Edna T. Akrish is the President of Sole Business Systems (SBS), a business in the Superior Arts District that provides Point-of-Sale systems and integrated payment solutions mainly to the hospitality industry. They carry and service the latest cloud-based POS systems along with a variety of new and used Cash Registers, Scales, and Supplies with outstanding service and support. Centrally located on Rockwell Avenue off Superior Avenue and East 21st Street, SBS, run by Edna and her husband Jerry Akrish, meets the needs of local hospitality establishments as well as many clients in the surrounding cities. Edna contributes the ideal location along with her and her husband’s 30+ years of experience and keeps current with technology trends. With that, they constantly train and look for the latest trends in the hospitality technology field. Furthermore, SBS insists to not enter into any exclusive contracts with credit card processors, which as a result gives their clients the freedom to choose the best option while saving money in the long run. She has found that working with a broad range of clients, from startups to fully developed establishments, allows her to utilize her skills the most.
In 2004, Edna and her husband made a pivotal business decision to relocate Sole Business Systems Inc. Main Office and showroom from Beachwood to Cleveland, Ohio. On paper, owning a business in Downtown Cleveland at that time was not seen as a wise move, but Edna saw it as an opportunity to contribute to the growth of Cleveland. She says that the potential of the area is what kept her and her business in Downtown. The risk of moving to Cleveland paid off, as Edna’s passion to invest here led her and her family to be active members in the community.
A great example of Edna’s passion is her active participation in the Superior Arts Improvement District. In 2016, Edna was one of the original advocates for a special improvement district (SID) to promote safety, growth, and vitality in our neighborhood. Property owners within a SID pay an assessment that funds the Clean and Safe Ambassadors you see in the community today. As a part of the Superior Arts Improvement District Steering Committee, Edna shared her passion for neighborhood improvement with fellow business owners and the importance of making change through collective investment. Today, Edna serves as the Vice Chair of the Superior Arts Improvement Corporation—the body that manages the assessment dollars of the SID—where she and fellow board members have funded the District’s first Outreach Worker; contributed to neighborhood events like Avenue of the Arts; and sustained clean and safe efforts since 2017.
Edna started off as one of the only businesses on Rockwell in 2004 and today she is beginning to see the impact of her and neighboring businesses' investments, as the area keeps developing. Looking to the future, Edna takes inspiration from the turnaround of the art district in Wynwood, Miami to form her vision of what the Superior Arts District can be. In the spirit of supporting local hospitality businesses, and providing them the best that SBS has to offer she wanted to remind everyone of Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week, an event celebrated from Monday, February 24th to Sunday, March 1st. This is one of the city's most anticipated events showcasing the world-class culinary scene of our region's top dining destinations (see Around Town below). We hope to see you Downtown to celebrate!
Edna can be reached by email at ednasbs@gmail.com or by phone at (216) 765-8050
