Record Rendezvous
Also known as: Herold Building
Why it's listed
Built around 1908 as an addition to the neighboring Herold Building, this four-story red brick commercial building at 300 Prospect Avenue in downtown Cleveland has a simple facade with large second-floor windows, ribbons of 1/1 windows above, and stone coping and ball finials. The two buildings were separated around 1920 and have operated independently since. Its significance dates from 1945, when Leo Mintz moved his Record Rendezvous store here. The store's open bins and listening booths let Mintz watch customers shift toward rhythm and blues. In 1951 he persuaded deejay Alan Freed to play that music on WJW radio, and the store helped sponsor Freed's 1952 Moondog Coronation Ball, widely regarded as the first rock and roll concert. Record Rendezvous later became a gathering place for local musicians and fans, opened branch stores, and closed in 1987. The building keeps a high degree of integrity, with an intact storefront configuration and largely unaltered upper floors.
Significance in brief: The building is tied to Record Rendezvous, the record store run by founder Leo Mintz from 1945 to 1987. Mintz helped bring rhythm and blues programming to disc jockey Alan Freed on WJW radio in 1951, and the store sponsored the 1952 Moondog Coronation Ball, widely regarded as the first rock and roll concert. The store remained a hub of Cleveland's rock and roll culture for decades.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 12001213, listed January 23, 2013. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 300 Prospect Ave., Cleveland |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | January 23, 2013 |
| Reference number | 12001213 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1945-1962 |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements: Commercial Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The upper floors are largely unaltered; the ground floor interior has been modified for a later retail tenant. Record Rendezvous closed in 1987, and the current function is listed as work in progress. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Within district | Euclid Avenue Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.49805, -81.69043 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 12001213.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q137682405
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.