CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — Following several complaints and small claims filings, Made Cleveland is "permanently closed," according to Google. But, former vendors say they still have yet to be paid.
In December, we brought you the stories of four former Made Cleveland vendors who alleged the business' owner, Ashley O'Connor, hadn't paid them for months.
According to the contract between Made Cleveland and its vendors, 60% of each product sold goes to the artist, and 40% goes to Made Cleveland.
Those payouts are supposed to be processed every seventh of the month, according to a contract News 5 was provided with.
When we talked with O'Connor last year, she admitted to not paying some vendors — saying it was due to the pandemic and the complexities of running a grassroots operation.
"We have been actively working to address these delays while ensuring we maintain the integrity and sustainability of Made Cleveland. To do so, we have implemented and executed a weekly payout schedule to our vendors to increase their cash flow, reduce their liability, and regain their trust," O'Connor told me in December.
Six former vendors of Made Cleveland filed small claims disputes in Cleveland Heights Municipal Court starting in November 2024.
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According to Cleveland Heights court records, all six former vendors won their cases in February.
More than $5,500 plus interest and fees are now owed to the group, but at least four vendors told me they still haven't seen a dime.
"It's an experience none of us really wanted to have," former Made Cleveland vendor that won a small claims dispute against the business, Gina Wilkolak, told me Monday.
Wilkolak is owed at least $642.66.
"We've sent letters of demand. We've called the store. We've sent emails, and we cannot get any response from Ash O'Connor," Wilkolak explained. "The whole experience has been very frustrating and upsetting. I'm fully ready to put this behind me."
Another former vendor and employee of Made Cleveland, Allie Morris, is owed at least $821.70. She, too, said she hasn't been paid yet.
Morris won her small claims dispute against Made Cleveland as well.
"None of us really know the next steps," Morris said.
Not only are a handful of vendors owed money, but according to Cuyahoga County court documents, the Ohio Department of Taxation has placed 43 judgment liens against Made Cleveland from 2021 to 2024. The money owed to the agency is well over six figures, per records.
Additionally, Morris said Made Cleveland has not provided her with an accurate W-2 or a 1099.
"It just won't end, not even just not getting paid for our art, but now having to do this extra stuff for what should have been a very basic employer obligation," Morris stated. "It's just been exhausting and it just feels so unnecessary. I make so little a year like having a tax return, it is vital to have that."
The City of Cleveland Heights currently owns the building Made Cleveland operates out of. We reached out for updates on the business's relationship with the city.
The decision to wind down operations was made mutually between the store owner and the City. Made Cleveland has reached out to all vendors to pick up their inventory; the owner intends to be fully out of the space by the end of the month.
The City of Cleveland Heights Assistant Director of Economic Development, Brian Anderson, said, “We certainly support the mission to promote local makers and the business model. Made Cleveland was a very active part of the Coventry Business District, hosting events and marketing the district in the effort to promote the community.”
While Morris and Wilkolak are glad to see Made Cleveland leaving the Coventry space behind, Wilkolak said she wants to see the city take more accountability.
"I felt like their statement basically said, well, she did good things and she paid her rent to us," Wilkolak said. "On the outside it looked like Made Cleveland was doing a really great thing, especially for the community, especially for the area of Coventry. It really looked like they were hyping up local artists and getting involved in all of the different events and everything, but at the end of the day, none of that was really actually happening. We were really just supporting one person and they were taking all the money and keeping it. We never actually got to see what a proper supportive consignment shop in this area in Cleveland Heights could actually be."
When searching Made Cleveland on Google, the search engine marks the business as "permanently closed."
However, the news of this business soon departing from the Coventry neighborhood has some vendors claiming O'Connor hasn't returned their merchandise as recently as two weeks ago.
"Vendor here— I am also awaiting payments from the owner and my remaining stock is currently locked in her store. I have no idea how to get it and no way to contact the owner, as she has now shut down the website and email addresses. I never expected this to happen," former Made Cleveland vendor Tommy Chesnes wrote in a review under Made Cleveland's page on Google.
For Morris and Wilkolak, both said they were fortunate enough to have already retrieved their items.
"I pulled my stock back in October, but I have heard from other artists and just through the pipeline that [Ashley O'Connor] sent out an email saying that it was closing and to come get their stuff, but then people, you know, they schedule to get their things and then she cancels on them," Morris shared. "People's stock is basically just held in limbo. They can't sell it. They're not earning any money. I feel so bad for them that it's just stuck there."
I stopped by the store Monday night and looked inside the store's windows.
Quite a few items remain inside the locked up store despite the City of Cleveland Heights saying Made Cleveland intends to vacate the space in the next week.
"It's like a double-edged sword because I don't want Cleveland Heights to not support the arts, and I hope they understand that it was her as a person, not the artists collectively that failed," Morris noted.
I've reached out to O'Connor several times for a statement/interview since March 17. I've even extended the deadline on that opportunity three times.
However, the only response I received from O'Connor on Monday was her asking, "Who's having a hard time getting their belongings? I'd like to ensure they're getting the right information."
I provided two business names in response to her question but have not heard back since.
Wilkolak said she hopes the community will still support small businesses and doesn't want her situation to taint that idea for customers.
"Please don't take this whole situation as this is what every store is like because it's not. Feel free to just reach out to the artists and say, 'Hey, I saw your stuff in the store. I want to make sure you're being taken care of properly. Is it cool if I buy your stuff in the store? Does that support you? Does that help you?' I don't want consignment shops to be given a bad name because we had a bad situation with one," Wilkolak added.
I asked the City of Cleveland Heights what's next for the space at 1807 Coventry Road once Made Cleveland is out. As soon as we find out, we'll follow through.
