“Life is Battr in Tremont,” reads a swirly painted mural on the side of the storefront at 910 Literary Road, with a small cartoon cat holding a paintbrush to it.
Not just any small cat: it’s neighborhood celebrity, Mayor Steve French, owned by Tremont resident Kerry Nickels.
“He’ll wander into businesses and people feed him,” says Battr operations director Jeff Heisler. “He is the unofficial mayor of Tremont; he is the mascot, mayor, spokescat, formal feline of Tremont."
The mural, crafted by local artist Arastasia Rolain, matches the vibe of a crepe and dessert-filled Cleveland skyline mural on the second floor of Battr: local, whimsical and sweet.
That’s also the key to Battr’s menu, which is set to feature Belgian liege-style waffles, crepes and bubble waffle cones, served with scoops of gelato. Toppings of everything from butterbeer topping, to a Luxardo cherry compote, to Fruity Pebbles, to strawberries and bananas are available to top off the unique, customizable creations designed by Heisler, whose culinary background includes work as the former executive chef of Signature of Solon Golf and Country Club.
“We want to put a foodie twist on it, so it’s not going to be just a scoop of something — it’s in the glazed Belgian waffles, in liege waffles, it’s the bubble waffles, it’s the crepes,” says Heisler. “It’s the things we’re going to put on top of the gelato.”
And expect flavor shifts, according to the season, Heisler says. For example, expect strawberry toppings and flavors in the early summer — and pumpkin, in the fall.
“Every day is going to be a new adventure,” he says. “There's going to be a lot of stuff on a daily basis that we’re going to be changing over, simply because we can.”
Beyond dessert-driven menu items, you’ll also find retro sodas, Kool-Aid and an impressive coffee menu designed by assistant general manager and “coffee guru” Jesse Stocks.
Battr, a concept from Issa Elkhatib and Mo Mansour, is slated to bring a dessert option to Tremont that’s been missing for nearly two years, ever since ice cream shop Tremont Scoops closed in 2021. It’ll be open for much of the crowd that visits Tremont’s vibrant dining scene, with hours that range from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, noon to 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and noon to 5 or 6 p.m. on Sundays.
So far, neighbors have been dropping by anxiously awaiting the concept to open, Heisler says — and Rolain even mentioned hearing about a visit from Steve French the cat, himself. Even before opening to the public in early August, they’ve witnessed a growing excitement for sweet treats in Tremont again.
The aim is for Battr to create a respite and hangout for locals, embracing the community through art displays and events, in addition to its food service, Heisler says.
“We want people to embrace their inner child a little bit, have some fun and when they come to Battr,” he says, “and maybe forget about everything that’s going on in the world for 30 minutes.”
Editor's note: This story previously included a quote which stated that Steve French's origin was unknown. It's been corrected to include the cat's owner, Kerry Nickels.
