In January, the Information reported on efforts to alleviate earlier delays in drug orders and different difficulties at Benzer Pharmacy, previously City Drug. A regional supervisor for the nationwide pharmacy chain pointed to points with the corporate’s wholesaler associated to new acquisitions of pharmacy places in Ohio. The native pharmacy has since regained its footing, and in November, the downtown retailer — a pharmacy location for about 90 years — modified its identify to Yellow Springs Pharmacy.
Clem & Thyme Diet and Wellness expanded its East Enon Street follow, the Information reported in February. Based by Leslie Edmunds, the follow gives vitamin remedy, dietary consulting, cooking courses and extra.
Present Delicacies’s co-owners, Karyn Stillwell-Present and Steve Present, had been honored by the YS Chamber of Commerce in February with the 2020 Neighborhood Impression Award. The award acknowledges the couple’s 36 years of supporting, and feeding, their group. Began in 1983, Present Delicacies has provided ready meals, meals and worldwide groceries at its in style downtown store since 1989.
Present Delicacies house owners Karyn Stillwell-Present and Steve Present had been honored by the YS Chamber of Commerce in February with the 2020 Neighborhood Impression Award. The couple based Present Delicacies in 1983, and have operated the favored downtown retailer since 1989. (Photograph by Megan Bachman)
After the COVID-19 pandemic hit in mid-March, resulting in a statewide “stay-at-home” order, the Information lined the speedy impression of pandemic-related closures on native companies. A dozen downtown enterprise house owners spoke with the Information relating to how they had been coping, and adapting, to the abrupt adjustments. Most of these interviewed had been deemed “important companies” by the state, and allowed to remain open, with restrictions. Others had been required, or opted, to shut at some point of the “stay-at-home” order. Retailers expressed a mixture of uncertainty, fear and resolve, in addition to a dedication to serving the group.
In early Might, the Information interviewed six native restaurant house owners relating to the state of native eateries and a brewpub amid dramatic enterprise losses as a result of COVID-19 pandemic. Regionally, in addition to statewide and nationwide, eating places and bars had been among the many hardest hit companies, with mandated closures and a gradual return to limited-capacity indoor eating. Native restaurant house owners reported income losses starting from 40% to 80%, and widespread layoffs of restaurant workers. Most continued to supply supply and carryout choices throughout the state closure, and all expressed gratitude to villagers for his or her assist and continued patronage.
Additionally in early Might, the Information spoke with quite a few downtown retailers about their reopening plans simply forward of Ohio’s retail reopening date of Might 12. Retailers expressed a spread of fears and issues, together with issues of safety, enterprise losses, worker well-being and the realities of working on tight margins. Whereas most native retailers reopened on or close to the restart date, some delayed for extra weeks, citing well being and security issues. Villagewide, reopenings touched off debate, with some residents on the facet of limiting downtown tourism, and others favoring getting native retailers and workers again to work.
Rock Across the Clark, Yellow Springs’ very personal fossil store, opened in July. Owned by Eric Clark (pictured) and his spouse, Jackie, the shop sells their giant assortment of prehistoric wares, reminiscent of this fossilized dinosaur nest. (Photograph by Lauren “Chuck” Reveals)
The Information enlarged on these themes later in Might, with an article centered on the way forward for downtown Yellow Springs. Native retailers who had been interviewed aired issues concerning the survival of their very own outlets and your complete downtown. Some hailed the types of help supplied by Village and group leaders, whereas others argued extra assist was wanted. Help included forgivable loans, delayed-interest strains of credit score, group donations and different assist. The Yellow Springs Neighborhood Basis, the newly fashioned Yellow Springs Improvement Company, the Village of Yellow Springs and the Yellow Springs Credit score Union had been among the many native entities offering monetary help.
Persevering with the theme, the Information reported in early June on a fundraising marketing campaign to carry funds to small companies that misplaced income as a result of pandemic. The brainchild of Jamie Sharp, proprietor of Yellow Springs Toy Firm, Uplift Yellow Springs was organized by a bunch of native retailers in cooperation with the Yellow Springs Neighborhood Basis. The trouble launched on Might 29 with a pair dozen collaborating companies.
A enterprise downturn because of COVID-19 was one issue amongst a number of that resulted within the Might sale of DMS ink to Graphic Village, a Cincinnati-based print advertising and marketing agency. The sale worth was undisclosed, and the previous president of DMS, Christine Soward, continues as a enterprise improvement officer on the new agency. Graphic Village plans to keep up the Yellow Springs junk mail printing facility, which at its peak employed about 100 individuals from the higher Dayton space. DMS relocated to Yellow Springs from downtown Dayton in 2016, after house owners Christine and Ken Soward bought the previous Artistic Recollections constructing at 888 Dayton St. and moved their firm there. Plans for vital growth on the website didn’t take form amid a subsequent enterprise downturn. The Sowards stay the house owners of 888 Dayton St., dwelling to a number of different companies.
Susan Burgos, proprietor of Rose & Sal, hosted various bodily distant dwell music perfomances in her thrift/consignment retailer over the summer season. (Photograph by Reilly Dixon)
In June, a brand new distillery and vineyard received approval from Planning Fee to maneuver into Millworks. Tuck-N-Reds Spirits & Wine gives merchandise reminiscent of multi-grain whiskey, candy potato vodka and “mountain wine.” Positioned in house beforehand occupied by S&G Distillery, which not operates at Millworks, in addition to different house adjoining to YS Brewery, the enterprise plans to open in early 2021.
Trilobites, ammonites and megalodon tooth, oh my! Native residents Eric and Jackie Clark celebrated the opening of their new fossil store, Rock Across the Clark, in July. The shop sells their giant assortment of prehistoric wares.
In July, the Information reported that hashish firm Cresco Labs in Yellow Springs had acquired an Ohio medical marijuana processor license, permitting it to develop manufacturing and doubtlessly enhance its workforce. As many as 30 native jobs may very well be added, firm representatives mentioned, although the hiring timeline stays unclear. Chicago-based Cresco Labs situated a facility right here in 2017, receiving an Ohio cultivator license in 2018 and harvesting its first hashish crop in January of 2019. Turned down for an Ohio processor license in 2018, the corporate acquired the license in June of 2020 after a prolonged appeals course of. The cultivator license permits Cresco to start manufacturing concentrates, edibles and different hashish merchandise at its Yellow Springs facility on the market in dispensaries across the state, together with 5 that Cresco owns and operates.
A brand new tattoo parlor and humanities group opened in July. The inspiration of native artists Lindsay Burke and Pierre Nagley, YS INK Arts Collective was fashioned to supply skilled tattoo artistry and function a inventive hub in Yellow Springs.
The Little Artwork Theatre reopened on July 24 after 4 months of closure as a result of COVID-19 pandemic. However the re-emergence of Yellow Springs’ nonprofit movie show proved short-lived. Low attendance amid the continued pandemic made working the theater financially unsustainable, and in September, the Little Artwork board introduced the theater would shut briefly till someday in 2021.
Plans to renovate a downtown property right into a nail salon and an upstairs residence with a big roof deck had been accredited by Planning Fee in August. The property, 239–141 Xenia Ave., was bought in 2018 by Iron Desk Holdings, an organization owned by nationally recognized comic and native resident Dave Chappelle. The corporate bought two different downtown properties in early 2020, in addition to two further Yellow Springs properties, together with the historic Union Faculty Home, late within the yr. In December, the Yellow Springs Improvement Company disclosed that Chappelle’s firm was additionally the customer of the previous firehouse on Corry Avenue, and deliberate to transform the house right into a comedy membership.
Brian Rainey, proprietor of the Dawn Café and Calypso Grill and Smokehouse, spoke with the Information in Might concerning the challenges of working a enterprise amid a pandemic. (Photograph by Audrey Hackett)
The Information revisited the state of native eating places in September, six months into the pandemic. The report was surprisingly constructive, with a number of interviewed restaurant house owners revealing that enterprise had come again stronger than anticipated. All house owners voiced apprehensions about potential enterprise declines over the winter, when vacationer visitors would lower and out of doors eating choices could be restricted by chilly climate.
Wavelength Aveda Salon & Spa closed its doorways in September, after 27 years in Yellow Springs. Proprietor Gary Glaser cited the difficulties of working throughout the pandemic as one issue within the closure. Chatting with the Information, Glaser expressed deep appreciation for the individuals and group he’d served for almost three a long time.
In October, the Information profiled Karen Wintrow, longtime director of the Yellow Springs Chamber of Commerce and a former Village Council member and president. Wintrow and her husband, native architect Ted Donnell, moved away from the village this fall. In her chamber function, Wintrow efficiently promoted Yellow Springs as a regional vacationer vacation spot, rising the village’s vacationer financial system.
The house previously occupied by Wavelength didn’t keep vacant for lengthy. Jessica Holihan and Heidi Quigley of H&H Studios snapped up and reworked the Corry Avenue location, opening their salon and therapeutic massage parlor in November.
In one other enterprise collaboration, native chef Miguel Espinosa and a employees of seven moved into Path City Brewing, the longer term brewpub owned by Jake Brummett. Working as Miguel’s, with each dine-in and carryout choices, Espinosa has expanded his in style meals truck menu to incorporate gadgets reminiscent of fish tacos and sashimi. With Miguel’s open as of Nov. 27, Espinosa’s downtown meals truck is presently on hiatus. Path City Brewing has been within the works for 3 years, and as soon as the brewpub opens its doorways, the restaurant and brewing companies will function facet by facet.
In December, the Information reported one everlasting and several other momentary enterprise closures. The Spirited Goat shut its doorways for good on Dec. 3. The espresso home, which had seen months of controversy over mask-wearing and different points, was shuttered by proprietor Michael Herington. Shortly thereafter, former proprietor Patrick Harney, aka “Brother Bear,” launched a fundraising marketing campaign to repurchase the enterprise. In the meantime, Peach’s, Ye Olde Path Tavern and the Import Home closed for the winter. House owners Don Beard and Christine Monroe-Beard cited COVID instances at two of their institutions and the general worsening pandemic as causes.
