Cleveland Ends Lease with Eastside Market Operator, Seeks New Grocer for Food Desert

City cites over $250,000 in unpaid taxes and utilities as reasons for not renewing lease with Northeast Ohio Neighborhood Health Services.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 3:23pm

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A minimalist studio still life photograph featuring a collection of polished, geometric objects in muted tones, conceptually representing the complex challenges of addressing food deserts in urban areas.The closure of the Eastside Market in Cleveland's Glenville neighborhood underscores the ongoing struggle to ensure reliable access to healthy, affordable food in urban communities.Cleveland Today

The Eastside Market in Cleveland's Glenville neighborhood will be closing its doors again, as the city declines to renew the lease with the current operator, Northeast Ohio Neighborhood Health Services (NEON). City officials cite over $200,000 in unpaid property taxes and $50,000 in unpaid utilities as the reasons for ending the lease. The city is now searching for a new operator to take over the space and establish a new grocery store or food services operation to serve the community.

Why it matters

The Eastside Market was opened in 2019 to address a longstanding food desert in the Glenville neighborhood, after previous attempts to attract a supermarket chain failed. Its closure leaves the community without a local grocery option, highlighting the challenges of sustaining food access in underserved urban areas.

The details

The city-owned Eastside Market first opened in 2019 after a $6.7 million investment, following five years of planning. NEON, a nonprofit that runs community health clinics, was selected to operate the 14,000 square-foot grocery store. However, the city says NEON has accumulated over $200,000 in unpaid property taxes and $50,000 in unpaid utilities, leading them to decline renewing the lease. The city is now committed to finding a new operator to take over the space and establish a new grocery or food services option for the Glenville neighborhood.

  • NEON's lease for the Eastside Market expires on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.
  • The Eastside Market first opened in 2019 after a $6.7 million renovation project.

The players

Northeast Ohio Neighborhood Health Services (NEON)

A nonprofit organization that runs a network of community health clinics in Cleveland and was previously selected to operate the Eastside Market grocery store.

Sarah Johnson

A spokesperson for the City of Cleveland, who announced the city's decision to not renew NEON's lease for the Eastside Market.

Kevin Conwell

The Cleveland City Councilman whose ward includes the Eastside Market, who expressed a commitment to finding a new grocer for the space.

Justin Bibb

The Mayor of Cleveland, who has assembled a project team to guide the future of the Eastside Market, similar to the city's approach to revamping the West Side Market.

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What they’re saying

“The closure is unfortunate, but it also presents an opportunity to reimagine how we deliver food access in this community.”

— Sarah Johnson, City Spokesperson

“Access to nourishing food is a top priority. But the current grocer is not well used.”

— Kevin Conwell, Cleveland City Councilman

What’s next

The city will launch a search for a new operator to take over the Eastside Market space, with the goal of attracting a new grocery store or food services operation to serve the Glenville neighborhood.

The takeaway

The closure of the Eastside Market highlights the ongoing challenges of sustaining grocery access in urban food deserts, even with significant public investment. The city's commitment to finding a new operator presents an opportunity to reimagine how to better serve the community's food needs.