Fairport Harbor residents and business owners have expressed their concerns to village government leaders about the future of the community’s downtown. Related Articles Local News | Painesville clarifies when property owners need to replace sidewalks Local News | Willowick Service Department receives new ice control spray unit Local News | NEO Elite 10-and-under flag football team headed to national tournament Local News | Mentor Public Library hosts program on Christmas songs Local News | Mentor Public Library hosts talk on past Cleveland’s department stores Village Council, during its Nov. 19 meeting, heard public comments from at least 10 people. This segment of the meeting focused specifically on downtown Fairport Harbor, because of recent events that prompted the upcoming closures of two longtime stores on High Street. Many of the people who addressed council urged the panel to take specific steps to ensure long-term success for downtown Fairport Harbor and protect the interests of business owners in the commercial district. Those public comments were inspired by some lengthy Facebook discussions that took place prior to the council meeting. Many people reacted to Facebook announcements that two specialty shops in Fairport Harbor — The Gravel Pit and The Roost — would be closing at the end of the year. The Gravel Pit, at 221 High St., and The Roost, 217 High St., are neighboring businesses that occupy the same building in downtown Fairport Harbor. Statements from each business were posted Nov. 18 on Facebook, explaining their reasons for closing: • The Gravel Pit: “It’s with heavy, heavy hearts we have to announce that last week our building sold and we were blindsided with the news that the new owner will not be renewing our lease,” the business stated. “After 10 1/2 yrs we were given six weeks to vacate.” In addition, the statement noted the owners remained hopeful and were “working hard to figure out the next steps for the future.” The Gravel Pit is a specialty shop featuring reclaimed vintage, industrial and customized furniture and art. • The Roost: “After seven years of building a successful business, I am reluctantly closing my sweet little shop at the end of this year,” said Lisa Cummings, who owns the gift boutique. “Sadly, the new building owner has increased my rent for 2025 to an unreasonable amount so I’ve decided to retire and spend more time with my friends and family.” The building in which The Roost and The Gravel Pit lease space recently was purchased by Zach Weaver, a real estate investor who owns other properties in Fairport Harbor. A few Facebook posts urged people to attend the Nov. 19 Village Council meeting to voice their opinions about Weaver’s property purchase and how it impacted two established businesses. A large crowd packed the spectator section at the meeting, and one member of the audience happened to be Weaver himself. Mayor Timothy Manross invited to Weaver to speak first during the public comment session, to hopefully answer questions that were on many people’s minds. Weaver said his intention for the building is to turn The Gravel Pit’s space into a candy store and arcade. “And the side where The Roost is, we offered that to the Gravel Pit (to lease),” he said. “They have chosen not to move into that side. That is their choice and their business decision.” Weaver said his new shop will be a family-oriented business that sells candy and vintage brands of pop, and features boardwalk-style arcade games that you’d find in beach towns such as Geneva-on-the-Lake. “I would like (the new candy store and arcade) to be open by Memorial Day,” he said. Manross then asked audience members to raise their hands if they wanted to address council. The next person he called upon was Niki Betteley, co-owner of The Gravel Pit. Betteley first told the audience that The Gravel Pit’s owners were still thinking about all possible options for the future of the business. Betteley then expressed frustration because she has urged council over the past 10 years to approve legislation aimed at protecting the downtown’s specialty shops and restaurants. She had been hoping for passage of legislation that would deny occupancy permits for certain types of new businesses — such as offices — that wouldn’t help attract an abundance of customers for the existing stores and eateries. However, she said none of those proposed restrictions has ever been approved. “It’s been a decade,” Betteley said. “It doesn’t take 10 years to implement policy and change.” Lianne Mantione, who is co-owner of The Pompadour restaurant at 320 High St., said village government must play a key role in ensuring the future success of downtown Fairport Harbor. “I cannot emphasize enough how much the strategic planning and the work in doing the ordinance changes, and all of the legislative things in the background, from the administration to the council, to the laws and the law director, all of those things that consistently and proactively have to happen, in order for this town to continue to mature into a prosperous and economically viable community,” said Mantione, who also resides in Fairport Harbor. Several audience members told council that prospective businesses face a problem in finding rental spaces that are in good condition in Fairport Harbor. Anna Tyrrell is a counselor and mediator whose office is located at 611 Plum St. in Fairport Harbor. Tyrrell said she personally had a difficult time locating suitable office space in the village. “I don’t know if there’s anything council can do, but I hope that there’s some consideration to look at the spaces we have in this town that are laying vacant, and making sure that we can get them up to code or somehow usable,” said Tyrrell, who also lives in Fairport Harbor. Other residents who issued public comments wondered what Fairport Harbor Village government has been doing to promote economic development. Manross told the audience that the village is continuing to work diligently with project partners on the steps needed to eventually construct a $14 million transient marina. This marina will be located at the northern end of Water Street, along the Lake Erie shoreline. The transient marina would be tailored to attract boaters from outside of Lake County for stays typically ranging from a day to two weeks. It’s anticipated that boat passengers will spend money at stores and restaurants in downtown Fairport Harbor during their visits. In addition, Manross said the village recently completed the demolition of its former water treatment plant along the Lake Erie shoreline. Fairport Harbor intends to seek proposals to redevelop the property. If a business is built and opens on the site, it would generate new tax revenue for the village. The village also has installed new sidewalks, curb ramps and streetlights in two sections of downtown Fairport Harbor in the last three years. “This council, this administration, we will continue to push to make Fairport Harbor better,” Manross said. “Anyone who says that we haven’t hasn’t been paying attention to what’s going on.”