Author: Jenny Kessler

Jenny is a local designer who has a passion for people and for Cincinnati. She began writing for UrbanCincy in September 2009, and served as the website's operation manager until March 2012. Jenny currently works for ArtsWave and manages the OTR Urban Kickball League.

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Arts & Entertainment News

Free screening of Food, Inc. at Main Library – 7/20

The main branch of the Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton County will be screening the award-winning and eye-opening documentary Food, Inc. on Tuesday, July 20th at 7pm. The film is second in the library’s Reel to Reel documentary series. Each of the three films to be screened includes a time for community discussion after the film.

Food, Inc. is a documentary, released in 2008, that takes a critical look at the corporate farming industry and investigates farming and food processing practices that are a direct result of increased food production due to the fast food industry. Those interested in learning more about where our food comes from and how to change their eating habits and lifestyle will benefit from watching this film.

The screening of Food, Inc. will take place Tuesday, July 20 at 7pm in the Heunefeld Tower Room of the Main Library (map).  The event is free and open to the public.  Free on-street automobile parking, bicycle parking, and Metro bus service (plan your trip) is available.

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Arts & Entertainment Business News

Downtown Cincinnati’s newest club celebrates grand opening – 7/17

Cincinnati’s newest nightclub is celebrating a grand opening tonight, Saturday July 17 at the corner of 6th and Main streets.  Passage Lounge serves as the eastern anchor to downtown Cincinnati’s growing Backstage Entertainment District.

General Manager Robert Bond states that, “Our number one commitment is to be a service-based venue and we have trained our staff to provide our downtown Cincinnati community patrons with a full, pleasurable and exciting experience.”

At first observation, Passage is definitely a place to see and be seen. The majority of the space is an open plan, with a circular bar serving 360 degrees of drinks anchoring the center of the space. There is a DJ booth and elevated dance stage that can be seen from the street. True to its name, Passage’s decor is mysterious and exotic, with VIP areas accessible only through a secret passage way. Even the restrooms have a trompe l’oeil feel that fools the eye.

Go check out Passage Lounge (map) if you are looking for a new place to enjoy yourself and dance the night away in a classy, fun atmosphere.  The doors will open at 7pm tonight with the party going until 2:30am at which point several late night food options are located nearby for snacking and socializing.

Passage is open Wednesday through Friday from 4pm to 2:30am and Saturdays from 7pm to 2:30am.  They will feature weekday happy hours with drink specials, live entertainment, and a tapas menu which will begin on Wednesday, July 21.  Passage has table reservations available. Those interested in reserving tables or the VIP room should contact Ramsey Houston, at (513) 720-9946 or vip@passagelounge.com.

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Business News Politics

Cincinnati designated consumer marketing Hub of Innovation & Opportunity

Ohio governor Ted Strickland traveled to Cincinnati on Friday, July 9th to officially announce Cincinnati’s newly appointed status as a Hub of Innovation and Opportunity in the area of Consumer Marketing for the state of Ohio.  With companies like P&G, Landor, Kroger and LPK located here, Cincinnati has long established itself as a global leader in the fields of marketing, branding and forward thinking.

“Cincinnati’s Hub designation will assist this region’s already strong business and educational community in attracting young creative talent, new companies and job opportunities in consumer marketing to Ohio,” Governor Strickland said to a packed house of dignitaries on Friday at LPK’s headquarters in downtown Cincinnati.  “Targeted investments in Ohio’s urban regions and businesses are a critical piece of our economic development strategy to create jobs and strengthen Ohio’s economy.”

The Hub designation is much more than a point of civic pride. According to the Ohio Department of Development, the Ohio Hubs are envisioned as regional economic development initiatives that build upon leading assets in our urban centers to accomplish three major goals:

  1. Propel innovation through cutting-edge, market-driven applied technology and knowledge spillover;
  2. Foster the opportunity for job creation and retention; and
  3. Catalyze the formation of new companies in the region, while at the same time helping to ensure that Ohio’s existing industries retain their competitive advantage in the global marketplace.

Now more than ever, the state of Ohio seems committed to investing in Cincinnati’s comparative advantages. The $415 million the state has invested in the city has already translated into $2.3 billion in development. The Consumer Marketing Hub of Innovation and Opportunity will focus on promoting entrepreneurship, economic development and commercialization in the consumer marketing industry, providing the intelligence, insight, innovation, and infrastructure to sell Ohio’s products and services. The designation comes with $250,000 in seed money for the city intended to spur growth, encourage entrepreneurs and attract and retain creative talent in the area.

“The Ohio Hubs are vital to the continued economic success of our state’s communities,” said Mark Barbash, Assistant Director of the Ohio Department of Development. “Today’s investment in the Cincinnati region will further enhance Southwest Ohio as a globally recognized hot-spot for consumer marketing and branding.”

Further illustrating Cincinnati’s dominance in the consumer marketing industry, the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, Procter & Gamble, Kroger Company, the University of Cincinnati and Macy’s have partnered in order to strengthen and create job opportunities in Ohio’s consumer marketing industry.  Other local companies, including branding firms Landor, Bridge Worldwide, and LPK, and consumer marketing service companies such as Dunnhumby USA and AC Nielsen/Buzzmetrics have also committed to support this effort.

Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls spoke at the event, connecting the Hub designation to the recent announcement of money received from the federal government for the Cincinnati Streetcar.  “These announcements are transformative for the greater Cincinnati region.” Qualls said.

“The hub designation strengthens partnerships and creates new opportunities for the citizens of Cincinnati, and the streetcar will now physically connect the Central Business District to the Uptown/University area – the city’s two larges employment areas. These projects are an investment in attracting and keeping the creative class, and they will help make this a great place to live for young folks who are the anchor of this region”

The Cincinnati Regional Action Plan states the goal of creating 200,000 new jobs by 2020. Local business leaders believe the hub designation will help Cincinnati hire even more creatives who are looking to stay in the region.

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Business News Politics

Cincinnati City Council approves new mobile food vendor program

Cincinnati’s City Council this afternoon approved the Mobile Food Vendor Pilot Program, as proposed by Councilmember Laure Quinlivan, by a 7-1 margin. Councilmember Leslie Ghiz (R) was the lone dissenting vote, while Councilmember Bortz (C) was not present.  The vote comes a day after City Council’s Quality of Life Committee voted to pass the measure after a long discussion that included public comment.

Members from the Cincinnati Food Truck Alliance including Senor Roy’s Taco Patrol and Cafe de Wheels, as well as relative newcomer, New Orleans To Go, came in support of mobile food vendors as an indicator of a healthy, vibrant city. Senor Roy himself gave three points as a reason to support the mobile food movement:

  1. Food trucks open in lots during late hours support the downtown community and their presence makes the area safer by populating an otherwise empty space with people, which is seen as a great safety measure.
  2. Cincinnati joining the national mobile food movement  creates attention for the area and attracts press.
  3. Venture capital is hard to come by, and mobile vendors allow brick and mortar companies to expand at a fraction of the cost.

The one concern brought up at the Quality of Life Committee meeting on Tuesday, June 22nd involved possible noise concerns from downtown residents. However, as Tom Acito of Cafe de Wheels put it, “It’s impossible to know if there would be a problem or not if we don’t try. We’ve got to move ahead.” After some debate, the 6th & Race location has now been moved from 6th Street to the other end of the parking lot to 5th Street to accommodate those concerns.

Starting Monday, June 28th, there will be three locations at which mobile food vendors – carts or trucks selling non-alcoholic beverages and ready-to-eat foods – will be able to use in the Downtown Business District on a first-come, first-serve basis.  Permits for the public locations will cost between $400-800 depending upon location and size of the truck, and vendors will be able to operate from 6am to 3:30am seven days a week.  The three public locations included in the Mobile Food Vendor Pilot Program include:

  • Sawyer Point – 1-2 spaces east of the Purple People Bridge
  • Court Street Market – 6 spaces on the south side of Court Street at Vine Street heading east. This is the only zone with electric service, 110 volt/20 amps. No heat lamp or grills supported.
  • 5th & Race Parking Lot – 12 spaces on southeast end of lot, along Race Street. Vendors must enter and exit using the 6th Street gate.

The first 20 vendors to sign up beginning the morning of Thursday, June 24th at 9am will receive Revocable Street Privileges that grants them access to any of the three locations. Policy makers say that this permit will keep vendors accountable, and will ensure that the locations are not overbooked.

“The pricing is very fair compared with what is being charged at private lots, and we still have the right to go to any private lot of our choice,” stated Gary Sims, owner, Taco Azul. “We will learn as we go, but as long as City Council is willing to adjust it will be good, and as far as I’m concerned it’s a good pilot program.”

The City appears to be setting the stage to do just that as they have planned to review the pilot program in October 2010 to examine progress and make any necessary adjustments.  While the program provides these additional public locations for mobile food vendors to locate, it does not remove the ability for mobile food vendors to locate on private property as they do presently.

Stay up-to-speed on the whereabouts of Cincinnati’s growing number of food trucks by following UrbanCincy’s comprehensive Twitter list.

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Business News Politics

City Council Committee to consider new food truck policy – 6/22

Cincinnati City Councilmember Laure Quinlivan will be putting forth her policy proposal for food trucks up for consideration during the Quality of Life meeting today at 12pm.

Quinlivan’s proposal includes allowing three permanent, public-owned parking spots for food trucks to use in the Central Business District. The locations include spots in the lot at 6th & Race streets, a half-block of Court Street east of Vine Street, and a spot at the foot of the Purple People Bridge, next to the Sawyer Point lot.

The trucks will be able to sell food and beverages from 6am to 2:30am, and would be required to attain a permit that would cost between $400-800 depending on the size of the truck and the location.

Micah Paldino, member of the Cincinnati Food Truck Alliance and owner of PB&J PR on Main Street, encourages any and all purveyors and supporters of the food truck movement to come out to the meeting this afternoon and show Council how important food trucks are to the city.

“The committee meeting marks a pivotal moment in the program’s implementation. If the mobile food ordinance does not pass through the committee vote on Tuesday, it will not be forwarded to Council for final approval on Wednesday, June 23rd,” Paldino explained.  “Please support infusing some energy on the streets of Cincinnati as our Queen City moves into an amazing new time of growth and progress.”

The meeting takes place at 12pm TODAY, at City Hall (map) in Committee Room B (Room 312).  Those attending can find free bicycle parking, on- and off-street automobile parking available nearby, or access City Hall by Metro bus service (plan your trip).

Stay up-to-speed on the whereabouts of Cincinnati’s growing number of food trucks by following UrbanCincy’s comprehensive Twitter list.