Green City Growers, a 3.25 acre hydroponic greenhouse located off of East 55th Street in Cleveland’s Central neighborhood, is one of the largest urban greenhouses in the country. It employs 30 people and produces three million heads of lettuce and 300,000 pounds of herbs a year. Since opening two years ago, it has transformed a swath of the city dotted with vacant lots and dilapidated houses into a high-production facility with a devoted customer base.

The greenhouse opened in 2013 as a venture of the Evergreen Cooperatives , a 7-year-old initiative to create new, worker-owned companies that would employ Cleveland residents. The facility is truly impressive. Inside its vast, brightly lit interior, rows of leafy, velvety greens float atop pools of nourishing rainwater. Although the venture has always been risky, sales have doubled within the past year, with GCG’s local greens available at Marc’s, Heinen’s, the West Side Market, Miles Road Farmers Market and Kroger, as well as many area restaurants. Nonetheless, to mature from a startup to a profitable company, the greenhouse must dramatically increase its sales volume. It is currently operating at 65% of capacity, and must reach 90% to make money, a challenging prospect given that it has higher labor costs and its greens cost 50% more than commercial lettuce. Yet company leaders say it’s doable, touting hydroponic greens as a less expensive, longer-lasting alternative to organic fare. “We believe we’re about a year away,” said CEO John McMicken, stressing that he has spent the past year bringing in managers with industry expertise who are helping garner new customers and increase profits. Employees here make a living wage of about $12 per hour and are provided with benefits. “We’re double where we were a year ago, and we almost need to double again.” GCG has a lot going for it: a great product and a great story, to boot. For example, the company’s trademark Cleveland Crisp, which was developed by a Dutch company and licensed exclusively to GCG for a year, is delightfully buttery and crunchy at the same time. The brand, which is sold at Marc’s, is considered a cross between romaine and iceberg lettuce. Yet McMicken knows that Green City Growers faces an uphill climb. It has been challenging to land the kinds of big customers that can ultimately help it become an urban success story. “The level of commitment from buyers is not as high as we thought it would be. Everyone talks about buying locally, but it’s a challenge to get the big guys who can move the needle,” McMicken said. “Either we’re not delivering the message, or they’re used to doing what they always do.”