Consumers in the Cincinnati Area Will Soon Get Nice and ‘Toasted’ Thanks to Cheba Hut’s Newest Franchisees

Ron and Allison Hamilton, Cincinnati natives and owners of a successful photo studio in downtown Cincinnati, were looking for a new business challenge, something they could take on together and build into a successful business the same way they had their photo studio. They were drawn to franchise ownership and set out to find a concept that really moved the needle for them, eventually landing on Cheba Hut.

The Hamiltons signed a three-until deal to bring the marijuana-themed sandwich shop to Cincinnati, and are currently scouting locations across the city for their first official location.

Both Ron and Allison’s interests and past experiences positioned them well to pursue a path to Cheba Hut ownership.

Ron’s first job was at his uncle’s Subway store, which, by his own account, he “absolutely loved.” He was also interested in photography, so he decided to pursue it as a career, attending the Antonelli Institute for Graphic Design & Photography in Pennsylvania after high school, where he earned an art degree. Shortly thereafter, Ron began working at a photography studio in downtown Cincinnati, where he met Allison. The young photographers had a mutual attraction from the get-go, as well as a shared passion for visual media.

Allison attended Cincinnati State University, where she also majored in art. After school, she began working at the studio as a food stylist. According to Ron, Allison’s work is what sparked his interest in food photography. “Food styling and photography was becoming more popular, so in 2004, Allison and I decided to open our own business specializing in food, beverage and product styling. Fast-forward 15 years and our studio has become an established partner for some top global and local brands.”

The Hamiltons clearly have a knack for business, and both Ron and Allison noted that they are always looking for new ways to grow their business capacity. “Not too long ago, we bought a few properties and became landlords,” Allison said. “After we had some success with that, we started to look at opportunities with franchising as another way to grow our reach.”

On why the couple decided to go into franchising, Allison noted that they saw it as a great way to diversify their business portfolio. It turns out that Cheba Hut was the perfect match for the couple.

“When we came across the opportunity with Cheba Hut, I felt a true connection to the culture,” Ron said. “Although it is a franchise, Cheba Hut lets you be yourself. The atmosphere, combined with the incredible food and the strong focus on customer service, really resonated with us. We knew we had to jump on the opportunity.”

The Hamiltons love living in the Cincinnati area with their four sons and already spend a lot of time in the city, which led them to quickly recognize what a good fit the area would be for the brand.

“There are some fast-casual restaurants downtown, but having the full bar inside the restaurant will really set us apart,” Ron said. “Being part of the ‘green wave’ will also distinguish us—although there is no actual marijuana in the food, it’s becoming more and more relevant in today’s culture and nothing like Cheba Hut exists in Cincinnati yet.”

Seth Larsen, Chief Relationship Officer at Cheba Hut, emphasized the company’s excitement to have the Hamiltons on board. “Ron and Allison are a solid husband-and-wife team who are as local as it gets,” he said. “They're already successful business owners in Cincinnati in a cool and creative profession, and they have real estate experience, as well—we felt all of these things came together for a great fit. With every franchisee we bring in, we ask ourselves how we can make our system better, and the Hamiltons' food photography background makes our business as a whole stronger. They have great business acumen and are really sharp. We couldn't be more excited to grow with them."

Looking to the future, the Hamiltons are quite excited to get their Cheba Hut shop up and running. According to Ron, he’s excited to connect with the community and tap into a whole new client base because, “well, everyone eats, and when I look at crowds of people, all I see are potential Cheba Hut customers.”

Allison added that they plan to tap into a lot of the events that are always happening downtown to establish a strong local presence and connect with the community.

Cheba Hut start-up costs range from $336,000 to $678,000 including a franchise fee of $99,000 for a three-unit deal. For more information about the Cheba Hut franchise opportunity, please visit https://franchise.chebahut.com/.