I recently stopped by Cleveland's for a Yelp Elite event; in typical fashion, I left with a big smile on my face, having been on the receiving end of a most pleasurable (and public, which was part of the thrill) cupping and shaving. Needless to say, Pat and Harry, proprietors of the joint, excel at servicing their clients. My only regret is the hot mess I left on the floor of their tidy space, but these things are hard to avoid when you've been drinking and are having a good time.
Don't let the flannel shirts and fuschia-colored pants fool you. The hipster vibe may be real, but this place has the chops to back up its subtle we're-better-than-everyone-else 'tude. If you get that feeling, it's because it's true. On the styling side, Pat's got a pedigree that found its roots in the storied salons of London and Paris. Harry's no slouch, either. He's been honing the art of the perfectly roasted coffee bean at Little Marionette (where they now get their beans) for several years, and then some.
I don't think anyone was expecting Yelpers to get actual haircuts at Elite events. We're bad-ass, but we're pseudo-cops, at best. The badge, while shiny, only gets you so far. Still, when I brazenly asked Pat if he would give me a touch-up, he graciously put down his beer and agreed to a trim. "A buzz while buzzed" -- not everyone can pull this off, mind you, much less do a fantastic job, but Pat's a consummate professional with hands of Scissorhandian gold. Somewhere on the Yelp website are the photos to prove it.
Still high from the climax only a great haircut can provide, I stumbled over for a post-coi(ffured) coffee. Harry makes a mean soy cap, no easy feat considering so many baristas get the balance of coffee and steamed soy milk wrong. Putting in the cocoa powder before pouring the coffee, so it actually disperses throughout instead of gathering on the sides? Genius. I also hear they're brainstorming some savories to add to their existing menu of sweet pastries and takeaways. The space is small, but as they say, size doesn't matter; it's what you do with what you've got that counts. read more