- [Nikki] It's awesome for our relationship that we're so similar in so many ways, but then when it comes to running a business, we both like to eat and cook, and neither one of us likes business or finance.

So, basically in our relationship, I do all the things she doesn't want to do.

So - - Yeah, I think that's fair.

(upbeat music) - Hi, I'm Nikki Odongray.

- I'm Jay Odongray.

- We're the owners of Pierogi Pantry & More and Cleveland Bakery Collective.

- [Jay] We both grew up around here.

I grew up in Berea.

She grew up in Lorain.

We met online and I guess most people think we're sisters, anyway, so, (both laugh) - They really do.

- We get that all the time.

- [Jay] Are you guys sisters?

- No.

- No.

- [Nikki] My aunt married into a large Polish family.

It was her recipe, you know we'd make hundreds and hundreds of pierogis.

So, we started out and that was the family recipe.

So, we've taken that recipe and then we've modified, modified, modified (laughs).

- And then we completely changed it.

- And then, yeah.

(Jay laughs) - [Jay] I just went on Facebook and was like, "Friends and family, who'd be interested in buying some pierogis?"

And it just started from there.

I did it once a month and then it got really popular, and we're like, "Do we want to do this?"

- (laughs) We're like, "all right."

- [Jay] That's where it started.

- [Nikki] I went on and Googled commercial kitchen rental Cleveland and Central Kitchen was the first thing that popped up.

And I looked at it and I was like, "Wow, this is exactly what we needed."

We signed up.

- We started like the next week.

- And the next week we were running a business.

(laughs) - Yeah, it was scary.

It's still scary- - Still scary.

- [Jay] But, I think we've been doing all right.

- [Nikki] So our favorite part is coming up with these new, crazy flavors to- - Yeah, I get bored.

(laughs) - She gets bored.

And so I have to reign her in and say, "Okay, well, it's really fun to make 40 different flavors, but it's really not efficient and profitable."

- [Jay] We have all the basics, like cheesy tater and prune and apricot- - Sauerkraut - sauerkraut, stuff like that, and then we have our signature flavors.

- [Nikki] Clevelander.

- [Jay] We do the Clevelander, which is Polish sausage, kraut, potato, and cheese.

And then, we have our Spudtacular, which is a loaded potato one.

The Pizza-Rogi, Buffalo chicken, the Gnarly Tater.

So, we have spicy ones, we have non-spicy ones, we have vegan flavors like our Tipsy Tater.

- [Nikki] And then we've determined that the thing that makes all of our vegan flavors better is bacon, so (both laugh) - It's true.

- It's true.

- It's true, people.

Sorry vegans, but it's true.

- [Nikki] I think because we started out of the Central Kitchen, we immediately felt like we were part of a community from the very beginning.

We built these relationships with all of these other small business owners and we've always just been a big fan of collaboration.

So, if we can team up together to do something, then we're twice as strong.

- There's a part of the pie for everybody.

- [Nikki] The stronger we are together, then, the stronger we're making small business in general.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] WVIZ ideastream receives support from PNC Bank, which has made a home in the heart of Cleveland by investing in businesses, communities, and people.

Focusing on giving back is part of an ongoing commitment to the communities that PNC serves.

PNC Bank, National Association, Member FDIC.