Skrtic's Pics: Stipe Miocic, Andre Knott, Rae Gentry

John Skrtic has been with the Cleveland Public Library for over 30 years. He now serves as the chief of special projects and collections, which makes him responsible for overseeing the 11 million items in the Library Collection. He holds a master's of library and information science from Kent State University and a master's of public administration from Cleveland State University. Skrtic grew up on East 41st Street in Downtown Cleveland and has lived in the city his entire life. He is father of two children and spends his free time archiving the people and places of Cleveland.

Stipe Miocic

Stipe Miocic stood in the beautiful new Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame in Ohio City and spoke like someone who knows what it means to come from Northeast Ohio. Funny, sharp, and warm, he thanked his wife, his family, and his coaches. One by one he named them and explained to the crowd why this place produces athletes who work, who fight, and who earn every inch of recognition. Nothing comes easy here. Everything is built on sweat, grit, and the people who push you to be better.

The story of Miocic is the story of this region. A two-time UFC heavyweight champion, he carried the lessons of his neighborhood, his gym, and his family into the octagon. He understands that success is not individual but communal. You build a team around you, you challenge each other, and you hold each other accountable. That is how pride grows, quietly and deeply, until the world notices.

I had the chance to take his photo that night. He stood with the calm of someone who has earned his place, approachable yet larger than life. The recognition is deserved, but it is clear in the way he speaks and moves that the heart of Miocic is still in Northeast Ohio, still shaping him and the people around him.

Jake Kelly

Jake Kelly is a Cleveland illustrator, muralist, and poster artist whose hand-drawn, surreal, and intricately detailed work captures the city’s underground music and arts scene. Since 1995, he has created hundreds of concert posters and murals for local venues and has produced comics and illustrated works that explore fantasy, horror, and Cleveland history. You can often spot Kelly around the city, and for me, in the Main Library, surrounded by microfilm spools, brittle newspapers, old local zines, and thick history books that most people walk past without a second glance. He reads slowly and steadily, following every lead until he uncovers a small detail that deepens his understanding of the city. He approaches research with the same care and attention that he brings to his art.

Kelly's work grows out of a lifelong fascination with Cleveland’s overlooked corners. His drawings capture the spirit of old storefronts, forgotten blocks, and the people who shaped the city in ways that rarely appear in official histories. Every clipping and note becomes part of the larger story he tells about the place that has shaped many of the most memorable characters in Cleveland’s past. His new book, HEAVY HUMID WORLD: Posters and Fliers 1995 to 2025, collects decades of his work and chronicles Cleveland’s underground music, art, and history. Kelly is one of my favorite Clevelanders to talk to because he cares about the smallest and most easily overlooked pieces of Cleveland history. He reminds the rest of us that these stories matter.

Los Electi

I met these young and talented Clevelanders in the downtown arcade: Eboni Nickerson, Jasmine Vereen, Mya Thomas in the front row center, Bria Leverett, Raymell Hester, and El Davis, as they were taking photos to announce the launch of the company. They moved through the space as if it could hold everything they imagined, a future as big and bright as Cleveland’s most beautiful building, every corner filled with possibility and energy. It was here, in this very place, that Thomas first imagined the idea and started her fashion brand, Los Electi.

I loved interviewing Thomas because she chose her words carefully and told me, “The first drop is a comfortable jogging suit. It combines soft fabric and a flexible fit to keep you relaxed and warm whether you are exercising, lounging, or running errands. Each hoodie features a silk satin hood lining that adds a soft, glossy touch and a refined, high-end look. The silk satin inside our hoodies symbolizes balance: strength on the outside, softness within. It speaks to the mix of grit and grace, the hustle and shine.”

She concluded by saying, “Every thread in Los Electi carries purpose, made for those who know their worth. You were never meant to blend in. You were meant to stand out, shine, and lead. This is not just fashion, it is divine energy in motion. Made for the chosen. Worn by the unstoppable. Felt by the divine.”

Thomas started the brand in 2021, at one of the lowest points of her life. Out of that pain, she built something real and powerful. Four years later, she is back with friends where it all began.

Soho Chicken and Whiskey

Soho Chicken and Whiskey has always felt like a story about two people who put their whole selves into feeding Cleveland. Nolan Konkoski and Molly Smith started the place in 2011 on West 25th Street, serving fried chicken that tasted like someone had been working on the recipe for a lifetime. People crowded in for the food, but they stayed because Nolan and Molly treated every guest like they were part of the place. When rising costs pushed them out of their first home, they did what working people in Cleveland have done for generations. They picked everything up and kept going.

Their new spot sits at 4211 Lorain Ave., in the old Xinji space. The bones are the same: a long room, a busy kitchen, and the sounds of people who came hungry and left really happy. The food still carries the same spirit. Tender chicken with real depth. Sides that remind you of what comfort tastes like. Whiskey that warms you in all the right ways.

I stopped by on a Saturday night when the crowd had packed the place tight. I asked Konkoski and Smith for a quick photo outside. The December wind was cutting across Lorain Avenue and the cold settled on your ears fast, but they stepped out without hesitation. They smiled, said the air felt good, and laughed a little. Inside, they had been running nonstop, checking tables, calling out orders and greeting regulars. That brief moment in the cold was just a short pause in a much longer rhythm of work, grit and pride.

Cleveland restaurants rise and fall, but Soho sticks because it feels real. The food is amazing and keeps people coming back. The welcome is honest. Konkoski and Smith are the heart of the whole thing. Getting that photo of them outside their new spot reminded me why I like talking to them. They show the side of Cleveland that keeps pushing forward with warmth, hard work, and a steady sense of purpose that shows up in every plate they serve.

Blackstone Residence Pipe Organ 

Dr. Eugene Blackstone is a distinguished physician at the Cleveland Clinic who specializes in thoracic and cardiovascular surgery and serves as a professor at Case Western Reserve University. Alongside his medical career, he has nurtured a lifelong passion for music, especially the pipe organ, combining technical precision with artistic expression.

The Blackstone home in Bratenahl, Ohio, was designed to showcase a massive Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ with 7,418 pipes and 137 ranks. The main hall stretches roughly 34 feet wide by 96 feet long and features a near full length skylight. The organ console, built in 1927 as Opus 1664, was originally installed in a chapel in Detroit and later refurbished for the residence. The house and organ were planned together with careful attention to acoustics and layout, allowing the instrument to produce full, rich sound while occupying minimal floor space.

Visiting the home was an extraordinary experience. I met Dr. Blackstone’s wife, Janet, who has shared nearly 58 years of marriage with him, and their devoted dog, Muffie, a true music lover. Touring the space, seeing the organ up close, and capturing a photograph of the family in their remarkable musical setting made the visit unforgettable. The home is a rare example of how architecture, engineering, and artistry can come together to create a living space centered on music.

Rae Gentry

Rae Gentry grew up in Columbia Station and has spent decades immersed in Cleveland’s hospitality and music scenes. For twenty years she worked as a bartender around town and became well known to many at Richland in Lakewood. From an early age she watched venues like Peabody’s and Hi-Fi, observing how operations were handled and learning the ins and outs of the industry. Her career also included hospitality management and a unique period as a traveling fire performer, blending art, music and performance in ways that would later influence how she runs her venues.

Gentry is part owner of Mercury Music Lounge in Lakewood and is the owner and leader of Foundry Concert Club, located at 4256 Pearl Road in Cleveland. She opened the current location of Foundry in March 2025 after many years working in Lakewood. She has worked to preserve the spirit of the club while introducing new energy, creative improvements, and community focused programming. Visitors and music fans have already noted the thoughtful layout, lively atmosphere, and the club’s ability to host engaging performances in a welcoming space.

Gentry's experience behind the bar, in management, and as a performer has shaped how she approaches venue ownership. She blends operational knowledge, creativity, and a deep understanding of what makes live music spaces thrive. At both Mercury Music Lounge and Foundry Concert Club, she continues to introduce innovations and improvements while respecting the history and culture of Cleveland’s music scene. Watching the venue survive and grow under her leadership, and seeing the planned enhancements, has been exciting for local fans and longtime supporters. Gentry remains a central figure in Cleveland nightlife, committed to building spaces where music, performance, and community come together.

Ha Anh Korean Restaurant 

Always love stepping into Ha Ahn Korean Restaurant at 3030 Superior Ave., in Cleveland’s AsiaTown. The air is thick with the smell of soft tofu stew steaming in pots, sizzling bibimbap crackling in stone bowls, and small plates of kimchi, bean sprouts, and pickles arriving before you even order. For 14 years, this family run spot has brought warmth, comfort, and delicious home cooking to this amazing Cleveland neighborhood.

Hana Cho, daughter of owner Joseph Cho, moves through the dining room with quiet precision and pride. Her parents came from Seoul in 1998 and now live in Strongsville. Together, they carry forward a family tradition of home style Korean cooking, creating meals that feel personal, nourishing, and full of care. I photographed both Hana and her father that day, trying to capture the dedication and connection that make the restaurant what it is.

Ha Ahn is a gathering place, a space where community forms naturally around the table. Each dish tells a story, each bowl reflects care, and the family’s devotion to cooking and connection is evident in every corner of their intimate and bustling Cleveland eatery. It is easy to see why Ha Ahn has become an important part of AsiaTown for over a decade.

Andre Knott

Andre Knott stands in Cleveland the way a familiar face fills a living room television. People know him even if they have never met him. I saw this in person the night I ran into him at the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame. The room was loud, warm, and full of old sports stories. Knott carried himself through it with a steady smile. Folks kept drifting toward him as if he were an old neighbor. They wanted to talk, shake his hand, or simply be near someone who has spent so much time telling the story of their hometown teams. He gave each person his attention and made them feel welcome.

Knott's roots are in Akron, where he grew up and played football and baseball at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. He later attended Kent State University, where he began shaping a life in sports media. He started with local reporting and worked his way into radio and television in Northeast Ohio. He covered high school games, the Cleveland Browns, and community sports long before he stepped onto the field as the in-game reporter for Cleveland Guardians broadcasts.

Over the years, he has become one of the most recognizable faces around the ballpark. His work with the Guardians on Bally Sports Great Lakes, along with contributions to local shows and ESPN Cleveland, has made him part of the daily rhythm of sports in this city. He has earned local awards, built long-standing trust with players and coaches, and found a way to bring out the human side of athletes in small moments that matter.

It was great to see how the old-time sports figures who meant so much to him and the younger crowd coming up behind them all showed real affection for Knott. That kind of regard comes from the respect he shows others and from the simple fact that he is from here and is proud to be a part of it all.

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