Last summer, there was a bit of discussion regarding whether or not 3CDC had bought up the buildings that house Smitty’s, a.k.a. Smith’s Toggery Shoppe. According to this sign I spotted the other day, 3CDC seems to own at least the southern-most building, and the area is part of its Phase III.
Smitty’s was one of my initial neighborhood landmarks when I first moved to Cincinnati. I covet the chaotic typography, the haphazard placement of the numerous signs, the incongruous pink tile on the facade.
The banner above advertises “15,000 SF Eclectic Retail Space.” I’m not sure what could be more eclectic than Smitty’s varied offerings and services. So, I’m wondering what’s going on with Smitty’s. Is this store really on its last legs, soon to succumb to neighborhood gentrification?
That Smitty’s sign is awesome. I hope someone puts it up in their loft or something!
Umm, Becky? How did you know? Actually, we found the above sign in the trash outside Smitty’s a year or so ago.
My sources tell me Smitty’s is not going anywhere. It would be up to the Owners at Smitty’s as they own their buildings. I think this neighborhood fixture is here to stay.
I hope you’re right, Mike. I do love me some “styles of the future.” But, if Smitty’s owns all its buildings, why is the 3CDC banner on its southern-most facade?
They never owned that southernmost building. That was Roth furniture for a long time and when it closed, Smitty’s just slightly expanded their signage to adjacent buildings I think.
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Wow, your SHOES sign is outrageous! I love it!
Thanks, it was a serendipitous find!
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The building with the 3cDc sign (1st on the page) was at one point, owned by my grandfather. He owns the four buildings that were all involved in the fire, and strictly those 4.
But anyways, Mike D… Can I ask exactly who your sources are? Because my grandfather has not disclosed any plans to anyone except for his family and 4 outside members. The details of my grandfathers plans have not been revealed to the general public.
Rhiannon, this post and comments are over a year old, so they don’t have anything to do with your grandfather’s current plans. At the time, there was some speculation about whether there would be incentives or pressure for the store to close or move.