Many restaurants and venues can’t remember who they were at the beginning of the 20th century — if they even existed at all. But there’s one name that Clevelanders have spoken for a hundred years with a semantic common ground, a name that reminds us that not everything has to become obsolete. And whether you pronounce it “may-hall’s” or “muh-hall’s,” Lakewood entertainment complex Mahall’s has a history that goes back 100 years, with only a handful of ownership changes in that time.
The building has seen quite a bit of change in its century — but today, it continues to offer itself as a second home, bowling alley, music locale, restaurant and venue for galas and weddings. “It existed before I did,” says former owner Kelly Flamos, “and it will exist after me.”
The Mahall Family
John K. Mahall opened his Lakewood business in 1924, soon serving many local leagues. The scene stayed in family hands, passed down to John’s sons Art and Cornelius, and then grandson Tom, who made renovations like buying the neighboring building for a billiard room and having automatic pin-setting machines installed.
“Their goal was to make sure Mahall’s was there forever. Part of that is adapting the space to what the market demands,” says Kelly Flamos, who became part of the next ownership group of Mahall’s in 2011.
During World War II, during which the persistent Mahall’s never closed, league bowling dwindled — and after the war, the sport saw a renaissance once again.
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Mahall’s Now
Now, Mahall’s is co-owned by Cory Hajde and continues to reach new audiences.
“I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to buy the institution that provided me a third place in my teenage years,” says Hajde. “With this comes a lot of nuance and dedication to preservation.”
Hajde says he’s emphasized getting to know the Mahall’s family, bowlers and creatives who have frequented the space for decades. Meanwhile, he’s made big changes to the venue, removing its main-floor bowling alleys for The Roxy stage, nixing its second-floor apartment venue and transforming the basement stage into a cocktail lounge.
“Cory’s leadership is a great step to making sure it’s there for the next 100 years,” Flamos says.
The Next Gen
Flamos initially bought the business from Tom and Art Mahall in 2011 and shape-shifted the establishment, emphasizing live music. As the pandemic hit in 2020, Mahall’s served customers primarily through takeout food instead of live events. Flamos also revealed more of the building’s initial charms; wallpaper was removed to show an original mural painted by Art and Cornelius, and the drop ceiling was redone to boast its earliest tiles.
“We restored it from its mid-century modern look back to its 1924 glory,” Flamos explains.
In 2021, Flamos and other parts of her ownership group sold their stakes in Mahall’s, and the group behind the local BravoArtist concert promotion company took over.
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