Hamilton's new ventures are local shops, big builds

Hamilton continues to see a broad wave of commercial, residential, hospitality and industrial development.

That trend is supported by a steady pipeline of projects at various stages, from financing to pre‐construction to active building, while the city’s small‐business sector continues to expand with new retail, dining and service openings.

“Businesses are investing in Hamilton because they see momentum, opportunity and a community that believes in where it’s headed,” said Aaron Hufford, executive director of development.

“We’re seeing that confidence reflected in projects large and small across the city, and we expect that trend to continue.”

Recently completed projects

■ Early Berds Café & Coffee debuted at 202 N. Third St. in March on the edge of Hamilton’s German Village.

■ Buffalo Wild Wings GO started serving customers at 1426 Main St. in March

■ The Gilded Fox Boutique opened in April at 408 Main St., offering clothing for tweens through adults along with athleisure brands and specialty items. The shop also sells locally made jams, jellies and honey.

■ Savvy Style Consignment, a new business offering women’s apparel, shoes, jewelry, accessories and home decor, also opened in April at 408 Main St. Sellers earn 40% of each item sold.

■ Wyno & Mami’s, offering authentic Mexican food, opened at 528 East Ave. in April.

■ 7 Brew Coffee opened its location at 1412 Main St. in May. The menu features more than 20,000 drink combinations, including coffee, tea, lattes, lemonades, fizz beverages, smoothies and shakes. It also offers its own branded energy drinks.

■ Reading-based Blend Artistry opened Salon Blend at 316 Main St. in Rossville Flats in May.

■ Hamilton Gem Mining opened in May outside of The Studio at 547 Main St.

■ COhatch opened in May at 219 High St. following an $8 million investment. The site includes an event center and the Eyrie Lounge.

■ Indigo Hippo Hamilton, a new creative reuse art center, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in May to celebrate its opening inside contemporary community arts and fulfillment center Tide Pool, at 1224 Shuler Ave. in the former Station 7 firehouse.

■ Anchor & Rose Tavern opened at 2601 Pleasant Ave. on Friday, June 12.

Projects in development

■ QuikTrip is nearing the end of construction at the corner of High Street and Ohio 4 and should be opening by later summer, according to city officials.

■ Chilli’s Wings & Fish said it plans to open a new location this summer at 3015 Dixie Highway in a space formerly occupied by Richard’s Pizza and Arby’s. The business, which has a Dayton location, serves a variety of chicken and seafood dishes, including multiple styles of wings, chicken dinners, tenders, gizzards and livers.

■ Savor & Sip, a new wine-forward restaurant and cocktail bar at 218 High St. in downtown Hamilton, is opening in August.

■ Italian-European restaurant Casa Nonna Piccola is expected to open this year at 241 North 3rd St.

■A new location of Garcia’s Market is under construction on the southeast corner of Hanover Street and East Avenue.

■ Salon Suites is preparing to open a new location at 1499 Main St., according to the city.

Projects in planning stages

■ The Mueller Hotel project at the city’s former city hall at 20 High St. is working to finalize construction financing, according to city officials. Led by Spectrum Investment Group and Acumen Development Partners, the project is scheduled to start this year and finish by late 2027, with plans now calling for 150 rooms. The redevelopment of the historic Mueller Building will also feature multiple dining and beverage venues, including a rooftop event space, a main restaurant, a lobby bar, and an expanded Municipal Brew Works taproom.

■ The dual-branded Hilton project at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and North High Street is progressing through the final steps of site remediation, city officials said.

■ The developer seeking to transform the former Shuler & Benninghofen Woolen Mill into a 125-unit apartment complex with 7,000 square feet of commercial space is expected to close on the property this summer, with construction anticipated to begin later this year, representing an additional $28 million investment in Hamilton, officials said.

■ A 123,000‐square‐foot $35 million Kroger Marketplace is set to break ground Thursday, June 18, at 182 N. Brookwood Ave. The massive new grocery store will feature a 14-pump fuel center, employ 325 workers and replace the current Main Street store less than half a mile away. Construction is expected to take about 12 months.

■ Salvagnini America has secured state incentives to support a $9 million expansion project that will retain 118 existing jobs, including 50 positions throughout the country, while adding 28 new jobs and approximately $2.6 million in local payroll. Construction on the expansion is expected to begin later this year, city officials said.

■ Darana Hybrid continues to work on their plans for a $20 million expansion that will create 55 new jobs, officials said.

“Together, these projects reflect continued private-sector confidence in Hamilton and represent millions of dollars in investment, hundreds of jobs and new opportunities for residents and visitors alike,” said Mallory Greenham, Hamilton’s director of economic development. “From major redevelopment initiatives and manufacturing expansions to locally owned small businesses, development activity remains strong across multiple sectors of the community.”