If you are in the area, you can't skip this place. If you're from Cleveland, the Marketplace at the Cooke will remind you a lot of the 5th Street Arcades in downtown Cleveland. This is a super cool public market hall in downtown Sandusky with maybe 15ish (just a guess) local businesses like a bakery, bowling alley, axe throwing game space, ice cream shop and boutiques. This is a cool place to spend an hour or two just browsing and supporting local while grabbing some dessert.
The building has some type of history to it which I was unable to readily find online (boo, that is so odd). But the history is paid homage in the design of this space, with old timey photos of Sandusky and Cedar Point blown up on the walls and little stories to accompany them. The design is actually brilliant. It's a cool mixture of old school heritage meets modern rustic vibes. It makes you want to stop and look.
The businesses in this building are open during the pandemic, just make sure to check with each business directly before visiting as most of the hours are likely changed. I stopped by here extremely quickly (I do not go out much during the pandemic) to pick up some pre-paid birthday treats from Bake Erie. It has a spacious, accessible parking lot and is just a joy to browse. Check it out for yourself, than continue exploring the surrounding area of local businesses... and Lake Erie :) read more