Covington

Soapdish: Dog About Town

It's a dog's life. Or is it? As Downtown Cincinnati starts to swell with new residents, odds are many of them are pet owners. And as urban amenities increase for mankind downtown, what about man's best friend?  Soapdish's Casey Coston takes a look at some surprising options for city dwellers and their pooches, and makes the case for a little piece of grass our canine companions can call their own.

Soapicks November 10-16

Christmas is creeping up fast so get in the spirit early with Broadway Across America's newest creation, White Christmas, or get some gift ideas at The Greater Cincinnati Holiday Market. The rebellious Brits of PREFAB77 storm Covington with their first solo exhibition this side of the Atlantic, Shot at from Both Sides. Catch pint-sized starlet Kristin Chenoweth as she joins the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra for a special performance.

Custom Wine Online personalizes the sip

Covington’s Custom Wine Online was the fruit of a realized dream that sprang from loss. Doug Pacheco, a longtime winemaker, and his wife launched an internet wine shop this year when Pacheco was laid off from his marketing job. “I’ve been a winemaker for over a decade. And back in February when I was laid off, I said, Now is the time to do this,” said Pacheco, who with his wife Miriam F. Pacheco, live on a Union, Ky. farm. Custom Wine online combines Pacheco’s passion for winemaking with his skill in marketing and design to provide a unique buying experience for anyone who visits their web site or small retail shop in the Covington Wedding Mall at 630 Madison Avenue. Customers can pick from 10 varietals of wine, including White Zinfandel, Shiraz, Chilean Malbec, German Mosel River Valley Riesling. After making that choice, the Pacheco offers customized label design. Custom Wine Online sells full, half and quarter-spilt bottles, and has a 350,000-image family crest catalog, a favorite design choice. “When someone contacts us, we ask them basics questions about what they want, and we ask them to email a 600 dpi image of what they would like. I send them a label idea as a PDF for their approval,” Doug Pacheco said. The company reflects the couple’s personal view of wine’s purpose: to commemorate, celebrate or appreciate a special person or event. The company specializes in wedding, corporate event, and gift giving. Custom Wine online ships orders by the case, and delivers free in the Greater Cincinnati area. Don’t want to buy a case? Then you can buy individual bottles at their Covington shop, open from xx to xx. The wine is made by the Pachecos’ who are the company’s only employees. But if the business continues to grow, they may hire workers in the next six months. Though Custom Wine Online does have a retail shop, it’s primarily an online company. Pacheco decided to go the web route, to keep quality high and overhead low. “We feel this is a niche market that we think is only going to grow in time. I met with a competitor who wanted me to buy their business, and then I realized I could do the same thing, a very high quality, online,” he said. Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Doug Pacheco, Custom Wine Online Senior Vintner and founder

AME International Lean Conference generated success

Nearly 1,500 business leaders and lean practitioners gathered in Covington last week to enhance their organizations' lean transitions as part of the annual International Lean Conference hosted by the Association for Manufacturing Excellence. The AME started in 1985 and works with manufacturers struggling to remain profitable in a highly competitive global marketplace.  The annual conference aims to leverage resources and learning opportunities in a way to help attendees realize their own success and become more efficient and profitable. Read full article here.

New Ohio River Basin Caucus could result in much needed support for river projects

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Pike Street art gallery reopens as The BLDG with fresh new approach

On Friday, November 13, 30 W. Pike Street (map) will officially reopen as The BLDG which will feature new brow art often referred to as "mongrel art."  The mongrel art is described as an evolution of street art by the directors/founders of The BLDG. "It's gallery art in a street art fashion," said The BLDG director/founder Roman Titus.  "It's what's going on right now," said The BLDG director/founder Roman Titus in regards to the subversive subject matter which could also be described as pop-surrealism. The 2,000 square-foot gallery space on the first level features black wood floors and exposed brick walls.  The former tobacco warehouse also has The BLDG's print shop and studio on the second floor.  Due to the warehouse configuration, the first floor gallery space is very much a blank canvass and is what eventually inspired the name and delivered on what Mike Amann and Roman Titus were looking for. "As long as Mike's owned the building we just referred to it as "the building," and it just kind of stuck," said Titus.  "The building is really defined by what's inside the space." Amann has owned the building since he bought it shortly after he graduated college from Western Kentucky University.  Amann had grown up in the area and decided to start his own graphic design firm in the space. Titus, on the other hand, comes into The BLDG with years of experience working as an indie music photographer.  Both Titus and Amann though were driven to the new style of art that takes a professional design approach to a different level. "You don't need an art degree to understand this kind of art," said Titus. The BLDG is open 1pm to 6pm daily and until 8pm on Thursdays.  The grand opening party for the gallery will take place on Friday, November 13 from 8pm to midnight and will feature work by PREFAB.  PREFAB's show at The BLDG will be their first solo show outside of the United Kingdom. Writer: Randy A. Simes Photography by Scott Beseler Stay connected by following Randy on Twitter @SoapboxRandy

Covington taps OKI planner as new Assistant City Manager

Casa Mexico opens in Covington’s Latonia neighborhood

Redevelopment plans continue to evolve for Jacob Price site in Covington