Two new businesses are preparing to open their doors in downtown Dayton this fall.

· Kneaded Bodies Massage, 29 W. First St.: Kneaded Bodies Massage strives to offer superior wellness services through traditional massage as well as chair massage. In addition to massage, Kneaded Bodies will have affordable, natural skincare products available for purchase. Kneaded Bodies gives those who live and work downtown the ability to participate in their own wellness and therapeutic goals just minutes from their home or office. Kneaded Bodies Massage will host a grand opening event during November’s First Friday on November 6.
Baker Salvage Co., 31 S. St. Clair St. (St. Clair Lofts): Baker Salvage Co. is a custom furniture and décor company. Their home goods are made from reclaimed wood and salvaged materials. Stock items and commission custom-built pieces are available for purchase, including farmhouse tables, coffee and side tables, signs and wall décor, headboards, and even light fixtures made from reclaimed wood, glass, and metal. Baker Salvage Co. will open in early November.

The new shops are part of the ninth retail phase of the Pop-Up Project, part of an initiative to fill downtown storefronts called Activated Spaces. This program builds on the success of the first eight phases of the Pop-Up Project, launched in November 2011, to provide potential business owners the opportunity for shorter leases at below-market rates as a way for them to jump-start their businesses and contribute to the vibrancy of downtown Dayton. Since it was started, the project has launched 21 shops (16 of which are still open), filled approximately 16,000 square feet of previously vacant space and created 42 jobs. “We are so excited to open Baker Salvage Co. and Kneaded Bodies Massage in our fall 2015 round of pop-up shops,” said Pop-Up project leader, Elise Huelskamp. “We’re confident Activated Spaces will continue to highlight the available amenities and potential for business owners to thrive downtown alongside hundreds of other businesses.”

Pop-Up Shops from the previous phases of the project include:

Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St.;
Vintage Barber Shop, 110 W. Fifth St.;
Peace on Fifth, 234 Dutoit St.;
Pi Style, 37 S. St. Clair St.;
Green Baby, now located at the 2nd Street Market,
Spice Paradise and Hicks’ Barber Shop & Shave Parlor, both located at 16 Brown Street:
Confetti, 42 W. Fifth St;
Twist Cupcakery, 25 S. St. Clair St.;
Fronana, 27 W. First Street,
Mitosis, 14 W. First St.
In addition, Sew Dayton, 261 Wayne Ave., has expanded to a new location over twice the size of their original Pop-Up Shop location.

The Pop-Up Project is driven by volunteers from the young professional organizations Generation Dayton and UpDayton with support from the Downtown Dayton Partnership, the City of Dayton, the City of Dayton Neighborhood Mini-Grant program and community volunteers. Activated Spaces is part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan, a strategic blueprint for the future of downtown.

Visit www.activatedspaces.org or e-mail [email protected] for more information about Activated Spaces.