After nearly seven decades of feeding Cleveland’s East Side, Ferrara’s Imported Foods on Mayfield Road has gone dark. Regulars who pulled into the parking lot yesterday were met with locked doors and quiet shelves, and third-generation owner John Ferrara confirmed the family has permanently closed the beloved Italian grocery and deli. The shop’s Sicilian-style pizza, stacked sandwiches, and aisles of imported goods had long made it a go-to stop for East Side families.
Speaking with Cleveland 19 News, Ferrara, who grew up working in the store as a teenager, said the decision came down to timing. “I’m thankful for the support of the community all those years. But, it was just time. It was the right time for me,” he explained. Cleveland Scene captured images of surprised and disappointed customers gathered outside, peering through the windows of a place many treated like a second kitchen.
A neighborhood staple since 1959
Ferrara’s roots stretch back to 1959, when brothers Alfred and Joe Ferrara opened the market, according to the shop’s own history. It stayed in the family through three generations, evolving into a hybrid of deli counter, bakery, and specialty grocer. Shelves lined with imported Italian staples sat steps away from hot trays and fresh bread, a mix that many loyal customers say is tough to duplicate. The store operated at 5750 Mayfield Rd. in Mayfield Heights, becoming a familiar weekly stop for East Side shoppers.
Family sorting out inventory and next steps
Ferrara told Cleveland 19 News that the family owns the building and is still figuring out what comes next, both for the space and the remaining stock. In recent years, he began bottling family recipes for sauces and Italian dressing, but he said there are no concrete plans yet for those products or for the store’s fixtures. For now, he is focusing on winding things down and said he is grateful for the steady stream of well-wishes as he steps away from day-to-day operations.
Mayfield Road in transition
The closing lands at a moment when parts of Mayfield Heights’ commercial corridors are already in flux. Local reports detail city council approvals for rezonings, townhome projects, and corporate relocation incentives that are reshaping stretches of Mayfield Road. Officials have not linked Ferrara’s decision to those efforts, but the loss underscores the pressures facing long-running, family-owned retailers as land use and market forces shift in older suburban shopping strips.
Customers mourn a neighborhood touchstone
For longtime shoppers, Ferrara’s was more than a place to grab a quick sandwich or a jar of imported sauce. It was the reliable i’ll just swing by Ferrara’s stop, which made its sudden midweek closure all the more jarring. Photo coverage has shown neighbors lingering outside the shuttered storefront, and social media reactions have been filled with memories and thanks from customers who had shopped there for decades. The family has not announced any timeline for selling or reusing the property, and locals are watching closely to see what ultimately fills the void left by one of the East Side’s most familiar food institutions.
