Frozen Daiquiri Bar, Which Left the Flats This Summer, Finds New Home in the Gateway District

James Cleveland invested approximately a half-million dollars to open the bar of his dreams in the Flats, but now he has his sights set on the Gateway District. In the summer of 2022, Cleveland opened the Frozen Daiquiri Bar at 1313 Old River Rd., but following a round of battles and negotiations with his landlord, real estate developer GBX Group, Cleveland ended up walking away from the property the following summer.

“We worked out a deal that was best for everybody,” Cleveland explains. “It wasn’t my idea to do that, but thankfully I got out of there and maybe even found a better location. I’m just excited to get a second opportunity.”

That location is 721 Bolivar Rd., most recently home to Fin & Feathers and, before that, Victory Alley Sports Bar. The bar and restaurant is just steps from Progressive Field and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, which makes it a natural stop before and after sporting and entertainment events in the area.

Cleveland already is hard at work to ready the space for an early spring opening. He is hoping to have the doors open long before the Home Opener. Like the original, the new Frozen Daiquiri Bar will feature bar swings, eight daiquiri machines, and plenty of food and drink options. This time around, he says, the kitchen is planning to roll out an even more ambitious menu, with more vegan options, pastas and desserts.

“We have a very diverse menu and at this location we are actually looking to increase our food presence and food menu,” says Cleveland.

Down the road, Cleveland hopes to transform the second level into a sports lounge.

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This article appears in Jan 3-16, 2024.