The Artisan: Mixed-use hub to open in Geneva
Feb. 21—GENEVA — A new mixed-use development, The Artisan, will open soon on South Broadway Street.
The owners are father and son team Len and Leo Udell. The building that they purchased was the old Key Bank.
"We've developed three corporations out of this," Len Udell said.
The first will be food and beverage, which is going to include a wine bar and cafe. The second is health and beauty, which is going to be a salon and spa. Lastly, they will have the L&L Corporation, which is a property management company which will lease to the two smaller entities.
The idea came from a spa experience that Len had with his wife in Wisconsin Dells at Kalahari Resorts and Conventions.
"It's all about the experience," he said. "I think that food will be such an amenity. I love the way that foods pair up. I used to weigh 110 pounds more and healthy eating is a big part of what I want to provide."
Risk mitigation was of utmost importance when choosing the building. They hope to achieve this while still respecting the original architecture.
The building is more 8,000 square feet. Some features they enjoy are the pillars, bank vaults, an old fireplace and coffered ceiling with crown molding.
The Udells love the rich history of the building and the town.
"There's a lot of pride in Ashtabula County," Leo Udell said. "I couldn't imagine wanting to own a business anywhere else."
One of the very first things that they did was join the Geneva Business Association.
"We've received nothing but support at every stop," Leo Udell said.
"People tend to stop by and talk. It's just a very friendly area. We just love getting to hear more about what they think and what they want to see in the area."
The Udells are anticipating the community's feedback and hope they enjoy it. They'd like for it to be an all-day type of experience.
"I'm going to rely on this community and I want this community to rely on me," Len Udell said. "This is an opportunity to maybe impact someone's life in a positive way. Wether that be a customer, an employee, or a local community member."
They are expecting to open by April.
"We feel a sense of urgency to get as much of this open by the summer to take advantage of the summer traffic," Len Udell said.
The Udells are confident that the cafe will be open within the next 6-8 weeks.
