These Photos Show How Cleveland's Iconic East Fourth Quietly Became One Of The City's Loveliest Streets
By Nikki Rhoades|Published September 28, 2019
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Nikki Rhoades
Author
Nikki is a lifelong Ohioan with a love for literature. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Akron and has enjoyed publishing her written work since 2007. She has a love of travel and does so frequently, though she believes that home is where the heart is — she continues to work in and around Cleveland as a digital content specialist to this day, working on everything from commercial scripts and social media posts to grassroots marketing initiatives.
Everyone knows and loves East 4th Street. This iconic entertainment district is one of Cleveland’s loveliest, and it’s the perfect place to spend a high-energy afternoon. Its light-lined expanse is stunning in every season and is instantly recognizable, but it was not always so lovely. In fact, it once fell into disrepair, a fact that threatened its very future as locals demanded it be razed. How did we go from dilapidated to dynamic? Take a look at the history of Cleveland’s East 4th Street in these photos:
Once upon a time, East 4th Street was an entertainment district. However, in 1891, a massive food market opened on what was, at the time, Sheriff Street. This impressively huge grocery store fit right in with the grandness of this district, and its fresh foods brought footfall from thousands of local residents.
All good things must come to an end, it seems. The entertainment district that was East 4th Street ceased to be an entertainment district upon the destruction of the Euclid Avenue Opera House. It was, of course, not the only fixture on the street to burn down. Here, smoke billows out of the north wing of Sheriff Street Market. It was under renovation at the time, but the majority of its campus had to be demolished following the fire.
After two fires in the previous decades, East 4th Street felt remarkably sorrowful. However, it enjoyed new life as five and dimes moved into its buildings. Remember the F. W. Woolworth Company? It was one of several stores that once offered bargains on this street.
Who could forget Otto Moser's? This long-standing Cleveland restaurant operated at 2044 E 4th Street for over a century, changing very little since its opening in 1893. When Moser himself passed, two of his longstanding employees took over operations of the restaurant in the 1950s and 1960s. Following their ownership, foot traffic to East 4th was on the decline, and businesses were starting to move away from the street.
As soon as the theater-style vibe of East 4th faded, the street took on a life of its own. A number of unique and different businesses moved into the street, including The Viking Dredger's Club. At the time that this photo had been taken, WEWS became Ohio's first television station. The Cleveland Browns won the All-America Football Conference championship, and the lakefront airport had just opened for business. My, how times have changed!
The 1970s were a time of great change in Cleveland. The Clean Water Act was just going into effect, but the city remained polluted for most of the decade. Though the Clean Air Act had gone into effect in 1963, the city felt smoggy and congested with its frequent traffic jams. But hey - look at all those old school signs!
The 1980s were a time of transition for this street. Unclean, unwashed, and largely vacant, many called to demolish the least loved buildings on East 4th. Its warehouses and flats showed the effects of time, and the street looked exactly as you'd expect a forgotten Rust Belt city street to look. However, developers must have seen potential in the streets. In the mid-1990s, the city would introduce new sporting arenas to the public, and developers began to set their eyes on places like this street.
Of course, a family of developers took the time with over 250 property owners in an effort to acquire ownership of East 4th Street. Pickwick & Frolic and the House of Blues were the first to open on the street in the modern age, giving it a new personality in an era of hope.
The history of Cleveland’s East 4th Street is one we seldom hear, but this incredible little stretch of real estate has changed significantly since its early days as a theater district. When was your last visit to this lovely street?
