The owner of the new Klutch Cannabis store that is expected to open in August at 1960 W. Market St. is requesting permission to put up a pole sign to promote its flagship Akron location, a change from the original site plan that was approved to only have signage above the front entrance.
Akron City Council initially gave Tango Ventures LLC permission in July 2025 to build a new store on the vacant lot at 1956 W. Market St in Fairlawn Heights (on the border with Northwest Akron). Then, in early 2026, council gave Klutch the green light to use the former Pink Petals Florist shop as the dispensary with the empty lot for parking.
A public hearing held July 13 by council’s Planning Committee considered an ordinance authorizing a conditional-use permit request from Klutch for additional signage.
The signs would include one on the building’s east side, one at the rear of the building, and a 32-square-foot sign to be placed on an existing pole in a circular landscaped bed at the corner of West Market Street and South Frank Boulevard.
The pole had previously been used by the Ohio Savings Bank branch at that intersection — that building was razed 10 years ago, leaving the empty gravel lot on the corner.
The busy retail district that runs along West Market Street from Wallhaven to Fairlawn Heights contains numerous pole signs that promote the neighborhood’s restaurants and businesses.
But a June 15 letter from the city’s Planning Department to the Akron Planning Commission noted that “the 12 pole signs within this quarter-mile stretch of West Market Street are excessive and visually blighting,” and adding another one to this area is “not harmonious.”
After reviewing the business’ permit request, planning staff disapproved of Klutch’s petition June 17, stating that the request was not “consistent with the standards” in the city’s Code of Ordinances.
Historically, pole sign would not be an addition
During the July 13 public hearing before the committee and, later, during a special meeting, Pete Nischt, Tango’s vice president of compliance and communications, spoke in support of the signage permit request.
Council also received two letters from residents asking members to deny Tango’s request.
“Generally speaking, the best way to let people know where you’re at is to communicate with people in the neighborhood the way other businesses are communicating,” Nischt said, adding that the State of Ohio limits dispensaries in the kind of advertising they can do.
“So there is this question of fairness here. We just want to be treated like any other retail business in the neighborhood.”
He added that a pole sign for Larry’s Main Entrance, a bar and restaurant that was formerly in the same block, was removed when the bar closed.
“Where we would be throwing up a pole sign where the pole is now, at least on our property, it wouldn’t effectively be an additional pole sign in the neighborhood,” Nischt said. “It would be the same number [of signs] as there were maybe a year ago.”
The Planning Committee placed the request on hold — it’s unclear if or when it will move forward for a vote from the full council.
