Charlotte Center City Partners announce HIIVE’s second cohort
Charlotte Center City Partners announced the second cohort of its HIIVE (Charlotte Hub for Inclusivity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship) program on Monday.
HIIVE is a small business resource hub focused on providing growth opportunities to small food and retail businesses in Charlotte.
The nine-week program offers education and operating experience in a physical space at the Market at 7th Street, an indoor dining and shopping center at 224 East 7th Street.
The first cohort had 19 entrepreneurs, including chefs, food truck owners, artists and various pop-up vendors.
Two cohort members, International Truck of Tacos, a taco stand, and Flows Grand, a homemade candle shop, were granted free operational space at the market for six months.
Blanca Gonzalez, who owns International Truck of Tacos, and Aubrey LeGrande, who owns Flows Grand, said the HIIVE program was beneficial to growing their businesses.
“[HIIVE is] expanding our possibilities,” Gonzalez told QCity Metro about the program. “HIIVE has been instrumental for us to be able to have a brick-and-mortar location.”
Expanding possibilities
Gonzalez said the market was centrally located and ideal for reaching a new customer base.
“We’ve always wanted to have something Uptown,” Gonzalez said. “One of the best things that the market offers is that it’s very accessible through the light rail.”
Gonzalez said that because the rent was covered through HIIVE, she was also able to hire two more employees.
LeGrande told QCity Metro that her business was solely online before joining HIIVE. Now, thanks to the physical space, she is able to hold more in-person events, including candle-making classes.
“It’s been a great opportunity to meet my customers, refine our story, refine our operations and our management of the business,” LeGrande said.
Applications for the second cohort of HIIVE, which will run from August to December 2024, can be found here.
