Category: Business

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Business Development News

Yoga Row creating new business unions along Main Street

A visit to Main Street between 8th and Liberty streets nowadays reveals a neighborhood not only on the mend, but on the rise.

“There are a few signs that keen-eyed observers of urban areas look for that an area is changing,” says Main Street business owner Nancy Willman. “The increased use of bicycles, people walking pets, a new hardware store or successful bakery, and another is the growth of yoga studios. Main Street shows all these signs — especially now with four yoga studios equally spaced along eight blocks of Main Street.”

The owners of Main Street Yoga, Yoga Bar, You Do Yoga, and the Joyful Life Yoga Center have collaborated together to form a new project, nicknamed “Yoga Row.”

“While competition may be the norm in American business it has no place in yoga,” explains Yoga Bar owner Rachel Roberts. “The word ‘yoga’ translates to union, and that is the spirit in which the four Main Street studios have come together with our yogi friend and green grocer, Dan Korman of Park+Vine. We want to foster community, to reach more people and to help students find their style or blend of styles and their teachers.”

The four studios offer a wide variety of teaching styles and yoga classes, and it can seem overwhelming to those who might be looking to begin or continue their practice. Yoga Row collaborators have created the solution to this problem through the Yoga Row Passport.  Available for purchase at Park+Vine, this $20 pass renders the owner eligible to take one class of their choosing at each studio, for free.

“By offering this Yoga Row Passport, students can try four distinct schools of yoga and a variety of teachers at a very affordable cost, giving them the time and experience needed to cultivate a sustainable practice,” said Roberts. “After they have visited all four studios they can use their passport for 20 percent off a yoga mat or any other item at Park+Vine.”

Photo Credit: Rachel Roberts

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Arts & Entertainment Business News

Two exciting events for Saturday 11/6

Cincinnati’s Christian Moerlein Brewing Co. will tap the first Christkindl Winter Warmer Ale keg of the season on Saturday November 6th from 1pm to 4pm at Christy’s Biergarten in the Uptown neighborhood of CUF.

Brother Tim Sucher of St. Francis Seraph Ministries will ceremoniously tap the first keg at 1pm, “We are honored to celebrate the new release of Moerlein Christkindl in the spirit of the holiday season,” said Brother Tim Sucher of St. Francis Seraph Ministry. $1 from every pint sold that day will go towards St. Francis Seraph Ministry’s Christmas Fund.

According to a the brewing company, the building in which Christy’s is located was built as a wedding present for Christian Moerlein’s daughter in 1890. Owner and manager Christy Windholtz Lammers commented, “My family is very proud to have a direct affiliation with Cincinnati’s grand brewing tradition, and is honored to host the Moerlein Christkindl keg tapping event at Christian Moerlein’s daughters home. Wilkommen!”

Christy’s Biergarten will have a special happy hour with $3 pints of the new Moerlein Christkindl and a specially priced happy hour food menu, serving Bratts, Metts, Potato Pancake, German Potato Salad – Rueben and Sauerkraut Balls. Christies is located in the heart of the Clifton Heights business district at 151 West McMillian. Christie’s provides ample parking, but if you choose to imbibe, please do not drive. The biergarten is well accessible by Metro bus service.

Later in the evening, there will be another party taking place at the American Sign Museum (map) in Walnut Hills. Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity Young Professionals (CHYP) will be throwing their ‘Under Construction’ Bash from 7pm to 11pm at the nationally renowned museum. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $35 per person and $45 per person at the door. Tickets include food, open bar, dancing, and a silent auction.

“We’re very excited about this event and grateful to be able to have it at a hidden gem like the American Sign Museum,” said Marissa Woodly, Development Director, Cincinnati Habitat.

The museum boasts a collection of over 3,000 pieces of glowing Americana, which provide a nostalgic look into our commercial past in America. The proceeds from the event will go towards building an affordable home for a Cincinnati family in need.  Tickets for this event can be purchased online.  Also be sure to follow CHYP on Twitter at @CincyHabitatYP.

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Business News Politics

New video explains Cincinnati’s enhanced recycling program

Cincinnati recently became the largest Midwestern city to implement RecycleBank, a rewards program, as part of the city’s enhanced recycling program. The program began operating throughout parts of the city in early October, and the City has released a new video explaining all the details about the new program.

The video was produced by City Council member, and award-winning investigative reporter, Laure Quinlivan who also serves as the Chair of the Mayor’s Green Steering Committee.

“Enhanced recycling will help the environment and eventually save city taxpayers a million dollars a year,” Quinlivan said in a prepared release. “I can’t wait to get the new 96-gallon recycling cart delivered to my home so I can stop overflowing the little green bin every week.”

City officials delivered the second round of recycling carts to approximately 25,000 homes in October, and expect to complete distribution city-wide by February 2011. The first data surrounding initial operations of the new program will become available in mid-November, but Cincinnati Office of Environmental Quality director Larry Falkin believes the success can be seen on the streets.

“Driving down street routes before, I’d see a recycling bin here or there,” Falkin explained. “But now, you can see that residents are responding positively to the enhanced recycling program. The new carts now line the streets on pick up days. Residents are responding to having the option to recycle more with the new recycling carts and getting rewarded for their green actions with RecycleBank Points.”

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Business News Transportation

New Metro CEO wants a “back-to-basics” transit management approach

[On Monday, November 1, Metro’s new CEO and General Manager Terry Garcia Crews wrote a letter to Cincinnatians. This is an unedited republishing of that letter in its entirety – Randy.]


Dear Friends of Metro,

Today is my first day as Metro’s CEO & General Manager, and I wanted to share my initial impressions of my new home. Cincinnati is a wonderful place. Metro is a great organization, and I see tremendous potential for our transit system to support the community’s objectives.

My immediate focus will be on a back-to-basics approach of providing safe, on-time, clean, and friendly service to the community. There’s no funding right now for growth, but we intend to maximize the impact of what we have.

Of importance, I want you to know that Metro’s 2011 budget will be balanced without negative changes in service, fares or jobs. We’re stable for now, but budget challenges will continue as the economy struggles to rebound. We’re dedicated to fiscal responsibility and cost containment to maintain current fares and service levels for the next year and hopefully longer.

I don’t intend to operate in a vacuum. I need to better understand the priorities of the community and where Metro fits in. My goal is to meet with community leaders over the coming weeks and months to get a clearer picture of the community’s needs and interest in transit. Listening to all of our stakeholders will help in developing our action plan and establishing a strategic direction.

I hope you will take a minute to share your thoughts about Metro with me via email at tgarciacrews@go-metro.com. Or let me know if you would like to meet and we can schedule a time. I’d also like to welcome you to become my friend and visit our Cincinnati Metro page on Facebook.

I’m looking forward to working with you to move Metro forward.

Terry Garcia Crews
CEO & General Manager

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Business News

Sushi Bears a new vegan option at Findlay Market

[This story was originally published in the Cincinnati Business Courier print edition on October 22, 2010. Visit the original story for more comments, thoughts and opinions on Sushi Bear’s entrance to Findlay Market – Jennifer.]


A new vegan and vegetarian focused Japanese food stand has opened at Findlay Market.

Sushi Bears is a food concept run by chef Dan Wells and his business partner Steve Hauck. Wells attended culinary school at Great Oaks vocational school in 1998, and since then has worked at nine restaurants throughout Cincinnati including Palomino’s, Ambar India, and Mecklenborg Gardens.

Wells and Hauck are the  sole investors and signed a two-year lease on the 160 square-foot booth so that they could fulfill a desire to create an attainable, healthy dining option in the area.

“When I was looking to open an eatery, I wanted to keep the focus on health and nutrition. Sushi allows for exactly that with smaller portions and fresh ingredients,” Wells explained.  “We bring really affordable lunch options with stir fry and rolls as low as $4-6 bucks and beverages as low as $1.50.”

According to Wells, the customer demographic was among many reasons for opening Sushi Bears in Findlay Market.

“We looked around town at other possible locations, but the reason that Findlay stood out in our minds is because we know the crowds that go there are often there for the fresh produce and farmers markets – there were already a lot of health conscious or vegetarian customers at the Market. When you walk around the Market you wonder where all of these veggie eaters are going to get a bite to eat. There is a surplus of health conscious eaters who frequent the market, but only a few options for healthy ready to eat vegetarian food. Sushi Bears fills that niche. ”

After discussing several naming options, Wells and his team decided on Sushi Bears, drawing inspiration from the bamboo-eating panda bear that has since become the mascot and logo for the company.

Chef Wells is currently serving Japanese inspired stir-fry and drinks including mango chill, bubble tea and hot green tea. There are plans to expand to vegetarian maki-style sushi rolls by mid-November when they expect to complete construction in the new space.

The partners did say that they intend on sourcing a majority of their produce and spices through other Findlay Market vendors, in an effort to help boost the local economy and provide inspiration for new sushi creations.

Taste of Belgium neighbor Jean-Francois Fletchet believes a difficult journey might be ahead for the entrepreneurs selling a niche product.

“I wish them [Sushi Bears] luck but it’s going to be a bumpy road,” Fletchet says. “Although traffic during the week has improved most people downtown do not realize that Findlay Market is open for lunch during the week.”

To help avoid such a lull, Wells plans on supplementing the lunch crowd with unique catering options and  sushi classes.

Sushi Bears is located in the center of Findlay Market, across from Taste of Belgium and Bean Haus booths. The Japanese style stir-fry, drink and sushi booth is open Tuesday through Friday 9am to 6pm, Saturday 8am to 6pm, and Sunday 10am to 4pm.