19-03-2025
Beachland Ballroom celebrates 25 years of legendary concerts
It's getting to the point where Cleveland's Beachland Ballroom & Tavern is older than some of its workers.
"Some of our staff wasn't even born when we first opened," says co-owner Cindy Barber. "It makes you look around and say, 'Wow!'"
Why it matters: The Beachland, which turns 25 years old this month, has become a hallmark of the Northeast Ohio arts and music scenes.
It's also been the building block for the Waterloo Arts District that now houses various art studios, record stores and restaurants.
Flashback: Barber and business partner Mark Leddy opened the venue in the old Croatian Liberty Hall on Waterloo Road on March 2, 2000.
Leddy was a local musician and former booker at legendary Pat's in the Flats. Barber was a journalist at Free Times who wanted to help revitalize the North Collinwood neighborhood.
"I felt like having a destination music venue would be key to turning the area around," Barber says. "Developing the neighborhood is still my No. 1 priority."
Between the lines: Along the way, the Beachland has hosted several acts that went on to have legendary careers, including The White Stripes, The Cramps and Guided by Voices.
Akron's The Black Keys played their first-ever concert in the tavern on March 31, 2002.
What they're saying: It isn't always easy operating a music venue, especially during the COVID pandemic that decimated locally owned performance spaces.
"It's sometimes overwhelmingly difficult," says Barber. "But it's also very rewarding when people tell you they had an amazing experience, or you see someone in Germany wearing a Beachland T-shirt. That really keeps us going."
