Please use this list to navigate through the shops/activities students should experience on the square! The bolded names above the contact information contain links to external websites for each respective business.
13108 Shaker Square
Cleveland, OH 44120
(216) 295-2222
Both of us took dance when we were little, but dance isn't just for kids anymore. Along with teaching children, Cleveland City Dance offers dance classes for teens and adults. If you are rather movement-challenged (like we are) the studio offers Pilates and will soon offer Yoga for the older crowd. Cleveland City Dance offers classes in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Modern, Hip Hop, Middle Eastern, and Flamenco as well. While the majority of students are children, there is a substantial population of teenage and adult students. Most teenagers take Hip Hop, Tap, Jazz, or Modern dance, and are rarely ever in the same class as the younger children. For students interested in Musical Theater in college and short on time, Cleveland City Dance can offer one-on-one instruction for Jazz, Tap, and Ballet. The class size averages six to twelve, as they limit the number of students for each class. Cleveland City Dance is a new resident of Shaker Square, and they have three studios and a back entrance and a purple awning in the (free) parking lot behind the Cinemas, nearest Shaker Blvd. East. Groundworks dance is also in residence at the new building.
If you’re interested in taking a class, know that cost is on the low end and equipment needed is minimal, depending on the dance. If you are at all apprehensive about trying a class, know that Cleveland City Dance is not trying to turn every student into a professional dancer, rather their goal is to help you find the right class and level for you so that you become your best. We took a Pilates class and were sore for two days afterwards- but it was a lot of fun!...even if we had to hobble around the Square for a while. Nonetheless, anyone interested in getting in shape and super toned should think about taking Pilates--if we can do it, you definitely can.
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13110 Shaker Square Suite 106
Cleveland, OH 44120
(216) 991-9000
Ever wondered who brings the best dance companies in the world to perform here in Cleveland? The answer is DANCECleveland, an organization that has been around since 1956. Cleveland is a city fortunate enough to have some great arts organizations, but has no Ballet or Modern Dance company. DANCECleveland seeks out the best in Modern Dance and Ballet and brings companies to perform at Playhouse Square and other area theaters. DANCECleveland visits premier dance companies around the world, brings the best to Cleveland each season, and has them perform and host master classes for all sorts of people. Student and Group tickets are discounted, so there’s no reason you shouldn’t attend a dance performance!
Visit the DANCECleveland website for information on tickets and the season schedule.
13130 Shaker Square
Cleveland, OH 44120
(216) 658-4180
Dave’s Supermarket is a vital part of the Shaker Square community, and it’s a great place to both stop in and grab something to eat and full-on grocery shop. Dave’s has anything and everything you could be looking for, and has a large selection of hot foods, including a huge salad bar, fried chicken, and desserts. Dave’s is also really affordable, not just in hot foods, but in all of their products. This grocery store has lots of bakery options, too, and they have some small catering available (like veggie plates, deli plates, and buckets of their self-proclaimed great fried chicken). For the older student crowd, they also have an extensive wine and beer selection. The store emphasizes cleanliness, and is small and convenient to locals. Dave's also offers other services -like cashing checks- to their patrons. The supermarket is also involved in the local community whenever possible, and students can work here at age 16. Stock up on your Froot Loops and Cheez-its here, yo!
13129 Shaker Square
Cleveland, OH 44120
(216) 561-1500
Looking for an awesome new digital camera? Want to develop those old-school disposable cameras? Come to Dodd Camera and do it all. Dodd Camera is a longtime resident of Shaker Square, and they can do pretty much anything photo related that you can dream of. Dodd does regular film developing, but they also have computer kiosks where you can bring your digital camera’s memory card and edit pictures to your specifications (with borders, colors, etc) and print the ones you want to print. Or, if you just want prints, you can upload pictures to the Dodd website and come and pick up the pictures shortly thereafter. Dodd prides itself on having a great selection of digital cameras that actually work and won’t break the week after you buy it. There are the (affordable) smaller cameras to the intense, bigger digital cameras, and they're all at competitive prices compared to other stores. The staff gives you the personal service in choosing a product you may not find in bigger retailers, and you can try playing with any of the ones you want. Dodd also has picture frames, camera accessories, and photo albums if you’re looking for it. The store also offers lots of different gifts, like mugs, t-shirts, and mouse pads, on which you can choose a picture and have it printed, which can be a great gift for anyone (just put your face on it, they’ll love it!) Also, for students in film class--Dodd gives a discount on your educational needs.
Back to top13212 Shaker Square Suite 200
Cleveland, OH 44120
(216) 751-7656
Getting up early on a Saturday morning is hard, we know. Nevertheless, there isn't a better reason to roll out of bed than to visit the North Union Farmer's Market. Why would I want to go to a market, you ask? Not only will your parents be delighted by the extensive amount of organic produce (although, not all of it is certified) and locally grown products, but you can also find homemade baked goods (which aren't allowed to have trans-fats!), soaps, olive oils, chocolate (yes, I said homemade chocolate), bread, pasta, dog biscuits (Those aren't for for you, mind you. They're for Fido over there.), and even cute and unique jewelry. Also, believe us--mom, grandma, your crazy uncle Billy, etc., will be delighted at the amount of acclimatized flowers and plants you can buy. (This means they're already used to the lovely Cleveland weather, and won't die as easily when it's 20 degrees in June.) If you're thinking of some gardening yourself, there's a Master Gardener there who can tell you all about what you have to do. ("In the soil, plant those, you must!" Okay, maybe not so Yoda-like, but you get the drift.) All the farmers, cooks, and artisans produce everything themselves, which means supporting them is supporting the local economy. And there's nothing to fear about this non-processed, non-grocery store food: all the farms are inspected by somebody from the Union. The produce is so good, that even local chefs (especially those from the Square) come to buy some of their ingredients from here. If you are still convinced it's not worth getting up for, there is a stand where you can get freshly made breakfast burritos, which some claim to be better (and healthier) than anything you can get from Chipotle...not to mention a Deweys Coffee stand where you can get your morning caffeine buzz. In the summer there are up to one hundred vendors, so you are sure to find something you like. (We went on a cold and rainy day, and still found many things we wanted--we even bought delicious pies. Yes, pies.)
Back to top13214 Shaker Square
Cleveland, OH 44120
(216) 752-3595
While you might not necessarily be shopping here for yourself anymore (although, there is definitely nothing wrong with shopping for yourself here), Playmatters Toys is a great place to get a gift for a younger sibling or cousin. Playmatters is an independent, local store in Cleveland, and they try to stay away from big brand-name toys in favor of the lesser-known ones. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable about all the toys in the store, and is more than willing to assist you in finding anything you might need. Lots of toys are out in the open ready to be played with, so kids can investigate the toy before they commit to buying. If you’re (or, ok, if kids are) looking for a place to celebrate, Playmatters can also host birthday parties and they offer lots of different activities for kids. So whether you’re looking to revisit your childhood or just get a gift, Playmatters is a great local toy store.
13116 Shaker Square
Cleveland, OH 44120
Showtime Information: (440) 564-2032
Like movies? That's a silly question...because of course you do. So come to Shaker Square Cinemas to see blockbusters and independent films alike, and avoid the multiplexes. Shaker Square Cinemas, a part of Cleveland Cinemas, only has six theaters. However, the interior of the building has a cool, art deco style, retaining its nostalgic looks from when the building housed the Colony theater, built back in 1931. Some of the original artwork of the building is downstairs near the restrooms, which sets this cinema apart from any other. The Cinemas is equipped with a concession stand and all the theaters have stadium seating. Plus, to pay for all those popcorns and M&Ms, students can work here at age 16. Jon Foreman, the owner of Shaker Square Cinemas, also holds the International Film Festival for Cleveland each year, which brings lots of indie and international films to the city. In our interview, we got to see how the projectors they use for the theaters work, and it was totally awesome. (Movies actually still come on reels! People have to splice the film, put the pieces together, and move it all to a huge projector! And did you know movie screens have little holes in them, like sport jerseys, to reflect light?)
There are usually showings for each film at (or near) 12pm, 4 pm, and 7 pm. Mondays all tickets are $5 with a free popcorn, and all other days tickets are $8.50. The Cinemas also has a Marquee Club, which if you join, you get $5 movies all the time.
Come to the Square, have dinner and see a movie!
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13110 Shaker Square Suite C203
Cleveland, OH 44120
(216) 561-5005
You may have actually already encountered part of Young Audiences (which has been around since 1953); this establishment has performances and programs, consisting of over fifty artists, which travel around to schools and focus on education. Their goal is to enrich the lives of children, and to use the arts to help children learn different subjects. Okay, so maybe you're a little old for that, but don't worry-Young Audiences has something for us big kids too. Up until the summer after your senior year, high school students can apply for a paid summer internship called Art Works. Even if you don't have any artistic experience, you could get money to make arts of all sorts (theatre, dance, pottery, painting, etc.). We're actually a little upset we didn't hear about this before it was too late for us... For those of you who are interested in the arts, this would be a great place to contact about your senior project. They can help you directly (work in the office) or indirectly (help you with an artistic vision). Either way sounds good to us. Anyway, if the Art Works program interests you, make sure to check the website in the winter for the application. Good luck and break a leg!
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