Vice & Grift on Cleveland’s East Side
Cleveland Stories Dinner Parties
Storyteller: Tom Kaschalk
Doors open at 5:00pm, with the storytelling beginning promptly at 7:00pm
- Weekly series combining great food with great stories about Cleveland’s past
- FREE ADMISSION – NO COVER CHARGE
- In addition to our regular menu, we will be offering affordable specials on these nights
Story topic this week…
Vice & Grift on Cleveland’s East Side
Cleveland’s East Side was home to some of the city’s most fascinating stories of crime, corruption, and unforgettable characters. Known as the “Roaring Third,” this part of Cleveland became a hotbed of vice, corruption, and violence during Prohibition, drawing the attention of legendary crime fighter Eliot Ness and becoming closely tied to the infamous Torso Murders at Kingsbury Run. But behind the headlines was a neighborhood shaped by generations of immigrant families, the Great Migration, political change, and communities that persevered through decades of hardship and transformation. Join author and local history researcher Tom Kaschalk for a fascinating evening exploring the colorful characters, hidden histories, and remarkable events that shaped Cleveland’s East Side.
Tom Kaschalk Bio
Tom Kaschalk, a proud Clevelander was born and raised on the Southeast Side—in the Union-Miles neighborhood and later Slavic Village. After earning a degree in political science from Cleveland State, Tom began his career at the United States Customs Service investigating violations of the tariff act and drug interdiction and then in local law enforcement before making what he jokingly calls “the natural leap” into insurance. He joined a very small company at the time—Progressive Insurance—which he was already familiar with… mostly because they specialized in covering the kinds of drivers he used to pull over: DUIs, hit-and-runs, and folks who had their car stolen several times.
That launched a corporate career, which took him to Miami, Tampa, Dallas, and Los Angeles serving in Chief Claims Officer roles as well as on the Board of the National Insurance Crime Bureau. And no matter where he went, he kept running into fellow Clevelanders. After the initial “are you from the east side or west side” and “how bad will the Browns be again this year” he returned to Cleveland.
He turned his passion for Cleveland’s past into My Cleveland History, a business that helps people uncover family roots and lost stories. He’s also a volunteer researcher at the Cuyahoga County Archives, where he assists with everything from solving family mysteries to immigration to property records.
Tom is also serving as a historical consultant on an upcoming movie about the infamous Kingsbury Run Murders.
The goal of the Cleveland Stories Dinner Party is to bring to life some of the fun, interesting stories about Cleveland’s past – from sports, to rock ‘n roll, to Millionaire’s Row, — the series will focus on tidbits from Cleveland’s past that will really thrill the audience. The Music Box is presenting this series in partnership with the Western Reserve Historical Society’s new Cleveland History Center. We think the Cleveland History Center is one of the most important museums in Cleveland. An unknown gem that Clevelanders should know more about, and support. It is the only museum in Cleveland dedicated to preserving and documenting the history of Cleveland. The Cleveland History Center includes two mansions, the Crawford Auto Aviation Museum, Chisholm Halle Costume Wing, Research Library, Kidzibits Hands-On Gallery, rotating exhibitions, and the Euclid Beach Park Grand Carousel.
See all Cleveland Stories dates here.
