For more information, contact Jen Cadieux office: 937-224-1518, ext. 226 cell: 937-266-8446
Dayton, Ohio (May 11, 2015) ― Two new downtown Dayton businesses are preparing to open their doors this June.
• Fronana, 27 W. First St.: Fronana is an all-natural, frozen treat that is made out of bananas. It resembles ice cream but without any dairy, sugar, artificial ingredients, or preservatives, so it is vegan-friendly and gluten-free. Owner Bobby Walker has been serving up his sweet treats at festivals over the last year and will be opening up a scoop shop through the program.
• Twist Cupcakery, 25 S. St. Clair St. (St. Clair Lofts): Twist Cupcakery is a bakery that specialized in cupcakes, cakes, brownies, cookies, and other confectionary items. Opening in the former Serendipity Bistro space, owner Alexandra Rivers is looking to create a relaxed atmosphere to enjoy sweet treats as downtown Dayton’s only full service bakery.
Unique to this round of Pop Up Shops is that both shops are eateries, which is a first for the project. “We are excited that the program was able to give people what they’ve been asking for – a bakery downtown,” said Pop-Up project leader, Elise Huelskamp. “With Twist and a unique product like Fronana, we’re proud to add two new options to the already robust downtown food scene.”
The new shops are part of the eighth 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 seven 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 18 shops (13 of which are still open), filled over 13,000 square feet of previously vacant space and created 39 jobs.
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.; and Ambition Magazine. 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.
The Pop Up Shop 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 activatedspaces.org or e-mail [email protected] for more information about Activated Spaces.
