Wes was photographed during the Stay-at-Home order, in front of his home in West Akron alongside his wife and their 5 children. Prior to the pandemic, Wes was working full time in a well-paying corporate position. In 2020, after 14 years of corporate work, he decided to take a leap of faith and focus 100% of his efforts on building his company, Akron Honey, into more than just a brand or a product, but a full community experience.
"Before the pandemic, I was working away from home all of the time. My daughter would call me during the day only for her to hear me hurry to get off the phone with her, so I could go back to work. Now that she's my office buddy, I can turn around and tell her that I'm proud of her, instead of making her think that something else matters more than her,” Wes said.
Akron Honey went above and beyond when it came to their sales efforts, marketing, partnerships, and involvement in the community. Wes and his team were contributing vendors at numerous craft markets, holiday marts, and city events spanning northeast Ohio, Columbus, Pittsburgh, and more. Additionally, their annual Akron Honey Market Day event has drawn a massive turnout for over a decade.
Their apiary in West Akron functions both as a home for the bees and a microfarm where locals and his family have planted and harvested an abundance of produce. It has also served as an educational space where students have gathered to learn about what it means to be a beekeeper and the kind of possibilities you can create with hard work and community involvement.
In October of 2020, Akron Honey launched their first “Cooking with Honey” show, sponsored by Yelp, in which they mention their partnership with Cleveland Whiskey where they created Bourbon Barrel Honey. Wes and his daughter Bella cooked Bourbon Barrel Honey Fried Chicken and Grits. As the brand continued to grow, Akron Honey was featured in several news outlets and publications.
Jars of Akron Honey were initially sold at local markets, but by the end of 2020, Wes expanded their reach exponentially. “I saw the strategy that needed to happen,” Wes said. “When we aligned with Cordelia, HiHO Brewing, and several other restaurants, coffee shops, and retail spaces, people started to see us as a very cool brand… That’s not something you really see with honey. We got onto several menus, and many of those places were selling our jars.” In the beginning of 2021, Wes started wholesaling to grocery stores, various retail stores, and continued to build partnerships with local businesses.
In 2022, Akron Honey purchased a building across the street from the apiary and began transforming it into their first neighborhood production facility. “Something that has never felt right to me is when people take resources from the community and don’t replenish or give anything back,” Wes said. By 2023, they finished their exterior revitalization efforts and in 2025 they began creating the “Yellow Brick Road” district: a cozy, romantic, and charming urban space programmed with food and entertainment experiences.
“We have a collaborative relationship with North High School students where we activate different experiences at Yellow Brick Road. They have been working with us for a while and this will continue as the district grows.
I’m proud that I am able to do this kind of work right here, in my neighborhood. I can walk home in less than 5 minutes. We aren’t just selling honey, we are developing business and building the local economy. Imagine this district being an engine to connect different parts of the neighborhood together. Largely, this process has been me, but when there is a dedicated team behind these efforts, imagine what is possible."
March, 2020
West Akron