Exploring Downtown Cleveland's Tower City Center Shopping and Food Court in 2024

Once home to Gucci, Versace, and other high-end stores when it opened in 1990, Downtown Cleveland's Tower City Center has undergone a downfall over the years. However, they are trying to re-ignite it with local businesses and dining options. I did a full walking tour of the inside on January 18, 2024, so you can compare it to how you remember it looking.
Feel free to comment on what stores you remember, and where they were located.
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[@hopewhite7533]

Great video, Poko. Times have certainly changed. I worked in the building in the mid 90's on the 15th floor for a non-profit agency. Tower City was the place to be and the hustle, bustle, and energy was certainly akin to Union station. Hopefully, the city can restore some of the "magic" of this building.

[@kimthompson6029]

When the casino first opened I really enjoyed going to tower city! It's changed alot! Hofully they will get more businesses to move in again.

[@SgtRocko]

Wow... I used to work Downtown until around 2012 or so - back then every storefront was filled and the food court was a mob scene. Now... we really only go downtown for Guardians games or concerts over at the House of Blues. There's really not much there (East 4th District is great - but we're too old/unhipster for the Warehouse District lol)

[@TIMOTHYPT1]

Thank you again. I watch your videos from West Palm Beach and they bring back lots of memories. I worked downtown in the 80s and would have lunch in Tower City or The Old Arcade. Good to see Tower City is still alive and well

[@PokoTraveler]

Thanks for continuing to connect to the city from warmer weather!

[@lisamargaret6751]

You’re right it is Encouraging seeing the activity at Tower City

[@mystery79]

Cool video. I worked there 20 years ago. Back when the fountains still worked and there were more flagship stores. They used to have an Arby’s and a combo kfc/ Taco Bell in the food court. Sbarro was in that pizza spot and the Japanese place was a Sarku. The Burger place on the top was an A&W.

[@ginacleveland7995]

Those were good times!

[@blossums7]

Thanks for the video💖Love it!

[@dino966]

The problem with Tower city, and the rest of the malls around the country is the quality of staffing and the management, allowing the store to close at any given time once that happens the mall will die Tower cities on borrow time

[@AK-ey2uy]

I remember going to Tower City during its heyday and being annoyed with the place because it was so crowded!

[@kammie4553]

You do an excellent job on these videos!

[@tpajay]

As always, great video of a great city! In different articles I've read, it sounds like Bedrock (owner of Tower City) is doing a lot to entice new businesses here. The Tower City directory shows 18 eateries, including Astro Restaurant that is going to replace the Hard Rock Cafe when it opens. With the planned $3.5B construction planned for housing & office buildings on the river over the next 10 to 20 years, that Bedrock is behind, will be another boost. Sherwin Williams is adding more employees downtown than originally planned because of their growth. I read that they could have built a taller headquarters than the 36 floors they are building now & might be looking at 2nd tower of about 20-25 floors. With the possible lakefront & riverfront projects, among other possible new buildings, downtown CLE could be quite different in a few years. Can't wait to see what the city might look like in 10 years or so!

[@PokoTraveler]

Indeed! It's fun to think about how the city will look that far out...but at the same time, I'll be 10 years older so I don't want to think about that part 🙈

[@tpajay]

@@PokoTraveler I know what you mean! I'm older than you (66) & when I think about what things might be in 20 years; I then think I might not even be here to see the changes. I'm healthy & young at heart, though!

[@nearandfarexplorers5125]

I’ve lived in the Cleveland area for years but it’s been a very long time since I’ve been to Tower City. It’s a massive change since it was 10-15 years ago since I was last there.

[@josephkendall9793]

Excellent video. Really appreciate your sharing this

[@user-pi6ws8ws5m]

I can remember well it being a Train Station . My Father worked on Passenger Trains for NYC railroad

[@kennethbrodnick6688]

There simply is nothing that would entice anybody to go out of their way to go shopping there anymore. All the anchor stores are gone. There's no national retailers anymore. They ruined the fountain. The nice stores are all gone. Gap, Structure, Brooks Brothers all are gone. I took the redline there daily when working downtown and it's nothing but a ghost town now.

[@ginacleveland7995]

....it's a damn shame, too. This place used to be very nice😐

[@lisamargaret6751]

I love seeing what stores are inside Tower City and the Eatery Food Court .

[@Juansmommy1970]

I liked your video but it made me sad because I remember tower city always busy and the store fronts full. To me it looks like its almost dead. I think crime and thugs who frequented the movie theater and basically tower city really hurt them. Thanks again for your video.

[@PokoTraveler]

Tower City is definitely dead comparatively speaking; but I was pleasantly surprised by the lunchtime crowd that day (even if the "crowd" was still relatively small).

[@ginacleveland7995]

Crime, serious lack of security and Dan Gilbert were the things that ruined Tower City

[@johnstanicic6246]

Outstanding!! Poko, thank you for that - John

[@lisamargaret6751]

Good Morning!!Oh ,,this is so nice!We are having the same snowy morning in New Jersey

[@Yirzen]

Cant believe they got rid of that gamestop

[@Yirzen]

And they kept a dollar store open that store will never die man i miss terminal tower one of my favorite places to be at when i was younger

[@PokoTraveler]

Haha, yes, the dollar store. It's funny how I visit other cities and see Louis Vuitton, Lululemon, and other high end stores in their downtown mall, and we have a dollar store.

[@ginacleveland7995]

​@PokoTraveler ...the Dollar Store can afford Tower City's rent. No high end store wants to pay rent there and I can't blame them🤷🏽‍♀️

[@stamps45]

I heard somebody asking for money , that keeps people from wanting to go there.

[@jeremynguyen2346]

Hey 👋 😊

[@sadielampduo3762]

Have you gone to the top of Turminal Tower ?

[@PokoTraveler]

Not yet -- still on my list! I'm jealous, a recent photographer actually got the opportunity to go OUTSIDE on a deck to take pictures.

[@pdobos]

Beware of the predatory species that have infested that land.

[@fragout9575]

You dropped your racist ID card....

[@23mikakev]

Wym im there rn nobody bothering anyone