Cleveland Rock Gym Has Closed

Cleveland Rock Gym, Northeast Ohio’s oldest and most venerated climbing gym, has officially closed its doors. Owner Chris Allen announced this week in a Facebook post that the Euclid gym’s final day of business was Sunday. He said he could not come to terms with the building’s new landlord during Covid-19.

Cleveland Rock Gym has provided an array of big walls and bouldering walls for local climbers for more than 25 years. Allen has been the owner for eight. He thanked the gym’s loyal customers and friends and families and said a message to members would be forthcoming soon.

Rock climbing has become increasingly popular in recent years, and new gyms have sprouted up in both Tremont and Lakewood. The former Masonic Temple on Franklin Boulevard in Ohio City is currently under renovation and, when open, promises to be one of the largest rock gyms in the state.

But Cleveland Rock Gym was the OG. It catered to climbers at every skill level and was a popular destination for parties and group outings. It’s yet another casualty of Covid-19.

***
Sign up for Scene’s weekly newsletters to get the latest on Cleveland news, things to do and places to eat delivered right to your inbox.

This article appears in Jul 29 – Aug 11, 2020.