Wheeling Heritage announced today that four Wheeling businesses will take the stage at the next Show of Hands event on Wednesday, July 26 at the Wheeling Artisan Center, 1400 Main Street. Each entrepreneur will make a four-minute presentation to the audience explaining how receiving funding through Show of Hands will allow them to grow or improve their business. The audience will then vote for which project they would like to see win the more than $4,000 award.
The Show of Hands Committee reviewed several qualified applications from across the city and selected the following four businesses to compete for the top prize on July 26:
Adam Payne, YNST Magazine
Adam Payne, owner of YNST Magazine, or You’re Not Seeing Things Magazine, created a print and digital media company dedicated to amplifying the unseen creative voices in the arts and culture space throughout Appalachia. With a mission to portray home with a contemporary, colorful lens by capturing the region’s vital storytellers, unique designers, impactful photographers, dynamic artists, and underrepresented perspectives, they offer the community of emerging creative professionals in West Virginia and greater Appalachia an unprecedented platform to spotlight their work. If they were to win Show of Hands, the funding would be used toward brand expansion including marketing, vending, and distribution of the magazine.
Laura Oswalt, Tacet Coffee Cart
Laura Oswalt, owner of Tacet Coffee Cart, a new pop-up mobile coffee bar, serves craft coffee, espresso, and locally roasted beans. Oswalt personally selects green coffee cherries from all over the world, and then roasts them here in Wheeling to sell and use in her coffee. Tacet Coffee Cart’s purpose is to bring small batch third wave coffee to Wheeling and local events, public and private. With funding from Show of Hands, Oswalt plans to purchase a commercial-grade espresso machine that can withstand the wear and tear of heavy use.
Ashley Sutton, Moonlight Intimate Apparel
Ashley Sutton, owner of Moonlight Intimate Apparel wanted to create a space where people of any size could shop and find items that make them feel confident and beautiful. Her store, located in Centre Market, promotes body positivity and loving yourself in the present. With options of pajamas, loungewear, lingerie, hosiery and activewear, their goal is to make everyone who comes in feel confident and comfortable. Funding from Show of Hands would help expand Sutton’s online business and get more products.
Johnny Haught, Ohio Valley MMA
Johnny Haught, owner of Ohio Valley MMA, works to make the Ohio Valley healthier and happier at his fight gym. Ohio Valley MMA provides personal training, cardio classes and more, with an emphasis on making people better while providing an encouraging environment to their clients to better their overall health. Funding from Show of Hands would help make improvements to the facility such as wall mats, new weights, kettlebells, weighted balls and more.
Show of Hands has awarded more than $116,000 to support small businesses and projects in Wheeling. In addition to program sponsors, attendees pay $5 at the door to vote on the project they feel is the most worthwhile. The presenter who receives the most votes will be awarded more than $4,000 from our Friends of Show of Hands, plus door donations, to put toward their project.
This program is generously funded by Orrick, our corporate sponsor, and our Friends of Show of Hands. Orrick donates $1,000 to each Show of Hands while our Friends of Show of Hands contributes $250 to each event. Friends of Show of Hands includes Brian Joseph-Touchstone Research Laboratory, Warwood Armature, Kennen & Kennen Realtors, H. Lawrence Jones and Sue Blevins, Rabbi Joshua Lief & Rebecca Lief, Sikora Montessori, Bridgeway Capital, Will and Tracey Turani, Dan and Debbie Joseph, Wheeling VW-Subaru, FXB and Barb & Fuzz LaRue.
If interested in becoming a Friend of Show of Hands, please contact Cassie Minder at cminder@wheelingheritage.org.
The final Show of Hands event for the season is scheduled for July 26 on the third floor of the Artisan Center, 1400 Main Street in Wheeling. Doors will open at 6 p.m. with presentations starting at 6:30 p.m. It is encouraged to arrive early with downtown construction and limited street parking. Parking will be available in the Intermodal Center. Attendees are asked to bring $5 cash for their opportunity to vote. Online voting will be available at wheelingheritage.org/vote.
About Wheeling Heritage:
Wheeling Heritage is a catalyst for the revitalization of Wheeling. Through historic preservation, community development, and the arts, we help to tell Wheeling’s story and shape its future. We seek to improve the quality of life in Wheeling by preserving and investing in our city, collaborating with others, and engaging the citizens of Wheeling in our work.