Latest news with #Akron-area
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Teriyaki chain ‘spreading the madness' with three new central Ohio eateries
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A fast-casual Asian chain known for made-to-order Teriyaki bowls growing its central Ohio footprint with three new locations. Teriyaki Madness is 'spreading the madness' by launching eateries at 7105 N. High St. in Worthington, 5792 N. Hamilton Road near Hamilton Quarter, and 16 N. High St. in Dublin, according to the brand's site which lists each location as coming soon. Ohio State debuts reusable coffee sleeves to encourage sustainability The Denver-based chain currently operates one Columbus-area restaurant at 833 Polaris Parkway in Westerville that opened in 2020, along with other Ohio locations in Strongsville, Miamisburg and Fairfield Township. An Akron-area eatery in Stow is also listed online as coming soon. Boasted as 'the fastest-growing big restaurant chain in America,' the chain was founded in Seattle in 2003 and has since expanded to more than 150 locations across the U.S. through franchising. Menu items include made-to-order teriyaki bowls with protein options like chicken, steak, salmon and orange chicken. Each bowl comes with a choice of white rice, brown rice, fried rice or noodles and steamed or stir-fried veggies. Eatery serving Detroit and New York-style pizzas opens in Gahanna Appetizers, like chicken eggrolls and crab Rangoon, along with a series of sides, including stir-fried veggies, fried rice and noodles, round out the chain's offerings. The Polaris Parkway location is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
USA Today
06-02-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Akron-area grocers envision rising prices with planned U.S. tariffs on Canada, Mexico
Akron-area grocers envision rising prices with planned U.S. tariffs on Canada, Mexico Seven Grains Natural Market in Tallmadge sells natural and organic foods and products, including fresh fruits and vegetables but also products with multiple ingredients — supplements, hand creams and shampoos among them. David Krieger, who co-owns Seven Grains with his wife, Gina, showed off a counter where the grocer sells food made from scratch, including chicken and macaroni salad and sub sandwiches. "Oh, boy, is that good," he said of the avocado pudding. With President Donald Trump planning to impose 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, products like avocados — of which the U.S. is a net importer from Mexico — could get more expensive. Krieger walked through store aisles pointing to products that come from the two neighboring countries and discussing impacts planned tariffs could have on his business's finances and its customers' wallets. "Green beans right here: Mexico," Krieger said. "Those green beans are certified organic, but they're a product of Mexico. They're not coming from the United States. So that would raise that price." Krieger estimates more than half of Seven Grains' 10,000 or more products are either imported or contain at least one ingredient that is imported. "We're one of the most competitive retailers around," Krieger said. "And we're small. And yet we're competing with the large players. But if all of a sudden we have tariffs on items coming in from other countries, we will have no choice but to pass that along, and (our competitors) will, too." Hemp hearts imported from Canada currently priced in the store at $9.99 could have a new price of around $12.50 if the tariff on Canada goes through, for instance, Krieger said. Margins are tight for grocers, and they're not price-gouging, despite some people's claims, Krieger said. What's more, he said, there are already issues in the food supply chain, such as high turnover at warehouses, that often have ripple effects. Krieger said Seven Grains sources very little from China and customers are unlikely to see products on the store's shelves labeled, "Made in China." But he also opposes the recently instituted 10% tax placed on Chinese imports. "We need good trade partners in our neighbors and overseas," Krieger said. "Tariffs create an argument. Tariffs create conflict. Tariffs create unpredictability. They change the marketplace on a worldwide scale." The solution? Krieger takes issue with the two-party political system and is proposing a third party that has working citizens' interest in mind. "A tariff is a tax," he said. "Who's getting taxed? The working citizen." Mustard Seed CEO confident in ability to address tariff-related issues Mustard Seed Market & Cafe was founded in 1981 by Phil and Margaret Nabors and has locations in Akron's Highland Square neighborhood and the Montrose shopping area in Bath. CEO Gabe Nabors said the family business has benefited from remaining small, focusing on selling U.S.-made organic and natural products and maintaining good relationships with suppliers, including local suppliers. "Will it affect the grocery business in time? I'm sure it will," Nabors said of the imposed and planned tariffs. It's possible that prices on some Mustard Seed products will increase, he said, but the grocer doesn't always pass prices on to the customer. He added that Mustard Seed recently absorbed costs on egg prices, as egg prices have gone up elsewhere, and that eggs have been selling well at the business. Mustard Seed's roughly 15,000 products include some from Mexico and Canada, and to a lesser extent, China. But when it's time to adjust, Nabors said, "we know we can adapt our pricing quicker and faster" than larger grocers. "We offer 10% off military discount on Tuesdays," he said. "We offer a senior discount, 10% off on Wednesdays. We have an amazing loyalty program. We have many coupons. So we try to find value to our customers on all the products all the time, and sometimes it takes different approaches." Ohio Farm Bureau spokesman: Tariffs will drive up farm input costs Tariffs will increase costs and cause uncertainties for farmers and ranchers, Ohio Farm Bureau spokesman Ty Higgins told The Columbus Dispatch. "We oppose the use of tariffs that drive up the cost of important supplies like fertilizer, or tariffs that limit the export of goods from America's farmers and ranchers," said Ohio Farm Bureau spokesman Ty Higgins. "We are concerned that tariffs can lead to retaliation against U.S. agricultural exports. This can result in restricted markets and lower prices for farmers and ranchers." Higgins added that "more uncertainty is not helpful to Ohio farmers as they also deal with the challenges of a weaker farm economy, an outdated farm bill, extreme weather and now possible trade retaliation." Patrick Williams covers growth and development for the Akron Beacon Journal. He can be reached by email at pwilliams@ or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @pwilliamsOH.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
University of Akron cancels decades-old race forum following presidential executive order
AKRON, Ohio — After launching a large-scale effort to address long-standing challenges with race relations in the city in 1997, President Bill Clinton chose Akron and the University of Akron's E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall to stage a race town hall. 'Akron has a difficult history in race relations. It included a riot that stopped a lynching on Main Street in 1900, the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in 1926,' said Dave Lieberth, an Akron historian who moderated the event. 5 'undocumented individuals' detained after ICE raid at Cleveland Heights restaurant released on bond 'We had a very large attendance. E.J. Thomas hall was pretty much filled that day. A lot of students were there. The schools let out their high school students primarily so they could not only see the president, but they could hear the conversation,' said Lieberth. 'I told them this is a conversation that Akron has been having for over 150 years, going back to John Brown, 1859,' he said. The event invited a national audience to a local conversation between the president of the United States and some 60 Akron-area residents about healing a divide. As a legacy, the University of Akron began holding an annual forum called Rethinking Race. 'It was very affirming to the people of Akron that they were in the right place at the right time doing the right things to try to heal racial divides that had developed over 200 years,' said Lieberth. 'The initiative of re-imagining race was to continue the work that president Clinton had started in 1997 by bringing this conversation to the nation, Akron's conversation to the nation,' he added. Twenty-eight years later, following an executive order by President Donald Trump targeting equity and diversity efforts, the university will not be holding the forum during Black History Month in February. In an initial statement, the university said: 'While the University offers a variety of events for students and the community, we must do so in the context of a state institution that is required to abide by law, regulations and guidance at both the federal and state levels, from which we receive funding. As a result of that guidance, the university has decided not to budget for Rethinking Race this year.' The university issued an updated statement late Tuesday afternoon, saying: 'The University of Akron is evaluating its programming and looks forward to sharing ideas for new campus and community programming as they develop. In the meantime, here are upcoming events for Black History Month.' Trump signs executive order meant to bar transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports The University of Akron is not alone. On Wednesday, the Military Academy West Point announced that it would be disbanding student clubs related to gender and race. Other universities across the country are following suit. 'I can understand why they canceled it. I can understand the support behind canceling it, but at the same time, for a lot of people the Rethinking Race thing is a huge comfort for them,' said Aden Chesser, a University of Akron student. 'I think it depends on the person. I know some people feel differently. I think it's good to be open with people and, you know, to see how other people feel, what they think — things like that,' said Abbey Higginbothom. 'A lot of people need to learn about different diversities, especially with Rethinking Race,' said Denija Dorcch, a University of Akron student who said she had attended Rethinking Race events and believes there remains a need for discussions about diversity in 2025 — just as there was 28 years ago. 'A lot of things have gotten better as a result of these initiatives. There is more openness among some groups, some churches, some governmental units than there had been prior to the Coming Together Project and the [Akron] Beacon Journal series. In other ways, we are horribly divided — not necessarily on issues just of race, but of public safety,' said Lieberth. Nearly three decades after moderating the presidential town hall, Lieberth remains optimistic that even without the Rethinking Race forum, the city of Akron will continue to work on ways to try to bring people together. 'We are going to continue to learn, find ways to regroup, find ways to continue conversations that will bring people who have racial differences, economic differences, gender differences equity differences of all kinds. That will continue in some way, despite what Washington decides,' he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
