2024 ANNUAL REPORT
DEAR FINDLAY MARKET SUPPORTERS AND
FRIENDS,
It is my pleasure to be in the position to write this letter, reflecting upon the outstanding work of our team over the last year. We have seen growth at the market, within our organization and around the neighborhood. Coming into this new role, I have had the opportunity to see everything from a new perspective and have gained even more respect (though I didn’t think that was possible) for each and every person that contributes to the magic that is Findlay Market.
The Corporation for Findlay Market (CFFM) has seen our community and small businesses lean on the Findlay Market Shopping App. We have increased our reach across the region and brought on more merchants, Findlay Kitchen Members, Outdoor Market Vendors and Farmers, bringing our total to more than 70 businesses being represented on the app. Partnerships have blossomed, allowing us to provide more fresh food to more people.
Findlay Learn celebrated its largest cohort to date, with more than a dozen food entrepreneurs taking the next step in their journey to grow or scale. We saw Chacabanas, one of our Findlay Launch Residents, become a fast favorite of market-goers and then graduate from the program, while Eliza Jane’s Bakeshop, another Launch Resident, created a beautiful space for sweet treats on Elm Street.
Findlay Kitchen welcomed new Members and helped others move to permanent homes, all with the support of our staff each step of the way. Findlay Kitchen led the efforts for a reimagined Taste of Findlay Market section at the Taste of Cincinnati, and the team brought back our scholarship program to help business owners gain access to critical resources.
Findlay Market hosted more tours than ever before, introducing new and first-time-in-a-long-time visitors. We gave tours to families, big companies, and foodies, all looking to learn more about our special public market.
This past year saw big and exciting projects get off the ground, like the updated home for our beloved Eckerlin Meats and new public restrooms. We welcomed new businesses to the Market District and saw renewed interest in residents calling Findlay Market home, plus the addition of a coworking space that has brought new life to an important corner of Market Square. The much, much anticipated parking garage opened up just a block away, adding critical parking spots for shoppers and serving as a beautiful entrance to the neighborhood.
As always, we celebrated Cincinnati’s favorite tradition with the annual Findlay Market Opening Day Parade. Many of our attendees and participants celebrated this year’s parade as the best one yet, which comes as no surprise because our volunteers showed up in big numbers - before the sun even rose - to help make the incredible day happen. The 2024 parade highlight and star was Jim Scott, our Honorary Grand Marshal. Jim, one of the kindest people to walk this earth, rode the route alongside his wife, surrounded by family and friends, and was greeted with hundreds of signs showing love and gratitude for his lifelong contributions to our community.
I send a sincere thanks to each and every shopper, merchant, vendor, farmer, supporter and community member that put their mark on this historic institution over the last year. I look forward to the many great things to come and can’t wait for next year’s adventures.
Sincerely,
Kelly Lanser
Deana Taylor Brewer President & CEO Corporation for Findlay Market Board Chair Corporation for Findlay Market Vice President, HR & Employee Engagement, Visit Cincy
WHO WE ARE
OUR MISSION
Historic Findlay Market connects farmers, producers, sellers and customers in a dynamic, diverse public marketplace.
OUR VISION
Historic Findlay Market is our region’s premier destination for local food and artisan products, a dynamic public gathering place, and a vital community asset.
OUR CORE VALUES
Local
We value freshness above all, emphasizing a variety of locally grown food and unique, locally created products sold by people we know as friends and neighbors. We embrace our role as a vital anchor for a strengthened central city and Over-the-Rhine.
Authentic
We value genuine human connections and social interactions that a vibrant, dynamic public marketplace promotes. We value the diversity in all definitions that exists among our merchants and our shoppers.
Value-minded
We believe in providing our shoppers fresh, high quality foods at fair prices and a rich product array that will satisfy a wide range of shopper needs. We provide an inclusive shopping experience that is unparalleled in our region.
Entrepreneurial
We create a supported environment for diverse startup businesses and the growth and sustainability of locally owned and managed businesses.
Responsible
We honor our role as stewards of a thriving landmark and demand integrity in our interactions with our shoppers, merchants, employees, volunteers, and community partners.
DID YOU KNOW?
Did you know that the Corporation for Findlay Market (CFFM) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization? In addition to day to day operations, CFFM is focused on improving sales and profitability for Findlay Market merchants, attracting a diverse group of new merchants to Findlay Market and the surrounding business district, as well as helping new businesses start, grow and scale.
Situated in the Over-the-Rhine (OTR) neighborhood, a low-income census tract, Findlay Market caters to shoppers of all socioeconomic backgrounds, and has a robust collection of assistance benefits resources to ensure all EBT eligible shoppers are able to take full advantage of the available programs. CFFM aims to preserve and expand the connection with the OTR neighborhood, the Cincinnati community, and its shoppers by supporting cultural and income diversity at Findlay Market and ensuring the Market District serves a diverse population.
BY THE NUMBERS
$73,203
1,441,137
2,793
low-income individuals benefited from Findlay Market’s food access programs tons of waste composted
17.6 visitors vendors participated in Taste of Findlay Market at Taste of Cincinnati in SNAP and Produce Perks benefits distributed
125 live music performances hosted at Findlay Market
20
NUMBERS
20,355+
17.6 market tours given to 1,172 visitors pounds of food delivered to PRx patients waste composted
105
62 Residential Composting Members
95% of Findlay Kitchen businesses are women, BIPOC and immigrant owned
14 businesses graduated from Growing Into A Storefront course
ACCOLADES
2024 CITYBEAT BEST OF CINCINNATI AWARDS
Findlay Market
Best Farmers Market
Best Old Thing
Best Place to Take a Visitor #3 Best Free Attraction
Findlay Market Vendors
Blue Oven Bakery
Best Farmers Market Food Stall; Best Overall Bakery (Breads)
Cherbourg Cyprus
Best Gluten-Free Bakery
Churchill’s Fine Teas
Best Tea Selection
Dojo Gelato
Best Grape Ice Cream
Eli’s BBQ
Best Barbeque; Best Catering (Restaurant)
Makers Bakers Co.
Best Blend of Bourbon & Banana
ADDITIONAL AWARDS
The Cincinnatus Association Spencer Awards
Pho Lang Thang
Best Vietnamese; Best Soup; Best Noodles
uGOgelato
Best National Award-Winning Gelato
Honored Findlay Market for its efforts to promote diversity and inclusion
Hamilton County Commission on Women & Girls
Pay Equity Commitment Signator
USA Today
2024 10Best - 6th Best Public Market
FOOD ACCESS
$73,203
2,793 in SNAP and Produce Perks benefits distributed
20,355+ pounds of food delivered to PRx patients
low-income individuals benefited from Findlay Market’s food access programs
Without Findlay Market, the low-income census tract surrounding the market house would be a food desert, and we take our role as a fresh food destination very seriously. In fiscal year 2024, we served nearly 3,000 low-income individuals utilizing SNAP & EBT benefits. We partnered with organizations statewide, such as Buckeye Fresh!, Produce Perks Midwest, Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Women, Infants, Children (WIC), to visit Findlay Market to provide education and enrollment assistance. This resulted in the distribution of $73,203 in SNAP and Produce Perks benefits, and we’re just getting started!
The Findlay Market Shopping App, relaunched in 2022 with a specific focus on providing value for low-income shoppers, has been quietly building community partnerships to further expand on Findlay Market’s food access work. Through our partnership with Produce Perks Midwest, we made 1,334 deliveries of more than 20,355 pounds of fresh produce to 97 families living with diet-related illnesses via the Produce Prescription program. This resulted in $40,710 in sales to local farms and Findlay Market merchants. Due to our successful involvement in the program, CFFM has been asked to sit on the
PRx Program advisory committee to help increase our impact even further.
We have also completed Phase 1 of a pilot program with Meals on Wheels (MOW), in which we gave a group of 40 seniors $300 to use on the App. CFFM’s staff spent one-on-one time with them, teaching them how to use the App to order independently. Out of 40 seniors tested, 35 needed assistance, and Findlay Market’s staff was by their side, demystifying new technology. We are now in Phase 2, with the second group of 40 seniors completing the same process. One grateful senior recently stated, “I used to go to Findlay Market all the time, but am no longer able. Thanks to the App, I can bring Findlay Market to my doorstep.”
279 businesses supported since opening in 2016
13
95% women, BIPOC & immigrant-owned businesses
$57,084 new Findlay Kitchen members onboarded raised for 7 Findlay Kitchen Scholarships
19 members participated in Taste of Cincinnati
Findlay Kitchen is a shared-use incubator kitchen in the heart of the Findlay Market District designed to help businesses start, grow and scale, with an intentional focus on supporting BIPOC, women, and immigrant-owned businesses. One of the ways we provide value to our members is through community and business partnerships. And there is no better example than Taste of Cincinnati.
This type of city-wide festival is out of reach for many food entrepreneurs; from the set-up fees to the time requirements to the logistics of licensing, electric needs and more, it is too much for many up-and-coming small businesses to take on by themselves. Enter the Food Innovation team.
Through our partnership with the Cincinnati Regional Chamber of Commerce, we created our very own “Taste of Findlay Market” section at the Taste of Cincinnati,
and since 2017, have provided Findlay Market vendors and Findlay Kitchen members the opportunity to set up at a reduced rate, and to set up for fewer than the three full event days if staffing or other issues would preclude them from participating for the full long weekend. This type of flexibility is key to allowing our small businesses entry into these types of events.
Our team dedicates an incredible amount of time and effort leading up to and during the entire event, meeting individually with each vendor, planning their culinary production, renting and moving equipment onsite, managing electric needs, tenting, layout, procurement of licenses, load-in and out, and full onsite support throughout the event from 8 a.m.-midnight every day.
FEEDBACK FROM 2024 TASTE OF FINDLAY MARKET PARTICIPANTS:
“The team at Findlay Kitchen and Findlay Market were so incredibly supportive. They were there for us to help us go through all the motions. They even helped rebuild a new set up for us because our tent got destroyed during the storm. It was a true privilege for us to be part of this event.”
- Seena Chriti, Pankis Dutch Pancakes
“The Findlay crew always ROCKS! They ran all day everyday to make sure everything went smoothly. Very commendable of them considering everything we were up against this year.”
-Crystal Render, Magnificent Morsels
“I just want to give a shout out to every single one of the Findlay Kitchen Team Members. Not only were you supportive, kind and caring in all the steps of the way, I also genuinely believe that each one of you cares highly about us and the business. We got encouraging comments from the staff and we were always taken care of. Bringing hydration, food, etc., which is above and beyond. Thanks again.”
-Maria Carter Febres, Queen Tequeños
Jillian Adams is the founding owner of Eliza Jane’s BakeShop, a family-owned and operated bakery that specializes in over-the-top desserts and bears the name of Jillian’s great grandmother. She founded her business as a food truck, popping up at food festivals and private events to serve her treats. In August of 2023, Jillian joined the Findlay Launch residency program to take her budding business to the next level.
She and her family cut the ribbon signifying the opening of their very first storefront at 1811 Elm Street. Ever since, she has been working with the Findlay Launch team to adjust her operations, budget, time management–everything–to find success in her storefront.
“Growing our customer base and getting our name, our brand out there has helped tremendously throughout this program,” she says.
Findlay Launch residents like Eliza Jane’s receive specialized business support and access to Findlay Market’s marketing efforts in addition to many other assets to push their business forward. Among the many invaluable lessons she’s learned during her residency, one of the most impactful, she says, is, “I can’t do this alone.”
As she nears the end of her time as a Findlay Launch resident, Jillian and her family are looking forward to finding a new home for Eliza Jane’s with expanded seating and more space to experiment with offthe-wall flavors and new products. She hopes to stay within the Findlay Market District to continue building on the community she has fostered during her time at 1811 Elm Street.
22 Subject Matter Experts participated in 2024 Growing Into A Storefront course
14 businesses graduated from 2024 Growing Into A Storefront course
93% of participants are BIPOC, women or immigrant entrepreneurs
Findlay Learn is the regional leader for food-industry-based education and support. Programming focuses on supporting our dynamic, diverse, and economically impactful independent food industry; an industry uniquely under pressure from ever-changing roadblocks. Findlay Learn aims to help food entrepreneurs find their path to success and sustainability in this challenging environment.
Findlay Learn’s flagship course, Growing Into A Storefront (GIAS), is now in its third iteration. In 2024, we opened the program to the entire regional independent food industry, and did a deeper dive into presentation topics with industry leaders. Based on participant feedback, we have also added course material; we are developing new coursework, called Food Business Foundations, for earlier-stage businesses with topics to get any food business owner on the right track from the start.
Growing Into A Storefront 2024 Cohort Graduates:
Erin Bishop, Pop & Bob
Andres De Arco, Café Graciela
Gary & Keisha Hicks, CookUp Catering
Cofi Higgins, By Cofi
Alex Hill, Sewovi Foods
Pativath (Vot) Louprasong, Lotus Street Food
Rhonda Marcotte, Flourish Culinary Services
Jenny Miller, Bouchard’s Bakery & Pasta
Alecia Petroze, Juniper Seed
Brandi Pettiway, Top Tier Food Boutique
Ione Sally, Kombuchinnati
DeAnna Sanchez, Bailey Family Catering
Sky White, Wendigo Tea Co.
Jasmine Williams, Chico’s Cheesecakes
SMALL BUSINESS
While much of CFFM’s food innovation programming is committed to helping new businesses start, grow and scale, everything we do at Findlay Market is also designed to ensure our many legacy businesses continue to thrive. If you’ve shopped at Saigon Market in the last 50 years, you’ve likely interacted with Nghiep Ho, the second generation owner and operator of Findlay Market’s only Asian grocery store. Saigon Market was founded by Nghiep’s parents, Xu and Janet Ho in 1975, the same year they immigrated from Vietnam to the United States, and Nghiep has been working there ever since. “I started here when I was 15. I’m 64 now,” Nghiep laughs. “Next year is going to be our 50th year.”
There weren’t a lot of grocery options for Asian immigrants living in Cincinnati in the 70s, and folks like the Ho family were left with few options to cook meals that felt close to home. “That’s how [Saigon Market] got started,” Nghiep says.
Although Saigon Market was one among few Asian groceries in the city at the time, Nghiep says the selection was nothing compared to what it is today. To restock their shelves, he and his parents would regularly drive a pickup truck to Asian markets in Chicago and fill it to the brim with inventory to sell at Saigon. Many of the beloved Asian and international markets in the Cincinnati region didn’t exist yet, or didn’t develop a robust Asian grocery section until much later. At the time of its opening, Saigon Market was a primary source of Asian pantry staples, and it remains so today.
Nghiep runs Saigon Market largely by himself. He prefers doing things his way, with the exception of a very special pair of helping hands. “I guess I wouldn’t do it if Nick wasn’t here to help me out. He’s been working here for 20 years now. He’s the third generation, and he started his food stand here, too,” Nghiep says.
Much like his father, Nick Ho was practically raised between the shelves of Saigon Market. In his twenties when money was tight, Nick started selling fried rice in front of the shop, a side hustle that was also passed down from father to son. Unbeknownst to Nick at the time, these one-off pop-ups would result in a flourishing business called Chino’s Street Food.
“We started off as Saigon Market Street Food and slowly rebranded into Chino’s,” Nick says. “Chino-Latino [cuisine] is our focus. My partner, Nora, is Hispanic, and we like to incorporate a lot of Hispanic flavors into our food, too, because we feel like the concepts mix well with the food I’m familiar with.” Nick and Nora even graduated from last year’s Growing Into A Storefront cohort to help conceptualize what Chino’s could become in the future.
BUSINESS SUPPORT
67 small businesses supported through CFFM CAM program
7
Northern OTR Clean Up Days hosted in partnership with community partners
16,105
items sold for local Findlay Market merchants through the Shopping App
850
70%
farmer return rate to the region’s largest farmer’s market year-over-year
$122,900
flowers planted around Market District as part of Safe, Clean & Beautiful campaign in sales generated via the Findlay Market Shopping App
In almost five decades of operation, Saigon Market has been an integral source of Asian pantry staples for hundreds of families, no doubt. But most significantly, it has supported the three generations of the Ho family for all this time, not to mention all the memories made along the way. Nghiep not-so-fondly reminisces on the time that Nick drew on the bathroom walls with a marker. Nick expresses how, over the years, certain mundane tasks like bagging spices and rice have moved from his least to his most favorite tasks. Especially now that he owns his own business, settling into a repetitive task can feel meditative in a space that feels so familiar.
Among all the things to love about Saigon Market, Nick mentions the smell in the air that’s been curated over decades. It’s a blend of so many
1 new Safety Ambassador employed by CFFM to support safety in the neighborhood
grocery staples—loose leaf tea, heavy sacks of jasmine rice, a wall full of dry spices—as well as decades of memories belonging to the Ho family—fathers teaching their sons how to stock shelves and ring up customers, saying hello to the same mail carrier every day for years, granddaughters’ crayon drawings and school photos pinned to the wall behind the cash register.
“There’s something about this place. It’s hard to describe. It’s like a second home,” Nick says.
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
Collaborations make this work possible, and we are grateful to our 2024 community partners for their role in making the Findlay Market District a vibrant, safe and beautiful place to be.
• 1N5
• 3CDC
• Art Equals
• Bi3
• Black is Excellence
• Buckeye Fresh
• Cincinnati & Hamilton Co. Public Library
• Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra
• Cincinnati Circus Company
• Cincinnati Fire Department
• Cincinnati Music Accelerator
• Cincinnati Police Department
• Cincinnati Shakespeare Company
• Cincy Nice
• Creative Asian Society
• German-American Citizens League
• Girls Health Period
• Girls Rock Cincy
• Go Metro
• Gorman Heritage Farm
• Greater Cincinnati Foundation
• Hamilton County Public Defender
• Hamilton County Quick Response Team
• HealthSource of Ohio
• Her Cincinnati
• It’s Commonly Jazz
• Keep Cincinnati Beautiful
• League of Women Voters
• Learning Through Art, Inc.
• Madeira High School Key Club
• Mean St. Gallery
• Outreels
• Play Library
• Produce Perks Midwest
• Recycling Reuse Hub
• Taft Museum of Art - Duncanson
Artist-In-Residence
• Transform Cincy
• Transgender Advocacy Council
• UK Healthcare
• United Way
• Veterans Mental Health Council
• WIC
• Women Helping Women
• Women Writing for (a) Change
• Young Professionals Choral Collective
PARTNERSHIPS
YOUR INVOLVEMENT
245
105 tours given to 1,100+ visitors
231 new donors volunteers donated 920+ hours of time
151
Friends of Findlay Market members
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
GREG BAK
Greg Bak is a loyal Findlay Market volunteer whose passion for community service started when he was young. While attending Clark Montessori, Greg had to complete 250 hours of community service in order to graduate. For some, volunteering means nothing more than checking a box. But for Greg, volunteering is a means of connecting with his community by offering up his time and energy. He spends time volunteering at Cincinnati Parks ensuring that our parks are clean and free of litter, and he has been volunteering at Findlay Market for just over a year. He’s worked a handful of events throughout the past year, his favorite being Trick-or-Treat. He loves how unique the volunteer opportunities are at Findlay Market, as well as being able to shop from our merchants afterwards. “Findlay Market really is the heart of the community,” Greg says.
“Findlay Market really is the heart of the community,” Greg says.
INVOLVEMENT MATTERS
DONOR SPOTLIGHTMARCIA KAPLAN & MICHAEL PRIVITERA
Marcia Kaplan and Michael Privitera have been enjoying the spoils of Findlay Market since they landed in Cincinnati in the late 80s. They both work at the University of Cincinnati. Michael helped build the Epilepsy Department and is currently researching ways to forecast seizures. Marcia works in psychiatry as both a clinician and an educator, specializing in treatment-resistant mood and anxiety disorders.
Outside of work, they’ve always been drawn to Findlay Market. Marcia grew up in a Jewish “foodie family” who had connections in the city and spoke highly of Findlay Market. It’s become a regular stop for Marcia and Michael over the years. They frequent The Rhined for cheese, Colonel De Gourmet Herbs & Spices for their seasonings, and ask around at the various butcher shops about bones for their dogs. “There’s a unique aspect to Findlay Market,” Michael says. “I’ve lived in a lot of different cities that have markets. This is one of the most fantastic of any place that I’ve been.” Marcia and Michael are regular donors to Findlay Market. Their contributions help us continue our work supporting small food entrepreneurs, creating space for businesses to start, grow and scale, and engaging the community through over a dozen special events each year. This work would not be possible without loyal market lovers like Marcia and Michael.
“There’s a unique aspect to Findlay Market,” Michael says. “I’ve lived in a lot of different cities that have markets. This is one of the most fantastic of any place that I’ve been.”
FINANCIALS
SOURCES OF SUPPORT USES OF SUPPORT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Karla Boldery’s life’s work revolves around what she refers to as her three pillars of interest: the small business community, the Hispanic community, and supporting women. Karla is the founder of the Latina Entrepreneur Academy, which assists the Latinx community in starting their own businesses. She also oversees the Cincinnati Market for La Mega Media, the largest Hispanic media platform in the state of Ohio.
Outside of her professional commitments, Karla dedicates her time to getting involved in boards, aiming to enhance the representation of the Hispanic community in Cincinnati. She serves as a board member at the University of Cincinnati and the Corporation for Findlay Market, among others. As busy as Karla is, she never turns down the opportunity to be a part of a board she feels she has a personal connection to, and Findlay Market reminds her of her home in Mexico City. Both are vibrant and diverse communities with a surplus of great food. Through her work on the CFFM board, Karla’s able to contribute to the progress of women-, BIPOC-, and immigrant-owned small businesses in the district, a cause that’s close to her heart.
“I have seen firsthand how Findlay Market’s programs are positively impacting the lives of food entrepreneurs, especially those from marginalized communities, and am proud to serve on the Board to help push this vital work forward.”
– Karla Boldery
DIRECTORS
Alisa Berry
Cornerstone Renter Equity, Executive Director
Lia Braaten-Hager, Past Chair
Procter & Gamble, Design Vice President
Karla Boldery
La Mega Media, General Manager
Suzanne Burgei
UC Health, AVP, Culture, People & Technology
Jason Combs, Vice Chair
E.W. Scripps Company, CFO
Wynne Curry, Secretary
The Seven Hills School, Retired
Asa Featherstone IV
Asa Featherstone Creative, Visual Artist
Rick Findlay
OneSource Center for Nonprofit Excellence, Consultant
Lindsey Florea
The Cincinnati Port, Senior Vice President
Charles Gerhardt
Government Strategies Group, President & CEO
Rico Grant
Entrepreneur & Founder, Paloozanoire, SoCap Accelerate, Gallery at Gumbo
Colin Groth
StriveTogether, Chief Advancement Officer
Mark Haggard
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Retired
Todd Immell, Treasurer Deloitte, Managing Director
Krutarth Jain
Champlin Architecture, Principal
John Juech
Duke Energy, Director of Public Affairs & Communications
Rob Linneman Santen & Hughes, Partner
Elizabeth Martini
Bricker Graydon, Of Counsel
Pete Metz, At Large Executive Committee Member
Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, Vice President of Civic & Regional Partnerships
Morgan Mulvihill
Marketing Professional
Tarita Preston
Tarita Preston Coaching, Chief Coach
Mary Stagaman
Mary Stagaman LLC, Principal
Deana Taylor Brewer, Chair
Visit Cincy, Vice President Human Resources & Employee Engagement