By day, UnBAR is a full-service coffee shop that has everything you can find at Starbucks and more. By night, it has a lounge feel with mocktails, warm energy and special events. The vibe is positively constant: Think better, feel better, be better.
“People need to come to UnBAR because they need to be in an atmosphere where they can actually socialize and remember what happened the next day,” says owner Melissa Garrett-Hirsch. “We offer a third space in a community where people can come, and they don’t have to worry about the things that go with alcohol sometimes.”
The concept of UnBAR came to her when she was talking to her son, who is now the operations manager. “I worked in corporate America for many years, and it was always this thing about happy hour after work. I used to always say, there’s nothing happy about an hour with a bunch of people I just worked all day with and I’m ready to go home.”
Consistent feedback is making Garrett-Hirsch consider applying for a license to sell wine. “People have told me that they love the atmosphere and if they could have a glass of wine too, they’d never leave,” she says.
UnBAR has healthy sandwiches, salads and sides, as well as plenty of vegan offerings including a meatless Polish Boy.
“My goal was to create a diverse, eclectic vibe that reflects the people and businesses here, and I think I’ve achieved that hosting everything from poetry nights and breakdance competitions to comedy shows and book clubs to civic events,” she says. “Whatever the community asks for, I try to give it to them.
Support System
Burten Bell Carr Development Inc. is a community development corporation serving the Central and Kinsman neighborhoods, as well as the Buckeye/Shaker Square area. It is working with the featured businesses and others through the Community Navigator Pilot Program in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration. The program shares educational tools, resources and funding opportunities with entrepreneurs in the city of Cleveland.
