CLEVELAND — After more than 37 years of providing rides and memories to Northeast Ohio, the wheels of Lolly the Trolley are coming to a stop for good.
Owners Sherrill Paul Witt and Peter Paul announced Friday that Trolley Tours of Cleveland, also known by most as Lolly the Trolley, will be permanently closed.
The owners cited COVID and other factors for the closure.
“Thank you all for the wonderful relationships we have had with you, the media for 37 years!! It has been our joy and pleasure to bring happy news to Cleveland and Northeast Ohio and we have always appreciated your support,” Witt and Paul announced in a joint statement.
A beloved icon since April 15, 1985, Lolly the Trolley was considered a moving local gem, covering 3.1 million miles during its 37 years on the road.
When the company was started, Cleveland didn't have the sites and tourist attractions that are known by residents and visitors alike.
Sherrill Paul Witt took a chance and provided Clevelanders and tourists with a new way to experience the city that was in the early stages of a rebirth.
“There were few people living in downtown in 1985 and there was no Rock Hall or Science Center. Baseball and football were at the old Municipal Stadium and the Flats, Ohio City and Tremont were just developing with urban pioneers working on rehabbing homes and loft spaces," the owners said. "Playhouse Square was in its infancy and the Cleveland Clinic was bringing Euclid Avenue back to life. In spite of it all, we entertained people with Cleveland’s colorful history and future predictions of what was going to come, all said with our fingers crossed!”
According to the company, approximately 2.5 million people rode the trolley.
No matter the community event or celebration, Lolly the Trolley was there. It appeared in some of the most memorable events in our city's history, including the 2016 NBA Championship Parade, the Republican National Convention, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremonies, World Series and so much more.
“Our company from day One has always been the people we hired from all walks of life who had a passion for Cleveland," the statement reads. "Over the years, this talented, loyal and enthusiastic family of employees helped carry our mission forward…to provide a fun, educational experience and, in the process, totally change people’s opinions about Cleveland,” Witt said. “We will always be proud of what we did to help Cleveland become the dynamic city it is today.”
The trolleys will be in town until Tuesday, May 17.
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