East Cleveland was once home to business magnate John D. Rockefeller and thousands of upwardly mobile Northeast Ohioans, both White and Black — but that’s changed. White flight, shady political leaders, disinvestment and a loss of over 50% of its population are among the factors contributing to this suburb transforming into a mere shell of what it used to be — a thriving community.
A few loyal progressive East Clevelanders remain, trying to find ways to help the city return to its former glory. Ismail Samad and his sister Alima founded the nonprofit that operates the Loiter Cafe & Marketplace, and they are creating a space on-track to be the catalyst for revitalization in East Cleveland.
Located at the city’s gateway, 12550 Euclid Ave. at Woodlawn, it is housed in the old Mickey’s Rustproofing building, which stood vacant for 20 years. Kamla Lewis, senior housing development and project manager at the Cuyahoga Land Bank, says after East Cleveland officials completed several studies, it was determined that development should start closest to University Circle, encompassing more than 30 institutions of art, culture, education, entertainment and medicine. They worked with the Cuyahoga County Land Bank to begin the process.
“This building is a gem,” says Lewis, stirring coffee at Loiter’s counter.
It cost $3.5 million to renovate, and about 200 residential lots surround the building, which are slated for development by both the Cuyahoga Land Bank and private developers. She says new housing in that area will be priced at market rates.
“We’ve been waiting for this development for years,” says Julie Criscione, a 25-year resident of East Cleveland and the Cuyahoga Land Bank owner’s representative and project consultant, overseeing renovations while joining Lewis for coffee. “Having a coffee shop, cafe and marketplace is the cornerstone to the community.”
Criscione also sees Loiter as a catalyst for economic development, hoping it will rejuvenate East Cleveland.
Lewis says that when the Cuyahoga Land Bank began renovating the building, they needed to find out who or what the tenant would be. Samad’s concept met the goals because the community expressed a desire for a good, safe place to gather.
“We just wanted to curate a space that allows people to imagine what they can do,” says Ismail Samad. “We want to inspire people.”
Brewing the Concept
Ismail Samad also always had an interest in food. His mom, being a great cook, put him around food all the time. He got his first job at age 14 and worked with a catering company owned by a family friend. He opened his first business, Crust and Crumbs, 23 years ago on Lakeside Avenue in Cleveland. “I’m still having a hard time saying yes to the question of being an entrepreneur,” he says.
He admits to struggling to finish things he starts — he tried his hand at culinary school but didn’t finish. He went to college to pursue environmental studies but didn’t finish. Then, during the economic crash that led to the 2008 recession, he left Cleveland in search of a way to do food ventures that didn’t fit into the usual paradigm.
He worked as an executive chef on the East Coast, connected with the farm-to-table movement and studied food systems. As a result of the injustices he witnessed, he became a food provocateur. When COVID-19 hit, he decided to return home. He currently lives next door to his parents, and the family owns six parcels on their street, where they grow mint tea leaves.
Loiter makes its own hot sauce, pickles and kimchi. Tea, chocolate and other things are produced by East Cleveland residents.
“We sell Humble Mornings Coffee, Robert Ivey’s Orange Grits, Fat Boy Donuts, Roaming Biscuits. You can track where the money goes,” he says.
Loiter’s Teeny Tiny Market is a space within Loiter Cafe where local makers can showcase their products. The work of local artists will be displayed on the walls for purchase, and through a collaboration with Benjamin Smith, owner of Splice-Cream Truck, oral histories can be captured in the refurbished phone booth. “[Loiter] is a community wealth hub that supports local makers, growers and vendors,” he says.
Samad’s Reuben sandwich uses Wake Robin Fermented Foods, a business owned by the nonprofit with a mission to support local growers and promote community health. The sandwich’s lacto-fermented pickles have microbiotics in them. Samad also makes his own Thousand Island dressing and kraut.
“It’s a healthy Reuben, and it’s tasty,” he says.
Eight businesses are included on Loiter’s menu, four of which represent East Cleveland. Additionally, Loiter has created four new jobs and has six volunteers, including family.
The Word on the Street
Ross Cockfield has lived in East Cleveland since 1972. He remembers when the Red Barn restaurant existed; it is now a vacant lot. He’s visited Loiter twice.
“I think it’s a great place,” says Cockfield, fiscal officer at East Cleveland Public Library. “It has an enormous amount of upside potential. It’s what East Cleveland needs. And the pastries are good. And the coffee is good, too.”
He credits Samad for stepping way out on a limb to bring Loiter to East Cleveland, considering what it takes to equip, outfit and furnish a business, though, Cockfield wouldn’t call it
a “catalyst.”
“It’s a nice meeting place. A nice place to stop in and sit down and have a cup of coffee. It’s a nice addition. Much needed. I plan to walk down, play chess and look out the window.” Cockfield, who makes chess boards, even plans to donate one to Loiter.
“I do think, once the development takes off, those people can ‘loiter’ in,” Cockfield laughs. “He’ll have business, but I believe he needs more community support now. I encourage everyone to go there and have a cup of coffee.”
Ibrahim Abdullah grew up in East Cleveland and has known Samad for years. Prior to agreeing to join the collaborative, he operated from a truck and also had a brick-and-mortar location on Larchmere before the pandemic.
“I think this place is good for the community,” says Abdullah. “People think, in a neighborhood like this, the [residents] wouldn’t appreciate this space, but maybe they just never had it.”
After six to seven months of designing and outfitting the space on the first floor of that building, Loiter’s grand opening was at the end of September. Samad looks forward to it being a place that showcases culinary talent, hosts meetings, poetry readings in the evenings and financial literacy programming.
“Our community deserves a win,” says Samad. “To show what’s possible in East Cleveland, you have to put a physical manifestation in place. ”
