Kamm’s Corners is a neighborhood on the West Side in Cleveland, Ohio. It is bounded by the streetcar suburb of Lakewood to the north, the Rocky River Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks and the suburbs of Rocky River and Fairview Park to the west, the New York Central Railroad tracks (now Amtrak) to the east, and Puritas Road to the south. Kamm’s Corners Plaza and Warren Village are the major retail centers of the neighborhood. According to the 2019 U.S. census estimate, the neighborhood has the highest concentration of Irish Americans in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County.
Kamm’s Corners derives its name from local merchant Oswald Kamm. Kamm emigrated from Switzerland to Cleveland and in 1875 he purchased four acres at the southwest corner of Lorain Avenue and Rocky River Drive. He opened a general store which also served as the local post office. The original store was torn down in 1900 and a second store was built on the same site which still stands in the Kamm’s Corners retail district.
The neighborhood is one of four sub-neighborhoods that comprise the larger historical neighborhood of West Park, the others being Jefferson, Bellaire–Puritas, and Hopkins. Named for early settler John West, West Park was annexed to Cleveland in 1923 and became the last large suburb to become part of the city.
Kamm’s Corners is the heart of Cleveland’s West Park, a dense, walkable, family neighborhood with a suburban feel. On its side streets, you’ll find kids playing and riding bikes, dog walkers, and streets lined with well-kept homes.
The neighborhood’s main street, Lorain Avenue, is set off by its most iconic landmark at the corner of Rocky River Drive: the general store and post office built by Oswald Kamm in the 1880s that still retains its historic exterior. The street is home to quirky shops such as a comic book store, a costume shop, and a vintage motorcycle shop, as well as numerous Irish pubs and eateries, many with live music, that reflect the neighborhood flavor.
But Kamms Corners today is diversifying and attracting new residents and visitors with its summer Kamm’s Corners Farmers Market and festivals such as The Hooley on Kamm’s Corners™ the second Saturday in May, its big Independence Day parade, the Romanian Festival in August, and the Greek Festival over Labor Day Weekend.
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