Alisha Cox, general manager of Dave’s Cosmic Subs in University Heights, looks forward to the beginning of the fall and spring semesters at John Carroll University because the influx of students increases the store’s business by about 20 percent. The increase is caused by orientation, sports practices and the return of the bulk of the student population and other activities that drive patrons students to the businesses near campus.
Cox said, “Business has picked up recently with families and students.” The university recently partnered with Boaz, Pizzazz, Dave’s Cosmic Subs and Ben & Jerry’s so students can use parts of their meal plans to eat off-campus. “The dining dollars program will bring even more business,” Cox said. “Twenty percent of our orders come from JCU, whether students or events.” However, local businesses are not the only ones relying on JCU for revenue.
“JCU is the largest employer and revenue generator to University Heights,” said Mayor Michael Dylan Brennan. The impacts on local businesses and the government Some of those businesses include Dave’s Cosmic Subs, Fratantonio’s Barber Shop and Pizzazz.
Melanie Moss, JCU controller, stated that the university paid the city $937,238.22 in 2023. JCU opened its doors in 1935. Soon after, many businesses began at the foot of campus, impacting students, faculty and the community.
Mark Vanek, owner of Fratantonio’s Barber Shop, reported a steady flow of customers from JCU. “The barbershop has been in the business for generations. I took over it four years ago, but we have been around for 24 years,” he said. “We usually get about 15-20 John Carroll-related people a week. That includes both students and employees. It is hard to give a full percentage of customers as it does vary.”
Chris Spiccia, owner of Pizzazz, has also seen great business from the university. “We have been around for 32 years. We are so lucky to be a place that benefits JCU and the community. About 40-50% of our customers are John Carroll Students, which comes from the dining dollars,” said Spiccia.
Pizzazz sees less business in summer, with dinner being the most popular. Summer camps and orientation are also times when business increases, whether it is for students or families. “With other events going around campus like the Benedictine High School football games on Friday nights and sponsored events, we are very fortunate,” Spiccia added. The fall season for businesses near JCU typically starts on the first day of school in the fall semester.
Other Ohio universities have also seen the impact on their local economies. “Marietta College contributed about $23 million in income from operations to the region’s economy in 2017, approximately equal to 0.29% of the gross regional product,” according to The Economic Impact of Small Colleges on Local Economies: A Guide to Attainable Data and Best Practices, written by Christelle Khalaf, G. Jason Jolley and Candi Clouse.
A 2017 study on the impact of small colleges on local economies found that two other Ohio universities have fueled their local economies. The authors noted that “Marietta College contributed about $23 million in added income from operations to the region’s economy in FY 2017, approximately equal to 0.29% of the gross regional product.” Furthermore, “Muskingum University contributed about $21 million in added income from operations to the region’s economy in 2019, approximately equal to 0.39% of the gross regional product,” state the writers.
“Colleges are often a key economic driver for their surrounding towns and cities because they attract spending power, encourage innovation, and drive demand,” noted the Correspondent Banking Services (PCBB), which is a company that looks at small businesses and colleges to show how they make an impact.
Key economic stability for colleges comes from five different sources. The PCBB noted them as attracting spending power, driving real estate demand, encouraging innovation, supporting economic activity, and creating development opportunities.
“The United States already taxes large university endowments—the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) introduced a 1.4 percent tax on university endowment income for universities with at least 500 students and endowment assets above $500,000 per student, a small tax that raises minimal revenue,” said the Tax Foundation.