Cleveland Heights will soon be home to Northeast Ohio’s newest craft brewery — Boss Dog Brewing Company in the Cedar Lee district.
Brothers Joshua and Jason Sweet knew they wanted to open a brewery years ago. They also knew they wanted it to be on the east side.
“We were born here, our parents were raised in Cleveland Heights, my kids are being raised in Cleveland Heights,” Josh Sweet said.
And the city is so confident in the startup, they have poured public funds into it.
A $200,000 loan with 2 percent interest over five years.
“It’s public funding and it’s public support so we take it very seriously that we have strong security positions,” said Tim Boland, Cleveland Heights chief economic development director. “But at the end of the day, we think a project like Boss Dog is a home run.”
The city’s loan helped pay for the brewery equipment — among them, eight 10-barrel fermenters. The city is also using that equipment as collateral.
“We’re pretty confident we’ve done our homework,” Boland said. Several Cleveland Heights city council people initially raised questions about the project funds but said they now believe the city’s investment is well protected.
Boland said he believes the craft brewery can serve as a catalyst for more development in the Cedar Lee district.
For now, the finishing touches are going into the brewery and full-service restaurant. The grand opening, delayed several times, is set for Nov. 2nd.
“It’s sort of the thing that starts out as a hobby, then develops into a passion, then becomes something you want to do with your life,” Sweet said.
