Cleveland’s Margaritaville outpost in the Flats East Bank has never taken a seasonal closure before, and it will not this year, despite protestations.
The temporary closure for winter is, in fact, permanent, landlord Bobby George told Scene.
“We made a deal,” he says. “Essentially, they were not activating the space as much as I thought they could have. It wasn’t great for them. It wasn’t enough for me. There is a new tenant partner lined up. Our group will be a partner, but they’ll be the operator.”
George declined to provide further details.
Margaritaville’s exit comes the same week as news of the abrupt closures of both Inferno and Rum Runners.
Scene dining editor Doug Trattner recently dug into the various factors at play as the East Bank appears to be at an inflection point. Operators told Scene concerns over safety, traffic, tenant mix, changing real estate ownership, and leadership after the death of Scott Wolstein have them pessimistic on the Flats’ short-term future.