East Liverpool to establish small business hub with $650K from Small Business Administration

Kaleb Knowlton, Appalachian Regional Representative, Sen. Sherrod Brown’s office, and East Liverpool Mayor Bobby Smith look on as Thomas Chema, Chairman, The Gateway Group, announces $650,000 funding from Small Business Administration for the establishment of a business hub in East Liverpool. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

EAST LIVERPOOL — The East Liverpool Community Project for Revitalization (ELCPR) announced Monday morning that they have been awarded through the Small Business Administration (SBA) $650,000 in funding which they will use for the establishment of a business incubator and accelerator to be known as the Hub.

“The Hub will be aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and will have a focus on the art, entertainment and hospitality sectors and other industries that have historically fueled East Liverpool economy,” Drew Dawson, director of marketing, True North Holdings, said. “This project marks a critical step in East Liverpool’s revitalization, positioning the city as a hub for creative and economic growth.”

The Hub will be a dedicated space for entrepreneurs to innovate, collaborate and grow their businesses, according to a media release.

According to Thomas Chema, The Gateway Group, the entrepreneurship program has been in the works for a couple of years, but now that they have the funds they can move forward with the project.

The funds are channeled through SBA, a federal agency. Chema said. The funds are congressional designated appropriations from Sen. Sherrod Brown that runs through the SBA.

“The senator has been terrific with us here in East Liverpool. Someone like Sen. Brown understands East Liverpool and what we need and rather than money just going into the pot of an agency somewhere, he specifically designated for us here for a specific project which we know we can do all kinds of great things with. So this is really important money; it’s an important program,” Chema said.

Chema noted that East Liverpool High School students can take a program in entrepreneurship, but what do they do after. This program will reach not only students who graduated from that program, but everyone in the tri-state area who are entrepreneurs.

“This area in the 19th and 20th centuries was one of the most entrepreneurial areas of the country. Unfortunately the 1960s and ’70s were not good to us, but that spirit of entrepreneurial ship is still there,” Chema said.

He also noted that while the Hub will have a focus on arts, cultural and hospitality industries, anyone with an entrepreneurial idea can come to the Hub for support.

Chema said that they do not currently have a location for the Hub, but they have had good communications with Kent State University about housing it there until a permanent location is found for the facility. He also said he felt there were several buildings in the downtown area that would fit and there are plans to lease initially once they find a good location, but until the funds came through, they could not make any kind of commitments, but now they can.

Mayor Bobby Smith said he is appreciative of all the people who are involved in trying to make East Liverpool what it used to be. He also said he believes it is time to quit saying what it used to be and start saying what it is.

Smith said he thinks with the focus being on arts and hospitality people can expect to see a 50% increase in anything the city does right now, including adding more vitality to the area, especially with the focus being on an area that will bring in many different types of things and he is very excited about that.

When asked if he sees the Hub as an opportunity to provide a brighter future for the area’s youth, Smith responded “absolutely.”

Chema said the Hub isn’t going to teach anyone to be artists or work in the hotel industry, but it would help people understand the business side of their vocation or hobby and help them turn their interest into a business for them and the community as a whole. He also said this would certainly apply to young people with great ideas who don’t know how to implement them. He is also hopeful that companies in the tri-state area who have ideas on how to expand their product base or their market will want to take advantage of the Hub and its entrepreneurs in residence.

Entrepreneurs in residence will be people who are experts in accounting, developng legal documentation for a business, assembling marketing and business plans and more.

The Hub will be a mentorship with multiple mentors for people who want to venture into a business opportunity.

The Hub will also work with other hubs in Akron, Youngstown, Warren, Pittsburgh and others, all who have different focuses which can be used to support East Liverpool’s local business development.

Dawson noted that the focus on arts and hospitability stems from that being in the local DNA with a lot of artists in the area and they looked for an easy starting point to head them in the right direction and the arts is where there are a bunch of small little businesses where an entrepreneurial mindset could be started in the area.

“We used to be a very entrepreneurial area, and we have gotten away from it, so this is just a starting point to get us heading in that direction,” Dawson said.

Going with the arts and hospitality is kind of like going back to the area’s roots which began with the pottery and china and looking at the strong roots for a new beginning. He also noted the area has been successful with music festivals and a lot of musicians don’t know what they can do with their music in a business sense.

“This is a pivotal moment for East Liverpool,” Rick Dieringer, president, ELCPR, said. “These projects and funding mark a major step in the city’s revitalization.”

The ELCPR is actively seeking entrepreneurs who align with its long-term vision for East Liverpool, a press release provided by Dawson said. “By fostering partnerships with regional entrepreneurial networks and supporting local businesses, the project is poised to create lasting economic and cultural impact.”

Those interested in more information on how to get involved with the ELCPR or on the initiative upcoming plans can contact Dawson at drew.dawson@truenorthllp.com or 330-708-9608.

With the funds being awarded, work can begin on establishing the Hub as an entity. The first step will be to appoint a board to oversee the initiative with Dieringer serving as president and an executive director.

There is a pilot program set to launch in the first quarter of 2025. Chema said they weren’t ready to release the details on the pilot program.

According to the media release, this newest investment along with the $4.2 million renovation on the Thompson Building, and new True North Headquarters are crucial elements of the city’s broader revitalization strategy. These projects will bring workforce housing, retail spaces and high-tech jobs, reinforcing East Liverpool’s role in Ohio’s economic recovery.”

The ELCPR is working to see East Liverpool established as a vibrant hub for creativity and entrepreneurship.

“The ELCPR’s mission to foster entrepreneurship in the arts, entertainment, and hospitality sectors is exactly what East Liverpool needs to drive innovation and economic growth,” Drew Cooper, board member, ELCPR, said. “By providing local entrepreneurs with the resources and support they need, we are setting the foundation for a thriving creative economy that will benefit the entire community.”

The ELCPR, established in 2015, has nine board members and a community focused initiative aimed at revitalizing East Liverpool by fostering entrepreneurial efforts in the arts, entertainment, hospitality and other key industries. They are committed to creating sustainable economic growth by supporting local businesses and leveraging partnerships with regional entrepreneurial hubs.

kgarabrandt@mojonews.com