Now The Fun Starts

let us know how you like it by clicking here: Thomas@Mulready.com If not, stick around for a week or two and check it out then. 

More details are leaking out about the new buyers of the Galleria and Tower at Erieview properties, Minshall Stewart Properties of Bethesda, and the “surprising mix of retailers” they are planning, possibly including a major bookstore or a grocery store. Stay tuned for an announcement next Monday at City Hall. According to Crain’s, “I go where others fear to tread,” Mr. Minshall said. “My job is to take this great asset and reinvent it.” See Crain’s and Cleveland.com 

Looks like other folks were taking your suggestions for making their own holiday gifts and avoiding the deadening malls this season. By creating a more meaningful holiday season, you helped contribute to the lowest rise in retail sales since they have been tracking the figure in 1970. On the other hand, online sales jumped 23%. Maybe this supply and demand thing is starting to work. 
See article here

may be one of Cleveland’s biggest problems. Now the Census Bureau’s cold hard figures (Cleveland is the third most segregated city in the US) are put into perspective by Gregory Stoup, Director of CWRU’s Center for Regional Economic Issues, “The fastest growing regions are the most integrated.” They include SF, Seattle and Austin. Is that such a surprise, or, if we know this, why don’t we do something about it? Even the PD editorial writers are baffled as to our insouciance.
See article here

with a 10-part series by Joe Frey “I Learned it at a Dot-Com So You Didn’t Have To” here; insider commentary by “Dash” here and here; a nice profile of new Gund Foundation head Dave Abbott (“An Abbott, But Not A Monastic,”) and a review of ClevelandIntern.net (“A Holiday Gift To Business”) in the 12/02 issue (articles not online). 
Inside Business magazine

Utne Reader calls out Columbus, Ohio as one of the “first rate arts scenes… springing up all over North America” in its current Arts Extra issue, listing Columbus along with Hot Springs Arkansas (film, classical music, and poetry), Winnepeg, Manitoba (folk, Univ of Manitoba’s fine arts program, punk poetry, festivals, film, and bad weather- it stimulates indoor creativity), and Cedar Rapids, Iowa (www.LegionArts.org– who performed in Cleve at the PAF- presenting multi-media & music). Among Columbus’ art charms (“a little bit of everything,” they call it): performing arts, OSU, garage rock, the Wexner Center for the Arts, and the low cost of living that attracts artists. Could it be in part because Columbus has an arts council (see Greater Columbus Arts Council www.gcac.org), while Cleve still doesn’t? 
Utne Reader

When you’ve got a world-class university in town, you use it to your best advantage. That’s why Columbus has bought 31 properties on High Street (say goodbye to Crazy Mama’s forever), and are demolishing it for the new Gateway Center, with a huge Barnes & Noble, a tree-lined plaza, wider sidewalks, on-street parking, offices and shops. Only time will tell if they turn it into another patented Columbus white-bread suburban mall dead zone or if students will embrace unique and regional shops & restaurants. Can you image how CSU could transform Euclid Avenue with such a move? 
See article here

about corporate malfeasance, some people are doing something about it. Check the Sept/Oct/Nov/Dec 2002 issue of Business Ethics magazine for their 14th Annual Business Ethics awards. Fastener Industries of Berea, Ohio (www.fastenerind.com) won the Employee Ownership award for their 20-year commitment to employee governance, where everyone votes for the board, company pays 100% of health care, profit sharing of a month’s pay, dividends of 3 months’ pay, and 15% contribution to ESOPs. Additional awards went to: White Dog Café, Philadelphia (Living Economy Award), and New Belgium Brewing Co, Ft. Collins, CO (Environmental Excellence Award). Big time congratulations to a small Cleveland-area firm.
Business Ethics magazine

to professionals from around the country? Ask the Cleveland Clinic, who have to recruit about 150 people a year to live here. Here’s their approach: 1) Sell Cleveland’s family-friendly lifestyle, 2) Let talented people attract other talented people, and 3) Give talented people autonomy to do their job. How do the rest of you do it? 
See article here

by Antaeus Dance Company, who take their name from the giant athlete who gained strength through contact with the earth. When thrown down, he bounced back with renewed strength and vigor. Maybe they can teach Cleveland something. Fri 1/3 thru Sun 1/5 at Cleveland Public Theatre, 6415 Detroit, 631-2727 
Cleveland Public Theatre

closes Sat 1/4 at Cleveland Public Theatre, 6415 Detroit, 631-2727. Are you going to miss it again?
Cleveland Public Theatre

Join the Cleveland Nonviolence Network for a final round of holiday peace caroling this Sat 1/4 noon to 1PM at the West Side Market, West 25th and Lorain in Cleveland. Gather on West 24th Street north of Lorain, between the market building and the parking lot.

from legendary Giant Step Records, mixing live percussion with their turntablism, with resident DJs Jugoe, misterbradleyp and whatever, Sat 1/4 at Touch Supper Club 2710 Lorain, 631-5200www.turntablesonthehudson.com 
Touch Supper Club

CD Release Party featuring Cleveland’s Lords of the Highway, Mansfield’s punkers GC5, New Jersey’s Hudson Falcons, St. Louis’ 7 Shot Screamers, and PA country-rockabilly band the Mauraders, all in one night that mixes surf, punk, rockabilly, and psychobilly Sat 1/4 9PM at the Beachland Ballroom, 15711 Waterloo, 383-1224
Beachland Ballroom

Enjoy an evening of dancing, Latin food, dance exhibitions, and Salsa competitions on Sat 1/4 7:30PM to midnight, Sacred Heart Chapel, 4301 Pearl Avenue, Lorain, Ohio 44055, sponsored by The Latino Cultural School of Arts, UAW Hispanic Council, Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration. You could win trophies and cash prizes! Info: rican_rosa@yahoo.com Cleve: 939-1722 Lorain: (440) 233-5072 

this week features spots on the New Center for Arts and Technology (www.newCAT.org) and the Poets and Writers League of Greater Cleveland (www.pwlgc.com), each of whom have recently moved into new digs. Sat 1/4 5:30PM, Sun 1/5 12:30PM on WVIZ.
WVIZ-TV

cranks up at the Odeon, 1295 Old River Road, 574-2525, and you can catch over 70 area garage and basement bands competing for $500, a couple of amplifiers from Guitar Center, and a chance to open for some over-hyped national act at the Odeon. Oh, and all 18 finalists will record a song for a CD (although none of them will make a dime from it, no doubt). Sat 1/4, 5PM, Sun 1/5 2PM, Fri 1/10 5PM, Finals on Sat 2/1. Catch them while they’re fresh—they dry up pretty quik these days.
High School Rock Off

Phil Hart, leader of the Sustainable Cleveland project, leads a discussion at this environmental brown bag lunch series, Tues 1/7 noon, Shaker Lakes Nature Center. Hart will discuss the variety of sustainable activities going on around town. 321-5935.

Are you paying attention? Listen to Around Noon for a live broadcast of another installment in the ongoing series “Redeveloping Cleveland: Building Blocks To The Future” Wed 1/8 noon, or see it in person at the Cleve City Club, E. 9 & Euclid, 621-0082.
Cleveland City Club

The Akron Art Museum does it again with a look at Pop Art and pop culture, with much of the work coming from their own collection (Warhol, Paik, Oldenberg) Thru 2/16, Akron Art Museum, 70 East Market St., 330-376-9185. 
Akron Art Museum

On the sold-out Art/Tech/Dance party on 12/19, hosted by Cool Cleveland and AIP (http://cleveland.association.org, featuring performance by SAFMOD (www.safmod.com): “Wow, I’ve never had to REGISTER for a happy hour before! And I’ve certainly never been SOLD OUT of one!”

From a reader: “My first comment relates to something you said last week: that Cleveland is not a lakefront-oriented town and we should just forget it. That’s a mistake. We are not a lakefront-oriented town because we haven’t been allowed to be by those who build airports, freeways, ports, pellet terminals, power plants, factories, railroads, waste treatment plants, and too-exclusive yacht clubs. There is certainly a place for some infrastructure on the waterfront, but the lake is a huge and vastly under-utilized asset – – let your imagination run wild, with the possibilities for parkland and apartment towers and commerce. We really are missing out, because right now we have none of that in the city of Cleveland, just miles of gray (heck, even the downtown glitz projects are gray!). I urge you to rethink your stance on this issue. As for the idea of a monthly gathering for the cool people of Cleveland? I think it’s a great idea, and you should invite artists, scientists, politicians who show daring, academics, and media types. I’m probably forgetting some group[s]. Another comment, this time from this week: one reader’s comment states that “sprawl in itself” isn’t bad. That is the same fallacy that got us into this mess. Sprawl IS bad, for the simple reason that it DOES siphon assets away from a more or less centralized location, contributing to social and geographical fragmentation and despair. We simply do not have enough people in the region to justify the enormous sprawl of suburbia we have created. Our overdependence on the automobile is part of the same issue, but it’s one for a later date. Oh, and you asked for friends’ email. Keep the list growing! Here are some cool people who I think might be interested in the forum you have created…Thank you for creating this interesting forum of ideas!”

From our readers: “The news letter (cool cleve) was never bad and now great. Thanx for “giving a shit” pardon the harshness, this has great meaning to the people who care. Monthly socials may be overdone and eventually, taken for granted. Quarterly socials may be looked forward to and will keep the crowd as cool as the newcat holiday gig. It was the greatest mix of “arts meets business geeks” in one space.”
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“Thanks for the laughter but also thanks for the good information that you share. I am a positive transplant to Cleveland 30 years ago, and I still love this region. The folks at the Consortium of African American Organizations applaud your positive proactive stances. Please visit us at www.caao.net – happy holidays to you and yours.”
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“i really appreciate being able to read a paragraph and decide whether to go deeper rather than a headline or subject requiring me to go elsewhere to read what it’s about”
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“here’s a suggestion that applies to some topics — instead of trying to come up with a cool headline each time….why not put the subject matter instead so people can scan down quickly to see what interests them (since there’s so many topics)…. Sometimes a “cool” headline may be one and the same as the subject matter and that concept would still work. Once more suggestion — how about a title contents at the beginning of your letter that link you below to what you may be interested in reading further about?”
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“First of all, let me add my thanks to you for what you’re doing. Yours is the most interesting emag/newsletter/listserv that I get locally and I appreciate you views and those of your readers. Second, you wanted suggestions on possible places to get together. How about moving the area around each time – alternating downtown with east and west side locations.”
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“I think a regular relationship building event is a good idea; however, I am not sure monthly would catch the “super busy” folks that you might want to attract, quarterly or four times a year might be more appropriate.”
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“Monthly events? Hell yes! Places selected could be new, “up-and-comings” that would benefit from the attention (i.e. NewCAT). We should definitely keep things Cleveland themed, featuring local artists and musicians from the area. How about a “local talent theme? Or maybe an organized discussion about some of the pending issues? A rally perhaps!?? The Vaudeville Show was great last weekend. I didn’t see you at Ripple, Bonk’s performance was phenomenal!”
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“enjoyed reading your letter. do keep me posted. i am in the process of building a green home in ohio city and am interested in anything and everything that helps put the city on the map. two thoughts. we need to subsidize housing for artists and gay couples as well as make city neighborhoods like ohio city and tremont more kid friendly. how about a monthly gathering at the carnegie library and other neighborhood libraries. after work tea?”
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“This is indeed a great service you are providing; the city does need a shot in the arm, and you are a part of making that happen.”
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“Love the idea of a monthly event to connect the “interesting” people, events, etc. If you are putting a committee together to help on this, count me in!”
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“I think you have a nice blend of provacative, informative and funky info, and Cleveland’s a better place for it.”

Over the holidays, when you had out-of-town company visiting, where did you take them to show them the town? Send your answer to Thomas@Mulready.com. 

to your friends, business partners, board members and mentors. Or send us their e-mail addresses and we’ll put them on the list. Thomas@Mulready.com

Here’s hoping your new year will be better than last year…

–Thomas Mulready