Rediscovering Beachcliff

The Beachcliff Summer Festival will be held Saturday, August 8. Enjoy hot air balloon rides, games, crafts, special sales, and the opportunity to rediscover this local treasure.

By: Mimi Vanderhaven
Date: 07/22/2009
Featuring locally owned shops and eateries, each with its own distinct personality, the open-air Beachcliff Market Square has created a different shopping experience.

“With some national retailers as our anchors, we are presently focusing on filling the vacant spaces with locally-owned businesses that will set us apart,” says Bill Brink, property manager for Beachcliff Market Square, in Rocky River.

“We’re creating an intimate, neighborhood boutique-type of center where people can get something really unique. We offer a leisurely experience where you can shop at some great stores, eat outdoors at The Pearl of the Orient or The Pub, or have breakfast at The First Watch and not feel like you are in ‘Anywhereville.’”

Although Beachcliff hosts national chains Jos. A. Bank Clothiers and Ann Taylor Loft among its retailers, the other businesses in the shopping area are locally owned stores or unique franchises that include an eclectic blend of restaurants and quaint shops that feature art, home, and personal accessories and gift items.

“After 9-11, and especially since the weakening of the economy, I think people have been looking more to supporting their local economy,” Bill says. “Since my wife, Debbie, opened Pure Enchantment here last year, people have been coming in and asking, ‘Do you sell things that are made locally?’ I think shoppers are becoming more and more conscious of buying locally.”

The Beachcliff experience includes ongoing special events—like the upcoming Summer Festival—that create a fun, community environment.

“In June we hosted a ‘Swing Into Summer’ weekend,” Bill says. “On Friday night we had a swing band playing on the patio and people brought chairs and sat around listening. On Saturday we had an art walk, where every merchant had a local artist inside or outside his or her store, so people could just stroll around and enjoy the local art.”

On July 25-26, Beachcliff will hold a giant sidewalk sale.

The Summer Festival, starting Saturday, August 8, will feature balloon rides on the RE/MAX hot air balloon.
“We’ll have games and crafts for the kids and all the retailers will have special sales,” Bill says. “We’ll cap it off with an outdoor movie in the back parking lot to pay tribute to the old Beachcliff Theatre.”

While it’s a fun place to hang around, ample parking near the shop entrances make shopping convenient for the customer who needs to get in and out quickly.

“Many of today’s shoppers don’t have the time, or desire, to walk through a huge mall,” says George Hwang, owner of the Pearl of the Orient, which has served Asian cuisine at Beachcliff for more than 23 years.
And, Bill adds, the up-close parking is also convenient in the winter.

“Even if you go to an indoor mall in the winter, you still have to park a long way away,” he points out. “Guys are able to pull up to Jos. A. Banks, pick up a suit, get back in the car and miss only three minutes of the game.”

And, Bill says, Beachcliff offers an underground parking garage.

“In the rain or snow you can park in a dry environment and take the elevator up to the shops,” he says.
Beachcliff was developed around the historic Beachcliff Theatre in the 1970s. The vacant theater was converted into a 50,000 square foot retail mall. In 2005, the indoor mall was changed to the present outdoor lifestyle concept and the retail space was expanded to 96,000 square feet.

Beachcliff businesses include:
• Ann Taylor Loft, which offers the Ann Taylor brand of cloths designed for women with more relaxed lifestyles.
• The Brown Aveda Institute, a cosmetology, beauty and esthetics school that offers haircuts and manicures, along with the sale of Aveda beauty products.
• Beachcliff Family Dental, Scott Shapiro, DDS.
• Bead Q, which offers beads from around the world.
• Cleveland Clinic Family Health Care Center, featuring convenient weekend and evening hours.
• First Watch, a restaurant that offers an assortment of eggs, omelets, pancakes, sandwiches, crepes and salads served with a special flair.
• Francesca’s Collections, which specializes in the most fashion-forward styles in women’s clothing, accessories and gifts.
• Jake’s Life Rocks, an independently owned retail store solely dedicated to the “Life is Good” brand of clothing and other merchandise.
• Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, which offers the best in men’s business, corporate casual and weekend apparel.
• Massage Envy, which features affordable and convenient relaxation and clinical massage therapy.
• O’Shea and Associates, Michael O’Shea, Esquire.
• Pearl of the Orient, which has specialized in innovative Szechuan and northern Chinese cuisine since 1984.
• Pure Enchantment, which offers soaps, lotions and other personal care products made on-site, along with local artists and green gifts.
• RE/MAX Crossroads real estate services.
• Studio 22 Photography & Gallery, which specializes in weddings, portraits, product photography and pet portraits.
• The Art Gallery, which offers contemporary and modern art, including original paintings and sculpture.
• The Pub, a British-style bar and restaurant.
• Tomorrows Hair Salon, which has provided salon and spa needs to Cleveland’s West Side for more than 20 years.
• TransAmerica Retirement Services, Jennifer White and Michael Konet.
• Urban Home and Garden, unique garden accessories and gifts.
• Venetian Spa, an upscale, lifestyle nail salon that offers natural nail care.

“Between October and December of last year, five new businesses opened up here, at a time when all you heard on the 11:00 news was that many local businesses were closing,” Bill says. “We brought in five unique local businesses owned by people who believe in this city.”

In June, another new business—Bead Q—joined the Beachcliff roster of local retailers.

Meanwhile, other businesses, like Pearl of the Orient, Tomorrows and Beachcliff Family Dentistry, have been located at Beachcliff for more than 20 years.

“I love the Rocky River area,” George says. “It is upscale and the people here are very community minded.”

The Beachcliff concept fits perfectly into Rocky River’s plans to establish a concentrated downtown walking-friendly shopping district, with artwork and seating areas, Bill says.

“The city has been very helpful in promoting and helping local business,” he adds. Available through the Rocky River Chamber of Commerce, the “Buy River” shopping card, affiliated with Northeast Ohio’s “I Buy NEO” program, gives rebates to shoppers who support Rocky River businesses.

Beachcliff is not only a great place to shop, but also a great place to locate a business, Bill explains. “We are very entrepreneur-friendly,” he promises. “Small business owners are often intimidated by everything involved with locating in a mall or a shopping center. We work with them and walk them through the process and make it as easy as possible.”

Beachcliff Market Square is located at 19300 Detroit Road. You can find out more at www.beachcliffmarketsquare.com.

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