Happy Opening Day, Westsiders! Grab your winter clothes and head on down to Progressive Field to celebrate the Boys of Snow Summer. Make sure to stop at The Thirsty Parrot, The Whistle, or The Clevelander to get in the proper state of mind to cheer on the Guards.

Today we’re buzzing on:

• 🏆 The 2025 Mutt Madness Finals

• ✂ The Arcade on Detroit set opening date

• 🍜 WSM exclusive dinner

Plus, 21 fun things to do this week!

Let’s get to it,

—The Briggses

COMMUNITY BLEND

Mark your calendars | West 25th

The West Side Market is holding an exclusive dinner event in the East Arcade on Friday, May 9, 2025 at 6 pm. They are bringing in some heavy hitters to benefit the WSM and kick off the big renovations starting just 10 days later. Dinner will be a unique long table-style dinner featuring creations from acclaimed chefs, including James Beard nominees Vinnie Cimino and Jeremy Umansky, alongside Chef Eric Wells and spice expert Ramat Wiley.

Here is the schedule for the evening:

🍸 Cocktail hour: 6-7 PM

The evening begins with a festive cocktail hour from 6-7pm featuring merchant demonstrations, bouquet making, live music, and a signature WSM cocktail.

🍝 Family-style dinner: 7-9:30 PM

From 7-9:30 pm, guests will enjoy a family-style dinner with an open bar. With only 100 tickets available due to space limitations and all proceeds benefiting West Side Market, this truly is a "now or never" opportunity to be part of market history.

🎫 Cost: $500 per ticket

They are only selling 100 tickets to this exclusive event, so get yours now!

REAL ESTATE

Construction starts on new 13-story Shoreway Tower | Shoreway

One of my favorite drives in the entire city is the westbound Shoreway from downtown to Lakewood. Coming February 2027, the meandering drive between the urban landscape and our beautiful lake will see the new Shoreway Tower be a part of the skyline.

The new 110-unit building will feature 4,000 square feet of commercial space and premium amenities like a rooftop pool and grilling deck overlooking the lake.

❓ Guess the list price | Rocky River

Let’s play a little game called Guess the Price. This Tudor Revival home, built in 1930, is a stunning masterpiece that would make Jay Gatsby jealous.

• Square Feet: 7,631 sq. ft.

• Beds: 6

• Baths: 8

One thing I’ve always wondered about mansions…what is the point of having 8 bathrooms? The answer to today’s game is at the bottom of the newsletter.

BUSINESS OPENINGS

Sofia’s Kitchen + Bar | Lakewood

Westside foodies have another place to try! Andrew Revy of Immigrant Son Brewery is opening Sofia's Kitchen + Bar on April 15 in the former Salt space. He transformed the interior into what he calls a "corner bar meets American bistro" with thoughtful renovations, including a relocated entrance and freshened interior.

Andrew tapped a familiar name to lead the kitchen. Cleveland culinary star Andy Strizak (whose impressive resume includes Parker's, Lolita, and Flying Fig), will be offering a diverse menu of comfort food classics and seasonal dishes alongside an impressive drink selection featuring Immigrant Son beers, creative cocktails, and what Revy proudly describes as "a robust glass program" for wine lovers. Douglas Trattner

The Arcade on Detroit sets opening date | Lakewood

The official opening date for The Arcade on Detroit is set for April 18th! We wrote a few weeks ago when it was announced that Dan Deagan was going to be opening up an arcade bar in the same space that used to house the original Deagan’s restaurant.

When 16-Bit moved to consolidate with Pins on West 25th, it left a pinball-sized hole in my heart. The Westside Buzz will be there on opening night to celebrate the occasion. Come say hello!

RESTAURANT CLOSING

😢 Xinji Bows Out: Noodles No More | Cleveland

Cleveland's beloved Xinji Noodle Bar has announced they'll be serving their final bowls of ramen on April 19th, 2025, in a heartfelt farewell message that's leaving local foodies a bit misty-eyed. While they didn't share specific reasons for closing, their gracious goodbye emphasized gratitude for the wonderful community connections they've made over the years—making this less of a sad ending and more of a warm "thank you" to everyone who's slurped noodles at their tables.

📸 @THEWESTSIDEBUZZ

Tag @TheWestsideBuzz on Instagram to have your photos featured in The Buzz

🐕 MUTT MADNESS

And then there were two!

We are down to the Mutt Madness Finals! Here’s how we got there. The final four saw Oliver pulling off a come-from-behind victory over Sully that had everyone's tails wagging in disbelief! Just when we thought we'd seen it all, our second semifinal brought equal excitement as Isla managed to edge out Lucy.

Here is the final matchup!

What’s at stake?

• The winning pup will get a $50 gift certificate at the local pet store of their choice

• The family will get a photography session with renowned pet photographer Robyn White at no cost!

Robyn has been professionally capturing photos of dogs for 8 years and got her start volunteering at City Dogs Cleveland. She is donating her services for our 2025 Mutt Madness winner so please support her, Buzz Nation! 👇

CLEVELAND HISTORY

The Aliened American made history on April 9, 1853, becoming Cleveland's very first African American newspaper at a time when only two other Black publications existed in the entire country. Led by Oberlin College graduate William H. Day as editor-in-residence, this groundbreaking publication was created following persistent advocacy from the Ohio and National Conventions of Colored Freemen, representing a crucial step forward in giving voice to the Black community.

📰 WESTSIDE POUR OVER

What’s Brewing?

North Olmsted: Hey seniors in North Olmsted, get ready to waltz into Spring. The Senior Center is hosting a fundraiser dance on April 14 at the Community Cabin, featuring live music by entertainer John Kowalski, who'll be playing tunes from the '50s through the '80s. Details 👉 HERE

Lakewood: Calling all realtors! The City of Lakewood is actively seeking a licensed real estate professional to market and sell four residential vacant lots on Arden, Hopkins, and Newman Avenues. City Council is expected to approve a realtor to facilitate sales that will likely hit the market this spring. Details 👉 HERE

WHAT’S HAPPENING?

🧸 Kids Corner

Weather

Tuesday

35 🌡️ 30 | 🌤 | 0% | 💨 NW 14-18 mph

Wednesday

47 🌡️ 38 | 🌤🌧 | 40% | 💨 SW 5-7 mph

Thursday

51 🌡️ 38 | 🌧 | 70% | 💨 S 9-11 mph

💧^{🌡️ Water temperature = 39ºF}

Guess the Price: Answer $4,750,000

That’s it for today, Westsiders.

Until Friday,

—The Briggses