Tucked in the back of ETC Produce in Walnut Hills, Ryein Noga turns up the heat in the kitchen.
Noga, owner of pop-up Soursmith Subs, stands behind the grill preparing a Mongolian beef sandwich. For the past year, he has served his subs inside ETC three evenings a week.
At ETC, Soursmith offers seven sandwiches, including an original steak sandwich, a tequila-lime tiger shrimp sandwich, a meatball sub and a grilled mushroom sandwich. The menu focuses exclusively on subs, leaving beverages and sides to ETC Produce.
“They [customers] are definitely gonna get something else,” Chavez said. “It gives people another reason to walk through the door, which is a wonderful thing.”
Noga first met ETC Produce co-owner Esteban Chavez in seventh grade at St. Mary School Hyde Park.
“We played for the same terrible football team,” Chavez said. “And then in college, everybody kind of split and scattered.”
Years later, the two reconnected at Findlay Market, where ETC Produce has operated a stall for many years. At the time, Noga was also running a taco pop-up near Findlay Market. But the limited selling windows at Findlay Market pushed Noga to seek a steadier arrangement.
The two childhood friends kept in touch. Eventually, ETC Produce opened a brick-and-mortar market in Walnut Hills. When ETC expanded in October 2024, Noga approached Chavez about hosting a pop-up the next spring. Early versions of the pop-up proved successful, and Soursmith Subs became a weekly fixture.
The arrangement is straightforward: instead of paying rent, Noga shares a percentage of sales with ETC. After the market stops serving food around 3 p.m., Noga takes over the kitchen to prep, experiment and serve customers Wednesdays through Fridays. He said the setup is far cheaper than the commercial kitchen he previously rented near Findlay Market.
“When I wasn’t selling, I’d still pay rent there,” Noga said. “It was so expensive, and for me to go in and just play around with something, it cost anywhere from $20 to $30 an hour to rent that station.”
Chavez said the biggest benefit extends beyond access to a grill. The arrangement gives Noga a chance to build a business without heavy overhead costs.
“He’s able to do so without going into so much debt,” Chavez said. “He’s able to really develop his idea because one day, he will break off into his own place, and that’s going to be great for the community too.”
Both said the partnership has benefited each business. Having Noga cook three days a week means ETC does not need to hire additional staff for evening food service. Soursmith’s made-to-order subs also complement the prepared meals the market already sells.
“I feel like we’re both looking in the same direction when it comes to customer needs, and our stuff just sort of overlaps,” Noga said.
The business-within-a-business model has become more common in Cincinnati neighborhoods. Chavez pointed up the street to Exte, the steakhouse that operates on weekends inside The Aperture, and Northside Yacht Club, which regularly hosts food pop-ups.
For Chavez, helping Noga develop Soursmith has validated the concept.
“Ryein takes his time to find the best product,” Chavez said. “He takes his time to make sure he gets it right.”
Noga said he hopes to eventually move into his own kitchen and expand the menu to include sauces and sides. Chavez said he would be happy to see that happen, and just as happy to welcome another emerging chef into the ETC kitchen some day.
Until Noga finds a permanent home for Soursmith, Chavez said he is simply enjoying the chance to work alongside his former childhood teammate.
“There’s nothing better than being able to do business with one of your old friends,” Chavez said. “It’s great.”