Activated Spaces

Activated Spaces Activate Offices in Liberty Tower

February 27, 2019 By Dayton Most Metro

Activated Spaces is excited to announce the first three tenants of the Activated Office project. This new program focuses on activating empty office space and providing entrepreneurs an opportunity to test out downtown as their business address. Liberty Tower (120 W. Second St) recently renovated outdated, traditional office space on the eighth floor to host the following three businesses in a non-traditional, open, collaborative environment:

Wes & Kathleen Hartshorn of Physis Films

Gemini Studios – Gemini Studios is a photography/videography business. They offer high quality and professionally crafted sessions with the convenience of a local studio.
Upsourced Accounting – Upsourced Accounting is a growing, technology-focused, full-service accounting firm. They specialize in servicing venture-backed start-up businesses and professional service firms.
Physis Films – Physis Films produces and manages feature films and TV programs.

Activated Office tenants received a short-term lease option for downtown office space, a small stipend to help offset startup costs, and a below market lease rate. In addition, each business was offered 10 hours of free legal services from Pickrel, Schaeffer & Ebeling and 15 hours of free marketing support from either Catapult Creative or Creative Fuse.

Since 2011, more than 120 startups have launched downtown. Several recent initiatives and projects are building on this momentum, including Start Downtown, Dayton Startup Week, the plans for the Dayton Arcade, and partnerships between The Entrepreneurs Center, the Air Force Research Lab, and the Wright Brothers Institute. The Activated Office project is envisioned as another resource that will help provide a supportive environment for the growing downtown startup community.

The Activated Spaces Project is driven by volunteers with support from the Downtown Dayton Partnership. Activated Spaces is part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan, a strategic blueprint for the future of downtown.

Those interested in volunteering with Activated Spaces should e-mail [email protected].

Apply Now For Office Space Through Activated Spaces

September 29, 2018 By Dayton Most Metro

Are you interested in leasing office space in downtown Dayton? If so, this program could be for you!

Activated Spaces was launched in downtown in 2011 and helped launch successful businesses like Beaute Box, Hick’s Barbershop, Spice Paradise and Twist Cupcakery. Since the inception of the project 25 shops have launched, 13 of which are still open. The project has activated more than 25,000 square feet of previously vacant space and 41 new jobs have been created. This volunteer project, which is part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan is now launching Activated Office, a new program focusing on activating empty office space and providing entrepreneurs an opportunity to test out downtown as their business address.

The ultimate goal of the Activated Office project is to create a vibrant downtown that serves as a location for people to work, collaborate, and innovate. The selected office space is located on the eighth floor of Liberty Tower (120 W. Second St.) and is remodeled in order to host up to three companies in a collaborative environment.

Activated Office tenants will receive a short-term lease option for downtown office space, a small stipend to help offset startup costs, and a below market lease rate. In addition, each selected business will receive 10 hours of free legal services from Pickrel, Schaeffer & Ebeling and 15 hours of free marketing support from either Catapult Creative or Creative Fuse.

Please note all proposals will remain confidential until accepted into the program. Upon acceptance into the program, all Activated Office tenants will be featured in publications and marketing materials. By submitting your application, you are not committed to leasing space if accepted.

download application

Leasing details

Pop-up lease terms are three to six months and long term leases are encouraged after the lease terms expire. Lease terms will be negotiated directly with the property owner. Flexibility for the tenant is a priority.

Community Resources for Business Planning

There are several resources in the community who are available to assist with writing a business plan or answer any questions you may have before taking your business to the next level. Please utilize them if necessary before turning in your application.

The Small Business Development Center: Kim Woodbury, 937/531.6615 [email protected]
SCORE: http://www.daytonscore.org

Timeline:

October 12, 2018: Deadline for pop-up project application.
Week of October 22, 2018: Interviews conducted with top applicants, Pop-up tenants selected.
Week of October 29, 2018: Notify winners.

Wanted: Entrepreneurs To Open Retail Shops Downtown

March 22, 2018 By Dayton Most Metro

Activated Spaces, an initiative to fill downtown storefronts, is accepting applications for short-term retail and service businesses to open downtown this spring as part of the thirteenth phase of its Pop-Up Shop Project. The project matches business owners and entrepreneurs with downtown property owners who have first-floor storefront space available for occupancy.

Interested retailers should fill out an application, which can be filled out online at www.activatedspaces.org, or downloaded and emailed to Jen Cadieux at [email protected]. The application deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, April 20. Tenants will be notified May 4, and retailers must be ready to open in June.

Lease lengths will range from three to six months. The spaces will have varying lease rates, but will be leased below market value. Activated Spaces volunteers will connect retailers with commercial property owners, help make the space move-in ready, and promote the business during such events as First Friday and DP&L Summer in the City. Selected businesses will negotiate leasing terms directly with the selected property owner, but flexibility for the tenant is a priority.

Activated Spaces volunteers are building on the success of the Pop-Up Project’s previous phases. Eleven of the businesses that have opened as part of the Pop-Up Project are still open: Beaute Box, 20 W. Monument Ave; Peace on Fifth, 234 Dutoit St.; Vintage Barbershop, 110 W. Fifth St.; Spice Paradise, 16 Brown St.; Hicks’ Barber Shop, 16 Brown St.; Twist Cupcakery, 25 S. St. Clair St.; Mitosis, 14 W. 1^stSt. Suite 302; Baker Salvage Co, 31 S. St. Clair St.; Buckeye Laptop, 133 N. Ludlow; and Soccer Shots, 39 S. St. Clair St. Former pop-up shops Beaute Box and Catapult Creative have moved from their original pop-up shop locations to larger spaces. Since the inception of the project in 2011, more than 25,000 square feet of previously vacant space has been occupied and 41 new jobs have been created.

Two of the Pop-Up Shop alumni, Beaute Box and Spice Paradise, will host their own grand re-opening events during April’s First Friday. Spice Paradise will celebrate its return to 16 Brown St. after being displaced for several months from a fire in the building. Beaute Box has expanded and is throwing an open-house party at the salon’s new location at 20 W. Monument Ave. Both events take place on Friday, April 6.

Commercial property owners interested in offering space to Pop-Up owners should contact Jen Cadieux at 937-224-1518. Once a match is made, a small stipend is available to be distributed at the discretion of the Activated Spaces team to each of the businesses each month for the first three months to assist in off-setting startup costs.

The Pop-Up Project is driven by volunteers from the young professional organizations UpDayton and Generation Dayton with support from the Downtown Dayton Partnership, and community volunteers. Activated Spaces is part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan, a strategic blueprint for the future of downtown.

Those interested in volunteering with Activated Spaces should e-mail [email protected].

Grand Opening of Hand Made Pet Supply Shop

June 2, 2017 By Dayton Most Metro

Project Warmth was started in 2011 when owner and operator, Stephanie Ross, decided to put her niche for sewing and helping those in need together into one project. The premise of Project Warmth is that for every pet bed that is sewn and sold, one is donated to a local animal shelter. The pet beds that are sold and the ones that are donated are exact in fabrics and size so their is no difference in quality. The proceeds of all other sales of other handmade animal products also go towards the donation of pet beds. to this date over 300 pet beds have been sewn and donated to animals in need. You can find them on Etsy or starting this Saturday, visit their brand new pop us shop located at 133 E. Third Street, a pop-up shop, made possible by the Activated Spaces program.

Located on the first floor of Oriel Studios, the shop will host its grand opening from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Saturday, June 3, with a ribbon cutting at 10:30 a.m. Throughout the day, patrons have the chance to win various pet related raffle prizes. Said owner Stephanie Ross, “I’m excited to be a part of downtown Dayton where my supporters and customers know they can always find me, and aren’t waiting for me to just come set up at a show.”

The new shop is a part of the twelfth phase of the Pop-Up Project. This program builds on the success of the first eleven phases of the Pop-Up Project, launched in November 2011. The Pop-Up Project provides potential business owners the opportunity for shorter leases at below-market rates as a way for them to jump-start their businesses and contribute to the vibrancy of downtown Dayton. Since it was started, the project has launched 25 shops (17 of which stayed open past their initial pop-up phase), filled more than 21,000 square feet of previously vacant space and created 42 jobs.

The Pop-Up Project is driven by volunteers from the young professional organizations UpDayton and Generation Dayton with support from the Downtown Dayton Partnership, the City of Dayton, the City of Dayton Neighborhood Mini-Grant program and community volunteers. Visit www.activatedspaces.org or e-mail [email protected] for more information about Activated Spaces.

Applications Now Being Accepted For Pop Up Shops!

January 28, 2017 By Lisa Grigsby

Activated Spaces, an initiative to fill downtown storefronts, is accepting applications for short-term retail and service businesses to open downtown this spring as part of the twelfth phase of its Pop-Up Shop Project. The project matches business owners and entrepreneurs with downtown property owners who have first-floor storefront space available for occupancy.

Baker Salvage Co. on St. Clair

Interested retailers should fill out an application, which can be filled out online at www.activatedspaces.org, or downloaded and emailed to Jen Cadieux at [email protected]. The application deadline is 5 pm Friday, February 17. Tenants will be notified the week of March 6, and retailers must be ready to open in May.

Lease lengths will range from three to six months. The spaces will have varying lease rates, but will be leased below market value. Activated Spaces volunteers will connect retailers with commercial property owners, help make the space move-in ready, and promote the business during such events as First Friday and Summer in the City. Selected businesses will negotiate leasing terms directly with the selected property owner, but flexibility for the tenant is a priority.

Activated Spaces volunteers are building on the success of the Pop-Up Project’s previous phases. Thirteen of the businesses that have opened as part of the Pop-Up Project are still including: Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St.; Peace on Fifth, 234 Dutoit St.; Vintage Barbershop, 110 W. Fifth St.; Spice Paradise, 16 Brown St.; Hicks’ Barber Shop, 16 Brown St.; Twist Cupcakery, 25 S. St. Clair St.; Fronana, 27 W. 1st St; Mitosis Creative, 14 W. 1st St. Suite 302; Baker Salvage Co, 31 S. St. Clair St.; Starred by Tamika, 37 S. St. Clair St.; Buckeye Laptop, 133 N. Ludlow; and Soccer Shots, 39 S. St. Clair St. Since the inception of the project in 2011, more than 21,000 square feet of previously vacant space has been occupied and 41 new jobs have been created.

Commercial property owners interested in offering space to Pop-Up owners should contact Jen Cadieux at 937-224-1518. Once a match is made, a small stipend is available to be distributed at the discretion of the Activated Spaces team to each of the businesses each month for the first three months to assist in off-setting startup costs.

The Pop-Up Project is driven by volunteers from the young professional organizations UpDayton and Generation Dayton with support from the Downtown Dayton Partnership, the City of Dayton, the City of Dayton Neighborhood Mini-Grant program, and community volunteers. Activated Spaces is part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan, a strategic blueprint for the future of downtown.

Seeking Entrepreneurs To Open Businesses In Dayton

July 28, 2016 By Dayton Most Metro

Activated Spaces, an initiative to fill downtown storefronts, is accepting applications for short-term retail and service businesses to open downtown this fall as part of the eleventh phase of its Pop-Up Shop Project. Building off the success of the first floor activation program, the team now offers Pop-Up Office.

In addition to accepting first-floor applicants, office users also may apply for space on an upper floor of a downtown building. “We’ve seen tremendous growth in the number of retail and service start-ups occupying downtown Dayton’s first-floor spaces,” said Activated Spaces program chair Melanie Wagner. “Pop-Up Office is in response to the growing number of entrepreneurs who are still looking for that boost to get started but don’t necessarily need a first-floor location. The new phase also addresses a need to fill more vacant office spaces downtown. It’s a good complement to our core users, and our volunteer team is excited to launch more retail, service and office users this fall!”

Since 2010, more than 90 start-ups have launched in the downtown core and the number of small businesses is steadily growing. The Pop-Up Office Project seeks to build on this momentum. Both Pop-Up projects match business owners and entrepreneurs with downtown property owners who have first-floor storefront or upper floor office space available for occupancy. Both programs assist new businesses with short-term leases offered at below-market rates.
Interested entrepreneurs should fill out an application, which can be downloaded at www.activatedspaces.org, and email it to Jen Cadieux at [email protected]. The application deadline is 5 pm Friday, August 19. Tenants will be selected the week of August 29, and retailers must be ready to open by the beginning of October.

Lease lengths will range from three to six months. The spaces will have varying lease rates, but will be leased below market rate. Activated Spaces’ volunteers will connect selected tenants with commercial property owners, help make the space move-in ready, and promote the business during such events as First Friday and the Holiday Festival. Selected businesses will negotiate leasing terms directly with the selected property owner, but flexibility for the tenant is a priority. There will be a free workshop at 6 pm Wednesday, August 10 at The Entrepreneur Center (714 E. Monument Ave.) for those interested in learning more about applying for a Pop Up and starting/expanding a small business. Please RSVP to Jen Cadieux at [email protected].

Activated Spaces volunteers hope to build on the success of the Pop-Up Project’s previous phases. Many of the businesses that have opened as part of the Pop-Up Project are still open: Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St.; Vintage Barbershop, 110 W. Fifth St.; Green Baby, 2nd Street Market; Spice Paradise, 16 Brown St.; Hicks’ Barber Shop, 16 Brown St.; Twist Cupcakery, 25 S. St. Clair St.; Fronana, 27 W. 1st St; Mitosis, 14 W. 1st St. Suite 302; Baker Salvage Co, 31 S. St. Clair St.; Kneaded Bodies Massage, 29 W. 1st St; and Soccer Shots, 39 S. St. Clair St. Since the inception of the project in 2011, more than 20,000 square feet of vacant space has been occupied and 39 new jobs have been created.

ACTIVATED SPACES’ POP-UP PROJECT TO OPEN TWO NEW DOWNTOWN RETAIL SHOPS

October 26, 2015 By Dayton937

Two new businesses are preparing to open their doors in downtown Dayton this fall.

· Kneaded Bodies Massage, 29 W. First St.: Kneaded Bodies Massage strives to offer superior wellness services through traditional massage as well as chair massage. In addition to massage, Kneaded Bodies will have affordable, natural skincare products available for purchase. Kneaded Bodies gives those who live and work downtown the ability to participate in their own wellness and therapeutic goals just minutes from their home or office. Kneaded Bodies Massage will host a grand opening event during November’s First Friday on November 6.
Baker Salvage Co., 31 S. St. Clair St. (St. Clair Lofts): Baker Salvage Co. is a custom furniture and décor company. Their home goods are made from reclaimed wood and salvaged materials. Stock items and commission custom-built pieces are available for purchase, including farmhouse tables, coffee and side tables, signs and wall décor, headboards, and even light fixtures made from reclaimed wood, glass, and metal. Baker Salvage Co. will open in early November.

The new shops are part of the ninth retail phase of the Pop-Up Project, part of an initiative to fill downtown storefronts called Activated Spaces. This program builds on the success of the first eight phases of the Pop-Up Project, launched in November 2011, to provide potential business owners the opportunity for shorter leases at below-market rates as a way for them to jump-start their businesses and contribute to the vibrancy of downtown Dayton. Since it was started, the project has launched 21 shops (16 of which are still open), filled approximately 16,000 square feet of previously vacant space and created 42 jobs. “We are so excited to open Baker Salvage Co. and Kneaded Bodies Massage in our fall 2015 round of pop-up shops,” said Pop-Up project leader, Elise Huelskamp. “We’re confident Activated Spaces will continue to highlight the available amenities and potential for business owners to thrive downtown alongside hundreds of other businesses.”

Pop-Up Shops from the previous phases of the project include:

Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St.;
Vintage Barber Shop, 110 W. Fifth St.;
Peace on Fifth, 234 Dutoit St.;
Pi Style, 37 S. St. Clair St.;
Green Baby, now located at the 2nd Street Market,
Spice Paradise and Hicks’ Barber Shop & Shave Parlor, both located at 16 Brown Street:
Confetti, 42 W. Fifth St;
Twist Cupcakery, 25 S. St. Clair St.;
Fronana, 27 W. First Street,
Mitosis, 14 W. First St.
In addition, Sew Dayton, 261 Wayne Ave., has expanded to a new location over twice the size of their original Pop-Up Shop location.

The Pop-Up Project is driven by volunteers from the young professional organizations Generation Dayton and UpDayton with support from the Downtown Dayton Partnership, the City of Dayton, the City of Dayton Neighborhood Mini-Grant program and community volunteers. Activated Spaces is part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan, a strategic blueprint for the future of downtown.

Visit www.activatedspaces.org or e-mail [email protected] for more information about Activated Spaces.

Have An Idea For A Pop Up Shop?

February 17, 2015 By Lisa Grigsby

Activated Spaces, an initiative to fill downtown storefronts, is accepting applications for temporary retail, service, and office businesses to open downtown this spring as part of the eighth phase of its Pop-up Project. The project matches business owners and entrepreneurs with downtown property owners who have first-floor storefront space available for occupancy.

Interested retailers or office space seekers should fill out an application, which can be downloaded here: Pop-up-Project-RFP-Spring 2015 and email it to Jen Cadieux at [email protected]. The application deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, March 13. Tenants will be selected the week of March 30, and retailers must be ready to open no later than the end of May.

Lease lengths will range from three to six months. The spaces will have varying lease rates, but will be leased below market value. Activated Spaces volunteers will connect retailers and office businesses with commercial property owners, help make the space move-in ready, and promote the business during such events as First Friday. Selected businesses will negotiate leasing terms directly with the selected property owner, but flexibility for the tenant is a priority.

Activated Spaces volunteers hope to build on the success of the Pop-Up Project’s seven phases. Eleven of the businesses that have opened as part of the Pop-Up Project are still open: Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St.; Peace on Fifth, 234 Dutoit St.; American Pi, 41 S. St. Clair St.; Vintage Barbershop, 110 W. Fifth St.; Sew Dayton, 261 Wayne Ave..; Green Baby, 2nd Street Market; Spice Paradise, 16 Brown St.; Hicks’ Barber Shop, 16 Brown St.; Catapult Creative, 133 N. Ludlow St.; Confetti, 42 W. 5th St.; and Ambition Magazine, 131 N. Ludlow St. Since the inception of the project in 2011, more than 13,000 square feet of vacant space has been filled and 29 new jobs have been created.

Commercial property owners interested in offering space to Pop-Up Shop owners should contact Jen Cadieux at 937-224-1518. Once a match is made, a small stipend is available to be distributed at the discretion of the Activated Spaces team to each of the businesses each month for the first three months to assist in off-setting startup costs.

The Pop-Up Project is driven by volunteers from the young professional organizations Generation Dayton and UpDayton with support from the Downtown Dayton Partnership, the City of Dayton, the City of Dayton Neighborhood Mini-Grant program and community volunteers. Activated Spaces is part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan, a strategic blueprint for the future of downtown.

Those interested in volunteering with Activated Spaces should e-mail [email protected].

Shop Owners Plan Grand Openings On October’s First Friday

September 20, 2014 By Dayton937

Two new downtown businesses are preparing to host grand openings in conjunction with the October 3rd First Friday event in downtown Dayton.

• Ambition Magazine, 131 N. Ludlow St., Suite 319 (Talbott Tower): Ambition Magazine is an all-encompassing magazine for the young, urban professional. In addition to being the headquarters of the magazine, the offices will be used for meetings, events, and weekend training sessions on building websites to help young entrepreneurs develop a web presence at a reasonable cost.

• Scavenger, 31 S. St. Clair St. (St. Clair Lofts): If you are looking for something unique and different then you don’t need to scavenge other cities to do so. Scavenger sells everything from timeless vintage to rugged American handcrafted jewelry, accessories, home décor and apparel. In addition to designing their own products, Scavenger has uncovered an eclectic collection of items from the local area and abroad that will be available in their store.

The new shops are part of the seventh phase of the Pop-Up Project, part of an initiative to fill downtown storefronts called Activated Spaces. This program builds success of the first six phases of the Pop-Up Project, launched in November 2011, to provide potential business owners the opportunity for shorter leases at below-market rates as a way for them to jump-start their businesses and contribute to the vibrancy of downtown Dayton. Since it was started, the project has launched 16 shops (12 of which are still open), filled around 13,000 square feet of previously vacant space and created 29 jobs. Unique to this round of Pop-Up Shops is Ambition Magazine, which is the second Pop-Up Office Space project. “The Pop-Up Shop program was so successful for the retail shops that we are quickly running out of move-in-ready, street-level spaces,” explained Pop-Up project leader, Elise Huelskamp. “Now we are including vacant, move-in-ready office space in downtown Dayton. We’re confident Activated Spaces can showcase the available amenities and potential for business owners to thrive downtown alongside hundreds of other businesses.”

Pop-Up Shops from the previous phases of the project include Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St.; Vintage Barber Shop, 110 W. Fifth St.; Peace on Fifth, 234 Dutoit St.; Green Baby, now located at the 2nd Street Market; two stores at 16 Brown St., Spice Paradise and Hicks’ Barber Shop & Shave Parlor, Catapult Creative, 133 N Ludlow St.; Confetti, 42 W. Fifth St. In addition, two shops have expanded to new locations at least twice the size of their original Pop-Up Shop locations: American π, 41 S. St. Clair St., andSew Dayton, 261 Wayne Ave.

The Pop-Up Project is driven by volunteers from the young professional organizations Generation Daytonand UpDayton with support from the Downtown Dayton Partnership, the City of Dayton, the City of Dayton Neighborhood Mini-Grant program and community volunteers. Activated Spaces is part of theGreater Downtown Dayton Plan, a strategic blueprint for the future of downtown.

E-mail [email protected] for more information about Activated Spaces.

Entrepreneurs- Deadline Extended For Activated Spaces

July 25, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro

Activated Spaces, an initiative to fill downtown storefronts, is accepting applications for temporary retail, service, and office businesses to open downtown this fall as part of the seventh phase of its Pop-up Project. The project matches business owners and entrepreneurs with downtown property owners who have first-floor storefront space available for occupancy.

Interested retailers or office space seekers should fill out an application, which can be downloaded here:Pop-up-Project-RFP-Fall-2014, and email it to Jen Cadieux at [email protected]. The application deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, August 8. Tenants will be selected the week of August 18.

Lease lengths will range from three to six months. The spaces will have varying lease rates, but will be leased below market value. Activated Spaces volunteers will connect retailers and office businesses with commercial property owners, help make the space move-in ready, and promote the business during such events as First Friday and Urban Nights. Selected businesses will negotiate leasing terms directly with the selected property owner, but flexibility for the tenant is a priority.

Activated Spaces volunteers hope to build on the success of the Pop-Up Project’s first five phases. Ten of the businesses that have opened as part of the Pop-Up Project are still open: Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St.;Peace on Fifth, 234 Dutoit St.; American Pi, 41 S. St. Clair St.; Vintage Barbershop, 110 W. Fifth St.; Sew Dayton, 261 Wayne Ave..; Green Baby, 2nd Street Market; Spice Paradise, 16 Brown St.; Hicks’ Barber Shop, 16 Brown St.; Catapult Creative, 133 N. Ludlow St.; Studio Meco, 46 W. 5th St.; and Confetti, 42 W. 5th St. Since the inception of the project in 2011, more than 13,000 square feet of vacant space has been filled and 29 new jobs have been created.

Commercial property owners interested in offering space to Pop-Up Shop owners should contact Jen Cadieux at 937-224-1518. Participating property owners are on the Activated Spaces website. Once a match is made, a limited amount of money is available to be distributed at the discretion of the Activated Spaces team for such purposes as offsetting utility costs, making cosmetic improvements to the space or other necessities for making the space operational.

Those interested in volunteering with Activated Spaces should e-mail [email protected].

More Activated Spaces Coming To Downtown

April 24, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

Three new downtown businesses are preparing to host grand openings in conjunction with the May 9 Urban Nights event in downtown Dayton.

Catapult Creative, 131 N. Ludlow St. (Talbott Tower): Catapult Creative provides marketing, advertising, branding, design, web development, video and online services. They have helped grow small- to medium-sized businesses and organizations through branding, expressive design and communication expertise. Though Catapult is a recent venture for the four founding partners, combined they have over 20 years of experience in branding, advertising and marketing.
Confetti, 42 W. Fifth St. (Ludlow Place): Confetti is a modern stationery and card boutique. The shop will offer contemporary and vintage-style cards, stationery, upscale party supplies and decor, and small gifts. In addition to the retail component, Confetti will offer workshops for party-related topics, such as card marking, do-it-yourself décor, holiday wrapping, calligraphy and more. Customers also may host small parties and events in the space.
Studio Meco, 46 W. Fifth St. (Ludlow Place): Studio Meco will feature art by Melody Cole Gates and a small, select group of local artists. The gallery will feature mostly African American figuratives, portraits, landscapes, florals, abstracts and typography in various media such as paintings, drawings, sculpture, jewelry and pottery. Studio Meco also plans to produce professional fine art prints, greeting cards, calendars, journals, coffee mugs, screen print T-shirts and tote bags for special occasions.

The new shops are part of the sixth phase of the Pop-Up Project, part of an initiative to fill downtown storefronts called Activated Spaces. This program builds success of the first five phases of the Pop-Up Project, launched in November 2011, to provide potential business owners the opportunity for shorter leases at below-market rates as a way for them to jump-start their businesses and contribute to the vibrancy of downtown Dayton. Since it was started, the project has launched 14 shops (11 of which are still open), filled 13,113 square feet of previously vacant space and created 30 jobs. Unique to this round of Pop-Up Shops is Catapult Creative, which is the first Pop-Up Office Space project. “The Pop-Up Shop program was so successful for the retail shops that we quickly ran out of move-in-ready, street-level spaces,” explained Pop-Up project leader, Elise Huelskamp. “Now we are including vacant, move-in-ready office space in downtown Dayton. We’re confident Activated Spaces can showcase the available amenities and potential for business owners to ‘do their thing downtown’ alongside hundreds of other businesses.”

Pop-Up Shops from the previous phases of the project include Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St.; Vintage Barber Shop, 110 W. Fifth St.; Peace on Fifth, 234 Dutoit St.; All Pilates, 27 S. Saint Clair St.; and two stores at 16 Brown St., Spice Paradise and Hicks’ Barber Shop & Shave Parlor. In addition, two shops have expanded to new locations at least twice the size of their original Pop-Up Shop locations: American π, 41 S. St. Clair St., and Sew Dayton, 261 Wayne Ave.

Visit www.activatedspaces.org or e-mail [email protected] for more information about Activated Spaces.

Activated Spaces Pop-Up Project Seeking Entrepreneurs For Downtown

January 23, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

Activated Spaces, an initiative to fill downtown storefronts, is accepting applications for temporary retail and service businesses to open downtown this fall as part of the sixth phase of its Pop-up Project. The project matches business owners and entrepreneurs with downtown property owners who have first-floor storefront space available for occupancy.

Interested retailers should fill out an application, which can be downloaded at www.activatedspaces.org, and email it to Jen Cadieux at [email protected]. The application deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, February 14. Tenants will be selected the week of March 3^rd, and retailers must be ready to open no later than Friday, May 9, in time for the spring Urban Nights.

Lease lengths will range from three to six months. The spaces will have varying lease rates, but will be leased below market value. Activated Spaces volunteers will connect retailers with commercial property owners, help make the space move-in ready, and promote the business during such events as First Friday and Urban Nights. Selected businesses will negotiate leasing terms directly with the selected property owner, but flexibility for the tenant is a priority.

Activated Spaces volunteers hope to build on the success of the Pop-Up Project’s first five phases. Nine of the businesses that have opened as part of the Pop-Up Project are still open: Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St.; Peace on Fifth, 234 Dutoit St.; American Pi, 41 S. St. Clair St.; Vintage Barbershop, 110 W. Fifth St.; Sew Dayton, 261 Wayne Ave..; Green Baby, 31 S. St. Clair St.; All Pilates, 27 S. St. Clair St.; Spice Paradise, 16 Brown St.; and Hicks’ Barber Shop, 16 Brown St.

The Pop-Up Project is driven by volunteers from the young professional organizations Generation Dayton and UpDayton with support from the Downtown Dayton Partnership, the City of Dayton, the City of Dayton Neighborhood Mini-Grant program and community volunteers. Activated Spaces is part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan, a strategic blueprint for the future of downtown. Those interested in volunteering with Activated Spaces should e-mail [email protected].

Downtown Dayton Partnership Wins National Award for Pop-Up Project

October 21, 2013 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

The International Downtown Association (IDA) awarded the Downtown Dayton Partnership a 2013 Downtown Pinnacle Award at the IDA World Congress, held in New York City earlier this month. The DDP received the award in the economic and business development category for Activated Spaces’ Pop-Up Project. The DDP supports the project, which is managed by volunteers from the young professional organizations UpDayton and Generation Dayton.

“The Activated Spaces volunteers, who represent the next generation of leaders in our community, have done an amazing job with the Pop-Up Project,” said Sandy Gudorf, president of the Downtown Dayton Partnership. “We are so very thankful for their hard work, which has made a significant contribution to making our downtown a more vibrant place.”

Since the inception of the Pop-Up Project in fall 2011, it has launched 11 shops (nine of which are still open), filled 11,326 square feet of previously vacant space and created 24 jobs. Two new retailers, Spice Paradise and Hicks’ Barber Shop, who share space at 16 Brown St. in the Oregon District, recently opened as part of the project’s fifth phase.

“The Downtown Dayton Partnership received this prestigious award for demonstrating excellence in downtown management,” said David Downey, IDA president and CEO. “Each year, the IDA Awards Jury honors the very best programs and projects in each category to recognize great work and set the standard for best practice in our industry.”

The Downtown Dayton Partnership’s website, www.downtowndayton.org, has a complete list of downtown businesses, as well as a list of business resources, arts and cultural amenities, a dining guide, parking map, and much more. Follow the Downtown Dayton Partnership on Facebook to keep up with downtown events and news. Smartphone users can find places, events, parking and more with Find It Downtown Mobile: mobile.downtowndayton.org.

New Pop-Up Shops to Open On Urban Nights

September 5, 2013 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

Two new businesses will hold soft openings during Urban Nights downtown on Friday, Sept. 20, as part of the fifth phase of the Pop-Up Project, part of an initiative to fill downtown storefronts called Activated Spaces.

Spice Paradise is a retail spice store, specializing in spices and food from around the world. Products will include chutneys, pickles, chocolates and other pre-packaged food. The store also will feature easy-to-cook meals to go. Spice Paradise will be located in the Oregon District at 16 Brown St., formerly occupied by The Record Gallery and Amore.

Hicks’ Barber Shop is a traditional barber shop and shave parlor owned by James Hicks, aka “The Bearded Barber.” Hicks will specialize in a razor-fading technique and also sell his own signature beard oil. Hicks’ Barber Shop will be occupying the former Sew Dayton space at 16 Brown St., right next to Spice Paradise.

The opening of Spice Paradise and Hicks’ Barber Shop builds on the success of the Pop-Up Project’s first four phases. The project was launched in November 2011, and shops opened during subsequent phases in May 2012, September 2012 and May 2013. Two of the initial three businesses in the pilot still are thriving: Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St., and Peace on Fifth, 508 E. Fifth St.

Still going strong from the second, third and fourth phases of the project are: American π, at its new expanded location on 41 S. Saint Clair St.; Vintage Barber Shop, 110 W. Fifth St.; Sew Dayton, expanding to 261 Wayne Ave. with a target open date of Oct. 1; Green Baby, 31 S. Saint Clair St.; and All Pilates, 27 S. Saint Clair St.

The Pop-Up Project is driven by volunteers from the young professional organizations Generation Dayton and UpDayton with support from the Downtown Dayton Partnership and other community volunteers. The project is a strategic effort to fill vacant street-level space and spur interest in opening a business downtown that’s part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan, a strategic blueprint for the future of downtown.

Since the inception of the program in fall 2011, Activated Spaces’ Pop-Up Project has launched 11 shops (nine of which are still open), filled 11,326 square feet of previously vacant space and created 24 jobs.

“The Pop-Up Shops have helped enliven downtown while building on growing momentum for the center city,” said Tom Razauskas, who owns the building housing Beaute Box and Vintage Barbershop. “It has been refreshing to work with volunteers and business owners who really believe in downtown and are excited about its future.”

“Activated Spaces’ Pop-Up Project is working to add vibrancy to downtown through local retail businesses,” said Elise Huelskamp, Pop-Up Project volunteer chair. “We’re providing potential business owners the opportunity for shorter leases at below-market rates as a way for them to jumpstart their businesses in hopes it will convert into long-term success.”

“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, immediate past chair of UpDayton and Activated Spaces volunteer. “Visitors who support these Pop-Up Shops will help spur a more permanent retail environment in our downtown ― the next step in downtown revitalization.”

Visit www.activatedspaces.org or e-mail [email protected] for more information about Activated Spaces or to volunteer.

Sew Dayton Approaches First Anniversary Announcing New Location

August 26, 2013 By Lisa Grigsby 3 Comments

SEW DAYTON, another success of the Activated Spaces program, has announced it will be moving into a larger storefront in the Oregon District at 26 Wayne Avenue. The new location resulted from a collaborative effort between Randy Handler, the previous lessee and Midtown Development Corp. The parties were brought together through the efforts of Mary Kathryn Burnside, owner of CLASH retail at 519 E. Fifth Street.

SEW DAYTON’s new location is only a few steps from PRESS COFFEE, which has been ranked in the top 10 independent coffee houses in the United States.

The location holds significant promise from a streetscape renovation of Wayne Avenue in 2014 and a strategic mixed-use development plan for the northeast corner of Fifth and Wayne in the near future. The storefront in the 100-year-old Schaefer building at the corner of Fifth Street and Wayne Avenue previously housed notable occupants including Otis Elevator Co., Fleishman Yeast Co., and Dayton Industrial Supply.

SEW DAYTON is a fun fabric shop, specializing in sewing instruction, fun fabrics and custom orders. Owners Tracy McElfresh and Jesy Anderson instruct sewing classes to all ages and skill levels.

Owners Jesy Anderson (left) and Tracy McElfresh (right).

They will be celebrating their first anniversary at their current 15 E. Brown Street location on Sat, Sept 14th from 11am -8pm with giveaways and special discounts on patterns, fabrics and even a chance to pre-register for sewing classes for 10% off. There will even be a visit from the Zombie Dogz food truck.

Sew Dayton carries fabric that cannot be found anywhere else in the Dayton area, focusing on small independent designers and companies. Sew Dayton also provides light alteration services. For more information visit; www.sewdayton.com or call 937-234-SEW8.

Newest Pop-Up Shops Announced Downtown

April 25, 2013 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

Two new businesses will open downtown on Friday, May 10, as part of the fourth phase of the Pop-Up Project.

Peace Pilates will offer small group and private Pilates classes in their new studio space. Owner Vanessa Corrigan has been teaching Pilates for 12 years, including private lessons out of her home loft and is looking forward to starting a storefront. Workouts are custom created based on clients’ needs and goals. Peace Pilates will be located at 27 S. St. Clair St. in the St. Clair Lofts.

Green Baby’s philosophy

Green Baby will offer environmentally friendly products for the family, including cloth diapering, baby carriers, and products for holistic approaches to health and healing. The store also plans to host classes and community events. Green Baby will be an advocate for local businesses and producers, as 100% of their products are made in the U.S., many being developed in the Dayton area. Green Baby will be located at 31 S. St. Clair St. in the St. Clair Lofts.

The opening of Green Baby and Peace Pilates builds on the success of the Pop-Up Project’s first three phases, launched in November 2011, May 2012, and September 2012. Two of the initial three businesses in the pilot are still thriving: Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St., and Peace on Fifth, 508 E. Fifth St. American π, 37 S. St. Clair St, and Sew Dayton, 16 Brown St., are both still open from the second and third phases of the project.

Activated Spaces’ Pop-Up Project, which has helped fill 10,285 square feet of first floor retail space during its four phases, is led by volunteers from the young professional organizations Generation Dayton and UpDayton. The project is a strategic effort to fill vacant street-level space and spur interest in opening a business downtown that’s part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan, a strategic blueprint for the future of downtown.

“The Pop-Up Shops have helped enliven downtown while building on growing momentum for the center city,” said Tom Razauskas, who owns the building housing Beaute Box. “It has been refreshing to work with volunteers and business owners who really believe in downtown and are excited about its future.”

“The Pop-Up Project provides a low-risk, low-cost, flexible way to showcase local businesses while adding vibrancy to downtown,” said Shanon Potts, a past chair of Generation Dayton and Activated Spaces volunteer. “The long-term goal of the project is to convert temporary leases into traditional leases, while establishing downtown as a regional destination for shopping for one-of-a-kind items and retail services.”

“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, past chair of UpDayton and Activated Spaces volunteer. “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.”

Visit www.activatedspaces.org or e-mail [email protected] for more information about Activated Spaces.