Columbus-area restaurateurs, hospitality professionals and industry experts gathered Thursday, August 20, for a What Now Media Group Accelerate event. Held from 3 to 5 p.m. at Prohibition Gastro Lounge, at 21 W. Olentangy St. in Powell, it was hosted by What Now’s Director of Partner Success, Kyle Dondero, and featured 28 attendees representing 20 unique businesses
The local F&B community accounted for 20 attendees representing 14 businesses, while eight Preferred Partner representatives attended on behalf of six companies. The afternoon offered a fantastic opportunity to bring restaurant operators together with experienced professionals who can help them grow their businesses.
F&B Attendees
Prohibition Gastro Lounge — 21 W. Olentangy St., Powell, OH 43065
Genti Koci, owner of Prohibition Gastro Lounge, represented the host venue. Koci acquired the Powell gastropub in early 2025 and reopened it under new ownership. Prohibition describes itself as a gastropub offering food and beverages, with a cocktail-focused program, happy hour, and private-event capabilities.
Cordial Cocktail Club — 237 King Ave., Columbus, OH 43201
Gregory Stokes, owner of Cordial Cocktail Club, attended to represent the business, which has undergone a recent rebrand. Formerly known as The Bottle Shop, the business has evolved from a bodega-style wine and beer carryout into a cocktail-focused neighborhood bar.
Dog Haus — 1576 N. High St., Columbus, OH 43201
General Managers Shawn Hendrickson and Jamal Covington attended on behalf of Dog Haus, the California-based fast-casual brand preparing for its Ohio debut. The concept is known for gourmet hot dogs, sausages, burgers, and other casual fare.
Full City Roastery — 74 S. Market St., East Palestine, OH 44413
Tara Underwood, trainer and barista with Full City Roastery, represented the coffee business at the event. Full City Roastery is being developed in East Palestine by the owners of LiB’s Market in Salem.
Huli Huli Tiki Lounge — 22 E. Mound St., Columbus, OH 43215
Owner Dustin Sun attended representing Huli Huli Tiki Lounge. The business expanded beyond its original Powell location with a second restaurant and tiki bar in downtown Columbus, which opened in May in the former Jury Room space.
Jersey Mike’s — 1617 Georgesville Square Drive, Columbus, OH 43228
Franchisee Jay Cheema and business partner Freddy Cheema attended, representing Jersey Mike’s. They operate several units of the national sandwich chain in the area.
Linworth Grill — 2245 W. Dublin-Granville Rd., Worthington, OH 43085
Owner Nassar Naman and partner Sergio Flores attended to represent Linworth Grill. The Worthington restaurant specializes in Persian-fusion cuisine, with a menu centered around dishes including kabobs, salads, sandwiches, and other Middle Eastern-inspired fare.
Marlow’s Cheesesteaks — 1086 N. 4th St., Columbus, OH 43201
Co-Owner Jomar Sheppard and partner Shanika Sheppard attended on behalf of Marlow’s Cheesesteaks. The independently owned, family-operated business began as a food trailer in 2021 before opening its first brick-and-mortar location in 2022. It’s now a four-unit chain.
NomaEn — 84 N. High St., Dublin, OH 43017
Co-owner Joshua Weprin represented NomaEn, an upcoming Japanese dining concept planned for Historic Dublin. Developed alongside Master Chef Taishi Noma, it will be centered around a Kyoto-inspired, members-only omakase and lounge experience.
Silav Cafe & Grill / Go Go Gyro Grill — 330 S. High St., Columbus, OH 43215
Owner Zee Atieya attended on behalf of Silav Cafe & Grill and Go Go Gyro Grill. Silav specializes in halal Kurdish and Middle Eastern cuisine, including kebab platters, chicken shawarma, falafel, and other traditional dishes. The business is preparing to relocate.
The Shapeshifter — 129 McDowell St., Columbus, OH 43215
Owner Theo Lentz attended representing The Shapeshifter, a themed craft cocktail bar that recently opened in Franklinton. The concept grew out of Lentz’s work as a bartender and a series of themed cocktail pop-ups around Columbus.
The Speakeasy — 460 S. Front St., Columbus, OH 43215
Owner Jesse Patterson attended on behalf of The Speakeasy, an underground-style cocktail bar in Columbus’ Brewery District. The concept centers on craft cocktails, live music, and an intimate atmosphere, with the basement hosting special events and entertainment.
The State House — 11 W. State St., Columbus, OH 43215
Owner Tora Bonnier and COO/CFO Austin Lucas attended representing The State House. The restaurant is part of the redevelopment of the historic Bonnier Building at 11 W. State Street, the former home of Ho-Toy.
Wave Hydration — Pop-Up, Powell, OH 43065
Co-founders Beth Crawford and Austin Crawford attended to represent Wave Hydration. The Powell-based mobile beverage company offers handcrafted electrolyte drinks at events ranging from farmers’ markets and festivals to weddings and corporate gatherings.
Preferred Partner Attendees
Auris
Derek Pentenburg represented Auris, a provider of payroll and human resources services for small and midsize businesses. The company offers solutions covering payroll processing, time and attendance, onboarding, HR administration, and other workforce management needs.
Global Payments – Genius Point of Sale
Brendan Hayden and Vince Fiori represented Global Payments’ Genius Point of Sale, a merchant services and point-of-sale provider. Genius offers restaurant-focused payment and POS solutions designed to help manage transactions and day-to-day operations from one platform.
Human Interest
Ben Hartman represented Human Interest, which specializes in 401(k) and retirement benefits for companies. Its platform helps employers establish and administer retirement plans while handling administrative and compliance-related requirements.
Keurig Dr Pepper
Dan Maldonado and Nicholas Brondel represented Keurig Dr Pepper. The company works with foodservice and hospitality operators on beverage programs, offering products and solutions designed to meet the needs of restaurants and other foodservice businesses.
OpenTable
Kristyn LoPresti represented OpenTable, a restaurant technology company specializing in reservations and guest management. OpenTable provides restaurants with tools to manage reservations, attract diners, and improve the overall guest experience.
SpotOn: Merchant Services / POS
Mitchell Crank represented SpotOn, a technology company providing point-of-sale, payment processing, and other business-management tools for restaurants and hospitality businesses. Its platform includes solutions for payments, online ordering, reservations, and marketing.
What Now Media Group shares restaurant opening news in 33 cities across North America, breaking news, and provides timely insight into yet-to-open brick-and-mortar businesses. The platform shares news of thousands of openings across all 33 cities annually.
Stay tuned for future Accelerate events from What Now Media Group in 2026. For more details, see the Accelerate page here.
Click here for a complete list of our partners. To learn more about becoming a preferred partner, click here.
