2023 In Review | Business

• By Lauren Shows
• Published: January 6, 2024

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NEW ARRIVALS

Spring

• Zoe Bryant, Allison Paul and Marie Hertzler formed Sister Trillium, a nonprofit that aims to extend the life of art supplies through collecting unused supplies and selling them at a discounted rate at the Yellow Springs Farmers’ Market.

• Shane Ayrsman and Sarah DeVore opened Tweedle D’s, a cannabis store, on Xenia Avenue.

• Angie Hsu, Matan Mazursky and Kumar Jensen opened MAZU restaurant in Kieth’s Alley. The vegan restaurant features a menu influenced by Taiwanese, Israeli and South Indian culture, reflecting the cultural backgrounds of the three owners.

Singapore Seahorse Coin Jewelry is now open for business at 100 Corry St. (Photo by Reilly Dixon)

• Crome Yellow Springs — owned by village resident Max Crome — held an open house at the business’ newly completed architecture studio in the former First Baptist Church building.

• Gary and Terry Lawson opened YS Scooter, LLC in Millworks. The business rents access to a fleet of 20 electric scooters for use around the village.

Summer

• Jessica McGee opened Omnibus, a shop that sells handmade artisan items. The shop opened in May in the space formerly occupied by Subway, which closed in September of 2022.

• Lexi L. Kip and Lexi F. Kip opened Studio Uncommon, a tattoo parlor dedicated to single-needle, fine-line tattoos, in Millworks.

• Nicole Swani opened Singapore Seahorse Coin Jewelry on Corry Street. The business specializes in jewelry made by hand from coins from around the world.

• Local mother-daughter team Amy and Modjeska Chavez opened CommuniTEA Love on Dayton Street . The business sells handmade tea blends online and hosts events that aim to educate about herbs and create community connections.

• Therapist and nurse practitioner Mischa Dansby opened Monarch Wellness Solutions on Corry Street, offering traditional therapy services and wellness coaching, in addition to ketamine-assisted therapy — a legal psychedelic therapy.

Fall

Local resident Colette Palamar opened Myriad, a handmade art and clothing shop, on Dayton Street.

TRANSITIONS, EXPANSIONS

Winter

• The nonprofit Emerge Trade and Recovery facility began construction in the former Greene County Career Center. Once completed, the 290,000-square-foot facility will offer live-in recovery services, provide job training and provide a place for those recently emancipated from the foster system.

• YS Home, Inc. moved from its longtime location at the YS United Methodist Church into a new space at Millworks.

Caleab Wyant, left, was recently promoted to theater manager of the Little Art Theatre. Wyant succeeds acting executive director Katherine Eckstrand, who was appointed to that position by the nonprofit theater’s board of directors in February of this year. Eckstrand moves on to a new position with the theater, now serving in a development and community impact role. (Photo by Lauren “Chuck” Shows)

Spring

• Springfield resident Katherine Eckstrand replaced Kristina Heaton as executive director of the Little Art Theatre, bringing with her years of experience working with nonprofits. In September, Eckstrand moved to a position as development and community impact director at the theater, and Caleab Wyant became theater manager. Wyant arrived at the theater’s helm after six years in different and sometimes concurrent roles: projectionist, concessionaire, special events coordinator, operations manager and marketing and events coordinator.

• The YS Food Pantry moved from its previous 20-year location in the basement of the YS United Methodist Church to Central Chapel AME Church.

Summer

Miguel’s Poke Island, which opened in 2022, announced that the Dayton Street restaurant would close and was up for sale. Jessica Alt, who grew up in the village, purchased and began operating the renamed Jessica’s Poke Island, with menu items remaining the same as before.

It’s been a decade of “crafting truth to power” at Yellow Springs Brewery, as the slogan goes. (Photo by Reilly Dixon)

Fall

YS Brewery opened a second taproom in the Clintonville neighborhood of Columbus. The taproom opened in a space formerly occupied by The Crest restaurant.

Winter

Following a month-long voting process, member-owners of YS Federal Credit Union voted to merge the longtime village institution with Bridge Credit Union.

MILESTONES

• Several organizations and businesses celebrated anniversaries of note this year:

10 years — Yellow Springs Brewery;

25 years — Dino’s Cappuccinos, YS Home, Inc.;

30 years — YS Dharma Center;

40 years — Current Cuisine;

160 years — First Baptist Church.

• Three local nonprofits received $100,000 grants this years: The YS Development Corporation, awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy, to complete a feasibility study on community solar; The Little Art Theatre, awarded by independent media server and streaming company Plex; and Tecumseh Land Trust, awarded by the American Farmland Trust, to help farmers and landowners in the area in transferring their land to a new generation of producers.

• Home, Inc. received a $1.5 million grant from the Ohio Housing Financing Agency — a grant that fully funded the first phase of the local affordable housing nonprofit’s upcoming 22-unit senior rental and 10-unit mixed-demographic townhome development, The Cascades, which is slated to be built on 1.8 acres along Marshall and Herman streets. The first phase is expected to break ground in 2024.

• The Senior Center made a move toward a new facility near the year’s end, purchasing a half-acre parcel of land at Livermore and East North College streets from Antioch College for $300,000. The Senior Center announced its intention to build and open a new facility on the land.

—Lauren “Chuck” Shows

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