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Abba’s Market closes its doors at Cedar Center
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BY: Douglas J. Guth Senior Staff Reporter
Popular restaurant/grocery in negotiations for new home
As plans move forward for a completely refurbished Cedar Center, a popular kosher restaurant/grocery located on the South Euclid side of the historic shopping complex has closed.
Abba’s Market and Grille left Cedar Center in mid-November. The decision came months after owner Zachary Cohen settled with the city following a lengthy eminent domain battle.
Cohen, who had operated out of Cedar Center for eight years, settled with the city for $100,000. He is now in negotiations to move into a new space in University Heights. The move will not take place until at least next October, when the lease of the current tenant expires.
“It’s going to take some time,” Cohen says.
The storeowner declined to reveal the location or possible terms of the new space until negotiations are complete. However, the space will likely be smaller than Abba’s site at Cedar and Warrensville Center Roads, he says.
It’s also possible Cohen will rent out an adjoining space at the prospective new building to a company that will do his catering. (Abba’s had previously done all of its own catering.)
While he works to find a new home for Abba’s, Cohen is in negotiations to buy a separate property in University Heights that would house “a (kosher) pizza or Chinese takeout” establishment. This business may open “in the next month or two,” he reports.
Closing Abba’s has been difficult both physically and emotionally, Cohen admits. The restaurant’s dining area has been mostly gutted, and heavy equipment filled a moving truck during a visit by this reporter late last week.
“It’s very sad we had to close,” Cohen said during a phone interview Monday. “We never made any money, but we provided a good community service.”
Cohen decided to close Abba’s after learning in October that demolition of Cedar Center’s current South Euclid properties would begin before the end of the year. He informed his employees of his plans so they would have time to find other jobs.
Although the timeline for demolition was moved to the middle of 2008, Cohen didn’t see the sense of rehiring his employees only to stay open for a few more months. Business has been down over the last year as the fate of the north side of Cedar Center remained in limbo, he explains.
Two other Jewish businesses remain at Cedar Center: Jacob’s Judaic Book and Gift Center and Yacov’s Restaurant are among the 33 Cedar Center tenants who will eventually have to find new homes as well.
Jay Steingroot, owner of Jacob’s Judaic, has been a tenant on both the South Euclid and University Heights sides of Cedar Road during his store’s 20 years in business. Steingroot has been scouting locations for a new space within a mile or two of his current spot, he notes. His lease runs out at Cedar Center on Feb. 6.
This fall, South Euclid City Council unanimously approved a development agreement with Cleveland firm The Coral Company to refurbish the South Euclid portion of the shopping center. Plans include 120,000 sq. ft. of retail space, 75 residential units, and a parking garage.
Coral, headed by president Peter Rubin, will pay the city $17 million for the 12-acre Cedar Center property, the price South Euclid paid in acquiring the land.
“All (tenants) are on notice to be out of there” by next summer, notes city building commissioner Paul Kowalczyk. Every Cedar Center property west of Starbucks on the corner of Warrensville and Cedar will be knocked down to make way for the $40 million project, he adds.
Coral already owns and operates the smaller University Heights portion of the shopping center. The $30 million redevelopment includes the installation of Cleveland’s first Whole Foods Market.
After months of speculation and worry, Abba’s owner Cohen does not find much relief in finally moving on. “It’s disappointing to see something like (my restaurant) have to go,” he says.
dguth@cjn.org
As plans move forward for a completely refurbished Cedar Center, a popular kosher restaurant/grocery located on the South Euclid side of the historic shopping complex has closed.
Abba’s Market and Grille left Cedar Center in mid-November. The decision came months after owner Zachary Cohen settled with the city following a lengthy eminent domain battle.
Cohen, who had operated out of Cedar Center for eight years, settled with the city for $100,000. He is now in negotiations to move into a new space in University Heights. The move will not take place until at least next October, when the lease of the current tenant expires.
“It’s going to take some time,” Cohen says.
The storeowner declined to reveal the location or possible terms of the new space until negotiations are complete. However, the space will likely be smaller than Abba’s site at Cedar and Warrensville Center Roads, he says.
It’s also possible Cohen will rent out an adjoining space at the prospective new building to a company that will do his catering. (Abba’s had previously done all of its own catering.)
While he works to find a new home for Abba’s, Cohen is in negotiations to buy a separate property in University Heights that would house “a (kosher) pizza or Chinese takeout” establishment. This business may open “in the next month or two,” he reports.
Closing Abba’s has been difficult both physically and emotionally, Cohen admits. The restaurant’s dining area has been mostly gutted, and heavy equipment filled a moving truck during a visit by this reporter late last week.
“It’s very sad we had to close,” Cohen said during a phone interview Monday. “We never made any money, but we provided a good community service.”
Cohen decided to close Abba’s after learning in October that demolition of Cedar Center’s current South Euclid properties would begin before the end of the year. He informed his employees of his plans so they would have time to find other jobs.
Although the timeline for demolition was moved to the middle of 2008, Cohen didn’t see the sense of rehiring his employees only to stay open for a few more months. Business has been down over the last year as the fate of the north side of Cedar Center remained in limbo, he explains.
Two other Jewish businesses remain at Cedar Center: Jacob’s Judaic Book and Gift Center and Yacov’s Restaurant are among the 33 Cedar Center tenants who will eventually have to find new homes as well.
Jay Steingroot, owner of Jacob’s Judaic, has been a tenant on both the South Euclid and University Heights sides of Cedar Road during his store’s 20 years in business. Steingroot has been scouting locations for a new space within a mile or two of his current spot, he notes. His lease runs out at Cedar Center on Feb. 6.
This fall, South Euclid City Council unanimously approved a development agreement with Cleveland firm The Coral Company to refurbish the South Euclid portion of the shopping center. Plans include 120,000 sq. ft. of retail space, 75 residential units, and a parking garage.
Coral, headed by president Peter Rubin, will pay the city $17 million for the 12-acre Cedar Center property, the price South Euclid paid in acquiring the land.
“All (tenants) are on notice to be out of there” by next summer, notes city building commissioner Paul Kowalczyk. Every Cedar Center property west of Starbucks on the corner of Warrensville and Cedar will be knocked down to make way for the $40 million project, he adds.
Coral already owns and operates the smaller University Heights portion of the shopping center. The $30 million redevelopment includes the installation of Cleveland’s first Whole Foods Market.
After months of speculation and worry, Abba’s owner Cohen does not find much relief in finally moving on. “It’s disappointing to see something like (my restaurant) have to go,” he says.
dguth@cjn.org
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