Brian Lindenbaum and his partner John-Michael Speelman spent nearly a year converting the former Jos. A. Bank and Pearl Asian Kitchen spaces at Van Aken Plaza into a 17,000-square-foot entertainment complex starring golf sims, a bar and restaurant. 1899 Golf and Social opened in early 2023, but after less than two years, the owners decided to wind down operations.
“We did everything we could to continue operations at 1899 Social but ultimately we couldn’t weather the industry trends and operational challenges,” says Lindenbaum.
They are not alone; it’s an issue facing the entire industry, he adds.
“I think we are seeing it across the board for all of hospitality: higher labor costs, shrinking labor pool, higher food costs, lower customer traffic, and higher expectations from customers. The combination is an extremely challenging atmosphere to be successful in.”
The first 1899 Indoor Golf property opened in Canton in 2018. A year later, the owners opened a larger facility in Twinsburg. Those ventures are still operating.
From 1948 to 1985, this address was home to the Vogue Theater. No word on what will become of the property, which boasts soaring ceilings, wraparound mezzanines and plenty of space.
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This article appears in Jan 30 – Feb 12, 2025.