Food Innovation Program Manager for Findlay Market

If you’ve been noticing new restaurants popping up, you’re not alone. Teri Heist, the food innovation program manager for Findlay Market, works to identify and support local startup restaurants. Recently, she assisted in opening Chacabanas, a Cuban sandwich restaurant and Findlay Launch participant that is located at 1809 Elm St. in Over-the-Rhine. We sat down with Heist to learn more about the program and the local dining scene.

What is Findlay Launch?

Findlay Launch is a storefront accelerator residency designed to lower risk and elevate opportunities for people in independent food businesses. We focus on BIPOC (Black, indigenous, people of color) women and immigrants. The launch program was started in 2020. Findlay Market built out storefronts with financial support from funders, and we provide expert business management and operations support. Businesses then apply to be in the residence, go through a selection program and then go into a nine-week storefront course. After that, the restaurants begin their residency.

What is the timeline for restaurants involved with the program?

It’s a 12-month lease at this point, with the option to extend. During that time, we work with them on their order systems, operation systems, their management systems and their employee management systems. Then we’ll bring in other organizations that have specific expertise, whether it’s accounting or business plans, to help support the restaurants. The goal is that they will either discover that they love it, that this is a concept that could be successful outside of the Findlay Launch program or they don’t—this program allows them to trial run their concept without the potentially devastating financial and business risk. If that’s the case, we start working with them on their exit plan. Our goal is that they experience real world conditions with the long-term commitment of an independent lease and without the business management, operational and community support and connections the program provides.

What are the next steps for restaurants after Findlay Launch?

The ultimate goal is that they take these businesses and they go into neighborhoods throughout the region, such as one of our launch graduates, Empanadas Box. Empanadas Box started as a pop-up during COVID. They applied for the Findlay Launch program, went through the curriculum, and then the 12-month residency. After that we helped find them space over in Covington, where they are now thriving, growing with our Covington partners. They’re doing a great job over there.

And what happens to restaurants that decide to go in a different direction?

So the other unique and maybe even more challenging part of this program is that some people get in there and discover it’s not for them. In that case, we help them exit out into a transition plan, whether that is “I just want this to be a hobby” or “I don’t want to do a storefront, I want a delivery only service,” or “I want to be a caterer.” The program isn’t just about putting people in there and watching them succeed, it’s also about giving people the opportunity to decide it’s not the right time and move on to their next step without risking so much.

Any hidden Findlay or Cincy gems?

Chacabanas, definitely. Flavors of the Island is right next door. They have amazing food. It’s really hard to say more than that because I could go on and on.