Entrepreneurs + Innovators
Social media provides entrepreneurs with a great vehicle for communicating with current and potential clients. And like the companies they seek to promote, social media feeds often mimic the personality of their owners. But marketing experts warn that one size definitely does not fit all. What works for one type of business may come across as inappropriate for another.
Steve Arless has nearly four decades of experience in the medical-device industry. As president and CEO of CryoCath, he grew the company to more than 300 employees before arranging its sale for $380 million. Now, he brings his expertise to Cleveland in hopes of doing the same for CardioInsight, which is developing a cardiac arrhythmia ablation therapy.
What soul food restaurants lack in ambiance, they often make up for in good, down-home cuisine -- the modest digs are part of the charm and lend authenticity to the tried-and-true menus of chicken and biscuits, greens, and mac and cheese.
Yet Zanzibar Soul Fusion, a new restaurant now open at Shaker Square, is no ordinary soul food joint. The new hotspot offers soul food with a twist, dishing out traditional southern comforts in the atmosphere of an upscale lounge.
"We offer a foundation of soul food fused with other popular food items from different ethnic groups," says owner Akin Affrica. "It's Southern comfort food for the masses."
Affrica, a third-generation restaurant owner whose family also owns Angie's Soul Café, says that soul food fans will recognize the scratch cooking, traditional recipes and fresh ingredients, but will be surprised by the fresh, unusual take on soul food.
Instead of artichoke and spinach dip, for instance, chef Tony Fortner substitutes collard greens. Other unique, mouth-watering treats include the shrimp Po' Boys with lime zest sauce and slaw, and the Soul Rolls, a southern take on the Chinese egg roll.
Zanzibar also adds a new flavor to Shaker Square, the historic east side shopping center that's become a restaurant destination since it was purchased by the Coral Company in 2004. "I've always wanted to open a soul food restaurant here," Affrica says, "so when the owners contacted me, I figured it was meant to be."
Source: Akin Affrica
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Yet Zanzibar Soul Fusion, a new restaurant now open at Shaker Square, is no ordinary soul food joint. The new hotspot offers soul food with a twist, dishing out traditional southern comforts in the atmosphere of an upscale lounge.
"We offer a foundation of soul food fused with other popular food items from different ethnic groups," says owner Akin Affrica. "It's Southern comfort food for the masses."
Affrica, a third-generation restaurant owner whose family also owns Angie's Soul Café, says that soul food fans will recognize the scratch cooking, traditional recipes and fresh ingredients, but will be surprised by the fresh, unusual take on soul food.
Instead of artichoke and spinach dip, for instance, chef Tony Fortner substitutes collard greens. Other unique, mouth-watering treats include the shrimp Po' Boys with lime zest sauce and slaw, and the Soul Rolls, a southern take on the Chinese egg roll.
Zanzibar also adds a new flavor to Shaker Square, the historic east side shopping center that's become a restaurant destination since it was purchased by the Coral Company in 2004. "I've always wanted to open a soul food restaurant here," Affrica says, "so when the owners contacted me, I figured it was meant to be."
Source: Akin Affrica
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Making good on a 2010 goal to build and strengthen its interests in the healthcare industry, The Riverside Company this month announced the acquisition of Physicians Pharmacy Alliance
(PPA). The North Carolina-based company specializes in drug dispensing
to at-home chronically ill patients. PPA was founded in 2002 and has
been recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in the region by
the Triangle Business Journal.
Riverside, a private equity firm with offices in Cleveland, considers itself a generalist when it comes to acquisitions; nevertheless, the company has made strides specializing in the healthcare, education and training industries. Riverside benefits from the knowledge and input of senior advisers in these fields. "We bring them into the fold to complement our investment professionals," says Graham Hearns, Riverside's director of marketing and communications.
Also this month, Riverside announced the add-on acquisition of CareFacts Information Systems, a St. Paul, Minnesota provider of software for home care, hospice and public health organizations. CareFacts will join Riverside's HEALTHCAREfirst, which provides web-based software to home care and hospice agencies.
SOURCE: The Riverside Company
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
Riverside, a private equity firm with offices in Cleveland, considers itself a generalist when it comes to acquisitions; nevertheless, the company has made strides specializing in the healthcare, education and training industries. Riverside benefits from the knowledge and input of senior advisers in these fields. "We bring them into the fold to complement our investment professionals," says Graham Hearns, Riverside's director of marketing and communications.
Also this month, Riverside announced the add-on acquisition of CareFacts Information Systems, a St. Paul, Minnesota provider of software for home care, hospice and public health organizations. CareFacts will join Riverside's HEALTHCAREfirst, which provides web-based software to home care and hospice agencies.
SOURCE: The Riverside Company
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
social media studio teaches ins and outs of new-economy tools
Just when you thought you knew everything about social media, or were afraid to ask anymore questions, a new resource arrives on the scene. Social Media Studio (SMS), a partnership between Rapid Fire Media and Virginia Marti College, launched on January 1 of this year, and is off to a speedy start with the announcement of six upcoming events and the release of its daily e-zine.
"The intent of forming SMS was to create a forum for the best social media practitioners and educators," says Michael DeAloia, the former tech czar of the City of Cleveland and social media guru, who is helping to spearhead this new learning community.
The learning opportunities began on January 11, with an intro to social media led by DeAloia. On January 25, there's a class on effective Twitter tools. "We have planned our first six events for 2011," DeAloia says, "but I suspect we will produce between 20 and 24 events over the course of the calendar year." Experts in social media, marketing and branding will lead various classes. "The Northeast Ohio area is blessed with a rich number of social media experts," he says.
In addition to fee-based classes, SMS recently launched its inaugural Social Media Studio Daily, containing local and national news.
Through classes and the online publication, SMS seeks to broaden Northeast Ohioans' understanding and use of social media. "We have actually created a class where we are going to teach students how to be social media entrepreneurs," DeAolia says.
SOURCE: Michael DeAloia
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
"The intent of forming SMS was to create a forum for the best social media practitioners and educators," says Michael DeAloia, the former tech czar of the City of Cleveland and social media guru, who is helping to spearhead this new learning community.
The learning opportunities began on January 11, with an intro to social media led by DeAloia. On January 25, there's a class on effective Twitter tools. "We have planned our first six events for 2011," DeAloia says, "but I suspect we will produce between 20 and 24 events over the course of the calendar year." Experts in social media, marketing and branding will lead various classes. "The Northeast Ohio area is blessed with a rich number of social media experts," he says.
In addition to fee-based classes, SMS recently launched its inaugural Social Media Studio Daily, containing local and national news.
Through classes and the online publication, SMS seeks to broaden Northeast Ohioans' understanding and use of social media. "We have actually created a class where we are going to teach students how to be social media entrepreneurs," DeAolia says.
SOURCE: Michael DeAloia
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
Alex Tapie has always wanted to open an art gallery, the kind of space that provides young, emerging artists with an opportunity to show their work to an audience.
"I wanted to create a space that was interactive and that would demystify the art experience," says Tapie, a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art. "A collective gallery, studio and venue space."
She mentioned the idea to fellow artists Brian Straw, Dan Price and Suzanne Cofer. "We all clicked creatively," Tapie says. Survival Kit art gallery was born.
The gallery opened with a bang in December, attracting over 200 people to its first show. Rotating exhibits and events, including music and craft fairs, are planned for 2011. On Friday and Saturday, Jan. 21-22, Survival Kit will host the 4th Coast Pop Up Market, an exhibit by local artists, designers and vendors that features art, vintage clothing and music.
Getting to this point wasn't easy, say the owners. To turn vision into reality, Tapie and her cohorts first had to find a space. They stumbled upon the perfect location, a 4,500-square-foot space in the 78th Street Studios, a hub for arts-related businesses in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood, which Tapie labels "a great arts community."
The problem was that the space was "trashed." Tapie talked the landlord into letting her fix it up in exchange for cheap -- even free -- rent. The artists spent five months cleaning trash and debris, scraping tile, painting floors and building walls.
As for the name, Tapie says it's fitting because the gallery is a creative lifeline for young artists seeking community here. "We started joking around that this project was our survival kit -- that we could survive collectively," Tapie says. "The name just fit." And stuck.
Source: Alex Tapie
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"I wanted to create a space that was interactive and that would demystify the art experience," says Tapie, a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art. "A collective gallery, studio and venue space."
She mentioned the idea to fellow artists Brian Straw, Dan Price and Suzanne Cofer. "We all clicked creatively," Tapie says. Survival Kit art gallery was born.
The gallery opened with a bang in December, attracting over 200 people to its first show. Rotating exhibits and events, including music and craft fairs, are planned for 2011. On Friday and Saturday, Jan. 21-22, Survival Kit will host the 4th Coast Pop Up Market, an exhibit by local artists, designers and vendors that features art, vintage clothing and music.
Getting to this point wasn't easy, say the owners. To turn vision into reality, Tapie and her cohorts first had to find a space. They stumbled upon the perfect location, a 4,500-square-foot space in the 78th Street Studios, a hub for arts-related businesses in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood, which Tapie labels "a great arts community."
The problem was that the space was "trashed." Tapie talked the landlord into letting her fix it up in exchange for cheap -- even free -- rent. The artists spent five months cleaning trash and debris, scraping tile, painting floors and building walls.
As for the name, Tapie says it's fitting because the gallery is a creative lifeline for young artists seeking community here. "We started joking around that this project was our survival kit -- that we could survive collectively," Tapie says. "The name just fit." And stuck.
Source: Alex Tapie
Writer: Lee Chilcote
No brakes are being applied now on the new Bike Rack parking station in Downtown Cleveland. The City of Cleveland is overseeing the transformation of a city-owned parking garage at East 4th Street and Huron Road, expected to be completed this spring.
A search for a bike station operation manager was announced last month by Downtown Cleveland Alliance (DCA), and the position was offered, but the name of the applicant has not yet been identified. DCA says it was in search of an entrepreneurial-spirited individual to manage the Bike Rack and make it a self-sustaining business. The goal is for the Bike Rack to eventually be owned and operated by the manager without DCA involvement. In addition to the full-time operation manager, the Bike Rack will initially employ two part-time staffers.
More than just a place to park your two-wheeler, the Bike Rack will offer lockers, bicycle repair services, bike rental and an information center. The garage will be open 24/7 and will have room for at least 50 bikes, according to Josh Taylor, marketing and public relations manager for DCA. If this first venture into bike parking is as successful as experts predict, other stations will likely open around the city in the future, Taylor adds.
SOURCE: Josh Taylor
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
A search for a bike station operation manager was announced last month by Downtown Cleveland Alliance (DCA), and the position was offered, but the name of the applicant has not yet been identified. DCA says it was in search of an entrepreneurial-spirited individual to manage the Bike Rack and make it a self-sustaining business. The goal is for the Bike Rack to eventually be owned and operated by the manager without DCA involvement. In addition to the full-time operation manager, the Bike Rack will initially employ two part-time staffers.
More than just a place to park your two-wheeler, the Bike Rack will offer lockers, bicycle repair services, bike rental and an information center. The garage will be open 24/7 and will have room for at least 50 bikes, according to Josh Taylor, marketing and public relations manager for DCA. If this first venture into bike parking is as successful as experts predict, other stations will likely open around the city in the future, Taylor adds.
SOURCE: Josh Taylor
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
Don't call us Silicon Valley just yet, but Cleveland has a growing list of small and mid-sized technology companies that call downtown home. In late December, Strongsville technology company MCPc announced that the firm will join their ranks, bringing 165 jobs and their corporate headquarters to downtown Cleveland in June.
MCPc, an international provider of tech products and support services with 320 employees, will move to the Plain Dealer building at 1801 Superior Ave., just east of the central business district. As two reasons behind its move, the company cited a desire to join downtown's growing hub of tech companies, and to be more centrally located. Incentives from the City of Cleveland and State of Ohio sweetened the deal.
"From major sporting events to entertainment venues, downtown Cleveland has a lot to offer our customers," says Beth Stec, Director of Corporate Communications and Human Resources. She added, "Our CEO, Mike Trebilcock, was excited about moving downtown."
The move was also celebrated by the Plain Dealer, whose headquarters is now just 70 percent full after years of cost-cutting. The building was completely occupied when it was built in 2001. MCPc plans to fill about 48,000 square feet on the third floor, as well as 49,000 square feet within the first floor parking garage. MCPc will spend about $3 million on improvements, including a new Customer Experience Center to allow clients to experience products first-hand, and a technology and distribution center.
MCPc plans to create at least 45 new jobs in downtown Cleveland. Since 2004, more than 30 technology companies have set up shop downtown, bringing over 1,000 jobs. More than half of these businesses moved from Cleveland suburbs.
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Source: Beth Stec, MCPc
MCPc, an international provider of tech products and support services with 320 employees, will move to the Plain Dealer building at 1801 Superior Ave., just east of the central business district. As two reasons behind its move, the company cited a desire to join downtown's growing hub of tech companies, and to be more centrally located. Incentives from the City of Cleveland and State of Ohio sweetened the deal.
"From major sporting events to entertainment venues, downtown Cleveland has a lot to offer our customers," says Beth Stec, Director of Corporate Communications and Human Resources. She added, "Our CEO, Mike Trebilcock, was excited about moving downtown."
The move was also celebrated by the Plain Dealer, whose headquarters is now just 70 percent full after years of cost-cutting. The building was completely occupied when it was built in 2001. MCPc plans to fill about 48,000 square feet on the third floor, as well as 49,000 square feet within the first floor parking garage. MCPc will spend about $3 million on improvements, including a new Customer Experience Center to allow clients to experience products first-hand, and a technology and distribution center.
MCPc plans to create at least 45 new jobs in downtown Cleveland. Since 2004, more than 30 technology companies have set up shop downtown, bringing over 1,000 jobs. More than half of these businesses moved from Cleveland suburbs.
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Source: Beth Stec, MCPc
Northeast Shores Development Corporation continues its push to attract out-of-town artists by offering affordable housing. Since 1994, the North Collinwood-based nonprofit has rehabbed approximately 125 area homes. A more focused development plan is concentrating efforts within a tight 14-block footprint.
The Garland Co. may not be a household name to everyone in Cleveland,
but the fact is that the company has been providing roofing solutions
for businesses, industrial facilities and public properties for about
115 years. "Garland has a great local story to tell," says Brain
Lambert, director of products and systems. That story involves having a
presence in the area since 1895, a reputation for innovation that
includes green building and a common sense approach to business that has
resulted in zero layoffs during tough economic times.
An employee-owned business, Garland makes products for new construction, renovation, retrofit and maintenance projects. The company also services companies through engineering, design-build construction management and computerized roof asset management. Garland has been "going green" before it was a popular thing to do. In the mid-1990s, Garland introduced a modified roofing system using post-consumer recycled tires. Garland Energy Systems, Inc., created as a subsidiary of the company in 2007, focuses solely on alternative energy solutions such as thin-film solar rooftop cells.
Being forward-thinking while respecting its strong history seems to be a successful combination for Garland, which has received numerous awards and recognitiions over the last year. Garland's Green-Lock product, a polymer-based, VOC-free flood coat, made it to the list of Top Products of 2010 by Building Operation Management magazine. Garland has also been named to the North Coast 99 list of best places to work for 11 years in a row.
SOURCE: The Garland Co.
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
An employee-owned business, Garland makes products for new construction, renovation, retrofit and maintenance projects. The company also services companies through engineering, design-build construction management and computerized roof asset management. Garland has been "going green" before it was a popular thing to do. In the mid-1990s, Garland introduced a modified roofing system using post-consumer recycled tires. Garland Energy Systems, Inc., created as a subsidiary of the company in 2007, focuses solely on alternative energy solutions such as thin-film solar rooftop cells.
Being forward-thinking while respecting its strong history seems to be a successful combination for Garland, which has received numerous awards and recognitiions over the last year. Garland's Green-Lock product, a polymer-based, VOC-free flood coat, made it to the list of Top Products of 2010 by Building Operation Management magazine. Garland has also been named to the North Coast 99 list of best places to work for 11 years in a row.
SOURCE: The Garland Co.
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
JumpStart Ventures closed out 2010 strong, adding to its portfolio and making second investments in two existing companies. A $250,000 investment in Cleveland-based MedCity Media, formerly MedCity News, will allow the online news service to expand its healthcare-specific content to Philadelphia and Raleigh/Durham. JumpStart Ventures president, Lynn-Ann Gries, says that MedCity's media model has created a unique niche in the industry.
JumpStart also announced an investment in another Cleveland company, Caralon Global. This startup is producing a thermal insulating material that because of its ultra-thin design can be used in very small spaces. Caralon Global received a loan in early 2010 from Cuyahoga County's North Coast Opportunities (NCO) Technology Fund, which allowed the company to create molds for the manufacturing process.
JumpStart also showed support for the continued growth of two of its existing portfolio companies: Tursiop Technologies and OnShift. Tursiop Technologies received a second investment of $150,000 for the development of its MRI coil devices. OnShift, which provides employee scheduling and communications technology, also received a $150,000 second investment from JumpStart. That was part of a total $2.3 million venture capital investment rounds in OnShift.
In 2010 alone, JumpStart invested in 15 companies, with a total financial offering of more than $3 million.
SOURCE: JumpStart Ventures
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
JumpStart also announced an investment in another Cleveland company, Caralon Global. This startup is producing a thermal insulating material that because of its ultra-thin design can be used in very small spaces. Caralon Global received a loan in early 2010 from Cuyahoga County's North Coast Opportunities (NCO) Technology Fund, which allowed the company to create molds for the manufacturing process.
JumpStart also showed support for the continued growth of two of its existing portfolio companies: Tursiop Technologies and OnShift. Tursiop Technologies received a second investment of $150,000 for the development of its MRI coil devices. OnShift, which provides employee scheduling and communications technology, also received a $150,000 second investment from JumpStart. That was part of a total $2.3 million venture capital investment rounds in OnShift.
In 2010 alone, JumpStart invested in 15 companies, with a total financial offering of more than $3 million.
SOURCE: JumpStart Ventures
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
E pluribus unum. If this motto hadn't already been snatched for the United States seal, it might have worked nicely for Cleveland's Corporate United. The group-purchasing organization manages the contracts and suppliers of its member companies, which include Akron General Health System, Caribou Coffee, Malt-o-Meal, PolyOne, Progressive, Sherwin Williams and Toro.
According to president Marc Rosen, the purchasing strength of the companies it serves fuels Corporate United's growth. "As a member-based organization, we measure success by the bottom-line value we generate for our members. This value leads to the positive growth of Corporate United as a whole," Rosen says.
Corporate United enjoyed 91 percent growth in 2010, and was recognized locally and nationally for its efforts. Corporate United ranked 56 on the Weatherhead 100, was named a Crain's Leading EDGE award winner for its service to a 17-county region in Northeast Ohio and made it onto Inc's list of the 5,000 fastest-growing small- to mid-sized companies in America. Supply & Demand Chain Executive Magazine also recognized Corporate United for its role in preparing member companies for post-recessionary growth.
Corporate United added three members to its staff last year, and plans to make another new hire in the first half of 2011.
Source: Corporate United
Writer: Diane DiPiero
According to president Marc Rosen, the purchasing strength of the companies it serves fuels Corporate United's growth. "As a member-based organization, we measure success by the bottom-line value we generate for our members. This value leads to the positive growth of Corporate United as a whole," Rosen says.
Corporate United enjoyed 91 percent growth in 2010, and was recognized locally and nationally for its efforts. Corporate United ranked 56 on the Weatherhead 100, was named a Crain's Leading EDGE award winner for its service to a 17-county region in Northeast Ohio and made it onto Inc's list of the 5,000 fastest-growing small- to mid-sized companies in America. Supply & Demand Chain Executive Magazine also recognized Corporate United for its role in preparing member companies for post-recessionary growth.
Corporate United added three members to its staff last year, and plans to make another new hire in the first half of 2011.
Source: Corporate United
Writer: Diane DiPiero
ray's indoor mountain bike heads west
Since opening in 2004, Ray's Indoor Mountain Bike Park has been nothing short of a wild ride. The 100,000-plus square-foot park attracts thousands of thrill-seekers from all across the Midwest, making it a bona fide Cleveland success story. Last week, owner Ray Petro accomplished what he had been planning to do for years: open a second location out of state.
Last week, Petro opened a 110,000-square-foot Milwaukee location in a former Menards Home Improvement Center, a move he pulled off by partnering with Trek.
In a recent Cycling News article, the writer says the new facility "builds upon the success of the original location in Cleveland, Ohio." The indoor park gives riders a place to ride, train, and develop skills -- especially during the long winter months.
The article states that the grand opening of the Milwaukee location had been postponed until New Year's weekend from its original November date because of city permit issues.
Read the trail story here.
Last week, Petro opened a 110,000-square-foot Milwaukee location in a former Menards Home Improvement Center, a move he pulled off by partnering with Trek.
In a recent Cycling News article, the writer says the new facility "builds upon the success of the original location in Cleveland, Ohio." The indoor park gives riders a place to ride, train, and develop skills -- especially during the long winter months.
The article states that the grand opening of the Milwaukee location had been postponed until New Year's weekend from its original November date because of city permit issues.
Read the trail story here.
The recession grinds on, but the new store Native Cleveland has found a surprisingly lucrative niche: Local.
"Business is great," says manager Megan Coffman. "Everybody wants holiday gifts that are locally made."
Pushing local products is Native Cleveland's business model and mission. Located on Collinwood's Waterloo Road, in the former home of Shoparooni, Native Cleveland carries mostly products made in Ohio, and most are from the Cleveland region. Coffman says the idea for the store came from her time at CLE Clothing and seeing how well that company's Cleveland-themed gear sold at festivals and other events.
Native Cleveland is a featured vendor for CLE Clothing products, and Coffman says they're selling well there, too. Another big seller is exclusive Cleveland-themed prints from Grey Cardigan. Current inventory also includes buttons and signs from Northcoast Zeitgeist and Cleveland, Akron and Kent baby onesies.
Native Cleveland's holiday hours are noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Source: Megan Coffman
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
"Business is great," says manager Megan Coffman. "Everybody wants holiday gifts that are locally made."
Pushing local products is Native Cleveland's business model and mission. Located on Collinwood's Waterloo Road, in the former home of Shoparooni, Native Cleveland carries mostly products made in Ohio, and most are from the Cleveland region. Coffman says the idea for the store came from her time at CLE Clothing and seeing how well that company's Cleveland-themed gear sold at festivals and other events.
Native Cleveland is a featured vendor for CLE Clothing products, and Coffman says they're selling well there, too. Another big seller is exclusive Cleveland-themed prints from Grey Cardigan. Current inventory also includes buttons and signs from Northcoast Zeitgeist and Cleveland, Akron and Kent baby onesies.
Native Cleveland's holiday hours are noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Source: Megan Coffman
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
Technically, Ohio Knitting Mills' first retail store in Cleveland is temporary. "But the reception has been tremendous," says owner Steve Tatar, "and it's encouraging for staying the long term."
Tatar's Ohio Knitting Mills sells sweaters and other apparel manufactured long ago -- between 1947 and 1974 -- by a large Cleveland-based company of the same name. "Beginning after World War II, the Mill plucked samples of each style they produced and put them into storage," the website explains. "We've opened this time capsule, and offer to you our collection of perfectly preserved American fashion and industrial craftsmanship."
In addition to selling online, Tatar ran a retail shop in Brooklyn, N.Y., for a couple years before returning to Cleveland in 2008. The new "pop-up shop", at 6505 Detroit Rd. in the Gordon Square Arts District (the former home of Room Service), has been well received, even by those who know nothing of the company's intriguing story.
"At first people were coming in and were like, 'This is cool -- what am I looking at? Who are you, what are you doing here?'" Tatar explains. So the store has become something of a gallery or museum, reviving interest in Cleveland's extensive but unheralded history as a garment-manufacturing center.
The store is also helping Tatar meet more Clevelanders who are creating things, like clothing and furniture, and slowly creating national buzz in their respective industries. Ohio in general, and Cleveland in particular, are reclaiming their reputations for high-quality manufacturing. As Tatar put its, "We still have the souls of makers."
Source: Steve Tatar
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
Tatar's Ohio Knitting Mills sells sweaters and other apparel manufactured long ago -- between 1947 and 1974 -- by a large Cleveland-based company of the same name. "Beginning after World War II, the Mill plucked samples of each style they produced and put them into storage," the website explains. "We've opened this time capsule, and offer to you our collection of perfectly preserved American fashion and industrial craftsmanship."
In addition to selling online, Tatar ran a retail shop in Brooklyn, N.Y., for a couple years before returning to Cleveland in 2008. The new "pop-up shop", at 6505 Detroit Rd. in the Gordon Square Arts District (the former home of Room Service), has been well received, even by those who know nothing of the company's intriguing story.
"At first people were coming in and were like, 'This is cool -- what am I looking at? Who are you, what are you doing here?'" Tatar explains. So the store has become something of a gallery or museum, reviving interest in Cleveland's extensive but unheralded history as a garment-manufacturing center.
The store is also helping Tatar meet more Clevelanders who are creating things, like clothing and furniture, and slowly creating national buzz in their respective industries. Ohio in general, and Cleveland in particular, are reclaiming their reputations for high-quality manufacturing. As Tatar put its, "We still have the souls of makers."
Source: Steve Tatar
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
Digiknow and Downtown Cleveland Alliance have partnered up in a new mobile marketing plan that uses QR codes to provide information to on-the-go residents. The QR codes will connect residents and customers to online profiles of downtown stakeholders such as bars, restaurants, entertainment venues, hotels, and commercial and residential properties.
CLE equity firm riverside continues to make deals, grow staff
The Riverside Company is experiencing its strongest fourth quarter in the company's 22-year history. That, in addition to snagging Mergers & Acquisitions Journal's recent designation as "Private Equity Firm of the Year."
"It has been a remarkably busy time," admits Graham Hearns, director of marketing and communications for the Cleveland-based private equity firm. "We've had four or five acquisitions and a couple of business exits so far, and we could have as many as six or seven more transactions in the next two weeks."
Hearns attributes this growth to lenders once again offering money to businesses and to more realistic buyer and seller expectations.
For Riverside, this meant moving forward with company acquisitions that it has been researching in the midst of an economic downturn. "During the whole global financial crisis we never came to a standstill," Hearns says. "We are generalists, so we like to window shop."
Riverside has found success in maintaining its general portfolio while also beefing up two key areas of company acquisitions: healthcare and education and training. The company's latest investment is G&H Wire Company, a Franklin, Indiana-based manufacturer and supplier of orthodontic products. G&H becomes Riverside's 49th healthcare transaction. Overall, Riverside has made more than 200 acquisitions of companies with $200 million or less in enterprise value.
Riverside has 19 offices around the world, but Cleveland continues to be its largest with about 50 employees. "There's been a continuous growth of the Cleveland team," Hearns says, adding that Riverside hired about six new people in 2010 and expects to add about the same amount in the next year or so.
SOURCE: The Riverside Company
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
"It has been a remarkably busy time," admits Graham Hearns, director of marketing and communications for the Cleveland-based private equity firm. "We've had four or five acquisitions and a couple of business exits so far, and we could have as many as six or seven more transactions in the next two weeks."
Hearns attributes this growth to lenders once again offering money to businesses and to more realistic buyer and seller expectations.
For Riverside, this meant moving forward with company acquisitions that it has been researching in the midst of an economic downturn. "During the whole global financial crisis we never came to a standstill," Hearns says. "We are generalists, so we like to window shop."
Riverside has found success in maintaining its general portfolio while also beefing up two key areas of company acquisitions: healthcare and education and training. The company's latest investment is G&H Wire Company, a Franklin, Indiana-based manufacturer and supplier of orthodontic products. G&H becomes Riverside's 49th healthcare transaction. Overall, Riverside has made more than 200 acquisitions of companies with $200 million or less in enterprise value.
Riverside has 19 offices around the world, but Cleveland continues to be its largest with about 50 employees. "There's been a continuous growth of the Cleveland team," Hearns says, adding that Riverside hired about six new people in 2010 and expects to add about the same amount in the next year or so.
SOURCE: The Riverside Company
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
heights' new development director sees opportunity everywhere
Howard Thompson's appraisals of Cleveland Heights bring to mind the phrase "target-rich environment." The city's new development director, on the job about three weeks, enthusiastically rattles off the opportunities he sees for the inner-ring suburb in 2011.
There's the old Coventry School, parts of which will be used next year by Ensemble Theatre. In the rest, Thompson imagines an entrepreneurial development center. There's the on-again, off-again Top of the Hill plan, which would bring some combination of new housing, commercial and office space to the 3.5-acre city-owned site, most of it parking lot, at Cedar Road and Euclid Heights Boulevard (behind Nighttown). There's the former Oakwood Country Club, which many would like to see preserved as green space but is also a rare large tract (144 acres) in an otherwise densely packed city.
Heights' commercial and residential density -- and close proximity to each other -- are desirable traits, says Thompson, who worked most recently in Beachwood. "But it's also a bit of a challenge at the same time," he adds, "because you have to create development opportunities."
There are many small-scale opportunities in Heights' many architecturally intriguing but technologically lacking buildings. "Some properties just need to be updated or renovated," he says. And as businesses in nearby University Circle grow, Heights could become an attractive place to expand.
Thompson's career began in Cleveland Heights. He interned in city hall while earning a master's degree in public administration at Cleveland State in the early '90s.
Source: Howard Thompson
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
There's the old Coventry School, parts of which will be used next year by Ensemble Theatre. In the rest, Thompson imagines an entrepreneurial development center. There's the on-again, off-again Top of the Hill plan, which would bring some combination of new housing, commercial and office space to the 3.5-acre city-owned site, most of it parking lot, at Cedar Road and Euclid Heights Boulevard (behind Nighttown). There's the former Oakwood Country Club, which many would like to see preserved as green space but is also a rare large tract (144 acres) in an otherwise densely packed city.
Heights' commercial and residential density -- and close proximity to each other -- are desirable traits, says Thompson, who worked most recently in Beachwood. "But it's also a bit of a challenge at the same time," he adds, "because you have to create development opportunities."
There are many small-scale opportunities in Heights' many architecturally intriguing but technologically lacking buildings. "Some properties just need to be updated or renovated," he says. And as businesses in nearby University Circle grow, Heights could become an attractive place to expand.
Thompson's career began in Cleveland Heights. He interned in city hall while earning a master's degree in public administration at Cleveland State in the early '90s.
Source: Howard Thompson
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
Personal frustration led Jeremy Handel to come up with his company's latest product: a gaming app for Apple's iOS platform.
"I subscribe to several gaming magazines, and I was finding that I would read game previews months in advance of the release," says the founder of Handelabra. At other times, games would come and go without Handel realizing it. He began tacking post-it notes on his computer as reminders of when games would be released, but when that became too cumbersome, Mandel realized a game-reminder app would be much more efficient.
GAME.minder, which is the result of a partnership with Case Western's student think tank Qube Lab, currently tracks more than 1,000 games. Thanks to the free, fully interactive app for iPhone/iOS, users can search and filter their favorite games by platform, title, popularity or release date. Setting a "RE.minder" tells GAME.minder to notify the user before a new game hits the shelves.
Handelabra has two other apps already on the market: StyleAssist, a photo-sharing app focused on hair styles; and Better Clock, a universal alarm clock app for iPhone and iPad. The three-person Handelabra team is currently focused on the iOS platform, according to Handel, who adds that the company's long-term goal "would be to bring successful products to other smartphone platforms like Android. We do not currently plan to extend our products to the desktop, preferring to focus on mobile exclusively."
SOURCE: Jeremy Handel
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
"I subscribe to several gaming magazines, and I was finding that I would read game previews months in advance of the release," says the founder of Handelabra. At other times, games would come and go without Handel realizing it. He began tacking post-it notes on his computer as reminders of when games would be released, but when that became too cumbersome, Mandel realized a game-reminder app would be much more efficient.
GAME.minder, which is the result of a partnership with Case Western's student think tank Qube Lab, currently tracks more than 1,000 games. Thanks to the free, fully interactive app for iPhone/iOS, users can search and filter their favorite games by platform, title, popularity or release date. Setting a "RE.minder" tells GAME.minder to notify the user before a new game hits the shelves.
Handelabra has two other apps already on the market: StyleAssist, a photo-sharing app focused on hair styles; and Better Clock, a universal alarm clock app for iPhone and iPad. The three-person Handelabra team is currently focused on the iOS platform, according to Handel, who adds that the company's long-term goal "would be to bring successful products to other smartphone platforms like Android. We do not currently plan to extend our products to the desktop, preferring to focus on mobile exclusively."
SOURCE: Jeremy Handel
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
Amy and Montri Visatsud met in a Thai restaurant, so it's only fitting that they'd open their own. Banana Blossom debuted in November at 2800 Clinton in Ohio City.
The couple considered Brunswick, but the choice wasn't difficult. "I'm a Cleveland native," says Amy, "and I'm really excited to see all the new businesses coming into the neighborhood, and this seemed like a good opportunity to get in there."
The move quickly paid off. Amy says she's pleasantly surprised by the local support, especially considering that the site -- the former home of Jazz 28 and Halite -- is a couple blocks off the main West 25th Street drag. "We have a lot of regulars already," she reports. "We had one girl who was there four times in the first week we were open."
Montri worked in an aunt's restaurant in Seattle, but is a first-time owner. Partner Sengchan Misaiphon is the chef. Both are from Bangkok, and they strive for authenticity in their extensive menu, which includes 58 entrees.
Source: Amy Visatsud
Writer: Frank W. Lewis
The couple considered Brunswick, but the choice wasn't difficult. "I'm a Cleveland native," says Amy, "and I'm really excited to see all the new businesses coming into the neighborhood, and this seemed like a good opportunity to get in there."
The move quickly paid off. Amy says she's pleasantly surprised by the local support, especially considering that the site -- the former home of Jazz 28 and Halite -- is a couple blocks off the main West 25th Street drag. "We have a lot of regulars already," she reports. "We had one girl who was there four times in the first week we were open."
Montri worked in an aunt's restaurant in Seattle, but is a first-time owner. Partner Sengchan Misaiphon is the chef. Both are from Bangkok, and they strive for authenticity in their extensive menu, which includes 58 entrees.
Source: Amy Visatsud
Writer: Frank W. Lewis