A year and a half ago, City Goods opens in Ohio City in a cluster of silver hangar-like buildings in the corner of Church and West 28th. Intended as incubator for small entrepreneurs, the structures attracted about 30 locally owned businesses offering vinyl records, vintage clothing, home décor, leather goods, body products, jewelry and more, with several shops sharing each hangar, with the hope that success would lead some to storefronts of their own. The space also includes a cocktail bar, The Hangar, and open spaces with tables and chairs for hanging out.
At the beginning of this year, City Goods started to explore the idea of reorganizing as a nonprofit. Conversations on doing so with the Ohio City Incorporated CDC have now evolved into OCI taking over and running City Goods, a transition which should happen this month. City Goods will a wholly owned nonprofit subsidiary of Ohio City Inc.
City Goods co-Founder Liz Painter will become brand manager of City Goods as well as Associate Marketing Director of OCI, while co-founder Sam Friedman will move on to other projects, although his family business, Chagrin Valley Soap and Salve, will remain part of City Goods. Current staff and businesses are expected to remain in place, and special events such as monthly markets and dog-friendly yoga will continue and OCI is hoping to add other events to bring people of all types to the space.
“Long term, Ohio City Incorporated hopes to see many of these brands put down permanent roots in the community in their own storefronts and will add additional trainings and programs to the project to help make that dream a reality,” says OCI’s press release. “Additional economic development work expected to take place at City Goods includes workforce development programs, financial assistance for makers, incubator programs to bring in less established businesses, and more.”
Learn what’s at City Goods here.
1438 W 28th St, Cleveland, OH 44113
1438 W 28th St, Cleveland, OH 44113