a void in the eastern suburbs for a theater showing live performances.

"I'm very, very thrilled to have a chance to do this," he said during a visit to Euclid yesterday. "We will do everything possible to bring this to fruition."

Lynch said he would approach several governmental entities to ask them about guaranteeing loans for the project.

The mayor said he would even ask Lake County commissioners to back some of the loans, since the theater is on the Cuyahoga County-Lake County line and would benefit the western suburbs in Lake.

"I see my job as trying to get development going," Lynch said.

Obviously, this never did come to fruition, and the building was razed in 1996 after the owner defaulted on the loan and the property fell into disrepair.

Here's the lot about 2 years ago. There's big mounds of dirt and stuff there now.

Carrol's Restaurant 788 East 222nd St.

Today on this spot (788 East 222nd st.) sits a car wash. In 1969, the Medved family sold this property to Carrol's (a company that still thrives - read on to see just who you definitely know them as today).

This flyer with coupon is from the pre-Euclid, Ohio location. The location on 222nd street did not share the angular, googie build of the top store but rather the square seen nearer to the bottom.

The Parma Heights location actually still appears to be the same building, although it's now Chinese food and was previously a Pizza Hut. Neat!

1972

The following photos are of the Euclid Carrols restaurant:

1972

1973

1974

1975

Kind of bland, boxy, fast food style restaurant. I would have been heartbroken had there been 2 amazing googie restaurants that were torn down!

Not the Euclid location, but the same exact model

I'd never heard of Carrols before. Carrol's was there in 1971 but stayed for little more than half a decade. In 1975, the parent company entered into a franchise with Burger King, a relationship that lives on presently. Some locations were turned in Burger Kings and all the rest (there were over 150 in total) were phased out.

For nearly a week in September 1976, they were virtually giving away Carrol's coffee mugs. And by late Fall of 1977, the location was in business as a Red Barn.

In 1983/1984, 788 East 222 Street was known as Shalaam Fish House.

Cleveland Call and Post 17 Nov 1983

Today, Wash Works (790 E 222nd st):

Here's a few neat pieces from Carrol's restaurant.

Carrol's guest check pad

I stumped Carrols Hi Riddle Diddle pin

Pizza Hut Euclid Avenue becomes Asian Express

26010 Euclid Ave., the former Pizza Hut, has re-opened as Asian Express! Food was tasty, of course, and I snapped some photos.

Pizza Hut handles!

Neat: Someone's initials are still carved into the mirror in the ladies restroom, dated June of 1988.

Old Euclid Pizza Hut photos.