Part Two: Did You Know about all the new and old in Historic Downtown Loveland?

PART 2 of 3 (Read Part 1)

Loveland, Ohio – Our journey continues as we dive deeper into the history behind Loveland’s most beloved businesses with another segment of, DID YOU KNOW? 

Women all over the world have not only become true inspirations in the business world, but have also been named the most successful in their given businesses. Historic Downtown Loveland along with Plaid Room Records has given a home to those very women that are changing our world. DID YOU KNOW right above the new location of Plaid Room Records is a creative workspace and venue called Tupelo House? Tupelo House places a strong focus on the empowerment of women entrepreneurs, business owners and freelancers, encouraging them to continue to add to the growth of our local economy. Tupelo offers a private desk membership to women-identified individuals as well as a drop-in membership to any gender who needs an inspiring place to work, meet and create. DID YOU KNOW Tupleo House also offers a number of workshops and events open to the community? For example, on Friday’s Tupleo holds a Meet And Greet, where the community can come together over cocktails and sweet treats provided by Loveland Sweets, a Shibori workshop, where one can perform an ancient Japanese dyeing technique, and an essential oils workshop, where scent designers from Portland-based violet ferns teach how to extract and mix essential oils for any aromatherapy need. Tupleo throughout the week also holds several other workshops, yoga sessions, listening parties and private events upon request.

Though downtown Loveland is home to some of most unique vintage shops in Ohio, there is one in particular that has many out of town residents traveling to come check it out. The Loveland Hardware General Store has been around for countless years and is known very well for their locally made products. The General store carries everything from handmade compost crocks to Dr. Gary’s Best Breed Vegetarian pet food to Honey Sweetie Acres Goat Milk Soaps, Lotions, and Essential Oils to Don Popp’s Honey Farm Honey. DID YOU KNOW Loveland Hardware General Store offers guests a fresh cup of locally roasted coffee for only a dollar? The General Store pours cups of Carabello Coffee, a coffee bean from Nicaragua that gives a percentage of their profits to the Jardin Del Ninos Orphanage in Nicaragua, daily. In house, Loveland Hardware can not only grind the coffee beans fresh before they make your cup of coffee, they also have a coffee press as well as a pour over kettle

and dripper for those who prefer their coffee made through a different technique. DID YOU KNOW The Loveland Hardware Store offers several different bagged blends of Carabello Coffee beans for guests to take home with them? Thus far the store is known to carry The Loveland Hardware Blend, Addicting Liquid, Peru La Palma, Decaf Guatemala, Nati Red II, Burundi Gishubi Hill, Tres Fincas and Tandem Expresso. Loveland Hardware will take any guests coffee bean orders, have them locally roasted and shipped straight to the store.

Loveland has really taken off in the past couple years and the downtown community has definitely seen the benefits with the opening of some fantastic businesses. Cincy Shirts recently opened their doors in downtown Loveland this year over the summer. In addition to the Loveland location, Cincy Shirts has a location in OTR and Hyde Park. Of course Cincy Shirts offers premiere Cincinnati vintage t-shirts, but they are not your average t-shirt shop. DID YOU KNOW Cincy Shirts is one of the largest local supporters of local charities? Cincy Shirts has raised 75,000 dollars for Devon Still’s Still Strong Foundation, 10,000 dollars for The Cure Starts Now, 80,000 for The Cincinnati Zoo’s Team Fiona Fund and regularly contributes to The Dragonfly Foundation, The ChiveOneThree Foundation and The Salvation Army. Cincy Shirts recently created a line of Cincy Strong T-shirts in light of the tragic mass shooting that occurred on September 6^th. Proceeds from the t-shirt collection benefits the families affected by the incident, the Cincinnati Police Department and the first responders.     

The Little Miami Bike Trail is not only an obvious hot spot for bikers, but also home to one of the oldest cyclery companies in Cincinnati, Montgomery Cyclery. This family cyclery has been both family owned and operated since 1965 and as of present has 6 locations, including Loveland’s Downtown shop. So what’s the secret behind keeping Montgomery Cyclery’s doors open for so long? They do more than just sell bikes! DID YOU KNOW Montgomery Cyclery offers classes and tech clinics, weekly group rides and a demo program? The bike shop provides guests with access to free in house clinics that cover a variety of bike related topics, the most recent clinic being, The Fix a Flat Clinic. In addition to providing clinics, Montgomery Cyclery runs a group ride program in which the staff organizes a bike ride that anyone can join. The rides range in distance, difficulty and of course time of day. According to the cyclery website, rides are currently being held on Sunday mornings, beginning at 9 a.m., and Sunday afternoons, beginning at 1 p.m. Last but certainly not least Montgomery Cyclery provides guests opportunities to participate in their Demo Program. This program is for riders to experience mountain biking before making the investment. Riders can either rent a demo bike any day for 50 dollars or they can attend a Montgomery Cyclery Demo Event to test ride a demo for free. The next Demo Event is set to be on November 3^rd from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Devou Park.

Along the bike trail in Downtown Loveland there are several places where you can go to enjoy a nice glass of wine or a much needed cocktail, but if you venture up a couple blocks on West Loveland Ave you will run into Cappy’s Wine and Spirits. Cappy’s is a high quality liquor agency that specializes in spirits, craft, import and domestic beers and wine. DID YOU KNOW not only is Cappy’s first in line to get some of the highest quality new beers they host Thursday Pint Nights featuring a different brewery each week? In October Cappy’s featured New Holland Brewing Company’s Filthy Pumpkin and Platform Beer Company’s Fostered Bananas with a free custom Holtman’s Donut to pair with the new beer selections! If beer isn’t you thing DID YOU KNOW Cappy’s also hosts Wine Tasting Wednesday’s? Recently Cappy’s held a Wine and Mac Night where guests could taste 6 wines while enjoying Mac ‘n Cheese from The Beerded Pig Food Truck.

The Historic Loveland Business District has definitely grown over the past few years in population and in new businesses, but one thing is for sure, Loveland does not forget about the ones who were there from the beginning. DID YOU KNOW Tano’s Bistro Loveland has moved locations right into the heart of Downtown Loveland? Tano’s opened its new 3 story location featuring rooftop dining just a few weeks ago. Along with the new location Tano’s Loveland also launched a new dine in menu that includes Brunch and Dinner items, such as the Crab Omelet and the BoLT Salad, and a takeout menu that features Weekly Take Home Chef Specials, such as The Great Pumpkin and Matcha Cream Puffs. DID YOU KNOW Tano’s mission is to make wholesome food naturally and responsibly using primarily local purveyors? Tano only uses family farmers that grow rich vegetables using sustainable farming practice, select seafood according to the Seafood Watch standards, raise meat that has lived the best quality of life with no added growth hormones and provide clean, heirloom, stoneground chemical free grains. Some of Tano’s local purveyors are Loveland’s very own Blooms & Berries and Ohio Valley Food Connection located in Newport, Kentucky.

Stay tuned for part 3 and 3 of my tour of Historic Downtown Loveland, Ohio. (Read Part 1)