House Three Thirty transformation of former Tangier in Akron mostly complete
The iconic place LeBron James has rebuilt in Akron will fittingly open on 330 Day.
And like its predecessor − the Tangier − the aptly named House Three Thirty (so named for the area code) will be a spot for families to gather and create memories.
It will also be a place for sightseers to visit to celebrate that NBA superstar who still calls himself "Just a Kid from Akron."
This spirit of helping kids from Akron is the foundation for the next chapter of the former massive banquet/bar/cabaret/restaurant at 532 West Market St. that has been part of Akron's fabric for generations.
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The work is spearheaded by the LeBron James Family Foundation (LJFF).
The nonprofit is reshaping and shaking up things in the West Akron neighborhood, from its I Promise School just down the street to its planned West Market Street HealthQuarters across the street and the I Promise Housing project nearby.
All this is part of a layered approach by the foundation to assist hundreds of Akron school kids not only stay in school but achieve a high school diploma and at the same time to assist their families too, foundation Executive Director Michele Campbell.
A big part of this is learning job and life skills.
The ultimate goal of the House Three Thirty is to provide a safe and welcoming space for partner families and —for the first time — a place the public can also enjoy.
It also will provide a classroom for older students and their family members to learn job skills.
So when the doors open to the public for the first at 6 in the morning on Thursday, the 40 or so workers will be mostly comprised of students and their families.
Campbell said the House Three Thirty is still a work in progress − even though most of the renovations of much of the public space is complete.
What's open in the House Three Thirty?
On the first day, the Starbucks Community Store where guests can order drinks and buy some treats along with the retail shop that sells branded merchandise and items from Akron artists and entrepreneurs will be open. The retail shop will also exclusively sell Savannah James' BBZ Juicery drinks.
The JP Morgan Chase Community Space where bankers can answer financial questions and offer plans that promote financial health also will debut on the opening day.
The House Three Thirty is cash free so you will have to use a debit or credit card for any purchase. There is an ATM situated at the Starbucks.
For 330 Day, it will be open until 9 p.m.
The initial hours for the House Three Thirty will be 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. It will be closed on Sundays.
The Starbucks will be open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. It is closed on Sundays.
The Chase Community Space will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Campbell said guests will be invited and encouraged to explore the other areas of the House Three Thirty on 330 Day.
The remodeled space offers quirky nods to the building's past, like a wall of empty picture frames on the wall outside of the famed Cabaret − which remains intact and will host community concerts and a performance space thanks to Kaulig Companies − as a remembrance of all the famous performers who once graced the stage.
There's some LeBron-inspired touches too, including a clock that uses his famed basketball shoes to mark the hours inside of the Chase space and basketball-inspired books and items on the shelves at Starbucks.
The reason for not opening everything at once, Campbell said, was so the workers can get used to working in the space and more employees can be trained in the coming days and months as new amenities are added.
Part of the layered approach with the job training, she said, is to take things slow and every employee learns all aspects of the operationm from cleaning to working in the retail shop to food prep in the kitchen to making drinks in the Starbucks.
Campbell said from a practical standpoint it allows flexibility in scheduling and staffing but also offers hand's on experience to a variety of potential career paths.
The other amenities now open include:
Smucker Hometown Hall for private and community events.
The Wine Room by mDesign that will offer a private space for gatherings.
PepsiCo Foundation Kitchen that serves as a live teaching kitchen.
The Den by Mainstreet Advisors & LOBOS 1707,a small private space for rentals with a bar area and a wall of TVs.
The Family Room by SC Holdings, a community gathering space with a fireplace and comfy couches and chairs.
Campbell declined to say just how much the transformation has cost but added much of the expenses have been covered by the various sponsorships of the named areas.
What's next at the House Three Thirty?
In the coming months, other spaces will open, including a speakeasy pizza place.
The LeBron James’ Home Court− a walk through museum of LeBron’s life − will open in June.
The museum will feature mementos from his career and life growing up in Akron. One of the first exhibits guest will encounter will be a replica of the apartment his family called home in Akron's Spring Hill neighborhood. It will cost appropriately enough $23 to tour.
The Taco Shop by Old El Paso that will offer fast casual meal options from Old El Paso. The Sweet Shop, featuring local favorites Mitchell’s Ice Cream, Metropolis Gourmet Popcorn, NORKA Beverages and Malley’s Chocolates, will also open in the coming months.
The large LeBron James Sports Bar is looking at a 2024 opening.
James, who just returned to the Lakers after suffering an injury, will not be in Akron for 330 Day.
“In everything we do as a foundation, it’s all about making our kids, parents, and people across the community believe there can be more in their lives than they ever dreamed possible,” James said in a statement. “We designed House Three Thirty to create opportunities and open doors to show them that anything is possible, and that they can do it right here in Akron. We believe House Three Thirty will be a staple for our city, and we can’t wait for people to come and experience it.”
And as much care and consideration was spent on the designs of the so-called front of the house, Katherine Reedy, foundation lead designer of the House Three Thirty, said an equal amount of effort was spent designing the behind-the-scenes areas.
Instead of simply focusing on what makes sense from a business side, Reedy said, they wanted things to work for the employees too as this is a working classroom of sorts.
There are amenities set aside for just the workers.
In a back hallway is situated the "Happy, Happy" room, where there's everything from personal care items like toothbrushes to deodorant and even fun stuff like candy that free for workers.
In the back space, Reedy said, there's also an in-house barber and beauty shop where workers can get a free haircut or style.
And the break room features comfortable seats for relaxing, not a cold table and some folding chairs.
"There's a lot of pride here," Campbell said. "There's a lot of pride in our city. There's a lot of pride in our program.
"Our ultimate goal is create a destination in Akron."
Craig Webb can be reached at cwebb@thebeaconjournal.com.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: House Three Thirty transformation of former Tangier in Akron complete
