About Jonathan Daou
Jonathan Daou was raised on his family’s avocado, lychee, and cherimoya farm in Lebanon, where his father practiced regenerative farming rooted in Mediterranean traditions. Tending the land taught him early lessons in sustainable agriculture, seasonal cycles, and community-centered living.
After earning a BS in Economics and Psychology from Lebanese American University in 1995, he moved to New York City and became a licensed commercial broker. He specialized in retail and development sites in SoHo and NoLita, closing deals that shaped the neighborhoods’ retail corridors.
In 2004, he founded Openhouse, converting vacant storefronts into pop-up brand experiences. Over the next decade, the company partnered with thousands of brands and earned coverage in The New York Times, CNN, Associated Press, and other major outlets for redefining temporary retail.
Seeking a warmer climate and new challenges, Daou relocated to St. Petersburg, Florida. He acquired a majority of the EDGE District’s storefronts and led its redevelopment into one of Tampa Bay’s most walkable, vibrant neighborhoods.
Today, Daou is developing Chimney Pond Farm—a 120-acre agritourism resort on Lake Glenville in Glenville, North Carolina. The project blends working farmland, wedding and event venues, lodging, and residential expansion, reviving the regenerative principles of his Lebanese upbringing while creating a sustainable hospitality destination in the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau.