What began as a hobby in Chris Harris’s garage quickly turned into a passion project, and then into a thriving taproom in Holland, Ohio. With a name inspired by his hometown’s nickname “Frog Town,” Chris proudly calls himself the Black Frog, and he's bringing that same pride and purpose to Cleveland as he opens the city’s first Black-owned brewery inside the MidTown Collaboration Center.

Known for beers brewed with heart (and his signature honey malt) Chris isn’t just making great beer for great people, he’s creating a space where everyone feels like family. And with plans to collaborate with fellow MidTown neighbors like Chef Tiwanna Scott-Williams of Pearl’s KItchen, he’s not just expanding... he’s helping turn the neighborhood into a full-blown destination and building a movement rooted in representation, connection, and community impact.

On this episode of Small Business, Big Conversations… Chris Harris of Black Frog Brewery.

This season of Small Business, Big Conversations is brought to you in partnership with ERIEBANK and Impressia Bank, committed to helping small business owners get the capital and resources they need to take their ventures to the next level.

In 2016, Emily Harpel was inspired to give a nostalgic childhood treat a chic upgrade. Emily secured all of the social media handles, ordered her first machine, and Art of Sucre was born.  

Emily launched Art of Sucre as an events-based business, spinning out of the box flavors of cotton candy at weddings, parties, concerts. In 2020, Emily knew that she either had to pivot her business or lose everything that she worked so hard to build from the ground up. 

Fast forward to today, and Emily has completely re-imagined Art of Sucre into an E-Commerce powerhouse (with a MASSIVE social following) offering hand spun cotton candy and the oh-so-viral cotton candy glitter bombs in a variety of colors and flavors (like Island Punch, Peach Bellini and Strawberry Bubble Gum... just to name a few). 

On this episode of Small Business, Big Conversations... Emily Harpel and the Art of Sucre. 

Cleveland has no shortage of claims to fame, but Vic Searcy’s Chicken Sandwich stands out even in a city of bests.

With locations in University Heights, Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse and Cleveland Browns Stadium, you’d think Sauce the City has been around for decades. On the contrary, Chef Vic launched (almost by accident) in 2018 when he won a location in the Ohio City Gallery. At the time, Searcy was earning advanced degrees in organizational psychology and directing social services activities for a rehabilitation center. But his passion for cooking drove his destiny and the signature hot sauces he was concocting at Kent State sealed his fate.

Only five short years from launch, Chef Vic now has many claims to fame of his own, from selling 2,500 hot chicken sandwiches to MGK for peckish Ohio City residents to feeding thousands of hungry Cleveland sports fans at three stadium locations. It’s no wonder Sauce the City was voted Ohio’s #1 Chicken Sandwich.

On this episode of Small Business, Big Conversations, we're talking to Chef Vic Searcy of Sauce the City.