"Sherwin-Williams and the N.E. Ohio community welcome LeBron back home as the CAVS look forward to building a championship team," the company said in a written statement.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Within minutes after LeBron James confirmed his plans for #TheReturn to the Cavaliers, Cleveland-area businesses were already announcing their promotions tied to his long-awaited homecoming.
Fresh Brewed Tees, which had been touting its "For6given: The Kingdom Restored" T-shirts in anticipation of the news, reported problems keeping up its website and ended up driving a truckload of the $25.99 wine, black and blue shirts to Harry Buffalo on East Fourth Street.
Frontier Airlines got into the act, too, offering 23 percent off the retail price of flights to and from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport to passengers who book their tickets at flyfrontier.com with the code "LEBRON."
"Cleveland Rock! And so does King James," Frontier said in a written announcement. In a nod to his former Cavaliers' uniform number, the airline is offering "23 percent off all our flights to and from Cleveland. Gotta travel Aug. 19 through Nov. 18."
Tickets must be purchased by midnight Eastern Standard Time on Sunday, July 13. "It's hard to 'cavalier' with a deal like this!" Frontier said.
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View full sizeWill Cedar Point rename its "GateKeeper" coaster after "King James"?Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, which on Wednesday tweeted that it would rename one of its roller coasters "King James," promised an update on that news soon.
"Over the past few days it has been fun to watch the excitement surrounding the potential and now realized return of LeBron James to Cleveland," the park said via email. "We stand ready to honor our original tweet. Congratulations, Cleveland!"
Master Pizza, with shops in Mayfield Heights, Chagrin Falls, and Middleburg Heights, has promised to create a deluxe pizza called the "King Supreme," loaded with green pepper, mushrooms, onions, pepperoni and sausage. Just the thing for King-sized pre-game appetite.
Colossal Cupcakes, which at 528 Euclid Ave. is just around the corner from The Q, is giving away free cupcakes on Monday to celebrate "because LeBron's coming home," cautioning #onepercustomertho.
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View full size"Just A Kid From Akron" - Cherry Cola Cupcake from Baker Blvd. No word from Baker Boulevard Decadent Cupcakes in Fairlawn on whether it would offer a similar deal on its LeBron James-inspired cherry-cola "Just a Kid From Akron" sweets.
And the Cleveland Clothing Co.'s website is already taking orders for its gold-and-wine "Return of the King" T-shirts, as well as grey ones commemorating Cleveland's infamous-until-today sports moments: "The Drive, The Fumble, The Move, The Shot, The Decision, THE RETURN," each for $25.
GV Art + Design reported lines around the block for its charcoal heather gray "Forgiveness" T-shirt and limited-edition grey "Cleveland that I love Return of the King" T-shirt, both $25.
Cleveland-based Sherwin-Williams paint company tweeted congratulations with two paint swatches, a gold hue called "Kingdom Gold" and a wine one called "Show Stopper," with the words: "Nice color choice, @KingJames. #TheKingIsBack" A spokesman said those paints have always had those names.
Nice color choice, @KingJames. #TheKingIsBack pic.twitter.com/QakK4zvn2q
-- Sherwin-Williams (@SherwinWilliams) July 11, 2014
One landmark that won't be changing anytime soon is the 10-story-tall "Our Vibrant Home Town" Cleveland mural gracing the side of Sherwin-Williams' world headquarters, the same wall that had once boasted Nike's larger-than-life likeness of James proclaiming "We Are All Witnesses."
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View full sizeNike's 10-story "We Are All Witnesses" mural to LeBron James on Sherwin-Williams' world headquarters was taken down after his Decision to take his talents to South Beach four years ago. "Sherwin-Williams and the N.E. Ohio community welcome LeBron back home as the CAVS look forward to building a championship team," the paint company said in a statement.
"The mural on our Global HQ wall has evolved to celebrate all the people of N.E. Ohio. We want to recognize everyone who has in the past, and continues today, to make our community one of the best in the nation."
"We wanted to demonstrate our feeling of pride and commitment to the city of Cleveland," said Chairman and Chief Executive Chris Connor in the statement. "The banner is a powerful, energizing message that Cleveland is not only one of the best locations in the nation, but our community is one of the best locations in the world!
All the hullabaloo prompted Honey Hut Ice Cream to jokingly tweet: "oh jeez, are we gonna be expected to name something after @KingJames now too? #CLEpride #CedarPoint"
oh jeez, are we gonna be expected to name something after @KingJames now too? #CLEpride #CedarPoint
-- Honey Hut Ice Cream (@Honey_Hut) July 11, 2014
Plain Dealer Reporter Susan Glaser contributed to this story.