Dredger's Union Closing :( (Cleveland: Home Depot, neighborhood, buying)

[Cleverfield]

Dredgers Union store closing on East 4th Street, after year of testing retail in downtown Cleveland | cleveland.com I'm sad, I really liked this place. I thought it was a great addition to E. 4th street. I guess there just wasn't a large enough, wealthy enough population base in downtown Cleveland to support it. Thoughts?

[bjimmy24]

I was sad to read this today too... Cool little store with good people working there. I think for a place like that to thrive downtown, we need people with more wealth actually living there, not stopping by for 5 minutes before heading back to the suburbs. All the young people is a good start, but really the area needs to probably double in population.

Though I wonder how the CLE Clothing Co. is doing down there. Seems like everyone I see at Indians games is wearing something from that shop.

[Kamms]

Always thought this place was too much of a "specialty" store with higher-end priced merchandise to make it downtown. DU would have made a great complement to an established retail base; however, as we all know, street retail is non-existent downtown.

[Cleveland_Collector]

I went in there a few times. It's a cool store, but nothing was really my style. It's pretty much neuveau riche hipster garb and I'm not too sure where the market for that is, well, pretty much anywhere outside of Manhattan.

On the other hand, the CLE Clothing store is supposedly doing very well and I know of several people who have made purchases there.

[shakeababy]

decent stuff, beautiful store. they should sell cheaper stuff at the E4th location, or make a move to crocker/legacy/eton/etc...

[RaisedRustbelt]

NOOOOOO

oh well I've gone into that store a bunch of times. It was kind of my style, but never bought anything because everything was just too expensive. The avg. price for a garment of clothing was like $80. I might be form the burbs but I don't have that much money.

[shakeababy]

Originally Posted by RaisedRustbelt

NOOOOOO

oh well I've gone into that store a bunch of times. It was kind of my style, but never bought anything because everything was just too expensive. The avg. price for a garment of clothing was like $80. I might be form the burbs but I don't have that much money.

Yeah, I liked a lot of what they had for dudes, but I could find the same stuff cheaper elsewhere :-(

Sad.

[Cleveland_Collector]

That's part of the dilemma facing just about everyone who wants to support mom and pop. Do I buy "local" and pay 20-30% more to support a business that, while there heart is likely in the right place, either has no idea what they are doing or is trying to command high prices in the name of being "local?" Or, do I do what's best for my pocketbook? The latter tends to win unless the product is exceptional or can be had no place else. The days of "commanding" a price-point simply because of your location are long gone unless it's a dire necessity for someone. $80+ per item clothing is never a dire necessity.

[billmesh]

Supporting the local economy or not... I can't justify spending that kind of money on clothes. It just doesn't make sense to me. Different strokes for different folks, I guess. Sad to see it close down, though. Downtown may be poised for more of a retail market in a few more years with some continuing residential growth.

I have shopped at CLE clothing, though, and that place is awesome.

[Cleveland_Collector]

Right, they offer a relatively unique line of shirts and accessories at reasonable price point. That's why they'll probably survive.

I once heard a local hardware store owner griping about people not supporting his store. Then, I went there to buy a fitting for my hot water tank. He wanted $11 for what Home Depot charges $4 for. He could have stocked his store by buying from Home Depot and would have still turned almost 200% gross profit. Expecting people to buy from you because you live in the neighborhood = terrible business model.