Airport Transportation Center Plans, Magnolia Bakery, A New Mural Downtown: CLE Daily

Plus, three impressive Guards walk-offs, a new mural in town and things to do this week in Cleveland.

by Dillon Stewart | Sep. 8, 2026 | 7:22 AM

Courtesy NEOtrans

📚 Booker in the Burbs: Booker Prize winner and New York Times bestseller Marlon James comes to Parma on Friday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. to launch his new novel The Disappearers — just longlisted for the 2026 Booker Prize — at Cuyahoga County Public Library's Sari Feldman Auditorium, in conversation with Joseph Earl Thomas. The propulsive, darkly comic book follows eight men staging a play in 1988 Kingston, Jamaica, and marks the A Brief History of Seven Killings author's most personal work yet. Tickets are $30 and include a copy of the book.
🎨 Rock 'n' Roller: Prolific muralist Eduardo Kobra completes a mural this week in Downtown Cleveland through a partnership with Graffiti Heart, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Downtown Cleveland Inc. As of last week, the Brazilian artist, who has created more than 3,000 murals across five continents, had made progress on a portrait of rock 'n' roll forefather Chuck Berry. A ribbon cutting ceremony officially reveals the piece at the 55 Public Square Garage at 217 W. St. Clair Ave. on Sept. 15.
🍻 Take a Craic: Here's your chance to own one of Northeast Ohio's most iconic Irish pubs. Mullarkey's Irish Pub in Downtown Willoughby is up for sale. After 30 years in business, its owner and namesake is ready for retirement.

ICYMI: Cleveland Armwrestling Club, which started with five guys at the Berea Recreation Center, now draws upward of 30 people to each practice. It's already produced multiple national and world championships, both male and female.

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Today's Trivia

This Ohio Bell-sponsored, Cleveland-produced show — first for radio and then TV — shared hundreds of stories about the state’s history, including Island Airlines in Port Clinton, Annie Oakley and a Lake Erie steamboat race.

Courtesy NEOtrans

News: Cleveland Hopkins' $301 million transportation center takes shape.

By Ken Prendergast, NEOtrans

Cleveland’s Planning Commission Design Review Committee was set to see conceptual plans Friday for the new Ground Transportation Center, a key early feature of the airport’s $1.6 billion CLEvolution modernization program.

Arrivals: The GTC is due by 2029 and will make way for later work on a new airport terminal and access roadways, which could arrive as early as 2032.

Park 'n' Fly: The center will be built on the airport’s existing Orange Lot, eventually expand parking to 6,000 spaces and add a new subway station, although the garage now appears likely to be completed in two phases.

Constant Construction: The project joins a surge of construction around the airport that includes the nearby $2.4 billion Huntington Bank Field, more than $82 million in planned roadway improvements and a $30 million stadium train station that is getting on track.

CLE Connection Group Principal-in-Charge Kyle Merrill: "We’re bringing together a strong, local, inclusive team to deliver a modern, efficient, and connected experience for travelers and the community."

Read the full story.

Talk of the Town

More than 50,000 Northeast Ohioans were without power Thursday evening after severe storms hit the area. Gusts of up to 80 mph toppled trees and power lines as tornado sirens sounded, while hail, downpours and lightning created hazardous conditions. Lake County was hit the hardest with 8.6% of customers without power.

A lightning strike hit Kelley's Island on Thursday morning — hours before last night's storm. The "bolt out of the blue" strayed from a storm about 35 miles away, in Canada.

Measles has now spread to 14 Ohio counties amidst a nationwide surge. Cases are active in Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Harrison and Tuscarawas counties, with Geauga topping the list at 32 cases.

Cleveland Orchestra musicians unanimously authorized a strike if they can't reach an agreement when their contract extension expires on Sept. 23. Contract negotiations have been ongoing since July, but the two parties remain far apart on many issues, according to the Cleveland Federation of Musicians.

Mentor native and Kent State University alum Luke Floriea earned a try out with the Seattle Seahawks, according to reports late last week. The 5-foot-8 wide receiver caught two touchdowns for the Browns in the preseason finale against the New England Patriots.

An armed man lunged at Gubernatorial candidate Dr. Amy Acton during a campaign stop at the Canfield Fair on Sunday. The man was arrested with "multiple weapons," according to Mahoning County Democratic Party. Multiple people were injured, according to campaign officials, but Acton was not hurt.

Three of four Guardians wins over the weekend, Friday through Sunday with a double header, came on walk-offs. Though the Guards dropped Monday's game, the team remains well-positioned for a Wild Card spot with 18 games left.

Courtesy Magnolia Bakery

Food & Drink: Magnolia Bakery is opening its first Ohio location at Legacy Village.

By Douglas Trattner

The bakery, which began life as an adored bakeshop on Bleecker Street in the West Village of Manhattan, will open a location in Lyndhurst. The shop was famously featured in the show Sex and the City back in 2000.

First Bite: When it opens at Legacy Village in the coming months, the bakery will be the first location in Ohio. A recent shift to private equity leadership has resulted in a robust expansion plan.

Going for Seconds: In addition to a dozen company-owned locations, and 40 or so overseas franchise locations, Magnolia is planning to roll out more than 50 new franchises and company-owned locations in the United States by the end of 2027.

Menu Highlights: The bakery is known for its fresh banana pudding, red velvet cupcakes, brownies and blondies, cheesecakes, cookies and more.

Opening Date: An opening day has not been scheduled, but the bakery is shooting for autumn.

Things to Do This Week

Houseplant Bingo at The Van Aken District | Shopping | Sept. 8: Green thumbs and plant newbies alike can win a free houseplant from Urban Planting Cleveland at this 6 p.m. event. The all-ages event will move from the turf to the Market Hall if it rains. 3401 Tuttle Road, Shaker Heights, 216-490-8800, thevanakendistrict.com

Line Dancing Lessons at Jolene's Honky Tonk | Music | Sept. 8: Get your Dolly Parton on by learning some basic steps with host Andrew Oduwole, a dancer and Zumba instructor. The event is free and starts at 7:30 p.m. 2038 East Fourth St., Cleveland, 216-513-9672, jolenescleveland.com

Wu-Tang Clan and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony at Blossom Music Center | Music | Sept. 9: As the outdoor concert season starts to wind down, Cleveland's finest hip-hop group joins fellow influential rap group Wu-Tang Clan at Blossom. Hear more of the latest from Bone Thugs in our CLE Connection podcast. 1145 Steels Corners Road, Cuyahoga Falls, 330-920-8040, blossommusic.com

Story Club Cleveland at Forest City Brewery | Open Mic | Sept. 9: Cleveland's monthly storytelling event is back for its 11th season. Hear from award-winning storytellers, or jump up there yourself, with open mic sign up starting at 7 p.m. The story needs to be true and on-theme, which this month is Homecoming. Show at 7:30 p.m. $20, 2135 Columbus Dr., Cleveland, 216-228-9116, storyclubcleveland.com

Friday's Trivia Answer

This Cleveland native and Playhouse Curtain Pullers alumnus won an Oscar, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe and a Tony as the Master of Ceremonies in “Cabaret.” Joel Grey

Check back tomorrow for the answer to today's question.

Something tastes funny when private equity moves into the restaurant space. They're a little too slick, kind of like a guy who tries too hard to be cool. Similar to AI-generated food photos, something just seems off. The Intro building, which has now cycled through two concepts and a coffee shop on its first floor, is a subtle example of a dining community rejecting that model. Magnolia will prove if it works a little bit better in a shopping plaza. After all, I've had it, that banana pudding is pretty darn good. -Dillon Stewart

What are you getting up to this weekend in Northeast Ohio? Let us know at conversation@clevelandmagazine.com.

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Dillon Stewart

Dillon Stewart is the editor of Cleveland Magazine. He studied web and magazine writing at Ohio University's E.W. Scripps School of Journalism and got his start as a Cleveland Magazine intern. His mission is to bring the storytelling, voice, beauty and quality of legacy print magazines into the digital age. He's always hungry for a great story about life in Northeast Ohio and beyond.