OTR Resident Brings Lash Experience to the Neighborhood

Licensed Esthetician Signs Lease for Space in 3CDC’s Newly Completed Keyer Row Development

CINCINNATI (April 25, 2022) – Licensed Esthetician and three-times Certified Lash Artist, Sydney Marie Huntley, will bring a whole new lash experience to Over-the-Rhine later this spring. The Lash Experience by Marie recently signed a lease to occupy a 570-square-foot location at 1243 Main – a street-level commercial space at Keyer Row, a recently completed mixed-use development from Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC).

After operating as an in-home business for several years, Huntley is finally putting down roots in OTR in hopes of bringing her unique beauty service to even more clients.

“I wanted to open my own space and be a brand that rings bells,” Huntley said. “My clientele is growing and I’m beginning to offer services outside of lash extensions and microblading. I have been in the beauty industry for five years and I belong downtown. I’ve always loved it here!”

Huntley first contacted 3CDC’s Commercial Leasing Team in June 2020. She let them know what she’d be looking for when the time was right and explained that she needed to finish school before making her next big move. A bond was formed between the 3CDC team and Huntley over the intervening 18 months. The two sides stayed in touch and when Huntley was ready to move forward, the 3CDC team already had a sense of which available space would be the best fit. During this timeframe, Huntley was also caring for her late mother who was battling Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

“My entire business revolved around my mother,” Huntley said. “Being an entrepreneur gave me the freedom to care for her and also put me in a better position financially. After she passed away in March of 2021, I had to take a mental break. One day, my dad came into my room and told me it was time to get up and start moving again – and that meant I needed to get up and keep moving forward, as hard as it was.”

Those simple words were enough to motivate Huntley to take her business to the next level. The Commercial Leasing Team at 3CDC reached out to her to see if she was ready to take the next step and, together, they were able to find the perfect space for her business. A resident of OTR, her heart had long been set on the neighborhood she called home – and she never looked elsewhere.

“I’ve lived in OTR since 2013 and have always loved living down here,” Huntley said. “I always imagined myself in a shop with people walking by and hopping on the streetcar and being able to walk to all my favorite restaurants and shops. I love the streetcar and I’m happy that my clients can use it to get to me.”

The Lash Experience by Marie provides services to anyone and everyone, regardless of whether they are new to lash extensions, have experience with them, or are simply looking to try something new. Huntley’s main services will include eyelash extensions and microblading, but she will offer other services like waxing, brow enhancements and beard facials, as well. In addition, she plans to sell some of her very own branded products. As a single mother, she understands the importance of self-care and prides herself on opening her schedule to accommodate her clients with difficult schedules.

“We’re excited to be reactivating this space on Main Street with Lash Experience, but what has really made this process special is working with an entrepreneur like Sydney Huntley, an OTR resident who has achieved a life-long goal with her new space,” Lindzie Gunnels, Senior Commercial Leasing Officer with 3CDC.

Huntley is planning a full day of activities to celebrate the grand opening of her space with details to follow as the time gets closer.

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