Featured Stories

$29.5M grant, neighbor-focused plans boost Avondale housing revitalization efforts

Geoffrey Dobbins Tuesday, January 15, 2013

What happens when the city, neighborhood advocates and a national redevelopment firm collaborate to transform outdated and underutilized public housing in Avondale? They snag a $29.5M federal grant aimed at holistic renewal.

Architecture, Cincinnati, City Building, Diversity, Education + Learning, Health + Wellness, Jobs, Non-Profit, Quality of Life, Regional Indicators, Regionalism, Research + Innovation, Reuse / Rebuild

Avondale

Innov8 for Health breeds success by forcing failure

Lee Chilcote Tuesday, January 08, 2013

When it comes to the fast-evolving world of health care, Cincinnati's startup community is attracting fans from the White House on down, in part by focusing on fast failures as well as lasting ideas.

Cincinnati, City Building, Consumer Products, Consumer Research, Entrepreneurship, Health + Wellness, High Tech, IT, Jobs, Leadership, Life Sciences, Move to Cincinnati, Quality of Life, Regional Indicators, Regionalism, Research + Innovation

Clifton, Downtown, Uptown

Ex-P&Gers find welcome in local start-up scene

James Pilcher Tuesday, January 08, 2013

A growing number of ex-P&Gers are branching out from the Ivory Towers and starting their own businesses, using the training and experience they gained at the brand-creating giant while pursuing their own entrepreneurial dreams.

Brand Hub, Branding + Design, Cincinnati, City Building, Consumer Products, Entrepreneurship, High Tech, Jobs, Quality of Life, Regional Indicators, Regionalism, Research + Innovation, Talent

Downtown, Over-the-Rhine

For Good Special: Emanuel's transformation

Chris Graves Tuesday, December 04, 2012

This week, we bring you a special, in-depth look at the recent sale of the Emanuel Center in Over-the-Rhine, a nonprofit organization that we've covered before in Soapbox.

Architecture, Cincinnati, City Building, Diversity, Entrepreneurship, Health + Wellness, Non-Profit, Philanthropy, Research + Innovation, Reuse / Rebuild

Downtown, Over-the-Rhine

The New Revolutionaries: Hatching ideas with The Bird Haus

Elissa Yancey Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Match passionate locals, creative entreprenuers and a petite force of nature known as Cat Amaro and you get The Bird Haus, a migratory classroom where learning is fun, fascinating and, yes, cheap.

Arts + Culture, Cincinnati, City Building, Diversity, Education + Learning, Entrepreneurship, Move to Cincinnati, Quality of Life, Regional Indicators, Regionalism, Research + Innovation, Talent

Walnut Hills / East Walnut Hills / O'Bryonville, Over-the-Rhine

Local shops, shoppers embrace CoSign's first culmination

Scott Beseler Tuesday, November 27, 2012

A parade of cherry-pickers greeted Northside business owners and shoppers last Friday at the unveiling of the city's first CoSign Project. Artisan-crafted signs took the shape of everything from intricately carved tumbleweeds to airplanes to jackalopes in this celebration of signage, small businesses and collaboration. Soapbox's Scott Beseler takes a tour.

Architecture, Arts + Culture, Branding + Design, Cincinnati, City Building, Entrepreneurship, Move to Cincinnati, PR, Marketing + Advertising, Quality of Life, Regional Indicators, Regionalism, Research + Innovation, Reuse / Rebuild, Talent

Northside, Downtown

Epipheo embraces stories, innovation while defying easy description

Geoffrey Dobbins Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Cross the quirkiness of a Silicon Valley start-up with the genuine affection of a Midwestern community and you begin to grasp the creative forces that drive Epipheo. With an office in Portland, Oregon, and headquarters in Longworth Hall, the convention-defying company's core values—"truth, story, love"—make it as appealing to a growing number of employees as it is to high-powered clients like Google, Facebook and MTV.

Brand Hub, Branding + Design, Cincinnati, City Building, Diversity, Entrepreneurship, Jobs, Leadership, Move to Cincinnati, Non-Profit, Northern Kentucky, Quality of Life, Regional Indicators, Regionalism, Research + Innovation, Talent

Downtown

'Contained' takes art into the streets of OTR

Scott Beseler Tuesday, October 23, 2012

'Contained,' an exhibit of art presented in shipping containers in Over-the-Rhine, takes art into the streets, as the Requiem Project extends its reach beyond the Emery Theatre. Soapbox's master photographer Scott Beseler offers a tour.

Architecture, Arts + Culture, Cincinnati, City Building, Diversity, Entrepreneurship, Move to Cincinnati, Non-Profit, Quality of Life, Research + Innovation, Reuse / Rebuild, Talent

Over-the-Rhine

My Soapbox: Craig Vogel, University of Cincinnati

Chris Graves Tuesday, October 09, 2012

What do machines that make frozen margaritas, OXO Good Grips and the entrepreneurs on Main Street have in common? According to UC's design guru Craig Vogel, two very important things: Opportunity and innovation. Vogel shares his thoughts on Cincinnati and what companies need to do to “get it right.”

Branding + Design, Cincinnati, City Building, Consumer Products, Consumer Research, Entrepreneurship, Higher Education, Leadership, Move to Cincinnati, Regional Indicators, Regionalism, Research + Innovation, Talent

Clifton, Corryville, Uptown

Psst: Cincinnati's greener than you think

Chris Graves Tuesday, September 25, 2012

From a nationally recognized "poop processor" to a net-zero energy corporate headquarters, Cincinnati exemplifies "green" leadership to other cities and states. So why aren't more locals talking about it? Soapbox offers four conversation starters.

Alternative Energy, Cincinnati, City Building, Emerging Technology, Green, Move to Cincinnati, Parks + Greenspace, Quality of Life, Regional Indicators, Regionalism, Research + Innovation, Sustainability, Talent

Norwood, Downtown

The New Revolutionaries: Smarter than a Goldfish

Keith Rutowski Tuesday, September 18, 2012

What do shoe-making workshops, recycled sketch paper and Portolets have in common? They're all part of Main Street entrepreneur Alisha Budkie's sustainable world, one the UC design alum is helping build with support from longtime neighbors and a growing army of her peers in Over-the-Rhine.

Branding + Design, Cincinnati, City Building, Consumer Products, Diversity, Education + Learning, Entrepreneurship, Green, Higher Education, Jobs, Leadership, Move to Cincinnati, Quality of Life, Regional Indicators, Regionalism, Research + Innovation, Reuse / Rebuild, Sustainability, Talent

Clifton, Uptown, Over-the-Rhine

My Soapbox: Jay Finch, Socstock

Chris Graves Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Cleveland native Jay Finch, 26, moved to Cincinnati to join The Brandery's 2012 class. The Villanova honors grad studied economics at Cambridge and Harvard before Goldman Sachs snagged him post-graduation. He gave all that up to start his "market ministry," Socstock.

Cincinnati, City Building, Consumer Products, Diversity, Entrepreneurship, Financial Services, High Tech, IT, Move to Cincinnati, Philanthropy, PR, Marketing + Advertising, Quality of Life, Regional Indicators, Regionalism, Research + Innovation, Talent, Venture Capital

Over-the-Rhine

At Woodstone Creek, urban bourbon's the thing

Michael Kearns Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Deep in the heart of Evanston, Woodstone Creek, a former factory-turned-winery, houses a meadery and port house. It is also the first licensed microdistillery in Ohio. For master distiller Don Outterson, though, it all comes back to bourbon.

Cincinnati, City Building, Consumer Products, Entrepreneurship, Quality of Life, Regional Indicators, Regionalism, Research + Innovation, Talent

Norwood

Filmmaking in Cincinnati: A Wide Angle

Maria Seda-Reeder Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Local filmmakers don't wait for George Clooney and Ryan Gosling to come to town to practice their craft. From skateboarding movies to one-woman-show YouTube channels to high-end commercial productions, Cincinnati's film scene offers space, and support, for aspiring artists to grow.