Fire Blocks developer: Grocery store coming to downtown Dayton

The developer of the Fire Blocks District says that a grocery store is going to open on East Third Street, which could please many people who for years have wanted a market to open downtown.

A yet-unidentified group has signed a letter of intent to occupy about 4,000 square feet of space at 119 E. Third St. to use as grocery store that will be like a bodega, said Eric VanZwieten, head of marketing with Windsor Companies, the Fire Blocks developer.

The store will have a grocery component, fresh foods, prepared meals, organic products, everyday staples and alcohol, VanZwieten said.

“It’ll have stuff that people living in the lofts here will want to grab instead of going all the way to a large grocery store,” he said.

There are grocery options downtown, including Stop-N-Save on East Third Street and the 2nd Street Market. But people have clamored for more grocery choices.

Windsor Companies is renovating two buildings to create new loft-style apartments.

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The store will occupy space in the Huffman Block building, which is four stories and takes up most of the northern portion of the 100 block of East Third Street.

The building has multiple storefronts that combined offer around 24,000 square feet of retail space.

The group behind the grocery store is local and is well-known, but this will be a new concept for downtown, he said.

The store will be convenient for residents and office workers in the district, as well as other downtown visitors, residents and employees, he said.

“This is going to be a place that people want to get their groceries — it’s going to be killer,” VanZwieten said.

Windsor is working to line up tenants for the commercial spaces in the district.

The founders of Gem City Social Sports hope to open a new entertainment destination next to the grocery store that has axe-throwing and other activities.

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