24 Sep – The Entrepreneurs Marketplace, previously located in the Wright-Dunbar County, gets an upgrade with a new name and location.
The District Market at 200 Wayne Avenue in Dayton is a new marketplace where small businesses can sell their groceries, learn and grow before they venture out on their own.
“It’s a place where small businesses that might not have followers and need support from the community come in, people get to taste their food, they learn about them and they pretty much build their name,” Tae said Winston, owner of the county market.
She told Dayton.com that she closed The Entrepreneurs Marketplace in May, just before Dayton’s new food hall, West Social Tap & Table, opened its doors in the Wright-Dunbar area. Winston explained that she couldn’t have food trucks in the district, so she decided to close down and relocate.
At the county market, six food vendors will serve food and then 10 others will display their food on the shelves, Winston said. She said she has also applied for a license allowing her to sell locally made wine in her shop.
Vendors featured at the market include Your Vegan Chef, Sisters Catering, Thai’s Kitchen, What the Slush, Z’s Lemonade and The Cheesecakery. Winston said customers can expect everything from pasta and egg rolls to cookies, ice cream, slushies, juice and more. She added that her son’s food truck, Chace Concessions, will also be on display at the store.
Over the course of Entrepreneurs Marketplace opening, Winston said there were several vendors who started there and ended up getting their own space or food truck. Winston said she wants to continue that momentum.
“I love entrepreneurs just because I know it’s hard,” Winston said. “Sometimes people just need to get in front of the right people.”
Winston has previously assisted other entrepreneurs with a similar concept on West Third Street. The Entrepreneurs Shoppe is home to a range of 30 small businesses with retail products such as clothing, soaps, skin care and more.
Vendors in both locations rotate every six months, giving other small businesses an opportunity to learn, connect and grow, Winston said.
She said seeing the success of the companies she has helped is what keeps her going.
“To see the vendors win. To see the community come out and support them and give hope to the vendors,” Winston said. “I want to give people hope.”
Winston said she also has plans to convert the warehouse behind the District Market into a commercial kitchen in January so her vendors can prepare their food on-site rather than trucking it in from another commercial kitchen.
“District Market is all about community,” Winston said. “When you support someone here, you support a dream.”
The District Market will be open daily from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. starting the first week of November, Winston said. To keep up to date with District Market, visit the market’s Facebook page.
