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Arts & Entertainment Business News

Celebrate American Craft Beer Week May 17-23

“The Mother of All Beer Weeks” is upon us and as always it provides the opportunity for beer enthusiasts, casual observers, industry professionals and everyone in between, to experience and celebrate the honored traditions and spectacular experimentations that make American Craft Beer world class.

Founded in 2006, American Craft Beer Week is the largest, nationwide initiative to focus purely on US craft brewing and beers, with over 200 breweries formally participating in 2009, to go along with thousands of other “unofficial” coordinated events in each of our 50 states. Locally, you can kick-off the week tonight at one of downtown Cincinnati’s best beer spots, JeanRo Bistro, with their weekly “Half-Price Pint Night” and an expanded selection of draft beers on one of their 12 taps.

On Tuesday, May 18, Milton’s Prospect Hill Tavern is hosting a tasting event that will feature Moerlein Lagers & Ales paired with an assortment of cheeses from select Findlay Market vendors. The cost is $4 for six, three ounce pours accompanied by the cheeses, and Moerlein Brewers and staff have promised to be on site to discuss the pairings.

“Hump Day” provides an added bonus because while the work week may be half way completed after Wednesday, there are still four full days of American Craft Beer Week left to enjoy. Among other options on May 19th, Marty’s Hops and Vines in College Hill (map) is offering a beer tasting from 5:30pm to 8pm, and the Catskeller is hosting their “Pint Night” from 6pm to 10pm. Tucked away in the Tangeman University Center, smack in the middle of the University of Cincinnati’s Main Campus, the Catskeller is a hidden gem with good tap and bottle selections that is doing an exceptional, and location appropriate, job of craft beer education.

On Thursday, May 20th, head down to Fountain Square and join the festivities at what is currently Cincinnati’s only brewpub, Rock Bottom Brewery. There will be an open house in the brewery throughout craft beer week and during happy hour, and “Beer 101” packets will be available with an illustrated beer making process, for those that are either unfamiliar or interested in learning more about the specifics of brewing. In addition to award-winning brewmaster Mitch Dougherty’s regular rotation of brews, Thursday brings the tapping of a Firkin as well. A Firkin is a cask of beer that is drawn manually with a hand pump and served at the appropriate “cellar” temperature as to assimilate the traditional British pub methods that have been enjoyed for centuries.

There are quite a few events around town this weekend including a Saturday beer tasting at Ludlow Wines in Clifton’s Gaslight District, the 2nd weekend of the Moerlein Biergarten at Findlay Market, and Sunday’s “Pubfest” at the Rookwood restaurant in Mt. Adams from 12pm to 4pm. $25 secures 25 beer tasting tickets, free food and live music. You can mingle with a multitude of beer reps, while enjoying craft beer from producers such as Rogue, Bells and Dogfish Head in the historic Rookwood location.

While obviously the next seven days provide ample chance for the enjoyment of craft beer at any number of organized events, the opportunity is also there to embrace the spirit of American brewing and branch out to explore new environments and experiences. With a rich brewing tradition, Cincinnati is full of beer bars and local watering holes that are just waiting to be discovered. Grab some friends and head out to celebrate American Craft Beer Week and raise a glass to toast an industry that so truly embraces the creative and entrepreneurial spirit of our great country. Please enjoy every delicious sip responsibly. Cheers!

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Business Development News

Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity opens ReStore in Bond Hill

Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity celebrated the opening of its much needed and anticipated ReStore over the weekend, an addition that will provide social, environmental and economic benefits to the community. The home improvement discount store will offer Cincinnati households a way to save money on home products, while also helping Cincinnati Habitat build affordable homes for deserving families throughout the city.

Customers visiting the ReStore can expect to find discounts on a variety of appliances, cabinets, flooring, doors, hardware, lumber, tools, windows and more. All materials sold at the ReStore are donated by local retailers, contractors and individuals within the community.

“The opening of the ReStore represents a new chapter for Cincinnati Habitat’s future,” said Paul Knue, Vice President of Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity’s Board of Directors. “The income the ReStore provides will help us change the lives of more families than ever before by creating a sustainable revenue source for our housing ministry. In addition, the ReStore provides us all with the opportunity to be better stewards of the environment, by recycling and keeping materials out of our landfills.”

The donated goods are sold to the public at a fraction of the retail price, while the donors are eligible to receive tax deductions for their contributions. The ReStore is located at 4910 Para Drive in Bond Hill (map) as part of a 35,000 square-foot building that also includes warehouse space, training space and office space for Cincinnati Habitat. The ReStore will be open from 9am to 5pm Tuesday through Saturday.

“If you support the ReStore, you support Habitat’s efforts to eliminate sub-standard housing in our neighborhoods, preserving our environment and helping families, help themselves” said Marissa Woodly, Development Director for Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity.

For more information become a fan on Facebook or follow them on Twitter @CincyHabitat.

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Business News Transportation

American commuting patterns negatively impacting individual achievement

In Robert Pagliarini’s best-selling book The Other 8 Hours, he discusses how we use the eight hours of our daily lives, outside of the eight we presumably spend at work and at sleep, are what determine our success in life. Pagliarini urges readers to look beyond their job to find success in their life whether it be through starting a business, losing weight, developing a hobby or even getting control of your finances.

Pagliarini states in his book that, “You lose 8 hours to sleep and you sell (at least) 8 hours to your job. That leaves just 8 more. What are you doing during the other 8 hours, and more importantly, what are the other 8 hours doing for you?”

The book relies on the assumption though that each person has a clearly delineated, and evenly balanced, three-slice pie. This is obviously not reality, but if we were to follow Pagliarini’s advice by maximizing The Other 8, what would we find?

With 16 hours of the day already ruled out for work and sleep we have just 8 valuable hours to improve our lives in the way we choose. A 2005 study by the Telework Exchange showed that Federal employees spent an average of 233 hours of their life commuting each year – a number that does not factor in the time spent driving on daily errands. The study found that if Federal employees were to telework three days each week, that they would get 98 hours of their life back each year. Citing an average savings of an hour per day, the Telework Exchange study identified that those teleworking can earn an MBA 35 percent faster, read 25 books in a year, clean out 83 closets, or train for a marathon with the time saved by not commuting.

This data is supportive of more than just teleworking, but reduced commuting and travel times in general. Those who are able to walk to work due to close proximity experience such savings, as do transit riders who are able to utilize their commute time for other enriching purposes that Pagliarini identifies as ways to improve your life.  Those who walk benefit doubly as they not only save themselves free time, but the time they do spend commuting helps to improve their health.

“Look around, anyone who is successful and lives a rich and meaningful life has used the other 8 hours,” Pagliarini exclaims. “Day in and day out, while others squander this time, they have invested it.”

The majority of people have overbooked schedules that do not have any more room to develop these personal attributes and improve their life. As a result that means each individual seeking success should look to maximize the free time they do have. Americans’ current commuting patterns dictate that approximately 15-20 percent of their “free time” is immediately wasted sitting in a car. If that time could be cut in half five to six days a week, the average American would experience similar time savings to the aforementioned federal employees who telecommuted three days a week, and experience similar benefits.

It appears that a clear option for Americans trying to improve their lives socially, financially, health-wise, or educationally is to cut out identified “life leeches” like commuting that suck up individual free time.

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Business Development News

2nd wall collapse of Cincinnati’s oldest brewery forces demolition

Despite the efforts and desire of building owner Duane Donohoo to save the structure, Cincinnati’s oldest brewery was brought to the ground this past Sunday under an emergency demolition order from the City. Following the original wall collapse two weekends ago, the building at the northeast corner of Stonewall and McMicken (map), nicknamed “Brewers Blvd”, appeared destined to be rebuilt and saved from the wrecking ball, however high winds Friday triggered a second, larger collapse of the western wall leaving it as a dangerous liability.

With the one wall crumbling, and suggestions that the buildings facade may soon follow suit, Donohoo declined to fight the demolition out of concern for the safety of those in the vicinity of the building. Thus the oldest of seven structures that comprise the Clyffside Brewing complex in the northern section of Over the Rhine’s Brewery District has been lost.

When the two-story brick building was constructed in 1846, the facility brewed only a modest 275 barrels of beer in its first year of operation under its original moniker of George Klotter & Company. Since those days, expansions and ownership changes have seen the buildings produce ales and lagers under the banners of Sohn, Mohawk, the aforementioned Clyffside, and most recently as Red Top Brewing Company, before closing its doors on September 27, 1957, leaving over 150 Cincinnatians jobless

Regardless of this significant historical loss of the city’s history, Donohoo confirms the the redevelopment plan, which includes condos with terraced, city-view decks and indoor parking, will move forward in the remaining brewery buildings. When it is all said and done, Donohoo plans to put between $3-$3.5 million in the property, and still hopes for it to be an anchor of a revitalized Brewery District.

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Business News

Downtown Cincinnati experiences strong progress during recession

If Cincinnati is our home, then downtown is akin to our city’s kitchen. Downtown is where we, as a community, watch television (Fountain Square), downtown is where we eat, and downtown is where we complete our financial transactions. This is the analogy Mayor Mark Mallory used at the 2010 State of Downtown meeting held this past Thursday, April 29th.

Mayor Mallory also likened downtown to an engine that is “hot and running well” at the Annual Member Meeting hosted by Downtown Cincinnati Inc. (DCI). The positive 2009 report identified several positive indicators during one of the most difficult economic years the nation has seen including:

  • $116 million in completed construction and renovation project with another $1.6 billion in projects currently in progress
  • More than 445,000 square feet of office expansions, renewals and relocations in 2009
  • 30 new retail/restaurant/entertainment establishments opened in the central business district
  • 140 single family homes were sold, keeping population growth consistent with projections
  • $59 million economic impact of total room nights marked a record setting year for hotels
  • The Main Library, Cincinnati Museum Center, Krohn Conservatory and Fountain Square all posted record attendance years
  • Overall crime rate for the central business district/riverfront was down double digits in Part 1 and Part 2 offenses over the past decade, helping make Cincinnati the 7th safest city for pedestrians out of the nation’s 52 largest metro areas
  • DCI’s 3rd annual pedestrian count study showed a continued increase during peak weekday times (11am to 2pm), and a total increase of 20% in pedestrians during the evening hours
  • A partnership with the Hamilton County Department of Pretrial Services and the County Jail, University Hospital, Summit Behavioral Healthcare and others to identified the top 16 high risk panhandlers; placing 3 of the 16 cases in permanent housing to date

The meeting, which lasted for just a little over an hour, also included remarks from the Senior Regional Officer of the Cincinnati/Cleveland Branches of the Federal Reserve Bank Dr. LaVaughn Henry, Hamilton County Commissioner Greg Hartmann, Cincinnati City Manager Milton Dohoney, and DCI president David Ginsburg.

The speakers focused on the importance of economic development in the greater downtown areas, each bringing a different viewpoint to the podium. Commissioner Hartmann spoke briefly about the importance of downtown to all of Hamilton County and the region, while using the casino development as a prime example of how to get the public excited and involved in the development process. Dr. LaVaughn Henry addressed the national economic recession and stated that while unemployment is still high here in Cincinnati and across the country, the rate of job loss is slowing and consumer confidence is on the rise.

Downtown Cincinnati’s population has experienced steady population growth since 2005, and is expected to double by 2012 with the continued renovation of Over-the-Rhine and the opening of The Banks.

City Manager Milton Dohoney stressed the importance of taking risks, while also being cautious in our approach. His remarks on economic development revolved around the creation of new jobs, smarter land use, and partnership and investment in our community.

“Big steps equal big gains,” Dohoney commented in regards to taking risks. “We must work on expanding our tax base, while also proving that we are an inclusive community.”

Following the meeting, UrbanCincy caught up with DCI President David Ginsburg where he discussed the importance of projects like The Banks and the Broadway Commons Casino ultimately not becoming a single destination. Ginsburg also brought up the importance of “zoning flexibility” when it comes to downtown vacancy issues.

“Our primary role is to enhance downtown’s potential as a vibrant, clean and communal place that attracts employers, art, music and the creative class,” Ginsburg stated. “We must continue to improve downtown’s perception by getting more people downtown to witness the improvements firsthand. You wouldn’t buy a new car until you test drove it, so we need to get more people to test drive downtown.”