Entrepreneurs + Innovators
This week, Brauhaus Cleveland LLC broke ground on the new Hofbrauhaus Cleveland in PlayhouseSquare in the most apropos fashion -- with a German oom-pah band, sausages and huge steins of beer. Project developers aim to complete the new restaurant and brewery by the end of 2014.
"Everything started in 1589 when the Bavarian kings decided the beer wasn't good enough for them, so they created their own brewery," extolled Maximilian Erlmeier, a former Hofbrauhaus Munich executive and chairman of Cincinnati Restaurant Group. "Now, every year two million people come to the Hofbrauhaus to enjoy food and great beer, and six million come to Oktoberfest. We thought, 'We should export this.'"
Hofbrauhaus Cleveland will become the latest franchise in the growing empire, which includes locations in Cincinnati, Chicago and Las Vegas. The Cleveland site will incorporate the Hermit Club and feature 24,000 square feet of space, including nearly 600 indoor seats and more than 1,000 outdoor seats in the beer garden. The famous Hofbrau beer will be brewed on site, and Bavarian dishes will be served.
The project is a huge win for PlayhouseSquare, which has in recent years developed a vibrant restaurant scene. The Hofbrauhaus project is one of the first development deals to push PlayhouseSquare's growth north towards Chester Avenue.
"We're really excited because this is one more step in PlayhouseSquare's growth," said Art Falco, President of PlayhouseSquare. "This is an incredible destination, but we want to see more young people here. With an outdoor beer garden right by CSU and PlayhouseSquare, we think this is a home run."
Source: Art Falco, Maximilian Erlmeier
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"Everything started in 1589 when the Bavarian kings decided the beer wasn't good enough for them, so they created their own brewery," extolled Maximilian Erlmeier, a former Hofbrauhaus Munich executive and chairman of Cincinnati Restaurant Group. "Now, every year two million people come to the Hofbrauhaus to enjoy food and great beer, and six million come to Oktoberfest. We thought, 'We should export this.'"
Hofbrauhaus Cleveland will become the latest franchise in the growing empire, which includes locations in Cincinnati, Chicago and Las Vegas. The Cleveland site will incorporate the Hermit Club and feature 24,000 square feet of space, including nearly 600 indoor seats and more than 1,000 outdoor seats in the beer garden. The famous Hofbrau beer will be brewed on site, and Bavarian dishes will be served.
The project is a huge win for PlayhouseSquare, which has in recent years developed a vibrant restaurant scene. The Hofbrauhaus project is one of the first development deals to push PlayhouseSquare's growth north towards Chester Avenue.
"We're really excited because this is one more step in PlayhouseSquare's growth," said Art Falco, President of PlayhouseSquare. "This is an incredible destination, but we want to see more young people here. With an outdoor beer garden right by CSU and PlayhouseSquare, we think this is a home run."
Source: Art Falco, Maximilian Erlmeier
Writer: Lee Chilcote
happy dog to open east side location in iconic euclid tavern in university circle
The Happy Dog in the Gordon Square Arts District is famous for tasty hot dogs with crazy toppings, live music and adventurous cultural fare, including members of the Cleveland Orchestra recording an album live in front of the racetrack bar. Now the successful venue is heading east; in the ultimate win-win, the owners are opening their first east side location inside the now-shuttered Euclid Tavern.
"We've been approached many times, and there are a lot of things we could have done," says Sean Watterson, co-owner of the Happy Dog. "To be a part of bringing the Euclid Tavern back to life was the thing that made us go, 'OK, maybe we could do another one of these, and this is the place to do it.'"
The Happy Dog signed a lease on the space this week with University Circle Inc., which bought the building last year from the previous owners. The Euclid Tavern operated continuously as a bar from 1909 until 2001, making it the second longest-running bar site in Cleveland, according to UCI Director Chris Ronayne. New owners re-opened it in 2008 and stuck with it until 2013. UCI began renovating the space and looking for a new operator earlier this year.
"We were searching for the right tenant to live up to the iconic reputation of the Euclid Tavern as a music venue," says Ronayne. "We were in courtship with the guys from the Happy Dog for a while -- they know food, music and programming."
The Euclid Tavern has hosted national acts Chrissie Hynde, Pavement and Green Day, and also served as home base for legendary local acts like Mr. Stress. The tavern was also featured in the 1987 film Light of Day starring Michael J. Fox and Joan Jett.
Although plans are still being shaped, Watterson says the new venue will operate as the Happy Dog at the Euclid Tavern. A similar menu will be available, but some hot dog toppings will only be available at the east side location, and vice versa. The owners also plan more cultural programming through partnerships with area institutions such as the Cleveland Institute of Music and Institute of Art.
The same partnership that owns the west side Happy Dog, including Watterson, Sean Kilbane and chef Eric Williams, will open the Euclid Tavern location.
Source: Sean Watterson, Chris Ronayne
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"We've been approached many times, and there are a lot of things we could have done," says Sean Watterson, co-owner of the Happy Dog. "To be a part of bringing the Euclid Tavern back to life was the thing that made us go, 'OK, maybe we could do another one of these, and this is the place to do it.'"
The Happy Dog signed a lease on the space this week with University Circle Inc., which bought the building last year from the previous owners. The Euclid Tavern operated continuously as a bar from 1909 until 2001, making it the second longest-running bar site in Cleveland, according to UCI Director Chris Ronayne. New owners re-opened it in 2008 and stuck with it until 2013. UCI began renovating the space and looking for a new operator earlier this year.
"We were searching for the right tenant to live up to the iconic reputation of the Euclid Tavern as a music venue," says Ronayne. "We were in courtship with the guys from the Happy Dog for a while -- they know food, music and programming."
The Euclid Tavern has hosted national acts Chrissie Hynde, Pavement and Green Day, and also served as home base for legendary local acts like Mr. Stress. The tavern was also featured in the 1987 film Light of Day starring Michael J. Fox and Joan Jett.
Although plans are still being shaped, Watterson says the new venue will operate as the Happy Dog at the Euclid Tavern. A similar menu will be available, but some hot dog toppings will only be available at the east side location, and vice versa. The owners also plan more cultural programming through partnerships with area institutions such as the Cleveland Institute of Music and Institute of Art.
The same partnership that owns the west side Happy Dog, including Watterson, Sean Kilbane and chef Eric Williams, will open the Euclid Tavern location.
Source: Sean Watterson, Chris Ronayne
Writer: Lee Chilcote
recent melt opening featured in columbus dispatch
In a Columbus Dispatch business piece titled “Cleveland grilled-cheese sandwich chain arrives in Short North,” writer Denise Trowbridge highlights Matt Fish’s Melt Bar & Grilled and his decision to test the waters by opening a location in Columbus.
“I am nervous, but we had to take the plunge. That’s just part of growing,” Fish was quoted in the piece. “We want to become a regional restaurant group and open a couple more in Columbus, but we have to start with one and make that one the best we can.”
Trowbridge goes on to detail many of the aspects we Clevelanders already know and love about Melt, including its signature sandwiches, fabulous beer selection, infamous Melt Challenge, and the 25 percent discount for life for those who add a melt tattoo.
Check out the full story here.
“I am nervous, but we had to take the plunge. That’s just part of growing,” Fish was quoted in the piece. “We want to become a regional restaurant group and open a couple more in Columbus, but we have to start with one and make that one the best we can.”
Trowbridge goes on to detail many of the aspects we Clevelanders already know and love about Melt, including its signature sandwiches, fabulous beer selection, infamous Melt Challenge, and the 25 percent discount for life for those who add a melt tattoo.
Check out the full story here.
Michelle Venorsky and Kate Davis have worked at some of the top advertising and communications agencies in town, recently at Marcus Thomas. But the dream of starting their own agency prompted the two, along with three other partners, to launch Hello! agency in September.
“We’ve had this idea brewing for a while now,” says Venorsky. “We absolutely love what we do and we’ve been working together for 10 years.”
Hello! focuses on developing close connections with their clients, Venorsky says, by engaging relationships and finding out what makes them tick. So it seemed only natural to name the agency Hello!. “When you think about any relationship, you have to introduce yourself,” says Venorsky. “We call ourselves an 'engagement agency' – we build relationships on insight and research.”
Davis, with a background in cultural anthropology, handles the research end – figuring out why people do certain things. Venorsky handles the public relations, marketing and social media aspects. Venorsky says it was the right time to take an “intelligent risk” and hang out their own shingle.
“There’s never been a better time or an easier time to build a relationship with your customers with so many media platforms,” Venorsky says. “We’re trying to be medianostic and build something that matters.”
Hello! is still looking for the ideal office space in Ohio City or Tremont, but in the meantime, Venorsky and Hall are busy signing on clients. They’ve landed four accounts so far.
Source: Michelle Venorsky
Writer: Karin Connelly
“We’ve had this idea brewing for a while now,” says Venorsky. “We absolutely love what we do and we’ve been working together for 10 years.”
Hello! focuses on developing close connections with their clients, Venorsky says, by engaging relationships and finding out what makes them tick. So it seemed only natural to name the agency Hello!. “When you think about any relationship, you have to introduce yourself,” says Venorsky. “We call ourselves an 'engagement agency' – we build relationships on insight and research.”
Davis, with a background in cultural anthropology, handles the research end – figuring out why people do certain things. Venorsky handles the public relations, marketing and social media aspects. Venorsky says it was the right time to take an “intelligent risk” and hang out their own shingle.
“There’s never been a better time or an easier time to build a relationship with your customers with so many media platforms,” Venorsky says. “We’re trying to be medianostic and build something that matters.”
Hello! is still looking for the ideal office space in Ohio City or Tremont, but in the meantime, Venorsky and Hall are busy signing on clients. They’ve landed four accounts so far.
Source: Michelle Venorsky
Writer: Karin Connelly
Since the Great Recession, more and more folks have been living the "gigging life," working multiple jobs or hopping from one project to the next in hopes of cobbling together a living budget. While that might seem arduous, it also allows those living the lifestyle to follow their true passion.
new grant program funds business incubator, other innovative community projects
A new grant program launched by Neighborhood Progress Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides funding and technical assistance to community development corporations in Cleveland, recently awarded $200,000 to five projects. The recipients include a new business incubation program in North Collinwood, youth programming in Ohio City and surrounding neighborhoods, an effort in Central to teach fourth graders about healthy, local food, arts-based development in St. Clair Superior, and a community engagement effort in Tremont.
"The program came to be when we, as an organization, made a decision to develop a program that all CDCs had access to," says Colleen Gilson, Vice President of CDC Services for NPI, of the Neighborhood Solutions grant program. "The idea was, let's not be prescriptive. Let's let CDCs tell us what their solution to a neighborhood problem is or a cool project in their service area."
The awards break down as follows: NPI awarded $45,000 to ActiVacant, a program to recruit entrepreneurs to vacant retail spaces on E. 185th; $45,000 to Near West Recreation to expand its network of youth programming, including baseball, soccer, softball, basketball and bowling; $45,000 to St. Clair Superior for its Urban Upcycle project; $45,000 to Burton Bell Carr for its Urban Farm Diet Program; and $20,000 to Tremont West for its efforts to engage residents in creating a community-based development plan around MetroHealth.
Gilson says the projects reflect "deep collaboration" and non-traditional approaches towards community development. For instance, Near West Recreation is an effort to engage and retain families in six neighborhoods on the near west side -- Ohio City, Tremont, Stockyards, Clark-Fulton and Detroit Shoreway -- and build "intergenerational mixed-income neighborhoods." ActiVacant, spearheaded by Northeast Shores, is a "new take on the American dream" and a "business incubation project on steroids" that will entice young retailers to fill empty spaces on E. 185th by offering them free or reduced rent for a period of time, access to mentors and other support, and incentives for meeting benchmarks.
"The process was pretty amazing," says Gilson, describing a Shark Tank-esque format in which finalists presented in front of a panel of community development leaders, who then ranked and voted on winners. "We invited other CDCs to come watch and learn from their peers, and it was a really good opportunity to learn."
Source: Colleen Gilson
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"The program came to be when we, as an organization, made a decision to develop a program that all CDCs had access to," says Colleen Gilson, Vice President of CDC Services for NPI, of the Neighborhood Solutions grant program. "The idea was, let's not be prescriptive. Let's let CDCs tell us what their solution to a neighborhood problem is or a cool project in their service area."
The awards break down as follows: NPI awarded $45,000 to ActiVacant, a program to recruit entrepreneurs to vacant retail spaces on E. 185th; $45,000 to Near West Recreation to expand its network of youth programming, including baseball, soccer, softball, basketball and bowling; $45,000 to St. Clair Superior for its Urban Upcycle project; $45,000 to Burton Bell Carr for its Urban Farm Diet Program; and $20,000 to Tremont West for its efforts to engage residents in creating a community-based development plan around MetroHealth.
Gilson says the projects reflect "deep collaboration" and non-traditional approaches towards community development. For instance, Near West Recreation is an effort to engage and retain families in six neighborhoods on the near west side -- Ohio City, Tremont, Stockyards, Clark-Fulton and Detroit Shoreway -- and build "intergenerational mixed-income neighborhoods." ActiVacant, spearheaded by Northeast Shores, is a "new take on the American dream" and a "business incubation project on steroids" that will entice young retailers to fill empty spaces on E. 185th by offering them free or reduced rent for a period of time, access to mentors and other support, and incentives for meeting benchmarks.
"The process was pretty amazing," says Gilson, describing a Shark Tank-esque format in which finalists presented in front of a panel of community development leaders, who then ranked and voted on winners. "We invited other CDCs to come watch and learn from their peers, and it was a really good opportunity to learn."
Source: Colleen Gilson
Writer: Lee Chilcote
What are the kids into these days? Learning to sew, if you can believe it.
The Lorain branch of the Cleveland Public Library recently purchased sewing machines and began offering classes, and apparently they're a hit with young adults, who are interested in crafting, learning to make and repair their own clothes, and upcycling older materials into something new.
"They absolutely loved it," says branch manager Olivia Hoge of the classes that debuted this fall. "It's something old that's coming back. The idea of 'making' is becoming very prevalent in libraries."
The Lorain branch is offering additional classes in December, and Hoge says that youth involved in the effort might also hold a fashion show as part of Cleveland Fashion Week.
Sewing classes are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how CPL is tapping into the maker movement, however. In January, a new high-tech Maker Space will open downtown, complementing the already-diverse offerings available there.
Housed in TechCentral, a technology and learning center in the lower level of the Stokes Wing, the MakerLab will feature the latest cutting-edge tech, including graphic design software, audiovisual recording equipment, vinyl cutter, laser cutter, 3D scanner, high-definition video camera and smartboard.
"It's pretty cool," says C.J. Lynce, manager of TechCentral. "We've invested in equipment, tools and software that are high-level and professional."
"TechCentral and the MakerLab fit into our strategic priority of 'Forming Communities of Learning,'" adds Cathy Poilpre, Assistant Marketing Director with CPL. "Collectively, all the services offered in the MakerLab make CPL the center of learning for our whole community. Most people have a place they live, a place they work, and this is like a third place -- to play, engage and learn."
The TechCentral MakerLab is slated to open January 11th in the main library.
Source: Olivia Hoge, C.J. Lynce
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The Lorain branch of the Cleveland Public Library recently purchased sewing machines and began offering classes, and apparently they're a hit with young adults, who are interested in crafting, learning to make and repair their own clothes, and upcycling older materials into something new.
"They absolutely loved it," says branch manager Olivia Hoge of the classes that debuted this fall. "It's something old that's coming back. The idea of 'making' is becoming very prevalent in libraries."
The Lorain branch is offering additional classes in December, and Hoge says that youth involved in the effort might also hold a fashion show as part of Cleveland Fashion Week.
Sewing classes are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how CPL is tapping into the maker movement, however. In January, a new high-tech Maker Space will open downtown, complementing the already-diverse offerings available there.
Housed in TechCentral, a technology and learning center in the lower level of the Stokes Wing, the MakerLab will feature the latest cutting-edge tech, including graphic design software, audiovisual recording equipment, vinyl cutter, laser cutter, 3D scanner, high-definition video camera and smartboard.
"It's pretty cool," says C.J. Lynce, manager of TechCentral. "We've invested in equipment, tools and software that are high-level and professional."
"TechCentral and the MakerLab fit into our strategic priority of 'Forming Communities of Learning,'" adds Cathy Poilpre, Assistant Marketing Director with CPL. "Collectively, all the services offered in the MakerLab make CPL the center of learning for our whole community. Most people have a place they live, a place they work, and this is like a third place -- to play, engage and learn."
The TechCentral MakerLab is slated to open January 11th in the main library.
Source: Olivia Hoge, C.J. Lynce
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Collective Upcycle, the creative reuse boutique that's been popping up around town for the past few years, is opening a bricks-and-mortar store in the St. Clair Superior neighborhood. The shop, located at 6202 St. Clair Avenue -- aka the "coppertop building" -- will hold a grand opening party this Friday, November 22 from 5-8 p.m.
Friday's big bash will feature Slovenian beer and a Slovenian band in honor of the St. Clair Superior neighborhood's rich heritage as a hub for the ethnic community. The store will feature the work of 35-plus Cleveland upcycle artists and designers and is being spearheaded by Lauren Krueger as part of the Upcycle St. Clair effort.
"The shop is a celebration of innovation that's locally and regionally sourced," says Nicole McGee of Plenty Underfoot, who founded Collective Upcycle in 2011 and is a partner in Upcycle St. Clair, a larger effort to revitalize the entire retail district.
Some of the upcycled items offered at Collective Upcycle include roof slates turned into picture frames, plastic soda bottles made into sculptural flower bouquets, and vinyl LPs melted down into jewelry and serving bowls.
Collective Upcycle will be open Thursdays through Sundays during the holiday season. Then the store will close for a few weeks and reopen in January. Although the copper top building will eventually be taken over by St. Martin DePorres School, the shop will reopen in another location on St. Clair in the spring.
McGee says the store is proof positive that the strategy behind Upcycle St. Clair is working. "One of the goals was to bring in new businesses," she says. "We're celebrating what's already existing while also creating new opportunity."
Source: Nicole McGee
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Friday's big bash will feature Slovenian beer and a Slovenian band in honor of the St. Clair Superior neighborhood's rich heritage as a hub for the ethnic community. The store will feature the work of 35-plus Cleveland upcycle artists and designers and is being spearheaded by Lauren Krueger as part of the Upcycle St. Clair effort.
"The shop is a celebration of innovation that's locally and regionally sourced," says Nicole McGee of Plenty Underfoot, who founded Collective Upcycle in 2011 and is a partner in Upcycle St. Clair, a larger effort to revitalize the entire retail district.
Some of the upcycled items offered at Collective Upcycle include roof slates turned into picture frames, plastic soda bottles made into sculptural flower bouquets, and vinyl LPs melted down into jewelry and serving bowls.
Collective Upcycle will be open Thursdays through Sundays during the holiday season. Then the store will close for a few weeks and reopen in January. Although the copper top building will eventually be taken over by St. Martin DePorres School, the shop will reopen in another location on St. Clair in the spring.
McGee says the store is proof positive that the strategy behind Upcycle St. Clair is working. "One of the goals was to bring in new businesses," she says. "We're celebrating what's already existing while also creating new opportunity."
Source: Nicole McGee
Writer: Lee Chilcote
WXZ Development recently broke ground on 20 new micro-apartments on E. 118th Street in University Circle, adding to the wave of new housing in the area. Developer Jim Wymer says demand remains strong for efficiently designed, higher-end rental units geared towards professionals and students.
"We realized the true market that was untapped was an upscale rental product that was suited to the demographics of the Circle," says Wymer, who previously built and sold 12 townhomes at Circle 118. "There are people looking for nice, unique housing that feels like a for-sale product, but they want to rent."
A few years ago, WXZ developed Hazel 8, a 59-unit apartment project on Hazel Drive that is nearly 100 percent occupied. The units feature hardwood floors and stainless steel appliances and rent for $1.85 per square foot, or about $1,100 for a 600-square-foot, one-bedroom unit, due to the premium University Circle location.
The newest units, located on land previously owned by RTA, are actually Phase II of 118 Flats, a project that already brought 10 new units to E. 118th and Euclid.
"The market is so unique," says Wymer of demand for the units. "We have people coming into the market from as far away as the Far East. There was a lot of Internet shopping with Hazel 8 -- probably one-third of our tenants did applications and made deposits without ever seeing the product."
The units at 118 Flats average about 800 square feet, but they are efficiently designed with high ceilings, little wasted space and plenty of natural light, making them feel less like cramped apartments and more like hip micro-units.
Source: Jim Wymer
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"We realized the true market that was untapped was an upscale rental product that was suited to the demographics of the Circle," says Wymer, who previously built and sold 12 townhomes at Circle 118. "There are people looking for nice, unique housing that feels like a for-sale product, but they want to rent."
A few years ago, WXZ developed Hazel 8, a 59-unit apartment project on Hazel Drive that is nearly 100 percent occupied. The units feature hardwood floors and stainless steel appliances and rent for $1.85 per square foot, or about $1,100 for a 600-square-foot, one-bedroom unit, due to the premium University Circle location.
The newest units, located on land previously owned by RTA, are actually Phase II of 118 Flats, a project that already brought 10 new units to E. 118th and Euclid.
"The market is so unique," says Wymer of demand for the units. "We have people coming into the market from as far away as the Far East. There was a lot of Internet shopping with Hazel 8 -- probably one-third of our tenants did applications and made deposits without ever seeing the product."
The units at 118 Flats average about 800 square feet, but they are efficiently designed with high ceilings, little wasted space and plenty of natural light, making them feel less like cramped apartments and more like hip micro-units.
Source: Jim Wymer
Writer: Lee Chilcote
On October 28, the Refugee Services Collaborative (RSC) released its first-ever study of the economic impact Cleveland’s 4,500 refugees have made on the region since 2000. Refugees are legal U.S. residents who have come here to avoid persecution in their home countries.
"We felt there were a lot of negative misconceptions about refugees, so we commissioned the economic impact study to uncover the facts," says Luanne Bole-Becker, RSC’s special projects and data management coordinator.
The report, generated by Chmura Economics and Analytics and funded through a grant from the Cleveland Foundation, shows that refugees created and sustained 650 jobs in 2012 as a result of household spending, small business creation and through the agencies in place to help them. The total economic impact was $48 million in these three areas.
“Refugees bolster the population and their spending creates jobs in the economy,” explains Chmura’s Dan Meges, economist and business development manager. “Without refugee arrivals, this spending and economic activity would be occurring somewhere else in the United States. They also increase the demand for local housing by buying or renting homes, and they increase the socio-cultural diversity of the city, which has other positive spillovers.”
RSC was formed in 2011 and grew out of dialogue between the region’s many refugee service agencies. The report shows that while refugees typically find work in food service, housekeeping, sewing, factory production work and seasonal landscaping, they are also more likely to be entrepreneurs and start small businesses once they have settled in the area.
"Refugees are positive for Cleveland,” says Bole-Becker. “While they need some initial help, it's an investment in a group of people that don't take jobs; they make jobs. We hope to increase capacity so that more refugees can be resettled here, adding to Cleveland's growth."
Meges adds, “From an analytic viewpoint, what matters is their average family income, which is estimated to be about $31,000 annually in the Cleveland area in 2012.”
More than 17,000 refugees have settled in Cleveland since 1983.
Source: Dan Meges, Luanne Bole-Becker
Writer: Karin Connelly
"We felt there were a lot of negative misconceptions about refugees, so we commissioned the economic impact study to uncover the facts," says Luanne Bole-Becker, RSC’s special projects and data management coordinator.
The report, generated by Chmura Economics and Analytics and funded through a grant from the Cleveland Foundation, shows that refugees created and sustained 650 jobs in 2012 as a result of household spending, small business creation and through the agencies in place to help them. The total economic impact was $48 million in these three areas.
“Refugees bolster the population and their spending creates jobs in the economy,” explains Chmura’s Dan Meges, economist and business development manager. “Without refugee arrivals, this spending and economic activity would be occurring somewhere else in the United States. They also increase the demand for local housing by buying or renting homes, and they increase the socio-cultural diversity of the city, which has other positive spillovers.”
RSC was formed in 2011 and grew out of dialogue between the region’s many refugee service agencies. The report shows that while refugees typically find work in food service, housekeeping, sewing, factory production work and seasonal landscaping, they are also more likely to be entrepreneurs and start small businesses once they have settled in the area.
"Refugees are positive for Cleveland,” says Bole-Becker. “While they need some initial help, it's an investment in a group of people that don't take jobs; they make jobs. We hope to increase capacity so that more refugees can be resettled here, adding to Cleveland's growth."
Meges adds, “From an analytic viewpoint, what matters is their average family income, which is estimated to be about $31,000 annually in the Cleveland area in 2012.”
More than 17,000 refugees have settled in Cleveland since 1983.
Source: Dan Meges, Luanne Bole-Becker
Writer: Karin Connelly
More than 1,300 people attended the first annual Cleveland Entrepreneurship Week last week, participating in everything from pitch sessions to speaker sessions and after-hours networking events.
Big names in the entrepreneurial community from outside the region, such as MapQuest founder Chris Heivly and managing director of The Startup Factory, were among those in attendance who helped make the event a success.
“Overall, ClevelandEW was successfully able to showcase and celebrate the growth of entrepreneurship and the unique ecosystem being created here in Northeast Ohio,” says Todd Goldstein, founder of LaunchHouse, lead sponsor of the event.
Goldstein reports that all of the EW events were well attended. “More than 300 attended LHX2013 Demo Day and the ClevelandEW opening party at LaunchHouse,” he says. “Other popular events were Startups @ The City Club, a new entrepreneurial and community-driven speaker series with the mission to educate, inspire and provoke entrepreneurial thought throughout Northeast Ohio, and the speaker sessions at Ernst and Young.”
Several of the startups in the LHX2013 Demo Day were able to secure leads, convert attendees to customers and identify potential investors. Goldstein says all 11 companies that gave pitches at Demo Day felt good, although a bit overwhelmed, about the experience.
“Right now, they are all doing a lot of follow up to the leads they made during Demo Day and ClevelandEW,” he says. “They are all rock stars to us and we are looking forward to helping them toward the next stage in their companies.”
Source: Todd Goldstein
Writer: Karin Connelly
Big names in the entrepreneurial community from outside the region, such as MapQuest founder Chris Heivly and managing director of The Startup Factory, were among those in attendance who helped make the event a success.
“Overall, ClevelandEW was successfully able to showcase and celebrate the growth of entrepreneurship and the unique ecosystem being created here in Northeast Ohio,” says Todd Goldstein, founder of LaunchHouse, lead sponsor of the event.
Goldstein reports that all of the EW events were well attended. “More than 300 attended LHX2013 Demo Day and the ClevelandEW opening party at LaunchHouse,” he says. “Other popular events were Startups @ The City Club, a new entrepreneurial and community-driven speaker series with the mission to educate, inspire and provoke entrepreneurial thought throughout Northeast Ohio, and the speaker sessions at Ernst and Young.”
Several of the startups in the LHX2013 Demo Day were able to secure leads, convert attendees to customers and identify potential investors. Goldstein says all 11 companies that gave pitches at Demo Day felt good, although a bit overwhelmed, about the experience.
“Right now, they are all doing a lot of follow up to the leads they made during Demo Day and ClevelandEW,” he says. “They are all rock stars to us and we are looking forward to helping them toward the next stage in their companies.”
Source: Todd Goldstein
Writer: Karin Connelly
Operation Light Switch on Waterloo is an effort to add critical mass to the area by "turning on" multiple new bars and restaurants as the streetscape project wraps up next year. The project recently scored another little win: restaurateur Alan Glazen sold the Harbor Pub to Tremont developer Tom Bell, who will reopen it.
Although it's too early to announce the concept, operator or even the name, Bell says he's excited about the opportunity to help revitalize Waterloo. "I'm trying to help Alan get the right mix," he says. "The area has kind of a rock-and-roll vibe -- it's really blue-collar Cleveland. I want to have a place with great food and great atmosphere. It won't necessarily be a step down, it will be a step over."
The Harbor Pub building features a historic bar that runs the length of the building. Although the exterior of the building has been redone, Bell will finish out the interior himself. The property features about 2,000 square feet on each of the two floors, and Bell plans to use all of it with a two-story bar and restaurant. He's also toying with the idea of creating outdoor seating along the driveway area or in the back.
Bell, who perhaps is best known as the creator of the Flying Monkey Pub in Tremont, says that he was intrigued by Glazen's salesmanship and vision for the area. "Alan browbeat me for months. He's a good drumbeater who creates excitement and gets people to think about new ideas. I can see the potential -- the CDC is re-seeding the area with artists and non-absentee property owners."
Bell plans to open next summer along with Steve Schimoler's Crop Rocks. He is toying with the idea of a coal-fired pizza concept and is looking for an operator to run it.
Source: Tom Bell
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Although it's too early to announce the concept, operator or even the name, Bell says he's excited about the opportunity to help revitalize Waterloo. "I'm trying to help Alan get the right mix," he says. "The area has kind of a rock-and-roll vibe -- it's really blue-collar Cleveland. I want to have a place with great food and great atmosphere. It won't necessarily be a step down, it will be a step over."
The Harbor Pub building features a historic bar that runs the length of the building. Although the exterior of the building has been redone, Bell will finish out the interior himself. The property features about 2,000 square feet on each of the two floors, and Bell plans to use all of it with a two-story bar and restaurant. He's also toying with the idea of creating outdoor seating along the driveway area or in the back.
Bell, who perhaps is best known as the creator of the Flying Monkey Pub in Tremont, says that he was intrigued by Glazen's salesmanship and vision for the area. "Alan browbeat me for months. He's a good drumbeater who creates excitement and gets people to think about new ideas. I can see the potential -- the CDC is re-seeding the area with artists and non-absentee property owners."
Bell plans to open next summer along with Steve Schimoler's Crop Rocks. He is toying with the idea of a coal-fired pizza concept and is looking for an operator to run it.
Source: Tom Bell
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The Duck Island neighborhood, which is situated off Abbey Road between Ohio City and Tremont, got its name because characters used to "duck" in here to escape cops during Prohibition. At least that's the legend that local residents like to offer.
Somehow, despite the sea-change development that's occurred in Tremont and Ohio City over the years, Duck Island has kept its tucked-away identity. Some new projects were built here, but others were stymied over the years by local residents opposed to density. But that may change over the next few years.
As developers like Andrew Brickman, Knez Homes and Sam McNulty buy up land in Duck Island, the Tremont West Development Corporation is leading a process to engage residents and stakeholders in shaping the future of Duck Island. And that future will likely involve new development, in some fashion or another.
"There's a lot of development being discussed in Duck Island, and the goal is to get the neighborhood on board with what's coming and create win-wins," says Cory Riordan, Director of Tremont West. "We want to have the conversation in advance and be proactive about how the development interacts with the community."
To that end, Tremont West is hosting a community design "charette" December 5-7 at St. Wendelyn's Church. Kent State University's Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative will lead the process, which will result in a new development plan for the area, encompassing everything from housing to infrastructure to home repair.
"People rise to the bar that's set for them," says Riordan. "The planning process won't just focus on development -- we want to look at improving Abbey Park and giving seniors the ability to fix their homes -- but new developments are driving the need for it. The result will be a community vision for moving forward."
Currently, there are only six new for-sale housing units officially proposed in Duck Island, a townhouse project being developed by Knez. Yet Riordan confirmed that developable land in Duck Island could result in dozens of new units in the coming years. For example, developer Andrew Brickman owns the former Bridgeview Cafe on Lorain Avenue, and that site alone could hold a large development.
In other Tremont news, the Professor Avenue streetscape project is nearly done. Artist Olga Ziemska has created "Dendrite," a public art piece that will function as seating and a gathering place, at the plaza at the corner of W. 10th, Fairfield and Professor. She intends to install it by the end of November, weather permitting.
Source: Cory Riordan, Olga Ziemska
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Somehow, despite the sea-change development that's occurred in Tremont and Ohio City over the years, Duck Island has kept its tucked-away identity. Some new projects were built here, but others were stymied over the years by local residents opposed to density. But that may change over the next few years.
As developers like Andrew Brickman, Knez Homes and Sam McNulty buy up land in Duck Island, the Tremont West Development Corporation is leading a process to engage residents and stakeholders in shaping the future of Duck Island. And that future will likely involve new development, in some fashion or another.
"There's a lot of development being discussed in Duck Island, and the goal is to get the neighborhood on board with what's coming and create win-wins," says Cory Riordan, Director of Tremont West. "We want to have the conversation in advance and be proactive about how the development interacts with the community."
To that end, Tremont West is hosting a community design "charette" December 5-7 at St. Wendelyn's Church. Kent State University's Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative will lead the process, which will result in a new development plan for the area, encompassing everything from housing to infrastructure to home repair.
"People rise to the bar that's set for them," says Riordan. "The planning process won't just focus on development -- we want to look at improving Abbey Park and giving seniors the ability to fix their homes -- but new developments are driving the need for it. The result will be a community vision for moving forward."
Currently, there are only six new for-sale housing units officially proposed in Duck Island, a townhouse project being developed by Knez. Yet Riordan confirmed that developable land in Duck Island could result in dozens of new units in the coming years. For example, developer Andrew Brickman owns the former Bridgeview Cafe on Lorain Avenue, and that site alone could hold a large development.
In other Tremont news, the Professor Avenue streetscape project is nearly done. Artist Olga Ziemska has created "Dendrite," a public art piece that will function as seating and a gathering place, at the plaza at the corner of W. 10th, Fairfield and Professor. She intends to install it by the end of November, weather permitting.
Source: Cory Riordan, Olga Ziemska
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Melissa Hale started Yates Apothecary -- a fragrance manufacturer -- on a bit of a whim. She and her husband, Quinn, just had their first child and had moved to Lakewood from Florida, when Hale decided to leave her job as a nuclear medicine technologist and start experimenting with perfumes.
“I spent my last five years as a nuclear med tech working directly with cancer patients and P.E.T. imaging,” recalls Hale. “Those five years took their toll on my emotional and mental state. I wanted to come home from work happy and relaxed and that wasn't happening.”
With a sleeping baby on her lap, Hale began experimenting with perfume notes that she bought online. With that, Yates Apothecary was born. The company is named after her beloved chocolate lab Yates, aka Pig.
Things weren’t easy at first, but Hale has turned Yates Apothecary into a thriving home-based business selling fragrances, lip balms and custom blended scents. With a recent move to a live-work loft on St. Clair, Hale has expanded her lab and is planning on creating a steam distillation lab to extract the oils herself. She also teaches blending classes and welcomes guests to stop by to purchase her products, chat or just share a cup of coffee.
Hale’s unique scents are all numbered after significant dates in her life. “I gravitate towards notes that one might think won't smell great blended,” says Hale. “For example, perfume oil No. 3456 is campfire, dirt and violet. I tend to stay away from the traditional blends and enjoy the unconventional. The challenge of making unusual notes smell appealing is very satisfying to me.”
Hale’s more popular blend -- and her favorite -- is No. 0398, her dear dog's birthday. The blend is made up of fragrances such as amber, cedar, vanilla, oak moss and coconut oil.
“He was a crazy chocolate lab who loved walks in the woods,” she says. “I wanted to capture that feeling of walking in the woods with him. I wanted to capture that emotion, and I wanted to capture those memories.”
Hale’s products are available on the Yates site and at a number of local boutiques.
Source: Melissa Hale
Writer: Karin Connelly
“I spent my last five years as a nuclear med tech working directly with cancer patients and P.E.T. imaging,” recalls Hale. “Those five years took their toll on my emotional and mental state. I wanted to come home from work happy and relaxed and that wasn't happening.”
With a sleeping baby on her lap, Hale began experimenting with perfume notes that she bought online. With that, Yates Apothecary was born. The company is named after her beloved chocolate lab Yates, aka Pig.
Things weren’t easy at first, but Hale has turned Yates Apothecary into a thriving home-based business selling fragrances, lip balms and custom blended scents. With a recent move to a live-work loft on St. Clair, Hale has expanded her lab and is planning on creating a steam distillation lab to extract the oils herself. She also teaches blending classes and welcomes guests to stop by to purchase her products, chat or just share a cup of coffee.
Hale’s unique scents are all numbered after significant dates in her life. “I gravitate towards notes that one might think won't smell great blended,” says Hale. “For example, perfume oil No. 3456 is campfire, dirt and violet. I tend to stay away from the traditional blends and enjoy the unconventional. The challenge of making unusual notes smell appealing is very satisfying to me.”
Hale’s more popular blend -- and her favorite -- is No. 0398, her dear dog's birthday. The blend is made up of fragrances such as amber, cedar, vanilla, oak moss and coconut oil.
“He was a crazy chocolate lab who loved walks in the woods,” she says. “I wanted to capture that feeling of walking in the woods with him. I wanted to capture that emotion, and I wanted to capture those memories.”
Hale’s products are available on the Yates site and at a number of local boutiques.
Source: Melissa Hale
Writer: Karin Connelly
cle's start-up friendly landscape featured in atlantic cities piece
In an Atlantic Cities feature titled "The Passion of Young Cleveland," New York-based writer Nona Willis Aronowitz covers both the start-up friendly nature of Cleveland as well as its political importance.
"Cleveland is one of those Rust Belt cities that's too often held up as a symbol of the fall of American industry, but a critical mass of diehard young Clevelanders are either staying or coming back to turn the place around. While I was there, I heard two common reasons why Cleveland natives were staying loyal: It's an ideal place to start a business or a new project, given the low overhead and unusually strong, cohesive community support. But it's also in one of the most politically influential places in the country, in a bellwether, "real America" state that offers young people an opportunity to move the national needle."
In the feature, the writer chats with Ohio City developer Graham Veysey and his girlfriend, Marika Shiori-Clark, who says that it's “much easier to be an entrepreneur here. There’s a much lower threshold in terms of risk and price."
Read the rest right here.
"Cleveland is one of those Rust Belt cities that's too often held up as a symbol of the fall of American industry, but a critical mass of diehard young Clevelanders are either staying or coming back to turn the place around. While I was there, I heard two common reasons why Cleveland natives were staying loyal: It's an ideal place to start a business or a new project, given the low overhead and unusually strong, cohesive community support. But it's also in one of the most politically influential places in the country, in a bellwether, "real America" state that offers young people an opportunity to move the national needle."
In the feature, the writer chats with Ohio City developer Graham Veysey and his girlfriend, Marika Shiori-Clark, who says that it's “much easier to be an entrepreneur here. There’s a much lower threshold in terms of risk and price."
Read the rest right here.
Shaker Heights perhaps is better known for its handsome residential districts than its commercial areas. However, a new pop-up event aims to highlight local businesses in the Van Aken District, invite a few new ones to participate, and offer a new kind of winter market where people can shop close to home.
Pop Up Shaker will bring a range of local food and craft purveyors into Juma Gallery and Lucy's Sweet Surrender for a two-week run beginning Saturday, November 30th and going through Sunday, December 15th. Upcycle St. Clair's innovative Shop the Window event will brighten the windows of the vacant storefront between them.
"The goal is to encourage residents and others to look at Shaker as a great place to do business," says Katharyne Starinsky, an Economic Development Specialist with the City of Shaker Heights. "Construction on the Van Aken streetscape is starting next year. We want people to think about how great the future of the area will be."
Cleveland Culinary Launch and Kitchen will turn Juma Cafe into a marketplace for tantalizing foods; Cleveland Craft Connection will host a handmade market and teach crafting classes at Lucy's; and Shop the Window will allow visitors to purchase upcycled crafts simply by scanning the QR code with their smartphones.
"You can immediately purchase the gifts right then and there, and then they'll be available for pickup at Upcycle St. Clair, or they can be shipped," says Starinsky.
So far, everyone loves the idea, which has never before been tried in the City of Shaker Heights. "People are excited to be able to shop in their own community."
Source: Katharyne Starinsky
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Pop Up Shaker will bring a range of local food and craft purveyors into Juma Gallery and Lucy's Sweet Surrender for a two-week run beginning Saturday, November 30th and going through Sunday, December 15th. Upcycle St. Clair's innovative Shop the Window event will brighten the windows of the vacant storefront between them.
"The goal is to encourage residents and others to look at Shaker as a great place to do business," says Katharyne Starinsky, an Economic Development Specialist with the City of Shaker Heights. "Construction on the Van Aken streetscape is starting next year. We want people to think about how great the future of the area will be."
Cleveland Culinary Launch and Kitchen will turn Juma Cafe into a marketplace for tantalizing foods; Cleveland Craft Connection will host a handmade market and teach crafting classes at Lucy's; and Shop the Window will allow visitors to purchase upcycled crafts simply by scanning the QR code with their smartphones.
"You can immediately purchase the gifts right then and there, and then they'll be available for pickup at Upcycle St. Clair, or they can be shipped," says Starinsky.
So far, everyone loves the idea, which has never before been tried in the City of Shaker Heights. "People are excited to be able to shop in their own community."
Source: Katharyne Starinsky
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Cleveland is home to a vibrant collection of women-owned businesses, many of which are in fields traditionally dominated by men. From manufacturing to moving, these heavy lifting ladies credit their success to hard work and a soft touch.
Shaker Heights entrepreneur Kai Wingo recently launched the Buckeye Mushroom Farm on a vacant lot on E. 127th Street off Buckeye Road. Wingo is growing oyster and garden giant mushrooms on beds and racks there. She also teaches classes and sells mushrooms under the moniker Kai's Kultured Mushrooms at the Coit Road Farmers Market.
"I'm a mushroom ambassador," she says. "I want people to know about benefits we get from mushrooms. I'm the only one I know of who's doing it at this scale."
Wingo began growing mushrooms four years ago, and launched her business when she got laid off from her job with the Cleveland Municipal School District. By then, she'd outgrown her home garden, so she applied for a vacant lot through the land bank. Recently, she also built a hoop house there to extend the growing season.
"Mushrooms are a powerhouse of nutrition," she explains. "The gardens also benefit because of the compost they provide. They're just a grand recycler."
Wingo says there is great untapped demand for local mushrooms, which are a high-value crop, and that her business and classes are taking off. "There's a long waiting list of farmers markets that would love to have mushrooms there, but there aren't any people to fill the niche, so that's why I'm teaching people."
Hough entrepreneur Mansfield Frazier also has tapped Wingo to grow 'shrooms at his new biocellar project. She can be reached via Facebook or by phone at 216-561-3200.
Source: Kai Wingo
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"I'm a mushroom ambassador," she says. "I want people to know about benefits we get from mushrooms. I'm the only one I know of who's doing it at this scale."
Wingo began growing mushrooms four years ago, and launched her business when she got laid off from her job with the Cleveland Municipal School District. By then, she'd outgrown her home garden, so she applied for a vacant lot through the land bank. Recently, she also built a hoop house there to extend the growing season.
"Mushrooms are a powerhouse of nutrition," she explains. "The gardens also benefit because of the compost they provide. They're just a grand recycler."
Wingo says there is great untapped demand for local mushrooms, which are a high-value crop, and that her business and classes are taking off. "There's a long waiting list of farmers markets that would love to have mushrooms there, but there aren't any people to fill the niche, so that's why I'm teaching people."
Hough entrepreneur Mansfield Frazier also has tapped Wingo to grow 'shrooms at his new biocellar project. She can be reached via Facebook or by phone at 216-561-3200.
Source: Kai Wingo
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Predictably, Paul Benner and Justin Carson came up with their idea to launch a brewing incubator over a couple of strong pints at a local alehouse. Benner owns the Cleveland Brew Shop, a homebrew supply store in Tremont, and Carson runs JC Beertech, a company that installs and cleans draft beer lines.
Two weeks ago, JC Beertech moved its 40-person office from Medina to a renovated building in Ohio City. The company occupies the second floor of the Tomasch building at 4125 Lorain Avenue, which was built 100 years ago as a Czech social hall. Benner and Carson are now hard at work on renovations to the first floor, which by next spring will be home to Platform Brewing Company.
JC Beertech's new offices feature gleaming hardwood floors, the original bar from the Czech social hall, solar tubes that introduce natural light and windows that overlook Lorain. The stout brick building's exterior has been completely renovated with new storefront windows, and signage will be added when the project is completed.
Platform, a microbrewery and brewing incubator, will occupy 5,000 square feet on the first floor. The space, part of which was a former bowling alley for the Czech hall, has slender planked hardwood floors that are being restored. A 20-foot-tall garage door will open to a spacious new beer garden. The Plum, a cafe and sandwich shop opening next door, will provide food from a shared kitchen.
Platform will brew beer for consumption on premises and sale to restaurants, offer contract brewing services for restaurants that want to brew their own beer, and hold classes and other instructional programs for homebrewers who want to break into the industry. Benner says it's the only brewing incubator he's aware of in the country.
"We're excited about creating a new district in Ohio City," Benner says of Lorain Avenue between W. 45th and Fulton, which is considered part of SoLo (South of Lorain). "We'll have people here from seven in the morning until ten at night."
In spring, Benner will plant hops vines that will grow over trellises in the rear of the building and along the alleyway next to the building so that they're visible from the street.
Source: Paul Benner
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Two weeks ago, JC Beertech moved its 40-person office from Medina to a renovated building in Ohio City. The company occupies the second floor of the Tomasch building at 4125 Lorain Avenue, which was built 100 years ago as a Czech social hall. Benner and Carson are now hard at work on renovations to the first floor, which by next spring will be home to Platform Brewing Company.
JC Beertech's new offices feature gleaming hardwood floors, the original bar from the Czech social hall, solar tubes that introduce natural light and windows that overlook Lorain. The stout brick building's exterior has been completely renovated with new storefront windows, and signage will be added when the project is completed.
Platform, a microbrewery and brewing incubator, will occupy 5,000 square feet on the first floor. The space, part of which was a former bowling alley for the Czech hall, has slender planked hardwood floors that are being restored. A 20-foot-tall garage door will open to a spacious new beer garden. The Plum, a cafe and sandwich shop opening next door, will provide food from a shared kitchen.
Platform will brew beer for consumption on premises and sale to restaurants, offer contract brewing services for restaurants that want to brew their own beer, and hold classes and other instructional programs for homebrewers who want to break into the industry. Benner says it's the only brewing incubator he's aware of in the country.
"We're excited about creating a new district in Ohio City," Benner says of Lorain Avenue between W. 45th and Fulton, which is considered part of SoLo (South of Lorain). "We'll have people here from seven in the morning until ten at night."
In spring, Benner will plant hops vines that will grow over trellises in the rear of the building and along the alleyway next to the building so that they're visible from the street.
Source: Paul Benner
Writer: Lee Chilcote