🌭 The Doghouse That Never Sleeps

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John Petkovic & Jude Perez

It feels like even the ghosts have gone to bed. The neon doesn’t flicker as long, and the streets have lost their voice.

But the lights are always on at Steve’s Doghouse.

COVID and changing trends have decimated life after midnight. This West Side diner is one of the last of the late-night legends still standing — and it’s still going strong.

“Nights are less active and places close earlier these days,” says owner Ed Salzgerber. “But we’re still 24/7 and we’re not going to change.”

It’s part of a broader attitude, he says: Make high-quality, home-style diner food and don’t gouge the customer.

“We’re a working-class diner and we do it well,” says Salzgerber, who is working on a renovation of Steve’s after receiving a grant from the city.

It will coincide with the celebration of the 10^th anniversary of him buying the building.  

Before that, this place was long-running breakfast spot called Sal’s Menu.

Salzgerber would frequent it often for breakfast when he owned Steve’s Lunch — a beloved Lorain Avenue diner that felt like an Edward Hopper painting and a Charles Bukowski novel come to life.

It was a tragic day for Cleveland when Steve’s perished in a 2015 fire. People lined up along Lorain cried as it burned down.

But Salzgerber didn’t give up: He went 24/7 right after buying Sal’s.

Of course, things changed after COVID. The pandemic closed doors and rattled the rhythm of the nightlife across the country.

“Times have changed, and we don’t get as many 4 a.m. characters,” says Salzgerber. “But we’re not going to give up on the late-night and early-morning people looking for their spot.”

This iconic hulk opened with a full-throttle roar and B-29 bombers that helped win World War II. It will close with a rumble, and then there will be silence.

This week brings the last hurrah for the I-X Center, which ends a 41-year run with Piston Powered Auto-Rama.

Friday through Sunday, the car lover’s extravaganza will celebrate its diamond anniversary with shiny chrome and classic machines, muscle cars and hot rods -- and 55,000 motorheads who love them. Info.

Yes, there will also be sentimentalists for one last goodbye.

Opened in1986 and billed as the world’s largest exhibition facility, it’s a reminder of different times.

It hosted 70 unique consumer shows and exhibitions annually, including the I-X Indoor Amusement Park, featuring the world's tallest indoor Ferris wheel.

I-X closes amid uncertainty, after rumors that to be taken over by a Fortune 500 company fizzled.

No matter: The former tank plant that was central to generations of Clevelanders will live on in memory.

Chuck Wepner was the kind of underdog you only see in movies – a man plucked out of obscurity only to be transformed into a legend.

He was 35 and worked as a liquor-store salesman throughout his boxing career. He was renowned for taking a punch and bleeding a lot.

Then came the legendary fight against Muhammad Ali: March 24, 1975, at the old Richfield Coliseum, 21 miles south of Cleveland. It was promoted by Don King, who grew up on East 40th and Woodland.

A longshot of longshots, Wepner managed to knock down the champ in the ninth round and then take him into the 15^th. Clip here.

Ali – the overwhelming favorite – won by decision. But Wepner became a folk hero.

His night in Cleveland inspired Sylvester Stallone to make his boxing movie — whose script was lifted directly from Wepner's life.

‘Rocky’ was born here.

Monday

John Nemeth: His vocal range is wide, yes, but it’s his sensibilities and musical instincts that have made him one of few bluesmen that can seamlessly long-gone sounds with modern times. 7:30 p.m. at Beachland Ballroom. Info.

Tusday

Cavs-Magic: They swept their three-game road trip – and looked sloppy doing it. The Cavs return to Rocket Arena to play Orlando at 8 p.m. Info.

Dirty Girl Dinner: Girl’s night out in one of the city’s most opulent bars rolls out dirty martinis and dirty bites to go with local vendors – so drink, food and shopping. 6-9 p.m. Info.

👉 View Listing on Zillow

The sudden drops in temperature. The snow, rain. The meteor. It might throw us Clevelanders off… When is spring going to bloom?

No worries.

The biggest increases of daylight of the year are this week – with the days longer by 2:47 through Thursday.

And with only 5% of Lake Erie frozen, it should be ice-free in the next 7-14 days.

People board a train under the Veterans Memorial Bridge, 1918. From its opening that year until 1954, the lower-level hosted Cleveland’s first, and only subway, connecting transit lines on the west side with downtown.

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

36 °F 🌡️ 26 °F | 🌨️➡️⛅ (AM Light Snow to Partly Cloudy) | 25% | 💨 ↑ ≈ 15 mph (≈ 13 knots)

45 °F 🌡️ 28 °F | ☁️ (Mostly Cloudy) | 10% | 💨 ↑ ≈ 12 mph (≈ 10 knots)

51 °F 🌡️ 39 °F | ☁️➡️🌧️ (Cloudy / PM Light Rain) | 25% | 💨 ↑ ≈ 16 mph (≈ 14 knots)

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

Home vs. Magic, 8:00 PM March 24 (Tuesday)

Home vs. Heat, 7:30 PM March 25 (Wednesday)

Home vs. Heat, 7:30 PM March 27 (Friday)

Away vs. Diamondbacks, 9:40 PM March 23 (Monday)

Away vs. Diamondbacks, 3:40 PM March 24 (Tuesday)

Away vs. Mariners, 10:10 PM March 26 (Thursday)

Away vs. Mariners, 9:45 PM March 27 (Friday)

Away vs. Mariners, 9:40 PM March 28 (Saturday)

Away vs. Mariners, 7:20 PM March 29 (Sunday)

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