Entrepreneurs + Innovators
Fresh beats and even fresher bites are the name of the game at Freshtoberfest—where Cleveland youth battle it out hip-hop style for culinary domination. This year marked the third annual installment of the event, which was held at Tri-C's Hospitality Management Center last Friday. Meshing hip-hop and horticulture, the "youth garden battle" competition teamed nine youth gardens with eight local chefs to design a dish inspired by their own ingredients. Learn more about this funky fresh fest here.
It’s been more than 18 months since brothers Josh and Jason Sweet bought the former Lemon Grass restaurant space at 2178 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights. But this month, Boss Dog Brewing Company will finally open the doors to its 10-barrel brewhouse and restaurant.
Find out all the details and exactly when Boss Dog's doors will open here.
Find out all the details and exactly when Boss Dog's doors will open here.
When motorcycles, art, and photography collide, it makes for one revved-up rendezvous. Check out this recap of Fuel Cleveland 2017 from Lowbrow Customs.
This Saturday, October 7th, Rockefeller Park & Greenhouse will transform into a fashion-forward runway as local designer Valerie Mayen debuts 30 looks from her new "Of a Kind" collection for Hullabaloo 2017. This year marks the sixth outing for the now-annual event, which Mayen calls a "giant fashion extravaganza."
Find out more about fashion maven Mayen and what's in store at Hullabaloo 2017 here.
Find out more about fashion maven Mayen and what's in store at Hullabaloo 2017 here.
A kitchen window, lined with handwritten paper order tickets, might be one of the first images that comes to mind when one is asked to visualize a restaurant, but—like virtually every other industry—the food service business is going increasingly paperless. Slim and agile touchscreen tablets have replaced clunky countertop computers as the point-of-service (POS) system of choice, and many are relying on technology for other aspects of service, from reservation management to food delivery.
Nowhere in Cleveland may this embrace of technology be more evident than Saucy Brew Works. The Ohio City brewery and pizzeria recently was one of three national "Toasty Award" winners named by Toast, the mobile, cloud-based POS system it uses to manage its day-to-day operations. Saucy Brew Works took home top honors in the "Masters of Technology" category.
Fresh on the heels of the long-awaited opening of Marble Room Steaks & Raw Bar comes another establishment in the historic Garfield Building that fans have been anticipating. Today Harness Cycle's second location opens next door on the corner of E. 6th Street and Euclid Avenue.
Read more about the downtown version of the Hingetown spinning studio here.
Read more about the downtown version of the Hingetown spinning studio here.
As a third-generation Clevelander and a Plain Dealer arts and entertainment reporter, Laura DeMarco has heard her fair share of Cleveland stories that begin with “Remember when Cleveland used to be…”
In fact, most lifelong Clevelanders wax sentimental whenever places like Euclid Beach Park, Higbee’s, or Municipal Stadium come up in conversation. So much so, that DeMarco decided to write a book about these gone, and sometimes forgotten, places. Lost Cleveland will be celebrated at a book launch at Prosperity Social Club on Saturday, Sept. 16.
Read about the found places in DeMarco's book here.
Meet the movers and shakers who are putting Cleveland on the map for the next wave of technology innovation.
After spending the summer pitching their businesses to investors in the Cleveland Chain Reaction project, Fox 8's morning show, Kickin’ It With Kenny announced this morning the six winning companies that will set up shop in the Slavic Village neighborhood.
Find out who the winner are here.
Find out who the winner are here.
The first incarnation of Vino Veritas was a successful restaurant and wine bar in the heart of Little Italy—even ranking on the 2015 Cleveland Hot List as a top wine bar. But by 2016, owner Anthony Nunes Insana had set his sights on a bigger picture for his wines, which he had been making in the basement of his Little Italy establishment.
Opportunity presented itself when Insana stumbled upon Rising Harvest Farms, a 2.3-acre plot of land in Old Brooklyn. "I found the property by myself, driving around," Insana says. "I started talking to Rising Harvest Farms and they wanted out." Insana swiftly started making plans for Vino Veritas Cellars, securing a one-year lease for the land from Cuyahoga Land Bank last September. In February, Insana made it official by signing a 25-year lease to buy the former Rising Harvest property, and he had the land re-zoned as a vineyard and winery.
With its grand opening last Thursday, Aug. 3, Vino Veritas Cellars officially became Cleveland’s first fully functional, federally bonded winery and vineyard. Learn more about it here.
Opportunity presented itself when Insana stumbled upon Rising Harvest Farms, a 2.3-acre plot of land in Old Brooklyn. "I found the property by myself, driving around," Insana says. "I started talking to Rising Harvest Farms and they wanted out." Insana swiftly started making plans for Vino Veritas Cellars, securing a one-year lease for the land from Cuyahoga Land Bank last September. In February, Insana made it official by signing a 25-year lease to buy the former Rising Harvest property, and he had the land re-zoned as a vineyard and winery.
With its grand opening last Thursday, Aug. 3, Vino Veritas Cellars officially became Cleveland’s first fully functional, federally bonded winery and vineyard. Learn more about it here.
Thanks to the $40 million Ohio Motion Picture Tax Incentive, productions like White Boy Rick (a feature film starring Matthew McConaughey) and "American Ninja Warrior" are just a few that have turned their lens on The Land this year—and in light of the State of Ohio’s recent renewal for the 2017-18 fiscal year, they’re likely to keep on coming. Funding will be used to attract large-scale media productions into the region, but local entities are also lobbying for an increased tax credit that would make Northeast Ohio an even more powerful magnet for Hollywood's creatives.
Read about it here.
Read about it here.
Macklemore made a number-one song about it. Joanna Gaines is spinning ratings gold for HGTV with “Fixer-Upper.” No doubt the obsession with thrifting, upcycling and antiquing has reached a fever pitch—and City Salvage & Design’s Janice Beckler is living the DIY dream. Beckler has spent more than 50 years training her keen eye for offbeat, eye-catching furniture and items to add unmistakable flair to any decor scheme.
To that end, she and her husband, Doug, have traveled "all over Ohio, buying farm picks, industry picks. Wherever we can find it, we will go. We have a good eye for finding good stuff.”
Five years ago, Beckler decided to share her finds. Calling on 30 years of teaching experience and a background in customer service and design, she opened City Salvage & Design in Amherst. The shop was so successful that Beckler opened a second location in Ohio City last month.
Find out more about this dedicated DIY-er here.
To that end, she and her husband, Doug, have traveled "all over Ohio, buying farm picks, industry picks. Wherever we can find it, we will go. We have a good eye for finding good stuff.”
Five years ago, Beckler decided to share her finds. Calling on 30 years of teaching experience and a background in customer service and design, she opened City Salvage & Design in Amherst. The shop was so successful that Beckler opened a second location in Ohio City last month.
Find out more about this dedicated DIY-er here.
In Scott Hubay's opinion, there are two kinds of attorneys—those that solve ongoing conflicts, and those that take a shovel to molehill-sized problems before they become a mountain. With a new practice offering legal counsel to political campaigns, Hubay is busy tamping down potentially harmful issues for his clients in real-time.
Hubay's Ohio City-based shop, Hubay LLC, provides Ohio's elected officials, candidates, issue campaigns and nonprofits with legal counsel, compliance services and campaign infrastructure development.
Read about this unique law practice here.
Hubay's Ohio City-based shop, Hubay LLC, provides Ohio's elected officials, candidates, issue campaigns and nonprofits with legal counsel, compliance services and campaign infrastructure development.
Read about this unique law practice here.
Welcome to "Over The River," a monthly calendar of exciting activities taking place throughout the area. ?Our July listing includes lakeside tunes, a wedding design extravaganza and a cancer-fighting festival.
Read all about it here.
Read all about it here.
Cleveland Chain Reaction has reached the next step in the economic development project that will bring five new businesses to Slavic Village. A group of 10 local businesses have been named finalists, whittled down from the initial 24 companies chosen in June to compete.
The 10 finalists represent a variety of industries serving both current and emerging markets with products and services that range from food to hard goods manufacturing and distribution. Each were selected for their potential growth and impact on jobs and investment in Greater Cleveland.
Find out who the 10 finalists are here.
The 10 finalists represent a variety of industries serving both current and emerging markets with products and services that range from food to hard goods manufacturing and distribution. Each were selected for their potential growth and impact on jobs and investment in Greater Cleveland.
Find out who the 10 finalists are here.
Cleveland's gleaming development projects garner enough ink to fill one of the new condos going up downtown. However, it's the people living in the neighborhoods surrounding these headline-grabbing ventures who are the subject of a new book released by Cleveland Neighborhood Progress.
Read about it here.
Read about it here.
Cleveland is home to confectionary pleasures of all sizes, shapes and flavors, meaning area bakery owners need to get creative in how they brand their businesses.
Check out Cleveland's fresh selection of uniquely themed bakeries here.
Check out Cleveland's fresh selection of uniquely themed bakeries here.
Ed “Chef Ed” Michalski has opened more than 40 restaurants in his career, but when he opens the doors to The City Diner in the next few weeks, it will be the first time the food service veteran does so as the owner.
“I just want to make sure everything is perfect,” Michalski says. “When guests walk in for the first time, I want to knock their socks off. You never get a second chance.”
Michalski cites his roles as executive chef at places like Horseshoe Casino and Progressive Field as “very proud moments,” but when he saw the former Expressway Diner building at 5109 Memphis Ave. in Old Brooklyn, he says he knew he had to buy the building and go into business for himself.
Read more about what Chef Ed has planned for the City Diner here. (Hint: bananas foster stuffed French toast.)
“I just want to make sure everything is perfect,” Michalski says. “When guests walk in for the first time, I want to knock their socks off. You never get a second chance.”
Michalski cites his roles as executive chef at places like Horseshoe Casino and Progressive Field as “very proud moments,” but when he saw the former Expressway Diner building at 5109 Memphis Ave. in Old Brooklyn, he says he knew he had to buy the building and go into business for himself.
Read more about what Chef Ed has planned for the City Diner here. (Hint: bananas foster stuffed French toast.)
As Cleveland's restaurant and bar scene is heats up alongside the temperatures, Fresh Water is pleased to share a few of the unique outdoor patios where adventurous patrons can sip a Manhattan or hoist a craft beer.
Get our list here.
Get our list here.