Browse Interviews

Rob Pryor, co-owner of Record Revolution in Coventry Village in Cleveland Heights, provides a history of the legendary Coventry store and describes Coventry's youth culture in the 1980s and 1990s. Pryor grew up in Cleveland Heights in the 1970s and moved to the Coventry area in the mid-1980s. An avid skateboarder, Pryor started working at Record Revolution, which also sold skateboards. He discusses the diverse and often eccentric "characters" of Coventry's scene in the 1980s-90s. He provides an…

George Fitzpatrick, artist and former manager of Heights Art Theater, describes some of the Coventry characters that he ran into over the years working on and patronizing the commercial strip in Cleveland Heights. He discusses Coventry's older era as a Jewish business district and its transformation into a countercultural hub for the region, police efforts to crack down on drug use in the area, the district's popularity with the Hell's Angels, his interactions with Harvey Pekar, and the various…

Sisters Rebecca and Christina Attenson share their memories of growing up in the Coventry area of Cleveland Heights and owning the store Attenson's Antiques and Books on Coventry Road. Although the self-described hippies have grown up, their legacy lingers in Coventry's commercial district where the bizarre is never surprising.

Alan Rapoport, former Mayor of Cleveland Heights and active community member, discusses how Cleveland Heights and, more particularly, Coventry changed from the 1960s through to the present. From his tenure on City Council and heavy involvement in the local community organization Coventry Neighbors Inc., he describes key initiatives, events, and innovative improvements that helped ensure that the city remained a vibrant, tolerant part of Greater Cleveland.

Dave Woldman recalls his experiences in the Heights during the 1960s through the 1970s. He grew up in a conservative Jewish home, but later embraced the counterculture movement and the alternative lifestyles particular to Coventry Village.

Frank Gerlak, architect and urban planner, discusses the history of Coventry and, more generally, Cleveland Heights. Throughout this discussion he touches on the topics of streetcars, planned suburbs, public transportation, and the nation's obsession with the automobile, which concludes with thoughts on Cleveland's development, growth, and missed chances.

Bruce Hennes first heard about Coventry Village in Cleveland Heights as a teenager living in Canton, Ohio. Soon after high school he moved to Coventry, planted his roots, and became heavily involved in the community. He shares his experiences with and perspectives on Coventry Neighbors Inc., Coventry Community Development Organization, Coventry Village Special Improvement District, and the Coventry Street Fair.

Richard Baznik, University Historian at Case Western Reserve University, provides a detailed history of the development of the university and describes how the school responded to various national and local events and movements. He notes CWRU's relationship with other cultural and educational institutions in the area.

Christopher Hubbert grew up in Cleveland Heights and describes the area. Throughout his adult life he has lived in Forest Hills and he discusses the development of this neighborhood. He discusses the community atmosphere inherent in the Forest Hills neighborhood, which he attributes to strong resident associations.

In this 2007 interview, Karen Novak, a freelance photographer and life long east-side Clevelander, talks about Cleveland's underground rock club scene during the 1990s. One of the venues that she discusses in great detail is the Euclid Tavern which was located at East 116th and Euclid in Cleveland. Ms. Novak reveals an immense amount of her knowledge of rock, punk and other bands from Cleveland and other bands that came to Cleveland in the 1990s. She recounts a number of interesting stories…

Ruth Dancyger, historian of Temple-Tifereth Israel, and Sue Koletsky, director of the temple museum, discuss the history of Temple Tifereth Israel at E. 105th Street in Cleveland, OH. Among the topics covered in depth are the history of Jews in Cleveland, the history of Zionism, the career of Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver, including his role at the synagogue and the important part he played in the early Zionist movement, the art and architecture of Temple-Tifereth Israel, the Coventry neighborhood…

Sura Sevastopoulos was born in Cleveland in 1948. She grew up with her mother and grandmother in Cleveland Heights, originally attended Coventry School, and recalls the walk to school quite vividly. She went to college at the Cleveland Insitute of Art, and while in school she worked at a nightclub called "La Cave," which featured many popular artists such as the Velvet Underground. Sura participated in antiwar marches down Euclid Avenue, and once lived on Hessler Road in the late 1960s. She…

Born and raised in the Bronx, Judith VanKleef attended college at the University of Wisconsin. She moved to Cleveland's West Side in 1950 and then to Cleveland Heights in 1964. She discusses the shifting color line on Cleveland's East Side in the 1950s-60s and the impact of blockbusting on neighborhoods including her own. She details a blockbusting campaign in the Grant Deming's Forest Hill neighborhood in about 1967 or 1968 that catalyzed the reconstitution of a long defunct block club to try…

Lind grew up in Kansas and, after college, attended graduate school at the University of Chicago. He taught at Cleveland State University and lived first on Cleveland's near east side, then in Euclid before choosing Coventry Village in Cleveland Heights as an escape from the racial intolerance he felt characterized Cleveland's suburbs in the early 1970s. Lind became active in testing compliance with fair housing laws and returned to school to earn a degree in law. In 1977 he assumed the…

Lana Cowell, a transplant from Youngstown, Ohio, discusses fighting for integration in Cleveland Heights. She begins by talking about her father and how he owned Idora Park in Youngstown. She then explains the push for integration in Cleveland Heights. She describes how the Housing Center at Cleveland Heights began at St. Ann's Church and gives an extensive background. She also discusses, in great detail, the Heights Community Congress. She briefly mentions the business districts of Cleveland…

Richard Turbow, resident of Coventry for 40 years, discusses the many changes that the area has gone through. Turbow paints a picture that chronicles Coventry's shift from Hippies to Punks to College Students. He mentions many restaurants, shops, and hangout places including Irv's, Tommy's, and Seesaw. He also makes mention of the Coventry Street fair. He points out that the changes in housing in University Circle caused more and more students to move to Coventry, which accounts for the…

Joe Hunter describes growing up in Coventry and how the scene in Coventry changed in the 1980s.

Susan Predergast discusses being a teenager in University Circle and Coventry during the 1960s. She says that there was a general distrust and fear of youths on the eve and after the Glenville Riots. She says that this contributed to the shift from the University Circle area to Coventry Village.

Timothy Damon, University Circle Resident, describes his memories of Coventry. His first memories begin in the 1980s and center around the Arabica Coffeehouse. He mentions two other Arabicas in the area and the various stereotypes that went along with each one. He then talks about various restaurants and shops on Coventry. Damon speaks to the uniqueness of Coventry before comparing it to University Circle. He concludes by bringing up a story about the caring people who lived on Coventry.

Violet Frayne discusses the Hippie Era of Coventry Road. She shares that she and her husband moved into the neighborhood in 1966, and almost immediately she began working for Bill Jones selling dresses. She discusses many of the businesses there and how they came together to form the Coventry Merchants Association. They realized that they needed the help of the residents to be effective so they later created the Coventry Homeowners Association, which became Coventry Neighbors. Throughout the…

In this short interview, Martin Friedman discusses Coventry Village. He says he grew up in Coventry until his parents moved them to University Heights. Martin, however, eventually made his way back to Coventry, much to the chagrin of his parents. They always thought that Coventry reminded them of the troubles they had when they "were moving on up." Martin also describes his favorite events on Coventry and what he was involved with on Coventry. He was made famous by Harvey Pekar and ornithopters,…

Steve Presser, owner of Big Fun, describes his life in Cleveland Heights, being owner of a toy store, and his love for Coventry. He begins by giving a brief history of the path he took to owning Big Fun. He also talks about the renovations and construction he did to open the original store and then the current store. After that, Steve discusses his affinity for locally owned business and his affiliation with the "Cash Mob," which is a group of people who go to locally owned stores and spend…

In this brief interview, Peggy Spaeth is asked about her involvement as the director of Heights Arts. She is asked how she got the position and about some of the projects that she is involved in. She describes in detail the Coventry Village neighborhood. She details what inspired the street signs, benches, and fences in that neighborhood. She concludes by touching upon some of the other projects that Heights Arts is involved in like "Fencepiration."

Kathy Blackman, owner of the Grog Shop, describes her business. She talks about the founding of the venue, and how her and her two partners set off without a plan. She also mentions that their growth into the music scene was entirely organic. She says that at one point she considered moving away from Cleveland Heights because a new landlord had kicked her out. Finally, she says that she cannot pick a favorite act but she can talk about a fiasco that she will never forget.

Larry Beam reflects on his eight years as president of the Coventry Neighbors Incorporated, particularly the ending of the Coventry street fair. He also recalls the Jewish organized crime in the area around the 1970s.

Roseana Bass, owner of Diamond's Flowers, talks about her experiences in Coventry Village. She talks about the previous owners of the store, and how she came to acquire the business. She also discusses the Coventry Street Fair and her involvement. She concludes by talking about how much Coventry Road has changed over the years.

Tommy Fello, owner of Tommy's in Coventry, discusses growing up in Cleveland Heights and starting his drug store/restaurant. Fello discusses the supportive community in Coventry, the history of the neighborhood, and his move to solely selling food at the Tommy's that exists today.

Daniel Landau describes working in Coventry and the businesses in the neighborhood in the 1960s and 1970s.

Lorence Hyler recalls what Coventry Village was like in the 1970s and 80s. He particularly remembers his work with the Food Project and Coventry Books and what remained of the Jewish community in the area.

Cindy Silver describes spending time in Coventry while growing up and living in the area as an adult.

Bill Mitchell, owner of Mitchell's Fine Chocolates, discusses growing up in Cleveland Heights and running his father's business. He says that he has many fond memories of growing up in the Coventry neighborhood of Cleveland Heights. He recalls several of the businesses that used to be there and several businesses that are still there. He then moves into a discussion of Greek Immigration and how many concession stands were owned by Greeks throughout Cleveland. He concludes by talking about how he…

In this interview with Suzanne DeGaetano, the owner of Mac's Backs Books on Coventry, she discusses how Coventry has changed around her. She describes her personal journey and how she ended up co-owning a bookstore. She then describes her experiences as an owner and shopkeeper. She also discusses how embracing the neighborhood has been and that is the reason why they have remained even though many other bookstores have closed down.

Karen Bauman recalls the vibrancy of Coventry in the 1970s, especially her time at Irv's Restaurant and the good times that were had there.

John Richmond recalls his places of employment and the "hippie culture" of Coventry during the late 1960s.

In this brief clip, Andy Gathy, current owner of Heights Hardware, talks about his father and how he came to acquire Heights Hardware. He talks about how they used to offer a sleugh of services, and are thinking about going back to them. He mentions the benefits of joining ACE Hardware as an affiliate. He also talks about how Heights Hardware used to offer a sleugh of services, including plumbing and electrical work. He concludes with a discussion of three men and how they are part of the…

Regis Garrity recounts his contribution to Coventry Village by gathering support of 18 area businesses in 1976 to buy a two-page spread in Key Magazine.

Marvin Rosenberg recounts the moving of his bicycle shop from Lakeview to Coventry.

Carole Close describes the political scene of Coventry in the 1960s and 1970s. She was a political activist in the area and describes the neighborhood not only as a accepting place for hippies, but as an area that experienced a significant amount of political activism.

George Fitzpatrick recalls his unique experiences working in Cleveland area theatres, and within Coventry.