Dealership going to former Danberry Cinema location
Miami Twp. trustees last week approved rezoning for a $7 million car dealership to replace a closed and run-down movie theater.
The proposed automobile dealership at 8300 Lyons Ridge Drive — the former site of Danbarry Cinemas behind the Dayton Mall — garnered a flurry of letters from local business owners around the mall. A majority of those cited the boost in vehicular traffic the dealership would create, and said approval would be safer than waiting for something else to materialize, especially with the new reality of given COVID19 impacts.
Kenwood Dealer Group purchased the building that once was home to Danbarry Cinemas along with approximately eight acres for $2.1 million earlier this year. But KDG’s plans to spend a total of $7 million to open a 30,000-squarefoot Mazda dealership there hit a speed bump in September when the township’s zoning commission recommended that the trustees deny that request.
Zoning commission members said they did so because the site did not match the Dayton Mall Area Master Plan developed in 2015.
After a public hearing on the matter Tuesday, trustees John Morris and Terry Posey Jr. voted to approve a resolution that amends zoning for the site, essentially rejecting the Miami Twp. Zoning Commission’s recommendation that trustees deny that request.
Kroger offers new membership
Kroger is launching an annual membership program in Dayton that costs $59 or $99 a year and provides customers access to free delivery and benefits like 2X fuel points up to $1 off per gallon of fuel.
The Cincinnati-based grocer announced today Boost by Kroger Plus, an annual membership aimed at offering “an added level of convenience and value for customers, as part of its loyalty program.
The two-tiered plan expands on savings already available to customers through Kroger’s longtime free loyalty membership program. It adds money-saving fuel points for members while restoring time previously spent on shopping and grocery pickup, the company said.
All members receive 2X fuel points for every dollar spent on groceries and general merchandise and free delivery on orders $35 or more. The $59 per year membership enables delivery within 24 hours and the $99 per year membership will allow customers to receive their fresh grocery delivery in as little as 2 hours.
Kroger Boost is “an accelerant to the Kroger Family of Companies’ rapidly expanding seamless ecosystem,” which includes its new Kroger Delivery fulfillment centers, according to Bill Bennett, Kroger’s vice president and head of e-commerce.
Companies pledging 1,754 jobs for county funding
Local municipalities are asking for a combined $1.3 million on behalf of growing and moving businesses in Montgomery County ED/GE funds to create an estimated 1,754 new jobs.
In its new application for funds, the city of Dayton said the code-named “Project Bluejay” will lead to 100 new jobs attached to a corporate headquarters for a “growing high tech company,” which is unnamed in the application.
Dayton requests $250,000 in ED/GE funds for the $17 million project.
The total of eight applications mark the return of the Montgomery County Economic Development and Government Equity (ED/GE) program. There was some uncertainty about the program’s future in 2019, and then the pandemic in the spring of 2020 put the program on hold — until now.
Now, the county has $2.5 million available for the entire year, open to businesses launching expansions within the county.
Half of that amount will be available to companies applying by the program’s fall funding deadline, which was Monday. There are typically two funding deadlines for a pair of funding rounds, in November and April.
In Union, the city wants to widen and upgrade Dogleg and Old Springfield roads, and improve the intersection of Union Airpark Boulevard and Dogleg.
The idea is to support Amazon and other big distribution and logistics companies in the area, including at least one building being raised on spec without an end user immediately identified. In the $16 million project, Union seeks $500,000.
Union officials estimate that the improvements will lead to the creation of 1,500 jobs while protecting an existing 2,500 jobs, according to its application.
In Centerville, Ardent Technologies wants to renovate offices at 6234 Far Hills Ave., with 20 new jobs expected to be created and 50 retained. The project cost is put at $250,000, with $20,000 requested.
Kettering leaders have already approved an ED/GE application to help defense contractor Starwin Industries maintain its 42 jobs in the city and create 95 new jobs.
In Harrison Twp., Budde Sheet Metal wants to move from its facility on Wadsworth Road to 2608 Nordic Ave. For the $2.9 million project, the township requests just over $207,000. Five new jobs are expected, with 12 current jobs retained.
There are two Miami Twp. projects.
Textum OPCO LLC wants to upgrade electric service and make other improvements at their building at 2133 Lyons Road. In the $4.7 million project, $145,000 is requested, for 22 new jobs and three jobs retained.
HPC Fire Inspired/Certification Lab asks for $15,000 in a $133,000 project expected to create 12 new jobs and retain more than 50 existing jobs. The business wants to make improvements to its building at 2225 Lyons Road.
Spectrum hiring for customer service jobs
Spectrum announcedit is hiring 150 customer service billing representatives at its Kettering location.
Customer service representatives are responsible for resolving customer-billing issues. The position offers a starting wage of $18 to $18.75 an hour, with a $20 an hour base pay rate beginning in March 2022. The company also offers a sixweek paid training program, free and discounted Spectrum services and an extensive benefits package.
Applicants may complete an application and job assessment.
Spectrum is also making significant building updates to the Kettering office in 2022, the company said.
Spectrum is a suite of advanced communications services offered by Charter Communications, a leading broadband connectivity company and cable operator serving more than 30 million customers in 41 states. The company offers a full range of residential and business services including Spectrum Internet, TV, Mobile and Voice.
Troy restaurant to open second location
Just over a year after their first restaurant opened in Troy, the owners of redBERRY are working on a second restaurant just two doors down.
The breakfast, lunch and brunch spot that opened in July 2020 in the former Sherwood Shopping Centre in north Troy will have a sister restaurant nearby in the same shopping center. A name for the new restaurant has not been chosen.
A spokesperson for the new restaurant said the concept is still being developed and a concrete renovation and opening timeline has not been established. However, the team plans for the restaurant to open sometime in 2022.
Unlike the original redBERRY, the new restaurant will offer dinner service in addition to lunch. It will also have a menu focused on brick-oven pizzas and an extensive appetizers and shareables menu.
The new restaurant, redBERRY and the Sherwood of Troy shopping center are all under the same ownership.
Third Perk to open location in Beavercreek
Third Perk Coffeehouse & Wine Bar, primarily located in downtown Dayton at 146 E. 3rd St., has announced plans for a fourth shop in the Mall at Fairfield Commons.
Though an exact opening date has not been set, Third Perk founder and owner, Juanita Darden, said she expects the new location to be ready in the next 60 days. Third Perk will be situated in the mall food court between an Auntie Anne’s soft pretzel shop and a Chick-fil-A restaurant.
A first for the Third Perk name, fresh donuts, fried in-store, will be sold upon opening at the Fairfield Mall store. Darden expects fresh donuts to also be made and sold at the downtown location in spring 2022.
The new location will also include the specialty drink menu paying homage to several Dayton funk legends, $2 any brew Tuesdays and more.
The three existing Third Perk shops are downtown on 3rd, inside Gem City Market at 324 Salem Ave. and inside Dayton Mall at 2700 Miamisburg Centerville Rd.
In January of this year, Third Perk signed a lease with Fairfield Mall, and was originally supposed to enter the former Starbucks space inside the mall. However, plans changed over the course of the year, and Darden said she is happier with the new space.
Starbucks to open in Schuster Center
A new Starbucks cafe is heading to downtown Dayton inside the Schuster Center next year.
Dayton Live announced the popular coffee destination will be located in a part of the space formerly occupied by Citilites Restaurant & Bar in the Schuster’s Kettering Wintergarden. The location, 1,400 square feet, is about half the available space, according to organizers.
Permits are being filed with the county and city as required by law.
A release states Victoria Theatre Association d.b.a. Dayton Live will be granted a license to operate this new Starbucks location and anticipates the entire permitting and buildout process to be complete for a grand opening sometime in spring 2022.
Citilites closed at the beginning of 2020 before the pandemic primarily due to a “much-needed makeover” and to notably address lagging sales, according to Dayton Live.
Citilites was open for business lunch, Monday through Friday, and performance days for dinners only. Dayton Live expects Starbucks to have a regular seven days a week schedule and feature a full menu.
The Starbucks cafe is phase one of the project with a phase two lounge in the remaining space still being planned for the future, according to Dayton Live.