09/28/2026
When the pandemic hit in 2020, Kelly Shaw left Portland, Oregon, and returned home to Cincinnati. During months of COVID unemployment, Kelly developed a vision for Okie Doke, a business rooted in nostalgia, comfort, and coming home—named after her Grandma Jackie, who always ended phone calls with, "Okie Doke, Babe. I love you."
That personal warmth also fills the menu, weaving Kelly’s childhood memories of leona, rye bread, Danish butter cookies, goetta, and Cincinnati chili with the quirks of local food culture into something uniquely ‘Okie Doke’.
Stepping out with the business has brought a deeper gift: experiencing the extraordinary heart of Cincinnati's small business community. Through pop-ups at spots like King Pigeon, New Riff Distilling, Pata Roja, Knuckles Deli, and soon Collective Espresso, Kelly notes that local Cincinnati businesses have welcomed her with open arms and played a huge role in the success of the pop-up business. For Kelly, Okie Doke is both a love letter to home and a space where others can find that same genuine comfort.
As the Associate Director of Findlay Kitchen, Kelly is grateful that she gets to support so many small businesses through her everyday work. For her, bringing Okie Doke to life right out of Findlay Kitchen brings the story full circle—making it all the more meaningful to experience that same encouragement, support, and excitement from her community now that she is stepping out with her own venture.