Dan Bush hosts artists and other free spirits at vast 78th Street Studios: My Cleveland (2024)

Dan Bush owns the vast 78th Street Studios, a maze of five connected buildings that began in 1905. Grant Segall, The Plain Dealer

Dan Bush owns the vast brick maze called 78th Street Studios. He says it’s the region’s biggest hub of artists, galleries and more. His next monthly Third Friday party will take place from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on June 21.

Cleveland creds: lifelong local

Currently lives: Rocky River

Age: 57

Schooling: Willoughby South, Miami of Ohio

Household: wife Hilary Gent, artist and gallery owner, and two rescue dogs, Jack and Susie

Favorite locally owned restaurants: Luxe, Toast, Salt

78th Street Studios was once the headquarters of American Greetings. The colorful, off-color sign was an ex-girlfriend's parting shot at artist Dana Depew. Grant Segall, The Plain Dealer

78th Street artists include Dawn Tekler, who works with wax. Grant Segall, The Plain Dealer

Why’s there a big sign over the front door saying, “Your art sucks.”

Dan: That was placed there by artist Dana Depew, The words were a parting shot that an ex-girlfriend gave him on her way out the door.

So how big’s this place?

Dan: It's 170,000 square feet. It's five buildings interconnected. The original part was built in 1905. It was the Rubay car carriage company. American Greetings had their headquarters here awhile. Tom Wilson, the illustrator of Ziggy, was an art director here. R. Crumb, the father of underground comics, worked here.

The brick is 14 inches thick. We have boilers as old as I am, which are still in operation. I have a great team of contractor friends.

This project has been done very gradually. We’re finally installing hot water in the bathrooms of Blank Canvas Theater. Cleveland assisted us with landscaping, paving and a wheelchair lift.

78th Street's hallway shows monochromatic work by Claudio Orso. Grant Segall, The Plain Dealer

Radio legend John Gorman runs the oWOW internet station at 78th Street. Grant Segall, The Plain Dealer

Who’s here now?

Dan: I have more than 60 tenants. We have artist studios. We have 15 galleries. We're home to Alternative Press Magazine, one of the biggest music magazines in the country. John Gorman founded oWow internet radio here. We have Blank Canvas Theatre, a 90-seat black box. We have ARTneo, the Museum of Northeast Ohio Art....

A lot of businesses have succeeded so quickly, they’ve outgrown the space, like Jakprints.

This is the home of my wife Hilary Gent’s Hedge Gallery. She also runs our special events. We met here 10 years ago, when she came looking for space. We got married last year.

Photographers wander in for shoots. Who doesn’t like a Northeast Ohio industrial look? Our stripped steel freight elevator door has been featured on quite a few magazine covers.

The place has become a community. People work together. We talk jointly about marketing. We curate the common halls.

Somebody can come here and spend $35 or $35,000 on a piece of art. It’s exciting to know that there are folks in Cleveland collecting art and taking it home to enjoy it.

78th Street Studios are wedged between Detroit Avenue and Lake Erie. Grant Segall, The Plain Dealer

78th Street has kept its industrial feel. Grant Segall, The Plain Dealer

The biggest space in this big complex is used for weddings, exhibits and other events. Grant Segall, The Plain Dealer

A big complex has a big smokestack. Grant Segall, The Plain Dealer

These pages speak to 78th Street's years as American Greetings' headquarters. Grant Segall, The Plain Dealer

How’d Third Friday start?

Dan: Bill Scheele [of Kokoon Arts] looked at me in '07 and said, "This place is boring. We need to have a party." That morphed into Third Fridays. We now have anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 people. A partner, Northcoast Promotions brings in as many as 30, 35 outside artisans. Local West and Touch Supper Club's truck offer food.

We make the arts approachable. You can enjoy them in a social setting.

Other events here?

Dan: We host over 50 - 60 weddings and benefits a year. We work with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and Metro Catholic on student art exhibits. Students and their families can see their art in a commercial venue.

About eight years ago, we hosted New Kids on the Block launching their world tour. We had a large crowd of ladies in our parking lot at 6 a.m. We had to sneak Mr. Wahlberg and their team through the building.

Dan Bush brings his dogs to work. Grant Segall, The Plain Dealer

Dan Bush called about a double in Garfield Heights and ended up buying a 177,000-square-foot industrial complex in Detroit-Shoreway.Grant Segall, The Plain Dealer

Your background?

Dan: I grew up in Willowick and Eastlake, on the lake for a few years. My dad was a director at TV-5. His mother owned real estate, and we'd attend open houses every weekend. I've been collecting art since I was 10. I hung around Willoughby School of Fine Arts and went to Willoughby South.

How do you feel about the South Rebels dropping their Confederate mascot?

Dan: I was in marching band. It seemed pretty innocent. But, with all the things going today, it was probably overdue for a responsible rebrand.

Hilary Gent, Dan Bush's wife, runs Hedge Gallery at 78th Street nd keeps a lot of artwork in a storeroom. Grant Segall, The Plain Dealer

Rebecca Cross's work hangs here. Grant Segall, The Plain Dealer

After South?

Dan: I went to Miami of Ohio and spent seven months in Europe studying art history. I came home and worked for Lubrizol as a painter. I finished my credits at Lake Erie and Lakeland.

I got a job as a stage carpenter for the Greenbriar in Parma. I ended up as master carpenter for Great Lakes Theater Festival. I ran the backstage crew for “Take One Step,” with Gerald Freedman and had a couple walk-on roles. I sang with Cleveland Opera in the chorus.

I was an event coordinator and party planner, then worked for American Greetings in Brooklyn for six years as a display designer. I started a small display company, DBdesign, and still have one client, Sterling Jewelers in Akron. I also built sets for theaters around town.

I lived for 25 years in Brecksville. Now we’re in Rocky River, back on the water.

Batter's up in Dan Bush's office. Grant Segall, The Plain Dealer

Mark Krieger works at 78th Street. Grant Segall, The Plain Dealer

How’d you end up buying the studios?

Dan: I bumbled into them. I owned maybe a dozen residential units on the West Side, I was phoning about a double in Garfield Heights. The guy said he had another building he could sell me. I spoke with a banker friend at NCB. He shocked me by saying he could put together financing for it. We closed in 2001.

My anchor tenants then were a countertop factory and a bingo hall operated by the Society for the Deaf. There were a couple artist studios here, like rock artist Derek Hess.

What’s the neighborhood like?

Dan: It's gritty. We've had folks who would not get out of their cars at first. then they see how bright and cheerful the building is inside.

It’s a bit hard to wend down narrow one-way streets here on party night. We have parking for about 200 cars. But I have extremely tolerant neighbors, with parking for another couple hundred.

Gordon Square has been held up as a national model for economic development through the arts. I’m on the boards of Detroit Shoreway and Gordon Square Arts District. They’ve raised money to renovate Capitol Theatre, built Near West Theatre and provided tons of amenities. Battery Park was a 12-acre brownfield that has become an amazing project. The restaurants and businesses that have popped up here are just tremendous. And we’re maintaining a mix of affordable housing.

A hallway displays Randall Tiedman's work. Grant Segall, The Plain Dealer

Hobbies?

Dan: We kayak from our yard. We're recent members of the Print Club of Cleveland. Hilary is crazy about Inner Bliss yoga. We keep busy with studio visits and artist talks.

So how’s Cleveland’s art?

Dan: Topnotch. Historically, a lot of artists had patrons that allowed them to tour Europe and study with heavy hitters. Clara Deike, a Lakewood schoolteacher, studied with Hans Hoffman in Europe and Diego Rivera in Mexico. She was a fantastic local artist. Carl Gaertner was a local treasure.

We have one of the best art museums and probably the best orchestra in the country. Our library system is incomparable.

Is there a Cleveland style of art?

Dan: The work I respond to is industrial, but with a sense of humor. And the art you can purchase in Cleveland is a great value.

The 78th Street Studios are at 1300 W. 78th St.., 78thstreetstudios.com .