The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Local building back in business
New life breathed into industrial icon with diversified tenants
When industrial jewelry artist Brandon Holschuh was considering a home base for his studio, he had a dilemma.
The Concord Township resident wanted a family friendly commute along with a hip and trendy spot.
He said he took a risk in November, when he signed a longterm lease for a second-floor corner of the historic Matchworks building in Mentor. The post-and-beam architecture and exposed brick walls provided the aesthetic he wanted, but, at the time, the few other occupants were professional office uses.
Shortly after, however, more like-minded tenants began to follow suit.
“I thought, you know what? I think something cool is about to happen here,” he said. “Now we’ve got artists, galleries, all sorts of cool. … If something cool is happening in Lake County, I want to be in on it.”
Indeed, it appears that the landmark structure at 8500 Station St. is amid a renaissance.
About 80 percent is now occupied and includes soon-to-open The Fourk restaurant and Stella’s Art Gallery, the only working gallery of its kind on Cleveland’s east side. The March 31 grand opening drew an estimated 700 visitors.
The shift began when Lake County businessman Marc Wertenberger bought the ailing icon in foreclosure in late 2015.
“We have invested a significant amount of money on building renovations, which were years overdue,” he said. “We are aggressively seeking new tenants that want to be in the historical Matchworks building and be part of the building revitalization. …
“We are owner-occupied and looking to make the Matchworks building a destination for years to come.”
Staying power
From the beginning, the 50,000-square-foot broad brick building has had a history of reinvention.
It originated in 1868 and is believed to be Mentor’s first factory. There were numerous users over the years, including Mentor Knitting Mills, the Columbia Match Co. and Production Machinery Corp., which gutted and renovated the building, making way for the first of many restaurants.
Commercial office spaces were created in the late 1980s.
In recent years, the building had “fallen out of favor” as an office location, said Ronald M. Traub, Mentor economic & community development director. His office was instrumental in bringing Stella’s Art Gallery to the site.
The first restaurant was the Perfect Match, which opened in 1984. It was followed by La Sorella, Blue Tip Grill, Wallaby’s, Cabana’s, Match Works Tavern and Harry’s Hofbrau House, which closed in January.
“The interesting fact about the building is not that it has housed so many uses, but its staying power,” said Traub, noting that the tower — added in the early 1900s — is among the most prominent and interesting features on the city’s landscape.
“We hope to continue to be a partner in the evolution
and repurposing of this city architectural treasure.”
Fostering family
The Fourk is scheduled to open May 1 and will be steered by executive chef and business partner Ryan Scanlon, whose experience includes Burntwood Tavern.
It is described as a family friendly American Tavern serving classic food with a twist. Adult offerings are to include cocktails, microbrews on tap, a full wine menu and more.
“We will have well over 6,000 square feet inside and a 4,000-square-foot patio,” Wertenberger said.
The patio is to launch June 1. The plan is to seat 235 indoors and employ roughly 35 people.
Workers are busily transforming the interior with sleek and modern touches like polished concrete countertops, while incorporating original brick and stone into the design.
This is the first restaurant venture for Wertenberger, who grew up in Willoughby Hills and owns an electronics company tied to the fast-food industry.
“If this takes off, we’ll immediately start the second one,” he said. He is eyeing Lyndhurst or Chagrin Falls for an offshoot to be named Fourk & Pepper.
Wertenberger has redeveloped other real estate and had been watching the Matchworks property for a few years.
“When we took it over there was nothing on the first floor,” he said. “Now it’s 100 percent occupied. As people come in, we do the renovation for them.”
Stella’s Art took 2,000 square feet of the main floor and has studio spaces still available on the third floor.
The gallery offers an appealing array of art mediums on wall space rented by local artists and within individual studios used for work or display. Items ranging from oil paint and pottery to repurposed records and decoupage are for sale.
But it’s not just a place to market their wares. The business, begun by motherdaughter team Carol Pitts and Danielle Klein, also provides a venue for observing local artists creating on the job. In addition, it will host workshops and classes, and juried art shows for outside artists.
“Our gallery uses an integrated business structure with artists working together towards a common goal: to build community where artists can sell, create and teach art,” said Pitts, of Concord Township, who frequented the building when it housed The Perfect Match restaurant. The pair searched three years for the right spot, she said.
Opening day drew guests from as far Rocky River and Conneaut. Many of them had to wait in line to get in.
The gallery will keep later hours on Fridays and Saturdays to serve those who may want to browse before or after dinner next door. The neighbors also intend to collaborate on “wine and art” nights.
Stella’s artists will make a mural for one of The Fourk’s walls as well.
“If we’ve got businesses here, we’d like to use them any way we can,” Wertenberger said. “Keep it in the family.”
Another relatively new tenant likely to benefit from cross traffic is Sparkle & Shine Makeup Studio, opposite the gallery. Glass walls enable building visitors to view Karen Siat and other makeup artists on the job.
“Since my space would be small, I knew I didn’t want to be in a room that felt like I was boxed in and looked plain,” Siat said. “The lobby space with the windows sold me for sure. It has so much character, not to mention I wanted to have my business in Mentor, close to my home.”
Wertenberger’s goal to have all floors at full capacity within 90 days seems well within reach.
“Our No. 1 complaint was, ‘We didn’t know you had office space available,’ ” he said.
Photo gallery: More photos renovations at the Matchworks building are available at MEDIA.NEWSHERALD.COM.