In an effort to attract new businesses to Fleet Road and create a more vibrant retail community, Slavic Village Development will host Lights On Storefront Open House tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 5 in four vacant properties.

Greta Thomas, Slavic Village Development’s business development associate, says all entrepreneurs, small businesses, and retailers are welcome to come visit potential new spaces on 5001 Fleet, 5322 Fleet, 5606 Fleet, and 6301 Fleet.

All of the buildings are historic structures on Fleet Avenue, built between 1904 and 1920, says Thomas, and while some of the properties still need some work, others are just about ready for tenants.

“We are looking to bring business to the neighborhood, but it's also a way to showcase these renovated, beautiful storefronts that we have,” she explains, “because I think most people in the community know the value of these spaces, but a lot of people outside of Slavic Village don't know what's here.”

Thomas says Slavic Village Development envisions Fleet Avenue becoming something akin to the thriving Larchmere neighborhood—with historic mixed-use stores and residential spaces.

Slavic Village, SCORE Cleveland, and other organizations are willing to work with potential business owners on developing the historic properties to fit the tenants’ needs.

5606 Fleet Ave“I would say that the first priority is getting prospective businesses into these spaces,” Thomas says. “Not every single space is move-in ready, and it's not the whole point. Just because it might not be finished with construction or the project [won’t be done for] three to four months, in three to four months, you very well could have your business in there. Or, depending on the timetables, things could happen in short-, medium-, or long-term, depending on what the tenant and the property owners are looking for,” she continues.”

At the same time, Thomas says the 1920 property at 5001 Fleet is “pretty special” for several reasons. First, Slavic Village Development got the green light to “white box” the storefront, thanks to $50,000 in assistance from Cleveland Neighborhood Progress and the City of Cleveland Economic Development department for interior renovations done by Anthony Andreoli of Slavic Village-based Andreoli Restoration.

“This was a pilot project that Cleveland Neighborhood Progress started to create an opportunity for people to renovate commercial space so they could have a viable business tenant,” says Thomas. “Anthony Andreoli and his wife have another property on Fleet that they renovated a few years back and have a sculpture garden adjacent to it. They do a lot in terms of commercial and residential work in Slavic Village.”

Additionally, Thomas says an historic theater marquee sign that used to read “Polish Village” was saved from a demolished building and restored to read “Slavic Village.” This sign now hangs on the exterior of 5001 Fleet.

“It's a great gateway to the rest of the neighborhood,” says Thomas, “because you have I-77 right there. Once you get off [the highway], 5001 is one of the first commercial retail spaces that you see. With that sign hanging, it makes it a really great entrance to the neighborhood.”

The exterior of 5322 Fleet was also renovated by Andreoli, Thomas says. The space has offices on the second floor, separate from the storefront, and sits adjacent to the thriving Saucisson butcher shop.

Thomas says 5606 Fleet, which was formerly occupied by Boss K9 before the business expanded and moved to the St. Clair Superior neighborhood, is another great space, right next door to Daisy’s on Fleet, an ice cream and snack shop that re-opened in May after the previous owner died.

“We had an individual who wanted to keep the name, who wanted to keep the same style of everything, and opened that business back up, and it's been going very well,” says Thomas. “It's one of the only places on Fleet where you can go, and you can sit outside. It's ice cream. They do Polish boys, French fries, milkshakes, all sorts of stuff.”

The space at 6301Fleet is also a former café. “I know that there are the capabilities to serve that use again, but again, it's really up to whoever the property owner wants to lease to,” says Thomas of the vacant space. “I can't force anybody, but we would love another cafe, like a sit-down style type of business, a business where people can come and enjoy and kind of not just stop at Saucisson and leave the neighborhood. We want people to stay on the corridor.”

Thomas says Slavic Village will be happy if even one business owner is interested in one of the storefronts at Lights On.

“I would be extremely happy with that outcome because no matter what, even if we get one more additional business on the corridor that has a ripple or a domino effect, she says, adding there is some assistance available as well. “When it comes to business assistance for the actual business owner, we can help with grant funding or certain projects, events, collaborations, pop-ups, any sort of thing.”

The ripple effect may have already started. Thomas says The Vinyl Groove record store should be moving in near the 5001 Fleet property by the end of the year.

Lights On Storefront Open House is open to anyone who wants to check out what’s available on Fleet Avenue—Cleveland's only complete and Green Street. Each of the four spaces will have to be refreshments, snacks, and entertainment. Representatives from SCORE Cleveland will also be available to provide information or answer questions.

Lights On Storefront Open House runs from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 5, and is free to attend.