Cleveland Man’s Livelihood at Stake as Thieves Steal Beloved Barbecue Grill
Walking the corner of Cedar Avenue and East 83rd Street in the shadow of the Cleveland Clinic, “Slammin’ Sammy” Spain described his feelings as “numb” and “empty.” His cherished barbecue grill, a staple of the neighborhood for 15 years, has been stolen, leaving him without a means to serve the community he loves. “No grill, no business,” he lamented.
The grill had been a familiar sight, towed to various events and serving delicious food to local residents, all while he shouted his signature phrase, “Pick it up!”
“This grill means a lot to me; it’s my pride and joy,” Sammy explained. “But it also means a lot to the neighborhood.”
In response to the theft, local business owners quickly came together to assist Sammy, reviewing surveillance footage from Thursday evening around 9:30 p.m. The recordings captured thieves hitching the grill to a truck and driving away, leaving the community in shock.
“It’s heartbreaking to see someone take something that someone has built over the years,” said Willie Crenshaw, owner of the building next door to Sammy’s grilling spot. “It’s just not right.”
Sharon Monroe, who runs Rose of Sharon Barber Salon across the street, echoed the sentiment, saying, “We have tried to build up the community. Shame on those who did this!”
Sammy and his partner, Denise, have been scouring scrapyards in search of the grill, aware that its value to them far exceeds what it would be worth as scrap. “I asked, ‘How much would you give for that grill?’ and the response was just unbelievable—twenty-five dollars. That’s it? It’s worth so much more than that.”
Despite the devastating loss, Sammy’s supporters remain hopeful. “I don’t know what I’m going to do,” he admitted, “but this is not the end of Slammin’ Sammy.”
“The community depends on seeing Sammy out here on most good days,” Monroe added.
“I’m hoping someone will speak up and say, ‘It’s here,’” said Gordon, a friend of Sammy’s. “I’ve got hope.”
And Sammy holds onto that hope too, envisioning the moment someone calls out, “Pick it up!”
