What you'll find in this spacious outdoor venue are four pop-up culinary concepts as well as a full-service bar. There's plenty of seating and more than enough room for children to run around. One of the food trucks parked here is
Indeed, the idea for the Wynwood Yard began when founder and CEO Della Heiman, a graduate of Harvard Business School, decided to move to Miami to open Della Test Kitchen. Her plan was to find a fixed location for her healthy and affordable fast-casual concept, but she discovered it was much harder than she imagined. She says the difficulty was partly due to ta lack of a support system for brick-and-mortar, consumer-based businesses in Miami. Consequently, the 28-year-old Cincinnati native decided to start a support system of her own by launching a culinary incubator and community hub for Miami's food, culture, design, and fitness entrepreneurs called the Wynwood Yard.
Heiman signed a lease that expires July 2016, after which she will make a decision regarding the future of the Wynwood Yard. Come February, however, the three food trucks apart from Della Test Kitchen will be replaced by concepts that have yet to be revealed. As is the case with the current eateries, Heiman personally selected each of the food trucks. Still, she doesn't want people to simply think of the Wynwood Yard as a food truck roundup, but rather a place where people of various ages can congregate all day and to support local start-ups that in turn are supporting one another.
The Wynwood Yard is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and till 6 p.m. Sunday. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday,
Heiman says the free Wi-Fi zone is a great spot for conducting business meetings, doing work, or simply hanging out with your friends or kids. The young entrepreneur has worked in the fields of political communications, textile manufacturing, and venture capital in the United States, Israel, Jordan, China, Ethiopia, Chile, and Spain and has nothing but kind words about Miami. "So far it has been such a warm welcome in Miami, and the energy and passion of so many of the visitors and community members
Della Test Kitchen and the Wynwood Yard are Heiman's first foray into the food and hospitality industry, and she says she's enjoying every second of it. Part of the reason she decided to use a test kitchen approach to her culinary concept is so she and her team can improve upon their business model before growing the fast-casual health-food brand. And though the future of the Wynwood Yard isn't set in stone just yet, Heiman is a firm believer in her cause. "There's definitely a need for a culinary incubator in Miami, and that's something I always want to be involved with."
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