Mozart's owner earns chamber accolade

Booster photo by Dan Trittschuh Anand Saha, owner of Cafe Mozart (pictured above) and other Mozart's outlets, has been selected as the 2004 Businessperson of the Year by the Clintonville Area Chamber of Commerce.

The success of Clintonville resident and business owner Anand Saha has not gone unnoticed.

Saha, 36, is the recipient of the 2004 Businessperson of the Year award from the Clintonville Area Chamber of Commerce.

"He's the No. 1 person who's believed in Clintonville and the folks in the neighborhood," said Shari Carroll, vice chairwoman of membership for the chamber.

"I like his attitude. He's a sweetheart."

Saha is the owner of four restaurants, two of which are in Clintonville.

Mozart's Bakery and Cafe, 2885 N. High St., opened in 1995. It was followed by the opening of Mozart's North Market Bakery in 2000; Cafe Mozart, 4490 Indianola Ave., in 2002; and Cafe Amadeus, 363 E. Town St. in downtown Columbus, in 2004.

"Whatever happens in the future, my heart will always be in Clintonville," Saha said.

"This is where it all started and where it will all remain."

Carroll said the chamber received many great nominations, but Saha rose to the top of the list.

"What he did on Indianola Avenue was a gift to the neighborhood," she said. "He took an eyesore and made it another successful business."

Saha said he did not know he was nominated for the award, but it was a pleasant surprise to find out he had won.

"Everybody knows Mozart's doesn't do it for the awards, but (winning one) gets you even more motivated," he said.

His restaurants are good examples of what Clintonville can be because it was made for small businesses, Saha said.

"There are a lot of us interested in the betterment of the community, not only for monetary reasons but because we live here and we all want to prosper," he said.

One of the disappointments Saha cited about Clintonville was the David J. Glimcher Co.'s abandonment of development plans for the corner of North Broadway and High Street.

"I'm not only disappointed in them bailing out, but with how they singled out one young lady to be the reason for the downfall," Saha said.

"It showed how these people are only interested in themselves. But Clintonville is a close community, and we will come out of this even better."

Saha has received national recognition for his business operations, which recently branched out into online sales.

Mozart's was recognized in 2003 by Home and Away magazine as the Best Mid-West Bakery. Also in 2003, Saha made available online ordering for his pastries and baked goods.

"The business award for me is a collective thing, because the business would not have succeeded if the employees did not have something to do with it," Saha said.

"I have a lot of gratitude for the employees we have, because a business is not made with one person."

The four Mozart's locations employ 52 people.

"In 2004, I want to be very much focused on maintaining the quality of what I've opened and spend a little more time with my family," Saha said.

He and his wife of 14 years, Doris, have two children -- 5-year-old Alexander and 1-year-old Colin.

"People tend to forget Mozart's was founded because Doris Saha was the pastry chef," Saha said.

"That's all her brains behind the product. I'm just the brains behind the business."

Penny Winkle, a Clintonville resident since 1982, is one of the people who nominated Saha for the award.

"He's really community-minded and interested in not just business but also in building community," she said.

"Clintonville is lucky to have him."

Saha will receive his award during the chamber's annual recognition dinner, which is open to the public. Also scheduled to be honored are Weiland's Gourmet Market, which will receive the Business Community Service Award, and Algy McBride, who will be named the Booster Community Volunteer of the Year.

The dinner is scheduled at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at University Plaza Hotel and Conference Center, 3110 Olentangy River Road.

The awards and the dinner are sponsored by the chamber and The Booster, with Moots, Carter & Hogan, Right Move Realty, Casto offices, Northwest Title, Anthem Insurance and Comp Management serving as additional dinner sponsors.