The Arcade in Cleveland, Ohio is a Victorian-era structure of two nine-story buildings, joined by a five-story arcade with a glass skylight spanning over 300 feet long. Erected in 1890, the Arcade opened on May 31st, 1890. Based on the interior design, it is considered to be one of the earliest examples of an indoor shopping mall in the United States.
When I first visited the Cleveland Arcade, I have to admit that I was quite surprised with what I found. Mention Cleveland to someone from say New York or Los Angeles, and they immediately associate the city as some second-rate place with a reputation for a polluted river, adequate sports teams, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and that’s it. But an assumption like that could only come from someone who has never been to a city that keeps getting referred to as “The Mistake By the Lake”. Just step inside the Arcade, and be prepared to eat your words! I felt like I had stepped back in time to the turn of the century, where locals wore bonnets and fedoras, coats were long and covered in buttons, and entertainment came in the form of a nickelodeon. Huh, nickelodeon, penny arcade, Cleveland Arcade? Coincidence?
Puns and 1900 era references aside, the Cleveland Arcade also contains a Hyatt Regency. If you are looking for a place to stay in Cleveland, this is the place! Not only is the hotel really nice and the staff is courteous, but the location is rather impeccable! And just from the inside. Outside, you are just a short walk from several Cleveland attraction like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Cleveland Browns Stadium, Lake Erie, and Euclid Avenue. If you plan to stay in the Forest City, take a step back in time with one of the biggest and most beautiful buildings in America. Think of this place as the American version of Moscow’s GUM Mall, only smaller, and with fewer fancier storefronts.
