Episode 103: How Encore Was Built for the 1.3 Million People Visiting Playhouse Square

On this episode of Marketing Moves, we sat down with Abbas Mandiwala, physician, entrepreneur, and managing partner behind Encore, a cocktail bar in the heart of Playhouse Square. Abbas shares the story behind building a hospitality concept designed for the 1.3 million people who visit the district each year, and how thoughtful design, branding, and experience came together to create something unique for Cleveland’s theater district. We also dive into his journey from medicine to entrepreneurship, launching a hospitality concept from scratch, and why creating spaces centered around human connection matters more than ever.

On this episode of Marketing Moves, we sat down with Abbas Mandiwala—an oncology hospitalist at University Hospitals, professor, entrepreneur, and managing partner behind Encore Hospitality Group.

At first glance, Abbas’s career might look like an unlikely combination. By day, he works in healthcare, caring for patients and teaching the next generation of physicians. Outside the hospital, he’s building companies, investing in startups, and most recently launching Encore, a cocktail bar in the heart of Cleveland’s Playhouse Square.

But when you hear Abbas talk about the common thread across medicine, entrepreneurship, and hospitality, the connection becomes clear.

At the center of everything he builds is the same goal: taking care of people.

Abbas’s path into medicine was influenced by family. Growing up in rural Kentucky in a family of physicians, medicine always felt like a natural direction. Yet even early on, he had interests outside the traditional path. Before committing fully to medicine, he studied economics and finance and spent years experimenting with small entrepreneurial ventures on the side.

That entrepreneurial curiosity followed him through medical school and residency.

While training in Chicago, Abbas found himself surrounded by ambitious friends launching businesses and exploring new ventures. Being immersed in that environment sparked something. Although entrepreneurship wasn’t common in his professional circles—especially within academic medicine—he realized it was possible to pursue both.

“There’s this perception that you have to choose one lane,” Abbas shared. “But I fundamentally believe you can be a great physician and still explore other interests.”

His career today proves that point.

Although Abbas wasn’t originally from Cleveland, the city quickly became home during his medical training. After spending time working in Chicago, he made the deliberate decision to return in 2021.

Part of that decision was professional opportunity. But much of it came down to the city itself.

Cleveland’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, collaborative culture, and sense of momentum made it the right environment to build something new.

That mindset eventually led Abbas to Encore Industrial Company, an investment platform focused on building and acquiring businesses in industries where Cleveland has a natural advantage—advanced manufacturing, fresh water technologies, clean energy, and health tech.

Through that work, Abbas helps guide marketing, investor relations, and strategy for the organization while still maintaining his medical career.

But one idea had been quietly brewing in the background for years.

Encore—the cocktail bar located in Playhouse Square—started with a simple observation.

Abbas lived in the Playhouse Square district and frequently watched thousands of theatergoers flood the streets for performances. But when the shows ended, something surprising happened.

Everyone left.

“There are 1.3 million people who visit Playhouse Square every year,” Abbas explained. “But once the shows let out around 9:30, people would just get in their cars and go home.”

To him, that felt like a missed opportunity.

Playhouse Square is the second-largest theater district in North America, rich with history and energy. Yet the surrounding nightlife options didn’t fully capture that atmosphere. Abbas envisioned a space where people could stay after a show—somewhere intimate, elevated, and designed for conversation.

The idea for Encore was born in 2021 and took several years to become reality.

From the beginning, Encore wasn’t meant to be a typical bar.

The concept was intentionally designed as a small, intimate cocktail experience with just 40 seats in an 1,100-square-foot space. Every detail—from the layout to the lighting to the menu—was crafted to encourage human interaction.

Abbas and his team approached the space almost like a theatrical production.

The design taps into all five senses. Rich red tones echo the velvet curtains of nearby theaters. Historic elements from Playhouse Square—including original 1922 candelabras—were incorporated into the space. Even the menu is styled like a Playbill, with sections labeled “Act One” for cocktails and “Act Two” for small bites.

The goal was simple: create a place where people could disconnect from technology and reconnect with each other.

In Abbas’s words, “We wanted to build a space where people could get away from the noise and enjoy being with another human.”

Launching a hospitality concept is notoriously difficult, and Abbas knew he couldn’t do it alone.

The turning point came when he partnered with hospitality veteran Ben Lyon, whose background includes Michelin-star restaurants and five-star hotels in Europe. With Ben leading operations and an experienced team handling mixology, culinary design, and guest experience, the vision for Encore started to come to life.

The drink menu features eight signature cocktails paired with four carefully curated small bites. The limited menu is intentional—every item is designed to feel theatrical, surprising, and memorable.

Abbas describes his role in the process simply: create a platform where talented people can do their best work.

“You do what you're really good at,” he says, “and I’ll get out of the way.”

Launching a new venue in a competitive market requires thoughtful marketing—but Encore took a different approach.

Rather than relying heavily on paid advertising, the team focused first on storytelling and brand identity.

Social media content emphasizes the space itself—the textures, the drinks, the atmosphere—allowing viewers to imagine themselves inside the experience. Influencers, local organizations, and Cleveland media outlets also helped spread the word during the opening months.

The strategy was intentional.

By letting the visual identity and guest experience lead the conversation, Encore built curiosity and momentum organically.

For Abbas, the name “Encore” carries meaning far beyond the bar itself.

The word originally paid homage to Playhouse Square and its theatrical roots. But it also represents something bigger: Cleveland’s next chapter.

The city once stood as one of America’s industrial powerhouses. Today, Abbas believes Cleveland is entering a new era of innovation, entrepreneurship, and cultural energy.

Encore is meant to reflect that moment.

A place where people gather.
Where conversations happen.
Where the next act begins.

And if Abbas has his way, it’s only the beginning.