Cleveland Small Businesses - A Travel Guide • meg 'n matcha

Key Bank building in Cleveland, Ohio — Photo by Lance Anderson

Did anyone see this coming?? COVID-19 has been intense. We have over 465,000 cases of the virus in the United States. Stay-at-home orders have happened, hospitals are struggling to find enough equipment, and non-essential businesses have closed across the country. We are all being affected by the outbreak right now, but small businesses are really hurting. Shops have closed. Bars and restaurants have either closed or transitioned to carryout or delivery. With these sudden changes, many people are being laid off. Over 10 million Americans have filed for unemployment so far. The pandemic has been rough. If you have the means, it is really important to support the small businesses in your community right now. So, I have compiled a list of my favorite Cleveland small businesses for you to check out!

I have sorted these Cleveland small businesses into categories to make it easy to navigate. I’ve linked the website and/or social media of each business as well. This is a rapidly changing situation, so I recommend checking with each individual business before placing an order. I’m really sorry if I missed a Cleveland small business you love; there are just so many good ones! Let me know your favorites I may have missed in the comments.

If you haven’t checked out my blog post of Milwaukee small businesses yet, you can right here!

Fitness

Harness Cycle– my favorite way to exercise in Cleveland. Harness has two locations, one in Hingetown and one Downtown. They specialize in uplifting but challenging spin classes and have began to branch out into different workouts, like barre. Right now, Harness is offering on demand classes via their website that you can do at home! They also have spin bikes for sale and will deliver them within 5 miles of Downtown Cleveland.

Yoga Strong/Barre Fly– Yoga Strong and Barre Fly have studios in Canton and Downtown Cleveland. They offer yoga, barre, and aerial fitness classes. They are currently offering free virtual classes, alternating between Facebook and Instagram Live! You can find their schedule on their social media pages. There is a variety of classes for people of all fitness levels!

Restaurants

Angelo’s Pizza– my favorite pizza in Cleveland. Angelo’s is in Lakewood and always has a wait. It’s so worth it! Their deep dish pizza is the bomb, and there’s a variety of speciality flavors like the seafood pizza and baked potato pizza. When they’re open for eating in, they have half off pizzas every Monday! Right now, Angelo’s is open for carryout and delivery only.

Boaz Fresh Lebanese– I crave Boaz all the freaking time! With locations in Ohio City and University Heights, Boaz offers fast-casual, healthy Mediterranean food. They also have juices, smoothies, and rolled pitas along with their popular byo bowls. Their hummus is amazing and so are the pickled turnips *drool*. Boaz has both carryout and delivery (via Uber Eats and Doordash).

Woman wearing Vans standing on tile floor in Cleveland local business — The Grocery’s floors!

The Grocery– located in Ohio City, the Grocery on Detroit Avenue is the perfect place to pick up a few items. Along with healthy pantry essentials and the cutest tile floors, the Grocery also has smoothies, sandwiches, and a really good salad bar. I recommend going on Tuesdays for a Taco-themed salad bar. Their southwest chicken is so good! The Grocery is open for curbside pickup and delivery.

Coffee & Pastries

Brewnuts– the best donuts I’ve had in my life. Brewnuts is the main attraction of Gordon Square in my opinion. They are a donut shop that also serves craft beer as the name suggests! Brewnuts has really unique donut flavors and themed donuts as well. Some of their themes have been Game of Dones (Thrones), Elf, and Stranger Things. So fun! I think about their Reese’s peanut butter tree/egg donut often because it was just so darn good. They are open for carryout only at the moment.

Inside of Heartwood Coffee in Chagrin Falls, Ohio — Heartwood in Chagrin Falls, Ohio

Heartwood Coffee– the best coffee in the Land! The cafes of Heartwood are located in Hudson and Chagrin Falls. They roast their coffee locally in Chagrin Falls as well. They have a variety of different coffee; my favorite is their Birdseye blend. The avocado toast is delicious, and so are their pastries. Heartwood is open for carryout and curbside pickup with online ordering.

Hungry Bear Waffle Bar– Waffle Bar makes Liege-style waffles! Liege waffle batter has clusters pearl sugar in it, therefore the sugar caramelizes while the waffle is cooking. The result is scrumptious! Each waffle is made custom with a variety of different toppings to choose from, like jam, Oreos, Fruity Pebbles, and more fun stuff! They did pop-up events before the pandemic, but now you can order waffles for delivery via Bookhouse Brewing in Ohio City.

Luna Bakery Cafe– Luna is the spot for brunch in Cleveland Heights! Luna is a bakery and cafe, offering a variety of pastries, crepes, paninis (made on Stone Oven bread), coffee, and other brunch items. The honey lavender latte with oat milk is my go-to drink! And the raspberry cream cheese croissant, I die. Luna has online ordering with curbside pick-up and delivery through Doordash. They have a location in Moreland Hills too if you are in the Eastern suburbs.

Philomena Bake Shop– Philomena makes the most delicious gluten-free and vegan treats in Cleveland! They provide pastries to several cafes in the city, a few being Phoenix, Foyer, and Pour. Philomena doesn’t have a retail location, but you can order delivery through their website. The cinnamon sugar cookies are my favorite! I also love the peanut butter brownies and guava mango muffins.

Shopping

Aware Marketplace– a beautiful boutique in Willoughby. Aware Marketplace offers a curated collection of sustainable and ethically-made goods. At Aware, you can shop brands like MATE the Label, Tribe Alive, Baggu, and Boy Smells to name just a few. The brick and mortar shop is closed right now, but their online store is open!

A girl in a dress looking down wearing a leather bag — Me and my Fount Coventry Crossbody! Photo by Ann Marie Elaban

Fount– the most beautiful leather bags you’ll ever see. Fount was created by Jackie and Phillip Wachter in 2014. Since then, Fount has blossomed into a brand that values quality and attention to detail. They use leather that is a bi-product of the meat industry and solid brass hardware on all of their bags. Everything is sewn and structured ethically by hand in Cleveland! I have two of their bags- the Coventry Crossbody and the Bellfield Tote- and they’re probably the only two handbags I’ll need for the rest of my life! Their location in Gordon Square is closed, however you can shop online. Their bags are really worth the investment.

Helm Collective– located on Lorain in Ohio City, Helm is a curated collection of vintage home goods. The owner, Nicola Wilhelm, finds the items and showcases them in her shop. It’s beautiful, very bohemian-inspired with allll the gorgeous desert tones. The shop is closed now, but you can shop online and through Instagram. Nicola had curbside pickup for locals, but you should check her Instagram to confirm as the crisis goes on.

Océanne Jewelry– Océanne creates beautiful modern jewelry. Anne Harrill, the owner, grew up in the South of France and moved to Cleveland in 2002. She began handmaking jewelry and started her business in 2006. Océanne’s pieces have their own distinct, French-inspired style. It’s the perfect blend of simple and recognizable. The store in Gordon Square is closed for now, but you can shop online!

Room Service Boutique– located at Van Aken and in Ohio City. Room Service was created by two artists, Jennie Doran and Andrew Worm. The design of their shops is stunning! Room Service carries goods from makers, designers, and artists from around the world. Their collection is lovely, and you can check it out online now!