Downtown
The Hollywood movies that have been filmed in Cleveland recently have created buzz and the hope of being cast as an extra or rubbing elbows with a star. But when a film is made in Northeast Ohio, jobs are created across virtually every industry.
“Film productions in Cleveland have all sorts of goods and services that we don’t think of as normal film industry jobs,” says Ivan Schwarz, executive director of the Greater Cleveland Film Commission. “But whenever a film production needs an alley cleaned, they hire a crew to power wash and disinfect it.”
The need is for everything from seafood distributors to cleaning crews and sign makers. “The owner of FastSigns was blown away by what they wanted,” Schwarz says of a recent film project. The Film Commission is helping to tout the many opportunities films bring to Cleveland through workshops on everything from production to how to become a vendor to writing workshops.
The idea is to illustrate how many opportunities come with a film production. “Some of the companies made 50 percent of their revenues on movies this summer,” says Schwarz. “Vendors alone spent $100,000 a week on fuel.”
All of the workshops are listed on the Film Commission’s website. Schwarz is working with Cleveland State University to illustrate the economic development benefits to the region. “It’s really about building and creating ancillary jobs that support the industry,” he says. “The idea is to build an industry that is ongoing.”
Source: Ivan Schwarz
Writer: Karin Connelly
“Film productions in Cleveland have all sorts of goods and services that we don’t think of as normal film industry jobs,” says Ivan Schwarz, executive director of the Greater Cleveland Film Commission. “But whenever a film production needs an alley cleaned, they hire a crew to power wash and disinfect it.”
The need is for everything from seafood distributors to cleaning crews and sign makers. “The owner of FastSigns was blown away by what they wanted,” Schwarz says of a recent film project. The Film Commission is helping to tout the many opportunities films bring to Cleveland through workshops on everything from production to how to become a vendor to writing workshops.
The idea is to illustrate how many opportunities come with a film production. “Some of the companies made 50 percent of their revenues on movies this summer,” says Schwarz. “Vendors alone spent $100,000 a week on fuel.”
All of the workshops are listed on the Film Commission’s website. Schwarz is working with Cleveland State University to illustrate the economic development benefits to the region. “It’s really about building and creating ancillary jobs that support the industry,” he says. “The idea is to build an industry that is ongoing.”
Source: Ivan Schwarz
Writer: Karin Connelly
A weekend project to build a hoop house turned into a thriving business for three local entrepreneurs. Carlton Jackson, Todd Alexander and Michael Walton were all at a Sustainable Cleveland 2019 meeting in 2009. Walton needed help erecting a hoop house on his urban farm, Jackson and Alexander came to help, and they all ended up with a business idea.
“It took seven to 10 days to build instead of the weekend,” recalls Jackson. The three started talking and figured they could do better. They came up with a design for a better tunnel hoop house and have been building ever since.
Tunnel Vision Hoops designs, manufactures and installs high tunnel hoop houses for everyone from the backyard gardener to working farms. Hoop houses extend the growing season by keeping out harsh elements like wind and sleet while trapping the heat from solar radiation.
Jackson’s hope is to expand Northeast Ohio’s 135-day growing season and use of the 3,500 acres of vacant land in Cleveland for growing food and thus creating jobs. His hoops are comprised of galvanized steel arches covered with UV-protected, condensation-control polyethylene plastic
“We innovated and came up with our own designs and install them,” says Jackson. “We had no intention of actually starting a company. We thought we’d just make a few bucks. We each paid $7, went to Home Depot and made a scale model.”
Their model was a success and TVH’s first client was CWRU’s Squire Vallevue Farm. Today, the company has put nearly 20,000 square feet under cover in four counties. “You know you have a good product when someone’s willing to spend their own money,” says Jackson.
TVH has plans to expand by 2013, hiring trained installers or landscapers to erect the hoops as well as summer interns. Jackson also has plans to expand their product line and to build hoops for disaster relief efforts.
Source: Carlton Jackson
Writer: Karin Connelly
“It took seven to 10 days to build instead of the weekend,” recalls Jackson. The three started talking and figured they could do better. They came up with a design for a better tunnel hoop house and have been building ever since.
Tunnel Vision Hoops designs, manufactures and installs high tunnel hoop houses for everyone from the backyard gardener to working farms. Hoop houses extend the growing season by keeping out harsh elements like wind and sleet while trapping the heat from solar radiation.
Jackson’s hope is to expand Northeast Ohio’s 135-day growing season and use of the 3,500 acres of vacant land in Cleveland for growing food and thus creating jobs. His hoops are comprised of galvanized steel arches covered with UV-protected, condensation-control polyethylene plastic
“We innovated and came up with our own designs and install them,” says Jackson. “We had no intention of actually starting a company. We thought we’d just make a few bucks. We each paid $7, went to Home Depot and made a scale model.”
Their model was a success and TVH’s first client was CWRU’s Squire Vallevue Farm. Today, the company has put nearly 20,000 square feet under cover in four counties. “You know you have a good product when someone’s willing to spend their own money,” says Jackson.
TVH has plans to expand by 2013, hiring trained installers or landscapers to erect the hoops as well as summer interns. Jackson also has plans to expand their product line and to build hoops for disaster relief efforts.
Source: Carlton Jackson
Writer: Karin Connelly
While we pride ourselves here at Fresh Water in having crisp, professional prose, the truth is, without art, a feature is just font on a page. Pictures tell a thousand words, we're told, but the best ones simply leave us speechless. Every masthead and feature image since we launched this pub over a year ago has been shot by Fresh Water shooter Bob Perkoski. Here is a collection of some of his finest work.
When Fresh Water launched in September 2010, we promised to highlight Cleveland's most progressive and creative people, businesses and organizations. But more importantly, we endeavored to place those subjects against the most compelling backdrop of all: Cleveland and its wonderful neighborhoods. Each Thursday, our readers are invited to dig a little deeper into this city we call home. What follows is a list of the 10 most-read features of the previous 12 months. Looking at the subject matter of those stories, it's clear that the most important topics to our readers include neighborhood development, sustainability and transportation, and, of course, food and booze.
tribe's snow days a hit with washington post reporter
A writer for the Washington Post files a post about Cleveland Indians Snow Days, which takes place at Progressive Field from Thanksgiving to mid-January. The family-friendly attraction is a festival of winter sports, with ice skating and tubing facilities installed in a place that typically sees a different sort of sliding.
"My husband and I have been making annual summer pilgrimages to Cleveland for several years now to visit his family, and the trip always includes a baseball game," she writes. "Thanks to his grandmother, we’re treated to premium seats just a few rows back from the first-base line.
"I’d always figured that it would be nearly impossible to get any closer to the actual field, but for less than the cost of one of those game-day tickets, an all-access Snow Days pass puts you smack in the middle of the turf, with unlimited tubing, skating and holiday cheer."
Check out the rest of it here.
"My husband and I have been making annual summer pilgrimages to Cleveland for several years now to visit his family, and the trip always includes a baseball game," she writes. "Thanks to his grandmother, we’re treated to premium seats just a few rows back from the first-base line.
"I’d always figured that it would be nearly impossible to get any closer to the actual field, but for less than the cost of one of those game-day tickets, an all-access Snow Days pass puts you smack in the middle of the turf, with unlimited tubing, skating and holiday cheer."
Check out the rest of it here.
chef jon sawyer cracks time's 'top 10 food trends' list
Cleveland chef Jonathon Sawyer was included in TIME magazine's year-end list of top 10s, which covered topics ranging from music and literature to gadgets and memes. Sawyer earned the #7 spot on the list of Top 10 Food Trends.
Penned by TIME food writer Josh Ozersky, who visited Greenhouse Tavern this summer, the item calls out artisinal vinegars and bitters as a hot new food trend. Sawyer's hand-crafted vinegars make their way into numerous dishes at his E. Fourth Street restaurant.
"The one thing you generally expect of new, laboriously made products at restaurants is that they will be good. But even bad can be good -- if by "bad" you mean sour or bitter," writes Ozersky. "The nation's avant-garde mixologists, mustachioed and otherwise, have taken up the creation of house-made bitters as part of their advanced drink programs, and their kitchen counterparts are following suit, with vinegars so complex and intriguing that they are sometimes served straight up between courses. Jonathon Sawyer serves half a dozen in tasting dishes at his Greenhouse Tavern in Cleveland."
Ozersky gets one detail wrong, however, when he writes, "Happily, they are for dipping fries rather drinking." Greenhouse mixologist Kevin Wildermuth does indeed use house-made vinegars in his cutting-edge cocktail program -- and the results are eye-opening.
Read the entire list here.
Penned by TIME food writer Josh Ozersky, who visited Greenhouse Tavern this summer, the item calls out artisinal vinegars and bitters as a hot new food trend. Sawyer's hand-crafted vinegars make their way into numerous dishes at his E. Fourth Street restaurant.
"The one thing you generally expect of new, laboriously made products at restaurants is that they will be good. But even bad can be good -- if by "bad" you mean sour or bitter," writes Ozersky. "The nation's avant-garde mixologists, mustachioed and otherwise, have taken up the creation of house-made bitters as part of their advanced drink programs, and their kitchen counterparts are following suit, with vinegars so complex and intriguing that they are sometimes served straight up between courses. Jonathon Sawyer serves half a dozen in tasting dishes at his Greenhouse Tavern in Cleveland."
Ozersky gets one detail wrong, however, when he writes, "Happily, they are for dipping fries rather drinking." Greenhouse mixologist Kevin Wildermuth does indeed use house-made vinegars in his cutting-edge cocktail program -- and the results are eye-opening.
Read the entire list here.
"Wellness" might sound like the latest corporate buzzword. But a growing number of local entrepreneurs have begun incorporating the concept into a new breed of anti-corporate gyms that cater to health-savvy urban professionals. In recent years, indie gyms and studios have sprung up in Ohio City, Tremont, St. Clair Superior and other neighborhoods not served by large fitness chains.
cleveland is laying out the 'welcome mat,' says the atlantic cities
"Thinking about moving? You should consider Cleveland."
So begins an article in The Atlantic Cities, which discusses recent investments totaling $7 billion in Cleveland's economic diversification, infrastructure and the arts.
Among projects mentioned are the $560 million makeover for University Hospitals Case Medical Center, $465 million convention center and medical mart, $350 million casino, and development in University Circle, including Uptown and the new Museum of Contemporary Art.
Also mentioned is Global Cleveland, which hopes to attract 100,000 new residents within the next ten years.
And the Ohio Department of Development just launched InvestOhio, a $100 million tax credit program to help small businesses attract investment, grow and create jobs.
Read the rest of the article here.
So begins an article in The Atlantic Cities, which discusses recent investments totaling $7 billion in Cleveland's economic diversification, infrastructure and the arts.
Among projects mentioned are the $560 million makeover for University Hospitals Case Medical Center, $465 million convention center and medical mart, $350 million casino, and development in University Circle, including Uptown and the new Museum of Contemporary Art.
Also mentioned is Global Cleveland, which hopes to attract 100,000 new residents within the next ten years.
And the Ohio Department of Development just launched InvestOhio, a $100 million tax credit program to help small businesses attract investment, grow and create jobs.
Read the rest of the article here.
Completing the last five-mile leg of the Towpath Trail into Cleveland might be taking longer than it took to dig the entire Ohio and Erie Canal, whose 100-plus mile span was carved out by hand in just two years in the 1820s. Yet thanks to a recent $500,000 grant from the State of Ohio, the trail is inching ever closer to its final destination -- Settlers Landing Park in the Flats.
The grant from the Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission, along with $3 million that was received earlier this year from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, will allow trail backers to break ground next year on an important .6-mile stretch along Scranton Road. More than 80 miles already have been completed; the last five miles into Cleveland is considered the home stretch for this decades-long project.
The funds will be used to build a 10-foot-wide paved trail along Scranton from Carter Road south to University Road in the Flats. The trail will be isolated for now, until it is eventually connected with the section of the Towpath that runs through the Steelyard Commons shopping center. A portion of the funding will also be used to restore fish habitat along the edge of the Cuyahoga River.
“This grant, and the construction work to come, represents another step forward in fully connecting this important regional resource to downtown Cleveland,” said Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald in a statement. “This will mean a more attractive riverfront and a cleaner environment. This is good news for Cuyahoga County.”
Towpath planners predict the last trail sections, which must wend their way through formerly industrial land in the Flats, will proceed in three more stages. The portion from Steelyard to Literary Avenue in Tremont could start in 2015.
Source: Cuyahoga County Office of the Executive
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The grant from the Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission, along with $3 million that was received earlier this year from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, will allow trail backers to break ground next year on an important .6-mile stretch along Scranton Road. More than 80 miles already have been completed; the last five miles into Cleveland is considered the home stretch for this decades-long project.
The funds will be used to build a 10-foot-wide paved trail along Scranton from Carter Road south to University Road in the Flats. The trail will be isolated for now, until it is eventually connected with the section of the Towpath that runs through the Steelyard Commons shopping center. A portion of the funding will also be used to restore fish habitat along the edge of the Cuyahoga River.
“This grant, and the construction work to come, represents another step forward in fully connecting this important regional resource to downtown Cleveland,” said Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald in a statement. “This will mean a more attractive riverfront and a cleaner environment. This is good news for Cuyahoga County.”
Towpath planners predict the last trail sections, which must wend their way through formerly industrial land in the Flats, will proceed in three more stages. The portion from Steelyard to Literary Avenue in Tremont could start in 2015.
Source: Cuyahoga County Office of the Executive
Writer: Lee Chilcote
amtrust financial to bring 800 new jobs to downtown cleveland
AmTrust Financial Services, a multi-national property and casualty insurer based in New York, is consolidating and relocating its Northeast Ohio operations to Cleveland. The expansion will bring 800 jobs to Cleveland over three years. The company currently employs 250 people in its operational hub in Seven Hills.
The decision to open offices in Cleveland came primarily from $25 million in local and state incentives. The company was able to buy the primarily vacant office tower at 800 Superior Avenue earlier this year and has committed to spending at least $20 million in upgrades to the building. But company officials also see the potential in Cleveland.
“We have found the governor [John Kasich], the county executive [Ed FitzGerald] and the mayor [Frank Jackson] of Cleveland all to be very cooperative and helpful in sealing our decision to locate in downtown Cleveland,” says AmTrust CFO Ron Pipoly. “We also think downtown Cleveland is on the cusp of a lot of great jobs, with the casino, the new convention center, the medical mart, the development of the Flats East Bank, a Westin Hotel downtown and other large projects that now includes AmTrust."
The Seven Hills employees will move to the Cleveland offices over the next three years. “Based on current projections provided to the state, there may be up to 800 new jobs, in addition to the 200 jobs being relocated from Seven Hills,” explains Pipoly. The jobs will be in IT programming, underwriting and customer service.
Under current plans, AmTrust wil occupy between 250,000 and 300,000 square feet in the building, leaving a portion of the total 450,000 square feet available for other new downtown tenants.
Source: Ron Pipoly
Writer: Karin Connelly
The decision to open offices in Cleveland came primarily from $25 million in local and state incentives. The company was able to buy the primarily vacant office tower at 800 Superior Avenue earlier this year and has committed to spending at least $20 million in upgrades to the building. But company officials also see the potential in Cleveland.
“We have found the governor [John Kasich], the county executive [Ed FitzGerald] and the mayor [Frank Jackson] of Cleveland all to be very cooperative and helpful in sealing our decision to locate in downtown Cleveland,” says AmTrust CFO Ron Pipoly. “We also think downtown Cleveland is on the cusp of a lot of great jobs, with the casino, the new convention center, the medical mart, the development of the Flats East Bank, a Westin Hotel downtown and other large projects that now includes AmTrust."
The Seven Hills employees will move to the Cleveland offices over the next three years. “Based on current projections provided to the state, there may be up to 800 new jobs, in addition to the 200 jobs being relocated from Seven Hills,” explains Pipoly. The jobs will be in IT programming, underwriting and customer service.
Under current plans, AmTrust wil occupy between 250,000 and 300,000 square feet in the building, leaving a portion of the total 450,000 square feet available for other new downtown tenants.
Source: Ron Pipoly
Writer: Karin Connelly
Go Media is Here -- and luckily for us, they're here to stay. From its studios in a nondescript three-story brick warehouse on Lorain Avenue, the creative agency is putting Cleveland on the map as a burgeoning hub of art and design. In addition to creating good work, the firm does good work, promoting people and projects that are making Cleveland a better place to live.
ny times says, old rock and rollers hope for a nod from cleveland
"For the inductees [to the Rock Hall], the reward can be enormous," writes Janet Morrissey for the New York Times. "Weekly record sales for a performer or band leap 40 to 60 percent, on average, in the weeks after selection, says David Bakula, a senior vice president at Nielsen SoundScan. While winning a Grammy often helps one album, a nod from Cleveland can lift an entire back catalog."
In an article titled, "Battle of the Bands (and Egos) for the Rock Hall of Fame," Morrissey describes the so-called hall-of-fame effect that reignites the careers of long-forgotten starts.
"In 2009, good news from Cleveland bolstered the career of Wanda Jackson, 'the queen of rockabilly,' who gained fame in the mid-1950s and 60s. After Ms. Jackson was inducted, she collaborated on an album with Jack White of the White Stripes. Suddenly Ms. Jackson, who is now 74, was everywhere."
Morrissey also described the selection process, which is shrouded in secrecy and controversy.
Read the rest of the liner notes here.
In an article titled, "Battle of the Bands (and Egos) for the Rock Hall of Fame," Morrissey describes the so-called hall-of-fame effect that reignites the careers of long-forgotten starts.
"In 2009, good news from Cleveland bolstered the career of Wanda Jackson, 'the queen of rockabilly,' who gained fame in the mid-1950s and 60s. After Ms. Jackson was inducted, she collaborated on an album with Jack White of the White Stripes. Suddenly Ms. Jackson, who is now 74, was everywhere."
Morrissey also described the selection process, which is shrouded in secrecy and controversy.
Read the rest of the liner notes here.
guide book written for new arrivals and those who'd like to rediscover cleveland
A new Cleveland-centric book joins the slowly growing bookshelf of info-packed guides to our fair city. Written and self-published by Cleveland State University urban planning grad Justin Glanville, New to Cleveland: A Guide to (re)Discovering the City is targeted both to new arrivals as well as those who'd like to rediscover their city.
Readers will find general information about various Cleveland neighborhoods, including listings of restaurants, stores and cultural institutions. But also advice on where to send your kids to school, insights on the Cleveland real estate market, and the best neighborhoods for students, artists, professionals, retirees and those who want to live car-free or car-light.
The 250-page book includes more than 50 full-color illustrations by local artist Julia Kuo. The book is also printed in Cleveland.
The guide book is only the second to be written specifically about present-day Cleveland, the other being Avalon Travel's Moon Cleveland, penned by Fresh Water editor Douglas Trattner.
There will be a launch party from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at Happy Dog.
Books are available online and at this weekend's Bazaar Bizarre.
Readers will find general information about various Cleveland neighborhoods, including listings of restaurants, stores and cultural institutions. But also advice on where to send your kids to school, insights on the Cleveland real estate market, and the best neighborhoods for students, artists, professionals, retirees and those who want to live car-free or car-light.
The 250-page book includes more than 50 full-color illustrations by local artist Julia Kuo. The book is also printed in Cleveland.
The guide book is only the second to be written specifically about present-day Cleveland, the other being Avalon Travel's Moon Cleveland, penned by Fresh Water editor Douglas Trattner.
There will be a launch party from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at Happy Dog.
Books are available online and at this weekend's Bazaar Bizarre.
This month, the Ohio Department of Development, in collaboration with the Ohio Department of Taxation, launched InvestOhio. The $100 million tax credit program helps small businesses get the funds from investors they need to grow, succeed, and create jobs.
“We were hearing from small businesses here in Ohio that they were having trouble getting access to capital,” explains Matt Sutherland, senior tax incentive specialist with the Ohio Department of Development. “The program creates incentive for investors to invest in small business.”
Through InvestOhio, investors can invest up to $10 million in eligible small businesses in exchange for a 10 percent income tax credit for investments held for two years. Eligible small businesses must have less than $50 million in assets or less than $10 million in annual sales.
There are 900,000 small businesses in the state. Investment in small business through this program is expected to generate $1 billion in new private investments in small businesses by 2013.
“There are a lot of small businesses waiting to take off, and we’re happy InvestOhio is the catalyst to move forward,” says Sutherland. “If every small business added even a moderate number of jobs it would be a significant impact on Ohio’s economy.”
Source: Matt Sutherland
Writer: Karin Connelly
“We were hearing from small businesses here in Ohio that they were having trouble getting access to capital,” explains Matt Sutherland, senior tax incentive specialist with the Ohio Department of Development. “The program creates incentive for investors to invest in small business.”
Through InvestOhio, investors can invest up to $10 million in eligible small businesses in exchange for a 10 percent income tax credit for investments held for two years. Eligible small businesses must have less than $50 million in assets or less than $10 million in annual sales.
There are 900,000 small businesses in the state. Investment in small business through this program is expected to generate $1 billion in new private investments in small businesses by 2013.
“There are a lot of small businesses waiting to take off, and we’re happy InvestOhio is the catalyst to move forward,” says Sutherland. “If every small business added even a moderate number of jobs it would be a significant impact on Ohio’s economy.”
Source: Matt Sutherland
Writer: Karin Connelly
cuyahoga arts & culture announces this year's project support grants
On Monday, November 14th, the Board of Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (CAC) approved 88 grants totaling $1,029,164 for its 2012 Project Support cycle. The awards include traditional PS I grants and the new Project Support II, a small grant program that provides awards of up to $5,000. Grants range in value from $625 to $49,333.
This year garnered the largest number of applications in CAC’s history. A total of 131 organizations submitted Intent to Apply materials, of which 118 of were eligible. This is an increase of 45% from the previous year, which was also a record-setter.
The largest recipient is Scenarios USA, a nonprofit that that uses writing and filmmaking to foster youth leadership in under-served teens. The smallest is River Valley Ringers, a community handbell choir in Cleveland Heights. Others include EcoWatch, Building Bridges, LakewoodAlive, and numerous neighborhood development corps.
See all the grants here.
This year garnered the largest number of applications in CAC’s history. A total of 131 organizations submitted Intent to Apply materials, of which 118 of were eligible. This is an increase of 45% from the previous year, which was also a record-setter.
The largest recipient is Scenarios USA, a nonprofit that that uses writing and filmmaking to foster youth leadership in under-served teens. The smallest is River Valley Ringers, a community handbell choir in Cleveland Heights. Others include EcoWatch, Building Bridges, LakewoodAlive, and numerous neighborhood development corps.
See all the grants here.
Mike Kubinski is positively full of holiday cheer. The co-founder of CLE Clothing Company, known for its funky, Cleveland-themed T-shirts and other apparel, just quit his day job and opened a new store at E. 4th and Euclid in downtown Cleveland. Since the venue opened just in time for Black Friday, it's been flush with visitors.
Kubinski's new apparel shop also is a big, fat present to Cleveland. Bearing the catchy slogan "Spreading Cleveland pride one T-shirt at a time," CLE Clothing has brought a fresh, new concept into retail-starved downtown Cleveland.
"Ari [Maron] really didn't want another restaurant; he wanted retail," says Kubinski, who hurried together the store concept after being recruited earlier this year by Maron, a principal of developer MRN Ltd. "It was a good fit because we offer something cool, positive and different from what's already there."
The downtown CLE Clothing outlet actually is the company's second store; the first, called Native Cleveland, is located on Waterloo in North Collinwood.
"We built our business online first, but then we had an overwhelming response when we did pop-up stores," says Kubinski. "We opened Native Cleveland as a test, and then Ari Maron approached us about a store on E. 4th Street."
The new store is located adjacent to Positively Cleveland, the travel and tourism agency for Northeast Ohio. A passageway allows visitors to travel between the two locations.
"We sort of act as the gift shop for people visiting downtown Cleveland," says Kubinski. "It's a cool relationship that's just beginning."
Source: Mike Kubinski
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Kubinski's new apparel shop also is a big, fat present to Cleveland. Bearing the catchy slogan "Spreading Cleveland pride one T-shirt at a time," CLE Clothing has brought a fresh, new concept into retail-starved downtown Cleveland.
"Ari [Maron] really didn't want another restaurant; he wanted retail," says Kubinski, who hurried together the store concept after being recruited earlier this year by Maron, a principal of developer MRN Ltd. "It was a good fit because we offer something cool, positive and different from what's already there."
The downtown CLE Clothing outlet actually is the company's second store; the first, called Native Cleveland, is located on Waterloo in North Collinwood.
"We built our business online first, but then we had an overwhelming response when we did pop-up stores," says Kubinski. "We opened Native Cleveland as a test, and then Ari Maron approached us about a store on E. 4th Street."
The new store is located adjacent to Positively Cleveland, the travel and tourism agency for Northeast Ohio. A passageway allows visitors to travel between the two locations.
"We sort of act as the gift shop for people visiting downtown Cleveland," says Kubinski. "It's a cool relationship that's just beginning."
Source: Mike Kubinski
Writer: Lee Chilcote
NorTech was recently named a recipient of the State Science and Technology Institute’s 2011 Excellence in Technology-Based Economic Development (TBED) Awards. Now in its fifth year, the awards program identifies national models developed by states and regions to accelerate science, technology and innovation to grow their economies and create high-paying jobs.
NorTech won the Most Promising TBED Initiative award for its cluster model, which is currently being applied to advanced energy and flexible electronics industries. The model can also be applied to other industries.
"The SSTI award validates the NorTech model as a as a best practice approach to accelerate regional industry clusters,” says Rebecca Bagley, NorTech president and CEO. We look forward to continuing to apply our cluster development model to help companies grow, create jobs and attract capital to generate positive economic impact.”
NorTech is a nonprofit tech-based economic development organization serving 21 Northeast Ohio counties. As a catalyst for growing emerging technology industries, NorTech is leading efforts to develop regional innovation clusters that create jobs, attract capital and have a long-term, positive economic impact.
“The award brings external validation from national technology-based economic development practitioners for NorTech’s work and impact,” says Bagley. “From July 2010 to July 2011, advanced energy and flexible electronics cluster companies supported by NorTech have attracted $20.5 million in capital, created 171 jobs and generated $10.8 million in payroll.”
Source: Rebecca Bagley
Writer: Karin Connelly
NorTech won the Most Promising TBED Initiative award for its cluster model, which is currently being applied to advanced energy and flexible electronics industries. The model can also be applied to other industries.
"The SSTI award validates the NorTech model as a as a best practice approach to accelerate regional industry clusters,” says Rebecca Bagley, NorTech president and CEO. We look forward to continuing to apply our cluster development model to help companies grow, create jobs and attract capital to generate positive economic impact.”
NorTech is a nonprofit tech-based economic development organization serving 21 Northeast Ohio counties. As a catalyst for growing emerging technology industries, NorTech is leading efforts to develop regional innovation clusters that create jobs, attract capital and have a long-term, positive economic impact.
“The award brings external validation from national technology-based economic development practitioners for NorTech’s work and impact,” says Bagley. “From July 2010 to July 2011, advanced energy and flexible electronics cluster companies supported by NorTech have attracted $20.5 million in capital, created 171 jobs and generated $10.8 million in payroll.”
Source: Rebecca Bagley
Writer: Karin Connelly
The November CBIZ Small Business Employment Index (SBEI), a barometer for hiring trends among companies with 300 or fewer employees, increased by .35 percent in November. While the trend reflects companies surveyed across the country, “a good number of the survey respondents are from the Cleveland area,” says Phillip Noftsinger, business unit president of CBIZ Payroll Services.
While the trend is typical for the holiday season, Noftsinger is optimistic that the increase may lead to future job growth. “I think this time of year we would expect to see growth during the holiday season,” he says. “But we’re hoping a strong holiday season will support a longer term trend in these numbers. It’s a little early to tell though.”
A good holiday shopping season has the potential to continue into the new year. “Strong consumer spending sustains growth,” says Noftsinger. “We hope to see a continued strong holiday season, which leads to income growth and labor growth and an upward spiral in employment.”
Source: Phillip Noftsinger
Writer: Karin Connelly
While the trend is typical for the holiday season, Noftsinger is optimistic that the increase may lead to future job growth. “I think this time of year we would expect to see growth during the holiday season,” he says. “But we’re hoping a strong holiday season will support a longer term trend in these numbers. It’s a little early to tell though.”
A good holiday shopping season has the potential to continue into the new year. “Strong consumer spending sustains growth,” says Noftsinger. “We hope to see a continued strong holiday season, which leads to income growth and labor growth and an upward spiral in employment.”
Source: Phillip Noftsinger
Writer: Karin Connelly
The end of the NBA lockout came late last Saturday night, a gift to sports fans and downtown businesses alike. B-ball action isn't expected to hit center court until later this year. But even after it does arrive, many will be looking for other, cheaper, better ways to have fun downtown. Here are just a few.
Black Friday is, blessedly, behind us. So, too, is Cyber Monday. All that stands between today and the holidays are a few weeks of retail panic. Relax, brave shoppers. It has never been easier for a Clevelander to wrap up his or her holiday shopping thanks to a bevy of brief boutiques. These fleeting ventures spring up like magic mushrooms after an imaginary storm to make shopping fun, easy and 100-percent local.