🏈 From the End Zone to the Oyster Bar 🦪

Good morning, Cleveland! This is The 216 Scoop: Today we’re leaning into the scratches, the blur, and the questionable fashion choices. Somehow, it all still works 📸✨

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John Petkovic & Jude Perez

They are faded, grainy and look so foreign to our times that they might as well exist in another dimension. But we can’t stop looking at them.

Why do Clevelanders love vintage photos?

“The city was once a metropolis and its bones are enormous,” says John Skrtic, of the Cleveland Public Library. “People yearn for that grandiose past.”

Cleveland’s population peaked in 1950 at over 914,000 residents. It’s now a little more than 365k.

Like the descendants of an empire that came and went, the sense of loss and desire to recapture it leaves them fascinated with glorious heydays – when the economy hummed and the culture flourished.

Which is why, Skrtic and Mike Polk’s ‘Twisted Takes’ on the vintage Cleveland has packed clubs with fans of all ages. The latest edition hits Music Box at 7 p.m. Thursday. Info.

“We get people from their 20s to their 70s,” says Skrtic. “Yeah, it’s nostalgia, but also curiosity for a time before everything was corporatized.”

They’re always fascinated with the 1970s, when Mafia wars reigned and punk bands bloomed amid the decline of downtown.

“Now that it’s coming back, there’s a greater interest in community,” says Skrtic. “And they have a hunger to learn about it.”

Shaker Square was dealt a body blow a year ago, when Brandon Chrostowski announced that he was moving his Edwins and Edwins Too out of the neighborhood and into the former home of Nighttown.

The recovery is almost complete.

In February, a new eatery called Sazani Oceana will move into the former home of Edwins Too.

The upscale seafood restaurant is a joint venture between two familiar faces: Browns legend Josh Cribbs and Akin Affrica – whose Zanzibar Soul Fusion has been an anchor in Shaker Square since 2013.  

While the menu is focused on seafood – from crab cakes to oysters --  and will include French toast, meat and vegan offerings and Southern classics.

Shaker Square’s culinary recovery started with the spring and summer openings of three other eateries Indigo Café, Coyoacan Taqueria and La Casa de Luchita’s.

Now there’s one more space to fill: Edwins.

Cleveland reputation as a “refuge city” where you can buy a home without going broke has made its housing market one of the strongest in the country.

Home prices in the Cleveland area increased in both October and November – 11% year over year -- bucking national trends that show prices declining over the last two years and down 1.4% in the last three months alone.

So, how much do you need to snag a house in the area and live comfortably?

A new report says a household income of $66,500 – far less than six-figure salaries that barely cover mortgage payments on a typical property in some metro areas.

That makes Cleveland the second-most affordable city in the country, behind Pittsburgh – and not just because homes are a relative bargain.

The low cost of living and an economy that relies on healthcare, education and manufacturing offers stability that allows buyers to plan long-term -- unlike tech and tourism-centric cities like San Francisco and Las Vegas.

Seeing the low tire pressure light pop on is stressful, especially during a freezing Cleveland winter. TireHero is a powerful, smart air pump that allows drivers to inflate tires instantly without hunting for quarters at a gas station or waiting hours for roadside assistance. By using a powerful 6000 mAh rechargeable battery to automatically inflate tires to the perfect PSI, TireHero ensures you never get stranded on the side of the road in the cold.

Designed for safety and convenience, TireHero fits right in your glovebox and is completely wireless. It is the ultimate 3-in-1 tool for anyone worried about flat tires, roadside emergencies, or winter driving safety. With over 15,000 happy customers, it doubles as a power bank and emergency flashlight, offering a fast, effortless way to maintain your vehicle and drive with total peace of mind.

No Signal: The monthly underground comedy series kicks off at 8 p.m. Thursday in the Happy Dog’s basement bar, the Underdog. Cleveland comedian Elliot Jarrous will host a rotating lineup of area and regional comics. Info.

Greg Fitzsimmons: The comedian talks and walks like he’s from NYC with mix of wry observation with scathing sarcasm. At 7 p.m. Thursday, he opens a four-show run at Hilarities at Pickwick and Frolic at 8 p.m. Info.

Elvis Birthday Tribute Artist Spectacular Birthday: What better way to celebrate the King’s 91st birthday than with an extravaganza of impersonators. The show spans his rockabilly break-out, his time in the military, his ’68 comeback and his Vegas years. 7 p.m. Thursday. Info.

👉 View Listing on Zillow

They started playing Gram Parsons songs for kicks — nothing more.

Fifteen years later, New Soft Shoe is still at it and has just released an album… Wait, what, a cover band?

Yup, New Soft Shoe has just released its idiosyncratic take on the Parsons’ ‘Cosmic American Music’ on CLE Records – a new label by the publisher of the influential music magazine founded by Jim Ellis in the 1970s.

The band plays a record-release party at Forest City Brewery – 7 p.m. Thursday. Info.

Traffic on East Fourth Street, 1976. Check out and follow our Instagram and Facebook pages to explore our vintage photos of East Fourth Street through the decades.

Ooh and don’t forget! Tag @The216Scoop on Facebook & @scoopcle on Instagram to get your photos in the Scoop!

33°F 🌡️ 26°F | ❄️ (Snow Showers) | 60% | 💨 ↑ ≈ 18 mph (≈ 16 knots)

30°F 🌡️ 22°F | ☁️ (Cloudy & Blustery) | 20% | 💨 ↑ ≈ 20 mph (≈ 17 knots)

28°F 🌡️ 19°F | 🌤️ (Partly Cloudy / Cold) | 5% | 💨 ↑ ≈ 12 mph (≈ 10 knots)

_{Please note that weather conditions can change rapidly. For the most up-to-date information, consider checking a reliable local weather service.}

Away vs. Timberwolves, 8:00 PM January 8 (Thursday)

Home vs. Timberwolves, 1:00 PM January 10 (Saturday)

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