Run 45: Old Brooklyn

Run 45: Old Brooklyn - Part 5

This was the fifth section run of the Old Brooklyn neighborhood.

The boundary for this run was Biddulph Ave (north) to Brookpark Road (south) and from Ridge Road (west) to Pearl Road (east).

Notable locations included:

William Rainey Harper School: Cleveland Metropolitan School District school which focuses on the Inquiry Based Learning Model.

Carmino's Pizza: From Google: "Neighborhood fixture for classic & unique pizzas, plus stromboli & pressure-cooked chicken." The shop has operated on Pearl Road since at least the 1970s.

Former Corpus Christi Church & School: This Polish-centric Catholic parish started in a neighborhood recreation center in 1936. Due to growth, a church was built on nearby Stickney Ave in what is now the Hungarian Bethany Baptist Church. Groundbreaking for the church at 4850 Pearl Road was in April 1953. An accompanying elementary school opened the following year. Both the church and the school closed around 2009 due to diocese consolidation. The school building is now home to Cleveland Preparatory Academy, a public charter school serving K-12 students throughout the Cleveland area.

Hopp Inn: This longtime neighborhood dive was named one of Cleveland's best dive bars by the Plain Dealer. Sadly, it closed for good during the pandemic and the space has been purchased by new ownership (the interior will remain but the name will change). This is how the Plain Dealer described the old spot: "Newbies are always shocked when they walk in through the tiny, unassuming entrance of this old-school spot. Check out that vintage floor and beautiful bar, which date back to 1932 – when the place first opened."

Dreamz Cafe: Soul food spot with some tasty social media photos. From their page: "Make your taste bud dreams come true with our delicious chicken & waffle combos, loaded smashed potatoes, signature dream burgers, specialty subs, smoking ribs + more."

Jack Frost Donuts: A family owned & operated Cleveland staple making every batch from scratch since 1937 in Old Brooklyn. There's been a lot of great donut shops that have opened over the years but Jack Frost is OG and a Cleveland classic.

ba Sweeite Candy Company: For over 68 years, b.a. Sweetie Candy has been providing sweets, treats, and chocolates from their giant wholesale candy store. In fact, they carry the absolute largest variety of candy available anywhere in the world! The store also has a putt-putt golf course and a throwback soda shop. A must-stop in Cleveland let alone Old Brooklyn.

Cleveland Corned Beef Co.: Old-school, counter-top diner in the Pearlbrook Plaza. This was the post-run meal (along with a Jack Frost donut) and I had the corned beef hash. One cool bonus is that they use Cleveland Ketchup Company for their table condiments, which is delicious. Suggestion: try the Ghost Pepper ketchup if you can handle a little bit of heat. Great.

Pearl Plaza: This strip mall was built in 1949 and hosted Coconuts Music & Movies, a disco/comedy club called Bellbottoms, a country/pop dance bar called Saddle Ridge and Haunted Hollow & The Maze of Terror which, according to Cleveland Scene was a "a two-for-one shocker, featuring two outside frights with terrifying, specially designed set pieces and special effects." There was also a pizza shop, gaming cafe, communications store and a waxing studio. You can still get a wholesale mattress here if you need one.

Yorktown Theater: The Yorktown Theatre was a neighborhood theatre that opened in 1947, and was twinned in 1974.It closed in 1996-1997 and then served as a church.

Drew Carey's House: This house at 6008 Flowerdale Ave is the childhood home of Drew Carey. He bought the home with his first paycheck from the 'The Drew Carey Show' in 1995.

Distance This Section: 7.5 miles

Distance So Far: 251 miles

Strava Recording 1

Strava Recording 2