A relic of retail
Located just across downtown Cleveland’s Euclid Avenue from the spectacular Arcade, one of the most impressive retail facilities I have ever visited, exists two other turn of the twentieth century shopping destinations that in any other city not home to the Arcade would be just as celebrated, the Fifth Street Arcades.
Fifth Street Arcades lease plan ca. 2013. View the full PDF version here.
The Fifth Street Arcades consist of what were once two separate concourses running parallel to each other between Euclid and Prospect Avenues, approximately where Fifth Street used to exist as a road. To the east is the Colonial Arcade while just to its west is the Euclid Arcade.
1- The main entrance of Colonial Arcade on Prospect Avenue. 2- Looking northward for the full length of Colonial Arcade. 3- The second level balcony. 4- Looking back at the inside of the Prospect entrance.
On my visit to Cleveland in 2022 I stayed at the Marriot located just above the Prospect entrances to each arcade, so I got to become fairly familiar with them during my time there. Each distinct architecturally as well as in composition, they were connected at their mid points by a small food court that seemed out of harmony with the design elements of either half.
The arcades themselves seemed more retail oriented than their much more elegant neighbor with food counters, soda shops and the aroma of freshly popped corn in the air. Although I was there for the weekend, the destinations still attracted a decent amount of foot traffic though most of the stores did shut their doors at an early hour.
The Colonial Arcade.
Colonial Arcade, the older of the twin facilities, opened in 1898. Its interior design seemed to echo many of those of its neighbor The Arcade although on a smaller scale. Its iron canopy of glass allows copious amounts of sunlight to penetrate the main corridor while the panels of pale colored marble and slate added additional brightness.
1- Looking up at the second level and skylights of Colonial Arcade. 2- Looking to the north at Colonial’s midpoint. 3- The view south from the same midpoint. 4- Just inside Colonial’s northern entrance off Euclid Avenue. 5- An old timey barber shop. 6- The mini food court built to connect the two arcades from the Colonial side.
Euclid Arcade was added to downtown in 1911. More contemporary for its age, its marble elements were joined by intricate terra cotta designs while the white barrel ceiling added a more modern touch while still allowing almost as much natural light to enter through its skylights that were placed at structured intervals.
The Euclid Arcade.
The two retail destinations, with The Arcade just across the street and the downtown headquarters and flagship of Cleveland institution Higbee’s just a block or two away, Colonial and Euclid remained popular stops up through the introduction of suburban shopping malls like Severance Town Center.
1- The Euclid Arcade entrance off of Prospect. 2- Just inside the Prospect entrance of Euclid. 3- Looking toward Euclid’s north. 4- More of Euclid Arcade’s shops.
Perhaps due to their smaller footprints, the Colonial and Euclid arcades never reached the level of dilapidation that The Arcade experienced in the ensuing decades. In 2000, the formerly distinct locations were bridged by the rather unimpressive food court and were then marketed as their present moniker.
Fifth Avenue Arcades Mallmanac ca. 2019. View the full PDF version here.
What was once the historic Colonial Hotel rising above each arcade’s entrance on Prospect was refurbished and rechristened as a Marriott hotel soon after while more modern lighting elements gave the facility an overall classic yet updated feel. Today, though not as architecturally impressive or significant as its grandiose neighbor, what were once Colonial and Euclid Arcades have found continuing popularity, even outlasting many of its suburban rivals at Randall Park, Richmond Town Center and Parmatown malls.
