CLEVELAND — It's supposed to be one of the crown jewels of Cleveland, but West Side Market vendors are furious. They said their one and only working elevator is broken, and it's making business nearly impossible in what they said are already challenging conditions.
“For the love of God, fix our elevators,” said Renee Williams, Owner of Rita’s.
All four elevators at West Side Market are broken. The final one gave out Wednesday morning.
“They're very important for everybody to run their business,” said Jason Scott, produce stand owner. “Our small businesses taking a hit every day because of us this.”
The elevators are essential for vendors to move tons and gallons worth of product from the basement to the market floor daily.
“We move everything by the five-gallon bucket; you can't carry that up 20 stairs,” said Williams. “I personally have 200-plus pounds of pickles sitting in my cold garage because I couldn't bring them to work to put them in my cooler.”
Boutros Brothers Produce is one of many vendors that had no other choice than to close today.
“It's not healthy to work there at all,” said Tom Boutros, owner of Boutros Bros Produce. “Every day, the way we work, I have to wait two hours for an elevator, power goes off, roof leaking, pipes breaking.”
For years, vendors said they have been begging for needed repairs but say their needs have fallen on deaf ears.
“I feel like they don't want to put the money into the place anymore, but we have to pay our rent on time, all the time, you know, and it's paid,” said Scott. "Please, we just want somebody to fix it.”
Outraged vendors tweeted Cleveland City Council Wednesday in frustration. D.W. Whitaker Meats said, “Can you hold this landlord accountable."
Keep in mind, the City of Cleveland is the landlord. Cleveland mayor Justin Bibb responded to the tweet asking Cleveland City Council to pass his $15 million American Rescue Plan Act Proposal to fund basic repairs at the market.
In a statement, the City of Cleveland told News 5, in part:
"As the owners of this property it is our responsibility to make much needed investments to keep the market running and to ensure that this landmark and its businesses are set up for success for generations to come.”
“We want to know how the future of a whole market is going to go; I mean the future is pretty sad,” Scott added. “This is our livelihood. This is how we make our money every day.”
The City of Cleveland said they are working on repairs and expect one of the market's four elevators up and running by the end of Wednesday. It is still unknown whether ARPA funding will be approved, but in the meantime, vendors have a message for elected officials.
“Unacceptable, unacceptable,” said Williams. “Whatever money the council is fighting over, can we have our money please so we can fix the elevators, and everyone can get on with their business?”
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