Above the Fold

Hosts Andy and Tom talk about Mayor Aftab Pureval's plans for new social programs, including a version of universal basic income in Cincinnati; a Tolkein-inspired brewery opening in Northern Kentucky; a plea deal by an indicted former city council member; and a $150 million development on the West Side. Interview starts at (20:02). Tony Munafo's dad always wanted to own his own business...

Hosts Andy and Tom talk about the impact ChatGPT could have on the news business, Hamilton County's plans to move 1,200 workers out of downtown, a ban on new surface parking in the urban core, the skyrocketing cost of homes, the closing of a Mount Washington book store and just how far Newport on the Levee has come since it was acquired in 2018. Interview starts at (18:10). Pat McMullen'...

Hosts Andy and Tom talk about FC Cincinnati rolling out Amazon checkout-free technology at its newest concession, a new restaurant coming to the shuttered Pearlstar space in OTR, Miami University faculty voting to join a union, students making bank on NIL and hometown band the National making a homecoming with a music festival planned for September. Interview starts at (18:11). Phil Hurak, managin...

Hosts Andy and Tom talk about plans to build a new $400 million home for the Western & Southern Open – in Charlotte – as well as Xavier University's first-in-the-nation medical school, the Port taking a swing in Camp Washington, a preservation battle over a historic Cincinnati school and Mazunte's move to a new market. Interview starts at (18:49). David Falk would rate his incredibly...

Hosts Andy and Tom talk about the new interim CEO at Rhinegeist, Pure Romance no longer being an MLM, three projects that will transform Cincinnati's urban core, Jerry Springer's life and impact and $22 million for the Western & Southern Open. Interview starts at (17:35). Bernie McKay spent 28 years as a trust and estate attorney. He got into that because he wanted to practice in the...

Hosts Andy and Tom talk about Gold Star Chili's ouster as the 21-year official chili of the Cincinnati Bengals, new plans for an old Costco location, eight partners leaving one downtown law firm for another, traffic barriers popping up in neighborhood business districts and the city of Covington suing itself to stop a doggie day care from opening. Interview starts at (15:40). Bob Coughlin fou...

Hosts Andy and Tom talk about who is going to pay for $494 million Paycor Stadium needs for upgrades, the flight to quality when it comes to downtown office space, the acquisition of a 188-year-old Cincinnati business, why one member of the Cincinnati Southern Railway board thought Norfolk Southern was making an end-run around the body and whether craft beer has come full-circle.  Interview starts...

Hosts Andy and Tom talk about how a $14.5 million purchase of 200 single family homes, to keep them out of the hands of Wall Street-backed investors, is working out. Plus, how many billionaires are there in Cincinnati? Just one? Really? We also take you inside the conversion of downtown's Textile building, new rules for OTR building and what the head chef of the now-shuttered Royce is up to....

Hosts Andy and Tom talk about how a local restaurateur built a $90 million company after closing five venues in Columbus, a hidden portrait found while X-raying a historic painting, the $9 million overhaul of Blue Ash's living room, the revitalization of the historic Emery Theater in OTR and Cincinnati's historic showing at the James Beard awards. Interview starts at (17:32). Leigh Fox w...

Hosts Andy and Tom dig into downtown Cincinnati's recovery since Covid-19 ground public life to a half in early 2020. Also on the podcast, the best places to live in Cincinnati, why the Reds' valuation has dropped for the first time in a decade, a startup lands $10 million with Mark Cuban pitching in and what a $1 billion NKY development and video game Fortnite have in common. Interview...

Hosts Andy and Tom talk about how reporter Liz Engel managed to snag an exclusive interview with the CEO of Workhorse Group, and the steps he's taking to right the beleaguered company. Also, Cincinnati looks to legalize granny flats, a developer takes a novel approach to build homes in Madisonville, Cincinnati is a top sports town and Wahlburgers closes its Cincinnati location. Interview star...

Hosts Andy and Tom talk about the financial impact having a massive company like Western & Southern brings to Cincinnati – it's in the 11 digits – as well as plans for a $482 million hotel near the Duke Energy Convention Center. Sticking with the Convention District, a problem property gets the OK for demolition from a court, and then P&G's top ad chief is OK with being dethroned...

Hosts Andy and Tom talk about the listing of a major downtown development for sale, as well as hot restaurants heading to the burbs, Fifth Third's new CEO's thoughts on balancing flexibility in office work and the triumphant return of a historic Cincinnati beer brand. Interview starts at (16:47). Anastasia Mileham is the executive director of the Cincinnati Experience. When the New York...

Andy and Tom talk about the streetcar's explosive ridership growth and where it could potentially expand to, as well as the future for a prominent OTR taproom now that its parent brewery has shuttered, plans to bridge downtown and OTR and a new Lego bar coming to Newport on the Levee. Interview starts at (20:13). Brady Duncan is co-founder of craft brewery MadTree. Back when the brewery first...

Andy and Tom talk about the sudden closure of two prominent downtown restaurants, as well as Joe Burrow getting involved in a new sport. Also, Cincinnati home sales have dropped sharply, but does that mean the white-hot market is cooling? And then Fifty West Brewing, one of the OGs of Cincinnati craft beer, is opening a new location. Interview starts at (17:15). Jeff Berding started FC Cincinnati...

Hosts Andy and Tom talk about a Cincinnati investment adviser who came up with a new model to predict how the stock market will fare based on the outcome of the Super Bowl. Also, one of the region's oldest craft breweries has a new owner, we now know just how big Blink was last year and an embattled restaurant at the Banks closes for good.  Interview starts at (20:27). Chris Bergman dropped o...

Hosts Andy and Tom talk about how a deal to take a Cincinnati company public fell apart, a massive development comping to Reading Road, two storied chefs taking over the culinary industry's largest event and a craft brewery spinning off its most popular beer into its own company. There's also a guest appearance from another member of the Courier staff.  Interview starts at (29:04). The l...

Andy and honorary co-host Tom Demeropolis talk about plans to build a football stadium near Blue Ash's Summit Park, a craft brewery taking over the former Brentwood Bowl, plans to expand Amtrak service from Cincinnati, an unprecedented explosion in James Beard nominations among local chefs and a homegrown pickleball brand. Interview starts at (23:30). Al Neyer is the real estate developer beh...

Andy and special guest host Tom Demeropolis talk about P&G's super secret Super Bowl commercial and who is hiding their identity, a $200 million real estate fund that is being raised, one of our largest manufacturers adding a new line of business and a big merger involving one of Cincinnati's largest local law firms.  Second segment starts at (21:05). We're doing something a lit...

Andy and Rob talk about Cincinnati Bengals stars Joe Burrow and Sam Hubbard's purchase of a farm. An honest-to-God farm. Also, Gen Z is coming to the workforce, and companies have got to do something about it because they're not like previous generations, even those kooky millennials. They also talk about a nonprofit devoted to increasing Black business in OTR, and the funeral of Chef Je...

Host Andy Brownfield is joined by special guest host Managing Editor Tom Demeropolis this week. They talk about new plans for the former Terrace Plaza Hotel downtown, the renovation of UC's flagship dorm tower (and Tom's own experience as a student there), Jeff Ruby's newest downtown venture and a startup that wants to award people concert tickets for volunteer work. Interview start...

Hosts Andy Brownfield and Rob Daumeyer are joined by Cincinnati Business Courier Managing Editor Tom Demeropolis to break down some of the largest stories of 2022, including Kroger's proposed merger with the Albertsons Cos., the rebound of downtown Cincinnati from Covid-19, big changes in downtown real estate icons like Carew Tower and the Terrace Plaza, the corruption trial of P.G. Sittenfel...

Andy and Rob talk about UC Basketball coach Wes Miller's massive raise, as well as how many billions of dollars Ohio could see in sports betting action once that officially becomes legal next year. In other news, Dorothy Lane Market clears the final hurdle to construct its first Cincinnati-area location, and the Queen City is crowned with its first Gucci store. Interview starts at (18:40). Lu...

Andy and Rob talk about the future of a critical building that was at the crux of former Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld's corruption conviction, as well as the Super Friends combination of Graeter's Braxton and Dewey's Pizza in a new NKY spot and a $100 million project near UC. Interview starts at (18:51). Joel Willis began his career in IT at GE Aviation, selected for i...

Andy and Rob talk about the (final?) closing of what was once the Cincinnati region's largest mall, as well as a craft brewery being acquired by an Ohio peer, the closing of yet another urban restaurant and P&G's fall from its position as the world's largest advertiser. Interview starts at (19:00). Molly Wellmann was Cincinnati's undisputed queen of cocktails. She got her s...