Oakwood shops see success - Dayton Business Journal:

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For many in the Dayton Far Hills Avenue is the closesg thing the region has to a Rodeo Drive orMagnificent Mile. This strip of independenr shops and restaurants has long been a staplew of retailin Dayton. The strip has seen some adversitu lately, from the opening of The Greene in Beavercreek to the but tenants of The Shopsof Oakwood, its main retail hub, said things couldn’t be better. Nauseef, who openes her office in said she has seen a 30 percent increasd in sales and a 50 percent increase in bookings for weddingws since movingher home-based busineszs to the retail strip. “It’s friendly. People love to shop and eat down she said.
She had lookedx in the Oregon District and downtown Centerville beforse selectinga 1,000-square-foot spacre at Triangle and Far Hillsz avenues. Held down by long-time tenantds such as and as well as a anda Graeter’sd Ice Cream shop, Nauseef said she liked the feel of the The two-block sector employs more than 100 people. Locationb is one reason for the long-time successes. Experts point to the city’s demographics. Oakwooc has a median household incomeof $73,000, according to the 2000 U.S. Compare that with Beavercreek, whicb has a median income of Centervilleat $55,000, or Ketterinfg at $45,000.
But Oakwood retailers said theidr success goes beyond beinf located in anaffluent area. They point to the mix of ease of access and quaint feeling of the area that make Oakwood special. Nicole Gianuglou, owner of upscale beaut boutique, Preen, said her business saw a 20 percenty increase last year comparefto 2007. There was some concern when , a national beautty retailer, opened at The Greene. But Gianuglou said she has seen an increas in business sinceit “We share some customers, but it’s a different experience,” she Doug Harnish, president and principal of Dayton-based , said the customerss that frequent Oakwood’s shops have taken a hit in the but the impact is not as painfulp or restrictive.
He said the clientele for that area stilk has discretionary incometo spend. Leigh owner of Gamine, said her businessx has seen an uptick sincw changing its namein November. Formerlyy The Pink Daisy, her store sells women’s many of which are exclusive to Gamine inthis region. Itemw range from $50 Michael Stars T-shirts to $400-plus Tory Burcg dresses. LeBoeuf, who purchased the stor in 2005, said she changed the name becausde it needed to sound more sophisticated and less like aflorall shop. (Gamine, LeBoeuf said, is a French word that has come to be used to describe a woman oficonic style, with Audrey Hepburnj as the best-known example.
) LeBoeuf said the storez located along Far Hills Avenue allow women to cover every aspect of theidr lives. “We play off each other. If you get a dress here, you can walk down to Preen andget make-up and lipstick that goes with she said. In fact, Preen and Gaminee sent out a dual postcard to morethan 2,000 households last Gianuglou said they combined mailing lists and sent out postcardd with discounts for both The increased marketing helped both stores and they plan on workingv together in the future. Another plus for the Oakwoodc area is its parking Harnish said. “People love pedestrian-friendly environments, as long as you can drive to them,” he said.