CINCINNATI — November was supposed to be the month Isis Arrieta-Dennis opened her new restaurant – a second location for The Arepa Place in Wyoming. Supply chain issues have brought that opening to a halt.
"The order has been canceled for one of my walk-in cooler and freezers," Arrieta-Dennis said. "(It's) related to high cost and lack of material and transportation.”
The saving grace for Arrieta-Dennis – her first location at Findlay Market is still open and offering her mother’s recipe daily.
That location opened in 2018, not long after she won a $10,000 grant from Sam Adams’ Brewing the American Dream. In its 13th year, the program has given more than $65 million in grants and loans to entrepreneurs and restaurateurs.
“(To) watch these business owners be able to evolve and grow their business and be part of it – it's really the most incredible feeling," Jennifer Glanville, Director of Partnerships of Sam Adams, said. "We meet folks who have just an idea for a business and we meet folks who want to expand their business and evolve their business.”
Arrieta-Dennis said she’s also used the coaching and partnership with Sam Adams to keep growing as a business owner.
“With the money that we got, we purchased equipment. But what we got from them is mainly the coaching that we get through the year. We help different events. We will cater their events and be part of their marketing as well. Now with this collaboration, it just has been great, because it's like going back to help more businesses in the Cincinnati area,” said Arrieta-Dennis.
For more information on The Arepa Place, or to place an online order, visit its website at https://arepaplace.com/.
