SUMMIT COUNTY, OHIO—Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro’s Department of Community and Economic Development led their second Business Walk on May 14. Economic Development and Business Outreach Manager Caitlin Smith and Northfield Center Township Program Manager Chloe Chesnik visited five businesses to share available local resources, hear concerns, and make personal connections with local entrepreneurs. The Northfield Center Township businesses visited include Stan’s Northfield Bakery, Northfield Fireplace & Grill, Sit Means Sit Dog Training, The Pampered Paw of Northfield, and Buggin Butterfly Vintage.
Stan’s Northfield Bakery is a fourth-generation Polish bakery celebrating 65 years of business. Stan’s is a proud supporter of the Nordonia Hills community where it offers a plethora of delicious baked goods, pierogies, and more. Northfield Fireplace & Grill is a second-generation family business specializing in full-service fireplace installation and offering many outdoor products such as grills, pizza ovens, and fire pits.
Sit Means Sit Dog Training offers comprehensive obedience training for dogs of all levels and breeds, in addition to hosting day training, group classes and private lessons. The Pampered Paw of Northfield offers a variety of dog grooming services. Buggin Butterfly Vintage is a local vintage clothing boutique, specializing in unique fashions.
The Business Walk is a recent extension of the County’s Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) efforts. The Economic Development team partners with local economic development staff to drop-in on businesses and share available resources. The first Business Walk took place in summer of 2025, reaching eight local businesses in the City of Munroe Falls.
“Reaching out to folks and making these personal, face-to-face connections is so important, especially when we’re talking about government funding and resources available to them from the County or the State of Ohio,” said County Executive Shapiro. “When we get out and listen to our small business owners, we can better connect them to the resources that meet their specific needs.”
Summit County seeks to continue the Business Walk initiative in multiple communities. To learn more about economic development opportunities with Summit County, please reach out to Caitlin Smith at csmith@summitoh.net.
