‘Conquer The Cones’ Campaign Kicks Off

WHEELING - People who eat at least six of 13 different downtown Wheeling restaurants between now and late March will get the chance to win $1,000 on April 1.

The Conquer the Cones campaign, sponsored by Panhandle Cleaning & Restoration, aims to help bolster the eateries' bottom lines while the ongoing Downtown Streetscape project continues through 2025.

Several downtown businesses have complained about the impact the work has had on their ability to make money. The road closures and sidewalk closures have kept many customers away, they said.

Bob Heldreth, vice president of Marketing for Panhandle Cleaning & Restoration, said the idea for the campaign came about after seeing Vagabond Kitchen owner and Chef Matt Welsch talk about the struggles of his eatery and others on social media.

For the past few weeks the section of Market Street in front of his 12th Street building and beyond has been closed for Streetscape work. People can still park on other adjoining streets to reach his place, but for some, the road work has been too much to deal with.

"When Chef Welsch showed the street on social media and the condition of the road and downtown, and said that his customers were not coming in any longer, we really felt like we should help," Heldreth said. "So we came up with the promotion. There are 13 restaurants in the construction zone. If you visit six of them you are entered to win $1,000."

Welsch described Panhandle's campaign to help the restaurants as "amazing."

"It's such a great way for another local business to support the local business community," Welsch said. "I think it really galvanized our community as a whole to come out and support our small businesses through this really trying time."

Welsch believes the promotion may help people rediscover what downtown has to offer.

"Once we do get through all of this and everything is gorgeous again people will come downtown and continue to support the small businesses," he said.

"That unique flavor we bring to the area you can't find that anywhere else. That's my hope with what I do is to draw people in."

Welsch said when does dinners and events on the state and regional level his goal is to promote the Ohio Valley and its offerings.

"We do have a smaller population and we're only going to be able to get so much out of the people who live here," he said. "Our neighbors need to be our primary concern, but I think to take the next step as a community we need to draw people in and show off all the things that make us great."

Heldreth said after the card has at least six stamps from participating eateries it can be turned into a participating restaurant. Each time a new card is stamped by at least six places, it can be turned in for another chance to win the money.

The participating restaurants are: Avenue Eats, 1230 Water St.; DiCarlo's Pizza, 1311 Main St.; Elle & Jacks, 1201 Chapline St.; Mugshots, 1109 Main St.; River City, 1400 Main St.; Tito's, 1068 Market St.; The Belgian Waffle Shop, 1209 Market St.; Vagabond Kitchen, 1201 Market St.; Taqueria 304, 1062 Market St.; The Bridge Tavern, 950 Main St.; Public Market, 1401 Main St.; Table 304, 1509 Main St.; and Panda Chinese Kitchen, 1056 Market St.

Each eatery will have the cards on hand to give patrons.

"Wheeling is going to be beautiful when this is done, but we need to make sure that all these restaurants stay in business through this process," Heldreth said.

"If downtown looks great but there's nowhere to go, that's not going to be helpful. We want the restaurants to do well during this time so when downtown is perfect that they're still here."

The drawing will be held April 1.