Jim was the kind of Manhattan clerk you see in the subway—talking loud and big, ogling flappers, staring down anyone who dared to meet his eye. This story tells how he spent a day, a night.

The restaurant at 10427 Clifton Blvd. in Cleveland will host its “Build your own Manhattan Night” at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 26. For $35 per ticket, attendees will learn everything about the history ...