Browse Interviews

Abdullah Almualem is the director of AACCESS-Ohio, an organization that at one time in Cleveland was thriving and helping Arab immigrants settle into the area. The organization is located on Cleveland's west side, near West 117th and Lorain Ave., an area designated by the city of Cleveland as 'Little Arabia'. Abdullah explains why he immigrated from Aleppo, Syria in 1994 to Cleveland and why he believes Aaccess to be integral to a prosperous immigrant population seeking to assimilate into…

Mark Kotora, Vice President of the Gust Gallucci Co., discusses the company's history and philosophy. An Italian grocery store located in Cleveland's Midtown Corridor, Gallucci's began in 1912 as a fruit vending company. Forced out of the downtown area by Cleveland's Gateway Project, the store moved into Midtown in the mid 1990s. Kotora discusses personal memories while working at Gallucci's, including interacting with customers, and immigrant stories. He also discusses Gallucci's customer…

Burt Saltzman, owner of Dave's Supermarket, discusses the evolution of his family business in the Cleveland area and how demographic, economic, and environmental changes have impacted his industry. Burt explains his family history, memories of living and operating in Cleveland, business philosophy, interesting narratives, and predictions for the future of the grocery industry. Despite the dynamic changes throughout Cleveland's history, Dave's has endured where many have failed.

In this 2012 interview, Terry Frick describes her journey at the West Side Market. Beginning at the market in the 1970s, Frick found herself at the famous "pizza bagel" stand. She tells stories of her first beginnings, Ohio City, and briefly describes Whiskey Island, her favorite Cleveland spot. She ends with expressing what it means to her being apart of the tradition of the West Side Market.

Larry Vistein in this 2012 interview talks about his experience at the West Side Market owning a beef stand. He worked under his father growing up as a cooler boy, and now owns the business. He talks about the changes both in the West Side Market and in the surrounding neighborhood. He also talks about how his business works: where he gets his meats, butchering, and selling.

In this 2012 interview, fruit vendor Richard Calabrese speaks about his life at the West Side Market. He briefly describes how his grandmother started the business as an Italian immigrant, and how immigration influenced how the West Side Market operated and still operates today. Calabrese describes going to the market with his family at a young age, and how his family was spread all over Cleveland as vendors, before coming back together at the West Side Market. He tells stories of how the market…

In this 2012 interview, Gordon Fernengel talks about owning a beef and pork stand at the West Side Market. His grandfather owned two meat stores outside the market and then bought a stand in 1922. The stand was passed on to his father and then to him. He explains how his father taught him to pick out beef and butcher it. He also relates how the neighborhood and the customers have changed over time.

Theresa White, in this 2012 interview, relates her experiences at the market from growing up as a customer to becoming a stand owner. She came with her grandmother as a child, then worked at the market in her teens for several stands. She worked as a butcher for Rolston Poultry, then went on to have her own poultry stand. From there she began her own bakery business, which she continues to operate to the present day.