[2014-05-29] Newsweek: Bitcoin Makes the Jump to Brick-and-Mortar in Cleveland

[coinneo]

Thank you Joe Kloc of Newsweek for visiting and presenting such an engaging story. I must admit, when I heard Newsweek was on the block, I was excited but part of me was also very cautious...

They did a great job.

http://www.newsweek.com/2014/06/06/bitcoin-makes-jump-brick-and-mortar-cleveland-252604.html

[ganabb]

The last time I was there about a year ago, cleveland was an absolute ghost town but now they will be hosting frequent Bitcoin meetups there too.

[bryant.coleman]

The last time I was there about a year ago, cleveland was an absolute ghost town but now they will be hosting frequent Bitcoin meetups there too.

Then we should try Detroit next. Detroit is losing its population at a rapid pace, due to the lack of opportunities. We should make Detroit the Bitcoin capital of America. It can change the future of the city.

[tins]

Thank you Joe Kloc of Newsweek for visiting and presenting such an engaging story. I must admit, when I heard Newsweek was on the block, I was excited but part of me was also very cautious...

They did a great job.

http://www.newsweek.com/2014/06/06/bitcoin-makes-jump-brick-and-mortar-cleveland-252604.html

Glad to hear that their story wasn't a hit piece.
I did not read it. As a matter of principle I will not give their pages any additional views.

[Bit_Happy]

Thank you Joe Kloc of Newsweek for visiting and presenting such an engaging story. I must admit, when I heard Newsweek was on the block, I was excited but part of me was also very cautious...

They did a great job.

http://www.newsweek.com/2014/06/06/bitcoin-makes-jump-brick-and-mortar-cleveland-252604.html

Since May 1, bitcoiners have traveled to the tree-lined street in northeast Ohio from as far away as North Carolina. Here, they trade their bitcoins for ice cream cones, haircuts and handmade Colombian bracelets, and are sent off with a “buh-bye now,” the local parlance on what bills itself as America’s first Bitcoin Boulevard.

“To a small business,” Mitchell says, “bitcoin could be enormous.”

^^^ They did do a good job. Calling Bitcoin "controversial" didn't help the story, but it is an exciting article about what's happening in Ohio.

[Chef Ramsay]

I'd love to make the midwest of the USA a major BTC hub of activity and would love it especially if major action came to Detroit. The population took a dive because the inner city folk moved out to the burbs and because the auto industry took a hit because the unions held them hostage for so long + NAFTA and GATT. All democratic policies I might add. The revitalization of Detroit is starting right now as the bad debt is being liquidated and the pensions being dealt with. The music venues, sports teams, casinos, restaurants are bringing the right clientele downtown but the surrounding areas need a good flush job and the old, abandoned homes/buildings still need to go. Rand Paul's economic freedom zones would do wonders for the D.

[BitDreams]

I'd love to make the midwest of the USA a major BTC hub of activity and would love it especially if major action came to Detroit. The population took a dive because the inner city folk moved out to the burbs and because the auto industry took a hit because the unions held them hostage for so long + NAFTA and GATT. All democratic policies I might add. The revitalization of Detroit is starting right now as the bad debt is being liquidated and the pensions being dealt with. The music venues, sports teams, casinos, restaurants are bringing the right clientele downtown but the surrounding areas need a good flush job and the old, abandoned homes/buildings still need to go. Rand Paul's economic freedom zones would do wonders for the D.

Bitcoin kickstarter buying up enough property to set up a municipality, program all the local services into the blockchain and eliminate all debt. Speculators would be free to wager on our transparent ability to survive on budget with colored coin side bets. Engineering brought back to Detroit, just on another level.

[freedomno1]

It's nice to See Cleveland is using Bitcoin
(Besides the Cleveland show not really sure what else was over there to be honest)

That said I am glad some Bitcoiners are willing to go the distance
In early May, he recalls, a “handsome couple” with “hair in the punk-rock style” made the 40-mile drive up from Akron, desperate to purchase something—anything—at his store.

It was in many ways an unremarkable visit. They browsed his small shop and, after a short while, placed a few boxes of chocolate on the counter. “I couldn’t even tell you what they bought,” the chocolatier confesses. But what he does remember, is how they paid: with about 0.12 bitcoins.

[kjlimo]

Awesome! Be sure to check out the next Cleveland Bitcoin event on Weds:

http://www.meetup.com/Cleveland-Bitcoin/events/184753612/

Also a meetup scheduled for next Thursday!

[bryant.coleman]

BTW... how is the Bitcoin Boulevard going in Cleveland?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2014/04/20/a-bitcoin-boulevard-in-cleveland-heights/

Growing in size or getting stagnant?

[coinneo]

BTW... how is the Bitcoin Boulevard going in Cleveland?

Its going very well! Merchants continue to see customers, and the community is still talking about it. We have one business who has already switching from retaining USD to BTC. New businesses have reached out and are now learning about the POS systems. We have had a few new businesses (a software company and a PC repair company) join our project.

This is also a great locale to host Cleveland Bitcoin Meetup events, rotating these meetups between the various merchants.

^^^ They did do a good job. Calling Bitcoin "controversial" didn't help the story, but it is an exciting article about what's happening in Ohio.

I think they did a great job too. But, I also think it an often controversial topic. Part of our goal was to have a local for the community to disucss the controversies surrounding Bitcoin, and dispel the many myths and misunderstanding surrounding it.

Glad to hear that their story wasn't a hit piece.
I did not read it. As a matter of principle I will not give their pages any additional views.

When I heard Newsweek was on the street, I became extremely cautious and I was very concerned about what they were asking of the merchants. But, once I spoke directly with Joe, it became clear this was going to be a very interesting and fair piece. Newsweek did great on this one, and Joe is a great writer. Here is a PDF version of it if you don't want the hits to their site:

http://bitcoinboulevard.us/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Bitcoin-Makes-the-Jump-to-Brick-and-Mortar-in-Cleveland.pdf

[bryant.coleman]

Its going very well! Merchants continue to see customers, and the community is still talking about it. We have one business who has already switching from retaining USD to BTC. New businesses have reached out and are now learning about the POS systems. We have had a few new businesses (a software company and a PC repair company) join our project.

This is also a great locale to host Cleveland Bitcoin Meetup events, rotating these meetups between the various merchants.

Great to hear that. And I guess that the guys who retained their savings in Bitcoin, made a lot of profit after the USD-BTC exchange rate jumped to $650 from $380. 

[ENEWIT]

IMO, Cleveland does rock!!

 Interesting to learn that this is happening in Cleveland first.

[Ron~Popeil]

Oh cool. I will be in Cleveland this summer. I am looking forward to buying my first dinner with BTC. 

[Kluge]

Heh, used to go through Cleveland pretty often going from MI to PA and back. All I remember is the giant wind turbine near the highway that never seemed to move. Will stop by next time we make the trip.

[kjlimo]

Heh, used to go through Cleveland pretty often going from MI to PA and back. All I remember is the giant wind turbine near the highway that never seemed to move. Will stop by next time we make the trip.

Yep, we've got one that doesn't get too much wind...

Our Cleveland Bitcoin meetups are becoming more prevalent (multiple per month).

Hope you can join one!  Tonight was awesome.  Great presentation on bitcoin to another meetup that joined us to learn about bitcoin.

[Ron~Popeil]

Heh, used to go through Cleveland pretty often going from MI to PA and back. All I remember is the giant wind turbine near the highway that never seemed to move. Will stop by next time we make the trip.

Yep, we've got one that doesn't get too much wind...

Our Cleveland Bitcoin meetups are becoming more prevalent (multiple per month).

Hope you can join one!  Tonight was awesome.  Great presentation on bitcoin to another meetup that joined us to learn about bitcoin.

Do you guys allow Bengals fans?