Local Female Entrepreneur Brings Clothing Line to OTR

Urban Luxe Celebrates Grand Opening in 3CDC’s Willkommen Development

CINCINNATI (June 18, 2024) – Four years after rolling out her online boutique clothing and accessory business, owner Sophia Blasi celebrated the grand opening of Urban Luxe in its first brick-and-mortar location at 1515 Vine Street in Over-the-Rhine (OTR). The 660-square-foot space, which being leased from Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC), will be home to the retailer as a six-month pop up – and potentially for the long term.

A 2023 Miami University graduate, Blasi studied fashion entrepreneurship during her undergraduate career. During the pandemic, she began selling clothes out of her apartment, ultimately realizing she could take the concept further.

“I grew Urban Luxe via social media – mainly by posting on Instagram,” Blasi said. “I was consistent in posting, started gaining more and more followers and compiled a good list of contacts over time. Eventually, the business outgrew my apartment, and I started selling out of a warehouse in Hamilton.”

Having lived in the area, Blasi has spent a good deal of time visiting OTR over the last several years and has witnessed the growth in the neighborhood firsthand. She felt like Urban Luxe aligned perfectly with the customer base in the area and dreamt of having her own spot on Vine Street. Although the store remains heavily online-based, she wanted to have something special in Cincinnati where customers could come in and see her products in person. Blasi’s new space is bright and airy, decorated with both neutrals and pops of color.

“Urban Luxe is an excellent addition to this section of Vine Street where there are a variety of shops for customers to visit within walking distance of one another,” said Lindzie Gunnels, Commercial Leasing Manager with 3CDC. “We’re thrilled to have the store here into the fall months and are hopeful the business flourishes and grows into a long-term tenant.”

Urban Luxe features ‘uptown meets downtown’ styles for young professionals ranging from luxury items to casual streetwear options sourced from a number of vendors out of Los Angeles and New York City. The store is open Tuesday through Thursday from 12 – 5 PM, Friday 12-6 PM, Saturday 11 AM to 6 PM, Sunday 11 AM to 3 PM and is closed on Monday.

Blasi’s space is part of 3CDC’s Willkommen project. A collaboration with Model Group, the $51 million mixed-use, scattered-site development yielded 163 apartments (88 affordable to those making 60-80% of the Area Median Income) and 19,500 square feet of commercial space.

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