For more information, contact:Sherri Wierzba or Erin Gillespie: 937-224-1518
Dayton, Ohio (Nov. 17, 2011) ― Three businesses will open downtown on Nov. 25 thanks to the pilot Pop-Up Project, part of Activated Spaces, an initiative to fill downtown storefronts. The businesses selected for the pilot project will be open for one to three months.
• Comfort and Joy, 521-523 E. Fifth St., features baked goods, poetry, books and crocheted items created by a collaboration of artists and crafters. Music for sale includes jazz, gospel and the sounds of the season. 937-524-6222
• Peace on 5th, 519 E. Fifth St., a satellite of the Dayton International Peace Museum’s store, will sell fair trade, slave-free and eco-friendly merchandise. Every item for sale has a story, perfect for holiday gift-giving. 937-227-3223
• Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St., is a day spa and salon that will provide nail care, waxing, eyelash extensions and makeup services with a personal, pampering touch. 937-903-3165
From 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2, the three retailers will host open houses in conjunction with the updayton Scavenger Hunt that’s part of downtown’s free monthly art hop, First Friday. Details about the open house will be announced soon.
“The Pop-Up Project provides a low-risk, low-cost, flexible way to showcase local retailers’ goods while adding vibrancy to downtown,” said Shanon Potts, immediate past chair of Generation Dayton, which is leading the Activated Spaces effort along with another young professional organization, updayton. “The long-term goal of the project is to convert temporary leases into traditional leases, while establishing downtown as a regional shopping destination for unusual, one-of-a-kind items.”
“This project also supports local, creative entrepreneurs as they take a risk and test out their business concepts while bringing renewed life to downtown storefronts,” said Scott Murphy, chair of updayton. “Visitors who support these pop-up shops will help to spur a more permanent retail environment in our downtown ― the next step in downtown revitalization.”
Activated Spaces is part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan, a strategic blueprint for the future of downtown. Since Activated Spaces was launched in May 2011, two rounds of more than a dozen displays of work by local artists have been installed in downtown storefronts. Those displays will continue to be rotated every Urban Nights, held in mid-May and mid-September every year. In addition, a mural is being created on two buildings near the northwest corner of St. Clair and Third streets.
Other successes to date include the opening of Clash Consignment Co., 113 E. Third St. Owner Mary Katherine Burnside became interested in the space in part because of a storefront artwork display. In addition, downtown business owner Mike Swindro, sales manager for Energy Professionals, noticed the window displays and some of that artwork now hangs in his office. And an artist and resident of Performance Place read about Activated Spaces and asked to get involved, and she has sold two pieces of artwork directly from her storefront display.
Activated Spaces, a volunteer-led initiative, has three main goals:
• reactivate and beautify vacant storefronts with creative displays
• encourage entrepreneurs, artists and community groups to occupy space for short- and long- term uses
• showcase downtown properties and increase interest and investment in available space
Visit activatedspaces.org or e-mail [email protected] for more information about Activated Spaces.
