Sweet Lorain — Attraction in Cleveland

I’ve been a few times and I can say for sure the owner cares nothing for customer retention let alone making sales, as many reviews remark. First, right as you walk in you’re greeted with extensive collections of racist caricatures for sale, which needless to say isn’t a great start, quickly showing off the “curation” work put into Sweet Lorain. The entire place is formatted very cramped, seeming more like storage than a well cared for shop. Things are strewn everywhere, it’s hard to tell wether you are allowed to be in certain areas or not, and it’s near impossible to safely look closer at items because of how haphazardly everything is stored in sloppy piles.

At my final visit, I was holding clothing to purchase and the owner approached me and asked to hold the clothes for me, warning me bluntly if I wanted to try them on I needed to “be careful since they won’t fit.” All of the clothes were labeled plus size, and I didn’t have any intention of trying them on there (since like the rest of the store, the dressing room is hard to find and not well put together), I was just going to purchase them. I found before leaving that instead of holding the clothing at the counter, the owner had hid all of the items back on the rack separated from each other- clearly trying to deter me from purchasing it whatsoever. It greatly upsets me to see I’m not the only person this has unfortunately happened to either from reading multiple other reviews where the hubris engulfed owner felt comfortable chasing off other customers with uncalled for comments on their bodies. I walked out buying nothing and I don’t plan on ever returning or encouraging anyone to visit. A better vintage thrift store is Flower Child in Lakewood, where I’ve had no such issues.

TL;DR Sweet Lorain has an incredibly rude owner with a clear racism, fatphobia, and just general lack of any positive personality traits that ruins whatever value there might be in visiting there. This place is hard to navigate and if you have mobility aids, navigation through this building will not...

While there is a lot of cool stuff here. It’s way over priced. And the store is way too crowded to enjoy. On this particular visit. I found two glass pieces I wanted to purchase. I set them up front while I browsed some more. When it was time to check out - the total was off. I questioned the store clerk. She then went to ask the owner, who had written up my invoice, he came over, was annoyed that I questioned it, quickly grabbed his magnifying glass (because the tag was so faded it was hard to read if you didn’t care to) and declared he was right. He said the price read $30. Which it does not. You can very clearly see from the photo- it is $20. He then walked away. She then asked if I’d still like it. I did still purchase it even though I shouldn’t have. But I knew I’d regret not getting it anyway. So now because it was $10 more than expected - I didn’t have enough cash… then I had to pay an additional 3.99% on top of that to use my credit card. I know, again my choice to purchase.

The tags on 99% of the glass up front is old and faded. If you own a store, make sure the prices are clearly marked.

The owner seems angry and bitter. Word of advice, if you don’t like people and customer service, don’t own a store.

The girl that helped us, Bella I believe - was very nice.

If I could give 0 stars I would. Just because you have cool stuff doesn’t mean you can treat your customers poorly. We won’t be back and would never recommend this store in its current ownership and form - long time customer, from before the...

How does one count the ways on how truly special a shop like Sweet Lorain is? I was first introduced to this unique and unrivaled shop by a dear friend and now make it my first stop every time I visit Cleveland.

This place is a must for anyone looking for vintage or great MCM antiques. The owner and his staff are extremely knowledgeable on all things vintage, are helpful, friendly and will answer any questions.

There are so many areas within the store from jewelry to bar wear, kitchen to Christmas decor, records to glassware, the list goes on! I mainly visit for the vintage clothing section which is a vintage lovers dream come true.

I honestly cannot imagine a more perfect place to get lost in for hours that is filled with vintage clothing and accessories. The clothing area is separated by decade and then by day/evening wear for dresses, sweaters, tops, skirts, coats, etc.

I appreciate that the store takes the time to label items that are of a size to fit a modern silhouette since vintage clothing does run small. This helps me when choosing pieces that will fit my more curvier frame.

A tip for vintage buyers — know your measurements before visiting and take a tape measure with you! This will be helpful in finding your dream vintage piece.

Items are priced well since a lot of these vintage garments are one-of-a-kind and range from 90-50 years old. They have lived a life before starting their next journey with you! I have found some truly amazing pieces at Sweet Lorain and cannot wait for...