Cleveland/Akron Sisters Chicken Then and Now

 

Here's an updated look at the Sisters Chicken & Biscuit locations all around Cleveland and the Akron area. Hate to read? Words stupid? Watch the video version of this post here.

26030 Euclid Ave Sisters Chicken, Stir Crazy Jenny's, Popeye's Chicken

In 1978, a new fast-food chicken idea was hatched - and it was owned by Columbus, Ohio based Wendy's. That idea was Sisters Chicken & Biscuits. The first Sisters Chicken in the Cleveland area was built in 1981 at 15201 Euclid avenue in East Cleveland.  

Sisters Chicken & Biscuits 15201 Euclid Ave.

26100 Euclid Ave Becomes Kmart

From it's completion in 1971 until 1973, 26100 Euclid Avenue was built for and occupied by Clarkin's.

In 1978,  There are a couple ads for a Ridgecliff hospital operating 26100 Euclid Avenue. But mostly, it was a big nothing for 7 years.

Until it was formally announced in October 1980 that a 100,000+ sq. ft. Kmart would be moving in. 26100 Euclid Avenue became the 134th or 102nd Ohio Kmart, and had an opening date of November, 1980.

26010 Euclid Ave - Pizza Hut, Asian Express, Vibez Lounge

26010 Euclid Avenue was trees until the very early 1980s. In 1983, after the building of Arby's and Taco Bell to the west, Pizza Hut was built there. The building was a traditional red roofed structure, which today is still very recognizable. 

February 1985 Pizza Hut ad including the Euclid, Ohio Pizza Hut on Euclid Avenue.

Sep 12, 1929: Recently Dispensed Gardener Shoots Former Employer in Cold Blood

September 12, 1929 was a dry, warm day in Euclid Village. Situated north of Euclid Avenue was a picturesque white, wood framed house perched upon an 18-acre estate owned by Joseph and Barbara Irr. Joseph Irr was president of the Cleveland Billiard Supply House and was a former Euclid Village Councilperson. His wife, Barbara (nee Diebolt) Irr, was the heir to the Cleveland brewing company of the same name.

25000 Euclid Avenue - Braeburn Farm

A century ago, a farm called Braeburn (alternate spelling Brae Burn) was situated at 25000 Euclid Avenue. This property saw many church related events, and Mayor Sims campaign headquaters. In the 1930 and 40s there was a hospital for the "nervous" on the grounds. 

For sale ad, 1946

25571 Euclid: H. Trattner, DiBella's and Armao's Pizza

In a recent Facebook thread about another restaurant on Euclid avenue, someone commented about the pizza shop with jukeboxes on the tables. That restaurant was called Armao's Pizza.

Armao's was in a small strip mall on the North side of Euclid Avenue, very close to Babbitt road. The strip mall was built as the Euclid-Babbitt Shopping Center. Frank Homan's building was six units and he began renting them out in 1956.

Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 12, 1956

Bali Hai Euclid Free Gifts Christmas 1963

Bali Hai Chinese Restaurant - Free Christmas gifts on Christmas Day 1963! 

Stop by with the family for the only option on Christmas day, and have a relaxing cup of Oolong tea with your American Style Turkey Dinner!

 

East 214th Street and Euclid Avenue - 1928 - 2022

Today at the Northwest corner of East 214th and Euclid avenue is an empty lot, followed closely by a row of 3 older homes. The house at the corner has been gone for about 16 years. 

Below is that intersection as it looked when there were 4 homes there, and none were older than 20 years.

1928 and 2022.

This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things: 1964 Edition

Citizens bitching about their community. It's our right as Americans to pitch a fit about whatever is rubbing us the wrong way at any given time.

Many years ago, there was a restaurant (where currently Sidewalk Cafe is situated) called Happy Charlie's, and their brand representative was a, err, character, with a bare midsection.

This elf, or Polynesian, as I've seen him described both ways, was just too much for some Euclidites.

Almost immediately after the restaurant opening, there was enough angry blowback that management had to PAINT A SHIRT ON HAPPY CHARLIE'S STOMACH.

Oh if that were the big problem to tackle in 2018.

In an article dated December 17 1964, Willoughby Ohio residents are warned that a Buddha belly may be coming their way, and to prepare to avert their delicate eyes, if necessary.

I'm unable to confirm if all Hell ended up breaking loose when 35901 Euclid avenue joined the ranks of operating Happy Charlie's restaurants in early 1965.

25921 Euclid Ave: Mary's Style Shops, ColorTyme, TNT Fashions,

Read the opening of the Euclid-Richmond Shopping Center.

25921 Euclid Ave was one of the original units on the East end of the Euclid-Richmond Shopping Center.

In 1952, the plaza opened with Mary's Style Shops in this location.

25941 Euclid Ave: Dietrich's Mens Shop, A Shady Podiatrist, Steakhouse Outlet, African Fashions, Ohio Therapy & Rehabilitation

Read the opening of the Euclid-Richmond Shopping Center.

25941 Euclid Ave was the fourth unit from East end of the Euclid-Richmond Shopping Center.

1952 - Dietrich's Men's and Boy's Shop opens with the plaza. They would stay put until December 1978, marking a 26-year run in the same location.

It seems like a crooked podiatrist by the name of Alan Weiner "practiced" podiatry and stealing from Medicaid and Medicare in the early 1980's.

1982 - Steakhouse Outlet

 Last seen advertised at the 25941 Euclid store was June, 1985, although many locations stayed open.

On March 21, 1987... a candy store was closing. What candy store was there?

1987 until the early 1990's, it was the office for Cardinal Retirement Village. Today, this complex is called Hilltop Village.

In 1991, African Fashions/Beauty Salon moves in. They are there until sometime after mid 2011, another impressive 20+ year run.

Since at least 2014, a Chiropractic office has been at 25941 Euclid Avenue.

25951 Euclid Ave: Curtain Shops Inc. and Davis Bakery

Read the opening of the Euclid-Richmond Shopping Center.

25951 Euclid Ave was the fifth unit from East end of the Euclid-Richmond Shopping Center.

1954 - Curtain Shops, Inc.

Where Euclid may have gone for curtains! Seems logical, anyway.

Curtain Shops, Inc. hung around until 1977. They also had a location at 4511 Mayfield Rd. South Euclid.

In late 1977, Davis Bakery moved into the unit at 25951 Euclid, down from 25891 Euclid Avenue, also in the Euclid-Richmond shopping center.

Something you can't say about many of the stores featured in this blog... Davis Bakery is still open and still uses that cool "Davis" font! They (or some bakery, anyway) stayed here until 1984.

Today, 25951 is a National Cash Advance.

25961 Euclid Ave: Shifrin's Merchandise Mart and Wyban's Gift and Book Shop

Read the opening of the Euclid-Richmond Shopping Center.

25961 Euclid Ave was the fourth unit from East end of the Euclid-Richmond Shopping Center.

1954 - Shifrin's Merchandise Mart.

Have you ever heard of this place? I can't find out a thing about the store or its owners.

1954 - Help wanted

I'm usually surprised at how little advertising was done. Hadn't advertising always been a crucial part of having a successful enterprise?

They were listed in a 1957 advert for Glidden paint, along with a huge list of other paint retailers.

Well as you well know, what comes next is the end of Shifrin's Mdse Mart.

February 1961 - closing due to illness.

1961/1962 - Wyban's Gift and Book shop moved in relatively quickly, as they were one of the 3 units affected by the Woldman's Deli fire.

Ever heard of this place? I'm showing my age.

Fast forward to July 1979, and Wyban's Gift and Book Shop says goodbye to the Euclid-Richmond Shopping Center.

Today? Merged with 25971 and 25981 to become 25991 Euclid Avenue, aka Family Dollar.

25981 Euclid Ave: Bo-Peep Shoppe, Shore Appliance

Read the opening of the Euclid-Richmond Shopping Center.

25981 Euclid Ave was the second unit from East end of the Euclid-Richmond Shopping Center.

Stephanie and Harry Traub opened the first Bo-Peep Shoppe at 798 East 105th Street in Cleveland in 1941. Bo-Peep Shoppe opened its doors at this address in 1952. They went on to open more shops on the East Side of Cleveland with the largest located at 717 E. 185th Street in Euclid.

1955 Euclid High School yearbook

 In Spring 1962, a fire broke out in a neighboring unit that housed a deli. Bo-Peep Shopped suffered water damage as a result.

April 1962 fire at the Euclid-Richmond Shopping Center

Stephanie Traub and her second husband George continued to operate Bo-Peeps Shoppe until closing the business in 1966.

August 1966, selling off the fixtures

 In 1974 Shore Appliance Company called 25981 home for a spell. It was owned by Ray Haas.

Today: Doesn't exist. This unit was combined with 25991 Euclid Avenue, which currently is home to Family Dollar.

25200 Euclid Ave. La Tour, Fred Stecker Oldsmobile

May 1961 LaTour Oldsmobile

Euclid Avenue circa 1973

Today there was an article with lots of photos posted on Cleveland.com called Cleveland in the 1970s: A gritty city survives turbulent times.

In towards the end is a picture of Euclid Avenue looking East. Check out all the signage that used to be!

Photo from an EPA study on the impact of highway construction on traffic patterns in Cleveland, 1973. National Archives

 What can you make out?

Fazio's Stop N Shop and Pick N Pay

In late April 1963, Fazio's Stop N Shop opened at 22840 Lake Shore Blvd. It was a supermarket very similar to a modern supermarket of today. Besides food on the shelves, it had a bakery, butcher, and a huge produce department. It also made hot meals. The food was made ready to eat. It sold food made in Italy, Denmark, and England.

Peter Dichmann was a pastry chef from Copenhagen who ran the bakery department at Fazio's. He would make 1500 loaves of bread, cupcakes, donuts, and pies. They were especially known for their strawberry pies.

This was Fazio's 6th supermarket and the largest to date. It had a huge produce section. They had a cheese section with over 125 different types of cheeses. The butcher had a meat counter with a 160 feet of space. They had steaks, pork chops, veal, and chicken.

In 1964, the Pick and Pay located at the Euclid-Richmond Shopping Center remodeled the whole store. It expanded to 10,275 feet of space. Pick and Pay had been located at the same shopping center since 1952.

This Pick and Pay had a bakery department which was delivered from Pick and Pay's own bakery, a big frozen food department and butcher. It did not seem as large as the Fazio's on Lakeshore. My parents would take me shopping at this location when I was a kid. It closed sometime in the early 1990's. It was there about 40 or more years.

Bali Ha'i Restaurant Euclid Avenue

Bali Ha'I restaurant was a landmark for me as a kid growing up in this area in the 1980's and 1990's. I only recall eating there once (parents made me go, I was UPset, ate there anyway, hated it) but I remember passing it's unique signage ALL the time.

I hated any food that went near Asian at all, so the cuisine might have been fantastic, but as a kid, I was not having it. I did always appreciate the sign, though. It was so bright and graphic and like I said, it was actually a landmark to me.

Bali Ha'I opens in 1963!