LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Last week was small business week, so we caught up with the Central District in downtown Lima. First-time business owners explain how the building has helped them turn their dreams into physical stores to call their own.
The Central District is already home to seven businesses, with three more on the way. The goal is to recreate that big city shopping and dining experience that you'd find somewhere like Columbus, right in downtown Lima.
"So, what's really cool, it's an old historic building that's been repurposed now, so it's totally remodeled on the inside, and when people walk in, they really have that wow factor. This whole area, it's like an entertainment area. You look at John Heaphy and what he's doing down there on Spring and Main; he's opening up in June. The amphitheater, the beautiful amphitheater we have, and now the Central District," said Tracie Sanchez, a managing partner of the Central District.
For most of the business owners in the space, this is the first time they've ever had a brick-and-mortar store or office to call their own. The Central District's model has made it easier to get their dreams off the ground with lower costs, increased foot traffic, and the support of other owners.
"We definitely like to cross-promote one another, and I think it's neat being in a part of downtown Lima where there is this constant growth. There's a lot of improvements going on all the time, you know, building up. So it was just really cool to be a part of that and motivational watching other people do the same thing that I was doing at the time," said Tonya Gendreua, the owner of Modish Maven Boutique.
Neli Metzger, the owner of the bakery Touch of Europe, has been involved with the Central District project since before its opening. She had been baking from her home and selling her desserts in other stores around town, and now, after years of hard work, she has a fully-equipped bakery that's open six days a week, with three others working for her.
"It feels great, especially for an immigrant like me. I immigrated to America 22 years ago. I am a citizen now, but for me to achieve having my own business, it's a big accomplishment in life. People keep coming back, coming back. It tells not just me, but my entire crew, that we're doing something right," Metzger added.
By the end of this year, the Central District expects to have all of their spaces rented and those tenants to be open for business.
