Condado Tacos Founder Joe Kahn Has Purchased Edison’s Pub in Tremont

It’s been a turbulent few years for Edison’s Pub in Tremont, which had been a steady ship in the Cleveland nightlife scene for nearly 40 years.

In 2025, Hangry Brands announced that it had purchased the beloved institution, adding it to their quickly expanding portfolio of bars and restaurants that includes STEAK, Jolene’s, Society Lounge, Slice Shop, Lionheart Coffee and The Yard.

But less than a year later, long-time Edison’s Pub owner Mark LaGrange reclaimed possession of the bar, stating that Hangry Brands failed to make required payments on the purchase of the business.

That turmoil pales in comparison to what has taken place next door in the adjoining pizzeria. In 2023, Edison’s Pizza Kitchen owner Karl Nickel announced that he was pulling up stakes after many years, adding that he intended to reopen his popular pizza shop in a new location.

Later that same year, Mark LaGrange’s son Pete opened Edison’s Next Door Pizza in the space, hoping to build excitement for a new brand in a refreshed storefront. Two months later, the owners walked away from the business, forcing LaGrange to shut it down and search for a new tenant. In 2024, Brian Moss and Brian Holleran, owners of Il Rione in Gordon Square, opened Lil Ronnie’s slice shop in that space. That arrangement lasted for nearly three years, until the operators decided this week to not renew their lease.

But now, a new chapter begins for Edison’s Pub and the adjoining storefront. Joe Kahn, founder of Condado Tacos, has purchased the business and the property. Since launching Condado in Columbus in 2014, Kahn has grown the brand to a staggering 50 locations spread across multiple states.

For Kahn, the purchase of Edison’s is a personal triumph.

“As you know, Edison’s is very special to Joe,” says spokesperson Jennifer Masley. “Joe managed the bar and met his wife there. And now he has this incredible opportunity to purchase the bar and he couldn’t be more excited.”

It’s early days, says Masley, but the team has big plans for the two properties. What they can say is that Edison’s Pub will stay open during this transition period and that it will remain Edison’s going forward. Longtime manager Alaina Jackson is still on the floor. The new owners aren’t ruling out a temporary closure down the road to implement changes, improvements and other developments.

“It’s in great hands,” adds Masley. “These are industry experts.”

As for the pizza space next door, the team has “lots of thoughts,” they say, but those too are decisions for another day.

Subscribe to CLE Bites, Doug Trattner’s weekly food newsletter.