32 minute read
ARTS & CULTURE
ARTS & CULTURE ARTS & CULTURE
The Hub recycles many types of materials.
PHOTOS: PROVIDED BY THE HUB
Recycling Reimagined Recycling Reimagined e Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub aims to revolutionize how locals approach — and participate e Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub aims to revolutionize how locals approach — and participate in — waste reduction. in — waste reduction. BY MAIJA ZUMMO
BY MAIJA ZUMMO
Every American can most likely recite the “3Rs” of recycling: “Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.” It’s a ubiquitous slogan, accompanied by a now-universal logo — three arrows pointing at each other in a cyclical triangle, a ouroboros of waste reduction — and one that acts as a set of guiding principles for the environmentalism movement that grew out of the 1960s and ’70s (the Environmental Protection Agency was founded in 1970). e call to embrace all three, as well as to increase consumer education, is reaching a fever pitch as scientists around the world warn of the growing impacts of climate change and humanity’s role in it.
Locally, the Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub — colloquially known as “the Hub” — aims to help mitigate the e ects of climate change, with a mission to “revolutionize how people think about ‘things’ and to provide a place where almost anything can be recycled or reused,” according to their website.
“ ere are so many things tied to consumption that people need to have a better understanding of,” says the Hub’s managing director Colleen McSwiggin.
McSwiggin is a microbiologist and a former chemistry lab manager at Mount St. Joseph University. She was also a member of the sustainability committee at the school and headed up multiple recycling initiatives there and in the community. She founded the Hub last year with Carrie Harms, one of the originators of ZeroLand ll Cincinnati, a reuse center dedicated to design and architecture samples, which was absorbed into the new e ort. ere are now more than a dozen board members who help oversee the nonpro t. e idea for the Hub grew out of the obvious need for a permanent center McSwiggin saw during the community electronics recycling events she hosted, particularly one in Oak Hills.
“We had 764 cars through the line in two and a half hours. We lled ve semis, and I still had 150 people in line that I had to say, you know, we can’t take your stu ,” she says. “ at was where I had the idea of, we need a permanent place, where if we have too much stu coming in, we’ve got a place to put it until a truck can come back and get it.” e Hub opened its doors at 911 Evans St. in Price Hill on April 1 of last year.
Since then, McSwiggin says they have helped divert 133 tons of waste from land lls.
“We [diverted] 65 tons of electronics, seven semi loads of Styrofoam, three tons of batteries and light bulbs, 17 tons of plastic that couldn’t go to Rumpke recycling,” she says. “[We’ve had] 16 tons of things that have been taken for reuse. at includes plants, pots, some Styrofoam…and that includes shoes. e ZeroLand ll is a separate total. And I know that we had over 18 tons of just that — the tile and fabric samples and all that kind of stu — go out. So it’s been a lot.”
When the Hub says they can reuse or recycle almost anything, they mean it. But McSwiggin says residents should always start by recycling anything they can with Rumpke, which provides most curbside services in the area. en they can look to the Hub, which accepts everything from plastics, packaging materials and Styrofoam to items you never thought could be recycled, including corks, contact lens packaging, glue sticks, empty toothpaste tubes, Brita water lters, scissors, dried-up markers, shing line, used Swi er pads and even
Every American can most likely recite the “3Rs” of recycling: “Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.” It’s silica packets — those little white desiccant envelopes that come in various a ubiquitous slogan, accompanied by packaging with the warning “do not eat.”a now-universal logo — three arrows “ at was a weird one that I didn’t pointing at each other in a cyclical know about,” McSwiggin says. “We were triangle, a ouroboros of waste reduction literally open for a week and one of our — and one that acts as a set of guiding volunteers had come in and said, hey, principles for the environmentalism can you start collecting these for me? movement that grew out of the 1960s And we’re like, OK, what’s that for? He’s and ’70s (the Environmental Protection a caver — a spelunker — and they have, Agency was founded in 1970). e call to like, little stashes throughout cave sysembrace all three, as well as to increase tems of emergency food… ey’ll take consumer education, is reaching a fever a handful of silica packets, throw it in pitch as scientists around the world with this emergency stash and have little warn of the growing impacts of climate emergency backups if the water rises change and humanity’s role in it. and they can’t get out or somebody gets
Locally, the Cincinnati Recycling & hurt and they can’t get out.”Reuse Hub — colloquially known as “the Many things can be recycled for free, Hub” — aims to help mitigate the e ects but some items, including electronof climate change, with a mission to ics, e-media (DVD CDs, VHS, cassette “revolutionize how people think about tapes), light bulbs, tires, batteries, cell ‘things’ and to provide a place where phones, smoke detectors and bike almost anything can be recycled or helmets cost a fee to recycle because reused,” according to their website. they have to be sent to speci c facilities.
“ ere are so many things tied to e recycling fee for each item is based consumption that people need to have a on what the Hub’s partners charge. Curbetter understanding of,” says the Hub’s rently, smaller items like batteries cost managing director Colleen McSwiggin. about $2 per pound to recycle, while
McSwiggin is a microbiologist and larger electronics like TVs cost up to $35. Items can be dropped o for reuse
a former chemistry lab manager at Mount St. Joseph University. She was also a member of the sustainability committee at the school and headed up multiple recycling initiatives there and in the community. She founded the Hub last year with Carrie Harms, one of the originators of ZeroLand ll Cincinnati, a reuse center dedicated to design and architecture samples, which was absorbed into the new e ort. ere are now more than a dozen board members who help oversee the nonpro t. e idea for the Hub grew out of the obvious need for a permanent center McSwiggin saw during the community electronics recycling events she hosted, particularly one in Oak Hills.
“We had 764 cars through the line in two and a half hours. We lled ve semis, and I still had 150 people in line that I had to say, you know, we can’t take your stu ,” she says. “ at was where I had the idea of, we need a permanent place, where if we have too much stu coming in, we’ve got a place to put it until a truck can come back and get it.” e Hub opened its doors at 911 Evans St. in Price Hill on April 1 of last year.
Since then, McSwiggin says they have helped divert 133 tons of waste from land lls.
“We [diverted] 65 tons of electronics, seven semi loads of Styrofoam, three tons of batteries and light bulbs, 17 tons of plastic that couldn’t go to Rumpke recycling,” she says. “[We’ve had] 16 tons of things that have been taken for reuse. at includes plants, pots, some Styrofoam…and that includes shoes. e ZeroLand ll is a separate total. And I know that we had over 18 tons of just that — the tile and fabric samples and all that kind of stu — go out. So it’s been a lot.”
When the Hub says they can reuse or recycle almost anything, they mean it. But McSwiggin says residents should always start by recycling anything they can with Rumpke, which provides most curbside services in the area. en they can look to the Hub, which accepts everything from plastics, packaging materials and Styrofoam to items you never thought could be recycled, including corks, contact lens packaging, glue sticks, empty toothpaste tubes, Brita water lters, scissors, dried-up markers, shing line, used Swi er pads and even silica packets — those little white desiccant envelopes that come in various packaging with the warning “do not eat.”
“ at was a weird one that I didn’t know about,” McSwiggin says. “We were literally open for a week and one of our volunteers had come in and said, hey, can you start collecting these for me? And we’re like, OK, what’s that for? He’s a caver — a spelunker — and they have, like, little stashes throughout cave systems of emergency food… ey’ll take a handful of silica packets, throw it in with this emergency stash and have little emergency backups if the water rises and they can’t get out or somebody gets hurt and they can’t get out.”
Many things can be recycled for free, but some items, including electronics, e-media (DVD CDs, VHS, cassette tapes), light bulbs, tires, batteries, cell phones, smoke detectors and bike helmets cost a fee to recycle because they have to be sent to speci c facilities. e recycling fee for each item is based on what the Hub’s partners charge. Currently, smaller items like batteries cost about $2 per pound to recycle, while larger electronics like TVs cost up to $35.
Items can be dropped o for reuse
or recycling when the Hub is open. Patrons enter through the downstairs “mini Hub” and can sort their items into labeled bins.
“Our mantra is ‘everything has to be clean and dry,’” McSwiggin says. e Hub then sends items out to various partners. McSwiggin — who also dons the moniker “recycler in chief” — is somewhat of a waste whisperer when it comes to nding homes for hard-torecycle items. For example, school supplies go to Crayons to Computers, shoes go to Soles4Souls, denim goes to Blue Jeans Go Green, functional eyeglasses go to the Lions Club and those that don’t work go to Luxottica and LensCrafters to be shredded and turned into new glasses. e Hub also works with TerraCycle and two outlets in Indiana, one that takes plastics and Styrofoam that can’t be recycled through Rumpke and one that takes packaging like bubble wrap and air pillows. e domestic recycling options are new and fast-growing, McSwiggin says. Previously, much of America’s waste and recycling would have been shipped overseas, until “China nally closed the doors in 2018 and kind of said, we’re not taking the world’s trash anymore,” she says. “ at was when technology really started ramping up here in the United States.”
All of that adds up to the forward momentum the Hub is pushing for, especially, as McSwiggin says, “we’re running down that clock on climate change.”
“One of the biggest issues — and we try not to get into it too much, unfortunately, because it is a political matter at this point, or at least some people make it out to be — [is] we are really all concerned that climate change is going to a ect the earth and not for the better. e United Nations [climate change report] basically said 2030 is the makeor-break point. And by make-or-break point, we don’t mean that there’s going to be an apocalypse in 2030; we mean that the systems of the earth will be broken,” she says.
“We are trying to do everything that we can to reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, and it needs to be done in numerous di erent ways. e way that we’re taking care of is by making sure that we don’t have to get new materials to make new things and to make people realize that what they have, when they throw something away, it doesn’t go away – it’s got to go somewhere. ere needs to be something done with it so it’s not sitting in a land ll. If we can recycle that, the chances are that the resources going into recycling that are much less than what was needed to create a new item in the rst place. But we’re really kind of a stopgap solution.”
McSwiggin says the idea is to get people aware of all the resources that go into getting products to them, mentioning how even just recycling cell phones could cut down on the need for coltan mining (a mineral used in smartphones) in the Democratic Republic of Congo, decreasing the loss of gorilla habitat and the exploitation of workers.
“We want people to consider what they’re buying,” she says. “And what went into that to get it to them. Was it something that had to be made halfway across the world before it was shipped to them? Is it something that they really need? Or is it something that they just want?” e Hub received a $25,000 grant earlier this year from State Farm to help them expand their mission — and reach — beyond the Price Hill center. e monies will go toward building partnerships with local schools and businesses across the area to create new recycling collection points.
“We want to have collection sites at literally every school, restaurants [and] businesses to collect the things that are in their waste stream, that could be recycled, that don’t have to go to the land ll,” McSwiggin says. “And then we would pick it up.” e Hub already has collection agreements with schools including Seven Hills, Forest Hills and Wyoming High School, as well as senior living communities including Ohio Living Llanfair and Maple Knoll Village, and a marine storage business. ere’s even a condo association in College Hill that wrote a grant to create their own Hub collection site.
And that’s an e ort McSwiggin sees playing out across communities.
“So many people see the world is so disposable and I think the Hub is a perfect example of if people know that there are ways to do this, they will come — it’s kind of like Field of Dreams,” McSwiggin says. “I cannot tell you how many people have walked through and when they see oh, my gosh, you can take such-andsuch, and, oh my gosh, you can take that. Yes, and that’s why we’re here, because we want people to realize that it doesn’t just have to go to the land ll.” e Hub is hosting a fundraiser called HUB-toberfest 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 18. It will be held at the warehouse and will include tours, food trucks, beer, a DJ, a silent auction and crafts. e suggested donation amount is $5. e event is part of the Hub’s fund drive, which runs through Oct. 22.
e Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub is located at 911 Evans St., Price Hill. Info: cincinnatirecyclingandreusehub.org.
CULTURE CULTURE Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati’s New Season Opens With Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati’s New Season Opens With Thought-Provoking Drama
Thought-Provoking Drama BY RICK PENDER
BY RICK PENDER
An overprotective king struggles to keep his ve daughters away from temptation in The Dancing Princesses.
PHOTO:RYAN KURTZ An overprotective king struggles to keep his ve daughters away from temptation in The Dancing Princesses.
“It’s time we get back to thriving,” according to D. Lynn Meyers, producing artistic director at Ensemble eatre Cincinnati (ETC). “ e 20222023 season is about thriving after we have spent so long trying to survive. So much has changed for all of us over the past two years that I feel we need these shows to demonstrate our ability and tenacity to move forward. Each of these plays brings to life essential stories for this essential time.”
ETC’s 37th season features a Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, a Tony-nominated comedy, a witty and honest story of connection, and the world premiere dramedy of a reimagined classic. For the holidays, the Over-the-Rhine theater brings back one of its popular fairytale holiday musicals.
ETC’s season opens with the 2017 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Sweat (Sept. 17-Oct. 9), by Lynn Nottage. It’s a socially conscious drama set in a working-class bar where factory layo s and picket lines are tearing apart friends and colleagues who’ve worked together for years. e show was commissioned by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2017, had a successful run at New York’s Public eater and then transferred to Broadway. is production is the play’s regional premiere, continuing ETC’s long tradition of debuting important theatrical works. Previously, ETC staged Nottage’s 2003 drama, Intimate Apparel, in 2005. at work was converted into an opera workshopped by Cincinnati Opera and recently staged at New York City’s Lincoln Center.
Nottage researched the play by spending more than two years in Reading, Pennsylvania, talking to workers and others a ected by economic and employment anxieties. Her script portrays blue-collar men and women who have been drinking, celebrating and working together for generations in a manufacturing facility, as well as hanging out in a local bar. eir friendships erode as their union can’t protect them, and they begin to mistrust one another. eir sometimes tragic stories are told with both wit and deep feeling as they turn against one another. e Public eater’s production of Sweat toured to 18 communities in the Upper Midwest in the fall of 2018, locales where the 2016 presidential election was closely contested. (Donald Trump won 14 of the longtime blue-collar strongholds). In a news release promoting the tour, which included a stop in Ravenna, Ohio — where nearby employers General Electric and Goodyear relocated manufacturing operations to Mexico in the early 2000s — Nottage said, “We saw a real need out there for dialogue. People
PHOTO:RYAN KURTZ“ It’s time we get back to thriving,” according to D. Lynn Meyers, producing artistic director at Ensemble eatre Cincinnati (ETC). “ e 20222023 season is about thriving after we have spent so long trying to survive. So much has changed for all of us over the past two years that I feel we need these shows to demonstrate our ability and tenacity to move forward. Each of these are su ering in isolation, and there’s a lot of frustration. In theater we can build community very quickly and provide an outlet for people to release their emotions.” at was the motive for taking the show to a ected communities, and it’s surely Meyers’s rationale for producing the show as ETC’s season opener. plays brings to life essential stories for this essential time.”
ETC’s 37th season features a Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, a Tony-nominated comedy, a witty and honest story of connection, and the world premiere dramedy of a reimagined classic. For the holidays, the Over-the-Rhine theater brings back one of its popular fairytale holiday musicals.
ETC’s season opens with the 2017 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Sweat (Sept. 17-Oct. 9), by Lynn Nottage. It’s a socially conscious drama set in a working-class bar where factory layo s and picket lines are tearing apart friends and colleagues who’ve worked together for years. e show was commissioned by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2017, had a successful run at New York’s Public eater and then transferred to Broadway. is production is the play’s regional premiere, continuing ETC’s long tradition of debuting important theatrical works. Previously, ETC staged Nottage’s 2003 drama, Intimate Apparel, in 2005. at work was converted into an opera workshopped by Cincinnati Opera and recently staged at New York City’s Lincoln Center. Nottage researched the play by spending more than two years in Reading, Pennsylvania, talking to workers and others a ected by economic and employment anxieties. Her script portrays blue-collar men and women who have been drinking, celebrating and working together for generations in a manufacturing facility, as well as hanging out in a local bar. eir friendships erode as their union can’t protect them, and they begin to mistrust one another. eir sometimes tragic stories are told with both wit and deep feeling as they turn against one another. e Public eater’s production of Sweat toured to 18 communities in the Upper Midwest in the fall of 2018, locales where the 2016 presidential election was closely contested. (Donald Trump won 14 of the longtime blue-collar strongholds). In a news release promoting the tour, which included a stop in Ravenna, Ohio — where nearby employers General Electric and Goodyear relocated manufacturing operations to Mexico in the early 2000s — Nottage said, “We saw a real need out there for dialogue. People are su ering in isolation, and there’s a lot of frustration. In theater we can build community very quickly and provide an outlet for people to release their emotions.” at was the motive for taking the show to a ected communities, and it’s surely Meyers’s rationale for producing the show as ETC’s season opener.
e balance of ETC’s season:
e balance of ETC’s season: The Dancing Princesses The Dancing Princesses (Nov. 30-Dec. 30)
(Nov. 30-Dec. 30) A reprise of ETC’s 2017 holiday musical by playwright Joseph McDonough and A reprise of ETC’s 2017 holiday musical composer David Kisor. It’s a whimsical by playwright Joseph McDonough and adaptation of the story about a kingdom composer David Kisor. It’s a whimsical where an overprotective king struggles adaptation of the story about a kingdom to keep his ve daughters away from where an overprotective king struggles worldly temptations. Despite his e orts, to keep his ve daughters away from the princesses’ shoes are worn to tatters worldly temptations. Despite his e orts, each morning. the princesses’ shoes are worn to tatters each morning. Grand Horizons Grand Horizons (Jan. 14-Feb. 5, 2023) e regional premiere of Bess Wohl’s (Jan. 14-Feb. 5, 2023) comedy about a couple who decide e regional premiere of Bess Wohl’s to divorce after 50 years of marriage. comedy about a couple who decide ey’re ready to move ahead, but their to divorce after 50 years of marriage. adult sons don’t take it well ey’re ready to move ahead, but their adult sons don’t take it well Morning Sun Morning Sun (Feb. 25-March 19, 2023) e regional premiere of a new script (Feb. 25-March 19, 2023) by Simon Stephens, recent Tony Award e regional premiere of a new script winner for e Curious Incident of the by Simon Stephens, recent Tony Award Dog in the Night-Time. is is the rst winner for e Curious Incident of the production of the show after its New Dog in the Night-Time. is is the rst York debut in 2021. Set in Greenwich production of the show after its New York debut in 2021. Set in Greenwich Village at the White Horse Tavern a generation or so ago, it’s a half-century Village at the White Horse Tavern a overview of one woman’s life, revealed generation or so ago, it’s a half-century with complexity, mystery and possibility. overview of one woman’s life, revealed with complexity, mystery and possibility. Who All Over There? Who All Over There? (April 8-30, 2023) By local actress and director Torie Wig(April 8-30, 2023) gins is a newly commissioned script By local actress and director Torie Wig-getting its world premiere by ETC. It’s gins is a newly commissioned script an updated remix of the acclaimed 1967 getting its world premiere by ETC. It’s lm Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner that an updated remix of the acclaimed 1967 explores the dynamics of a potential lm Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner that interracial relationship between Dean, explores the dynamics of a potential a young professional and Danya, an interracial relationship between Dean, aspiring singer. It asks and answers the a young professional and Danya, an question as to whether love can be truly aspiring singer. It asks and answers the colorblind. question as to whether love can be truly colorblind. Maytag Virgin Maytag Virgin (May 27-June 18, 2023) Audrey Cefaly’s Maytag Virgin nishes (May 27-June 18, 2023) ETC’s 2022-2023 season with one more Audrey Cefaly’s Maytag Virgin nishes regional premiere. (Her play e Last ETC’s 2022-2023 season with one more Wide Open was produced by the Cinregional premiere. (Her play e Last cinnati Playhouse in the Park in early Wide Open was produced by the Cin2019). It’s a classic southern love story cinnati Playhouse in the Park in early about what happens when un appable 2019). It’s a classic southern love story Jack moves in next door to Lizzy, who’s about what happens when un appable endearingly neurotic. Neighborly nagJack moves in next door to Lizzy, who’s ging causes sparks to y between the endearingly neurotic. Neighborly nag-two high school teachers as they ask ging causes sparks to y between the themselves if they’re ready to live and two high school teachers as they ask love again. themselves if they’re ready to live and love again.
Ensemble eatre Cincinnati’s 2022-23 season opens with Sweat, Sept. 17-
Ensemble eatre Cincinnati’s 2022-23 Oct. 9. 1127 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine. season opens with Sweat, Sept. 17Info: ensemblecincinnati.org.
Oct. 9. 1127 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine. Info: ensemblecincinnati.org.
BY KATIE GRIFFITH
The current creative forces behind From the Sidewalk are (from left) owner Nick Nguyen and collaborators Mike Giddens and Nigel Agboh.
PHOTO: KATIE GRIFFITH The current creative forces behind From the Sidewalk are (from left) owner Nick Nguyen and collaborators Mike Giddens and Nigel Agboh.
PHOTO: KATIE GRIFFITH
It’s nearly 10 a.m. inside one of Over-the-Rhine’s newest shops – a sneaker resale and clothing store, creative hub and popup space called From the Sidewalk. Owner Nick Nguyen sits with his collaborators Nigel Agboh and Mike Giddens under a neon sign that throws a cool green glow over the corner of the room. A rack of vintage clothes in the opposite corner catches some of the light, while rows and rows of rare shoes line the walls.
It’s an exciting time of day for a sneakerhead — aka a collector or brand and style historian dedicated to the hype and the hustle. e Nike SNKRS app is about to drop its latest must-have shoe, with thousands vying to win one of a handful of spots in the lottery-style drawing.
And, yes, the From the Sidewalk crew is among them.
“At 10 o’clock a few mornings a week, basically you get on the app and wait and pray you win the shoe,” Giddens says. “ ere’s 100,000 people on this app right now doing the same thing we are, putting in their money like, ‘Here’s my money, take it, I want this shoe.’ And then in about six, seven minutes, we are more than likely all going to get a noti cation that says, ‘Sorry, you didn’t get it.’”
Agboh thumbs his phone to refresh the page, noting that these designs typically have a high resale value. Today’s prize is the Nike SB Dunk “Phillies,” a light blue shoe with a burgundy swoosh, colors reminiscent of Philadelphia’s Major League Baseball uniforms in the ’80s.
Suddenly, each man receives a winning message.
“Got ‘em. Got ‘em!” Giddens says.
He holds his phone aloft, beaming as he displays the noti cation.
“ is, everybody screenshots this and posts it on their Instagram story, exin’, showin’ o that they got the shoe that came out today,” Giddens says. is is sneaker culture at its most dedicated. e subculture once driven by hip-hop, basketball and street style is now devoured by the masses, and individuals like Nguyen, Agboh and Giddens have become tastemakers.
Nguyen, a third-year nance student at the University of Cincinnati, grew up in Vietnam. His passion for sneakers dates back to the pairs he saved his allowance to buy as a teenager.
“I grew up a city kid, so there’s always some sort of gra ti, deejaying or breakdancing somewhere around the neighborhood,” he says. “I grew up playing basketball too. And sneakers just tie in with everything. You have to be fresh all the time, that’s a culture code. When you step out, you have to come correct.”
Nguyen has built quick-draw pop-up sales into his business model to help sustain that freshness. Before From the Sidewalk opened its storefront in July, the brand had been a successful online operation. Currently, Agboh and Giddens ll two pop-up slots, but the trio may consider a more permanent partnership if business remains good. Even with his new OTR shop, though, Nguyen says From the Sidewalk will continue to o er pop-up opportunities.
Nguyen regards Giddens a mentor in the shoe resale world. Giddens owns Heart and Sole, a popular local resale source that he rst operated from his home and then a storage unit as the business grew.
But someone broke into the unit, Giddens says, stealing $100,000 worth of merchandise and as many as 400 pairs of shoes.
“It really rocked my world,” Giddens says. “I had basically dumped all my savings into my business, so when I got hit it wasn’t just my livelihood, it was everything I had.” at’s when Giddens and Nguyen teamed up. Initially, Nguyen thought the reality of being a “pure sneakerhead” didn’t mesh with the resale world, but after being laid o during the COVID-19 pandemic, he was inspired to try something new.
After “ ipping” his rst pair of shoes, he saw the pro t margin and was sold on the business.
“What we sell are limited products, which are either sold out instantly after seconds on the drop day or something that people just can’t get their hands on,” Nguyen says. “So we buy the limited or sold-out products and we ip it for a pro t.”
Jet Black Vintage, the pop-up that Agboh hosts at From the Sidewalk, specializes in vintage clothing. What started as his personal collection now is his full-time business. He hosts pop-up markets weekly around Cincinnati and also o ers monthly custom subscription boxes.
It’s nearly 10 a.m. inside one of Over-the-Rhine’s newest shops – a sneaker resale and clothing store, “What’s unique about our space as opposed to most other sneaker resale creative hub and popup space called stores is you don’t necessarily invite From the Sidewalk. Owner Nick Nguyen the vintage community into this type of sits with his collaborators Nigel Agboh space,” Agboh says. “It’s typically what-and Mike Giddens under a neon sign ever is hype, right? Supreme, O -White, that throws a cool green glow over the those are the things that are driven corner of the room. A rack of vintage by the mainstream kind of fashion clothes in the opposite corner catches streetwear culture. But at its root, this is some of the light, while rows and rows where all that stu began, from vintage of rare shoes line the walls. designs. If you look at some things on
It’s an exciting time of day for a the vintage rack and compare it to some sneakerhead — aka a collector or brand of the hype stu , it’s almost carbon copy and style historian dedicated to the at a certain point.”hype and the hustle. e Nike SNKRS Business has been good in From the app is about to drop its latest must-have Sidewalk’s rst two months. Giddens shoe, with thousands vying to win one says customers often are eager to learn of a handful of spots in the lottery-style what shoes are coming in next. drawing. e trio looks forward to giving back
And, yes, the From the Sidewalk crew to the community and bringing in new is among them. collaborators. A recent back-to-school
“At 10 o’clock a few mornings a week, charity event gathered school sup-basically you get on the app and wait plies and shoe donations, and Agboh and pray you win the shoe,” Giddens donated 10% of his t-shirt series that says. “ ere’s 100,000 people on this features dogs to local animal shelter app right now doing the same thing we Cincinnati Animal CARE. are, putting in their money like, ‘Here’s “I think that individually, we all have my money, take it, I want this shoe.’ And a calling or a social responsibility to then in about six, seven minutes, we are give back to the community in which more than likely all going to get a noti we occupy,” Agboh says. “ is type of cation that says, ‘Sorry, you didn’t get it.’” business is so creative and we can pivot
Agboh thumbs his phone to refresh in so many di erent ways – especially as the page, noting that these designs typi- we look at the community in OTR, the cally have a high resale value. Today’s demographic that is coming to frequent prize is the Nike SB Dunk “Phillies,” our shop – and understand the needs of a light blue shoe with a burgundy our community.”swoosh, colors reminiscent of Philadelphia’s Major League Baseball uniforms in the ’80s. Suddenly, each man receives a winning message. “Got ‘em. Got ‘em!” Giddens says. He holds his phone aloft, beaming as he displays the noti cation. “ is, everybody screenshots this and posts it on their Instagram story, exin’, showin’ o that they got the shoe that came out today,” Giddens says. is is sneaker culture at its most dedicated. e subculture once driven by hip-hop, basketball and street style is now devoured by the masses, and individuals like Nguyen, Agboh and Giddens have become tastemakers. Nguyen, a third-year nance student at the University of Cincinnati, grew up in Vietnam. His passion for sneakers dates back to the pairs he saved his allowance to buy as a teenager. “I grew up a city kid, so there’s always some sort of gra ti, deejaying or breakdancing somewhere around the neighborhood,” he says. “I grew up playing basketball too. And sneakers just tie in with everything. You have to be fresh all the time, that’s a culture code. When you step out, you have to come correct.” Nguyen has built quick-draw pop-up sales into his business model to help sustain that freshness. Before From the Sidewalk opened its storefront in July, the brand had been a successful online operation. Currently, Agboh and Giddens ll two pop-up slots, but the trio may consider a more permanent partnership if business remains good. Even with his new OTR shop, though, Nguyen says From the Sidewalk will continue to o er pop-up opportunities. Nguyen regards Giddens a mentor in the shoe resale world. Giddens owns Heart and Sole, a popular local resale source that he rst operated from his home and then a storage unit as the business grew. But someone broke into the unit, Giddens says, stealing $100,000 worth of merchandise and as many as 400 pairs of shoes. “It really rocked my world,” Giddens says. “I had basically dumped all my savings into my business, so when I got hit it wasn’t just my livelihood, it was everything I had.” at’s when Giddens and Nguyen teamed up. Initially, Nguyen thought the reality of being a “pure sneakerhead” didn’t mesh with the resale world, but after being laid o during the COVID-19 pandemic, he was inspired to try something new. After “ ipping” his rst pair of shoes, he saw the pro t margin and was sold on the business. “What we sell are limited products, which are either sold out instantly after seconds on the drop day or something that people just can’t get their hands on,” Nguyen says. “So we buy the limited or sold-out products and we ip it for a pro t.” Jet Black Vintage, the pop-up that Agboh hosts at From the Sidewalk, specializes in vintage clothing. What started as his personal collection now is his full-time business. He hosts pop-up markets weekly around Cincinnati and also o ers monthly custom subscription boxes. “What’s unique about our space as opposed to most other sneaker resale stores is you don’t necessarily invite the vintage community into this type of space,” Agboh says. “It’s typically whatever is hype, right? Supreme, O -White, those are the things that are driven by the mainstream kind of fashion streetwear culture. But at its root, this is where all that stu began, from vintage designs. If you look at some things on the vintage rack and compare it to some of the hype stu , it’s almost carbon copy at a certain point.” Business has been good in From the Sidewalk’s rst two months. Giddens says customers often are eager to learn what shoes are coming in next. e trio looks forward to giving back to the community and bringing in new collaborators. A recent back-to-school charity event gathered school supplies and shoe donations, and Agboh donated 10% of his t-shirt series that features dogs to local animal shelter Cincinnati Animal CARE. “I think that individually, we all have a calling or a social responsibility to give back to the community in which we occupy,” Agboh says. “ is type of business is so creative and we can pivot in so many di erent ways – especially as we look at the community in OTR, the demographic that is coming to frequent our shop – and understand the needs of our community.”
From the Sidewalk, From the Sidewalk, 1212 Main St., Over-the-Rhine. 1212 Main St., Over-the-Rhine. Info: thesidewalkshop.com. Info: thesidewalkshop.com.
