With vintage glassware and small-batch bitters lining its 1920s-style shelves, Happy Hour Collection feels like the type of place you want to settle in for a drink. But the 5th Street Arcades shop isn't some hipster bar — it's where folks come to stock their home bar with glassware, mixers and garnishes.
For owner Marie Teckmyer, the idea behind the 10-month-old store is mixed with memories. Growing up in Mayfield Heights, her large family would gather at her grandparents' house every few weeks for cocktails. The fancy glasses would come out of the china closet and when her parents weren't looking, her grandfather would pass her a few sips of homemade wine.
"It was a time to get together and talk and yell and laugh," recalls Teckmyer.
After both her parents died unexpectedly in 2010, Teckmyer started attending auctions and estate sales, where she was drawn to vintage barware. Collecting full sets with interesting shapes became a form of healing for her.
"I always consider the person who owned the item previously," she says. "I feel like in some small way I am honoring them, their legacy and memories."
Inside Happy Hour Collection you'll find such vintage treasures — a set of 1930s ruby red glass shakers ($270) and a set of eight 24-karat gold Imperial glass tumblers ($350). But there's plenty else shaking here.
Teckmyer sells tools such as a wood muddler by Twine ($9.99), a Viski crystal mixing glass ($25) and copper-plate bar spoons ($26) with twisted stems to make stirring smoother. Look for mixers such as Japanese chili and lime or coconut lemongrass bitters by 1821 Bitters ($11.99 each).
"We believe it's time to put away that red plastic cup and make each moment memorable," Teckmyer says.
When You Go: Happy Hour Collection, 5th Street Arcades, 530 Euclid Ave., Suite 11, Cleveland, 216-563-1166, happyhourcle.com
nearby find: Red, pink and yellow roses ($8 each) fill Love, Anji. But these flowers won't wilt-that's because they're crafted out of paper. 5th Street Arcades, 530 Euclid Ave., Suite 20, Cleveland, loveanji.com
rock stars
If you love whiskey on the rocks, Marie Teckmyer recommends the Viski ice crusher mallet with bag ($24.99). The mallet crushes ice with ease while the canvas bag absorbs excess moisture. "It's a whole lot easier than dragging out a clunky blender," she says.
