Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
“It is a place where small businesses that may not have a following and need support from the community, they come, people are allowed to try their food, they learn about them and they’re pretty much building their name,” said Tae Winston, owner of District Market.
She told Dayton.com that she closed The Entrepreneurs Marketplace in May, right before Dayton’s new food hall, West Social Tap & Table, opened their doors in the Wright-Dunbar District. Winston explained that she was unable to have food trucks in the district, so she decided to close and relocate.
District Market will feature six food vendors serving food and then 10 others that will feature their food on the shelves, Winston said. She said that she has also applied for a license to allow her to sell locally-made wine at her shop.
Vendors to be featured at the market will include Your Vegan Chef, Sisters Catering, Thai’s Kitchen, What the Slush, Z’s Lemonade and The Cheesecakery. Winston said customers can expect anything from pasta and eggrolls to cookies, ice cream, slushies, juice and much more. She added that her son’s food truck, Chace Concessions, will also be featured at the shop.
Over the course of The Entrepreneurs Marketplace being opened, Winston said there were several vendors that started there and ended up getting their own space or food truck. Winston said she wants to continue that momentum.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
“I have a love for entrepreneurs just because I know it’s hard,” Winston said. “Sometimes people just need to get in front of the right people.”
Winston has already been assisting other entrepreneurs in a similar concept on West Third Street. The Entrepreneurs Shoppe houses an array of 30 small businesses with retail products like clothing, soaps, skin care and more.
Vendors in both places are on a six-month rotation, so other small businesses have the opportunity to learn, network and grow, Winston said.
She said seeing the success of the businesses she has helped is what keeps her going.
“Seeing the vendors win. Seeing the community come out and support them and giving the vendors hope,” Winston said. “I’m all about giving people hope.”
Winston said she also has plans to turn the warehouse behind District Market into a commercial kitchen in January, so her vendors can prepare their food onsite rather than transporting it from another commercial kitchen.
“District Market is just about the community,” Winston said. “When you support someone here you’re supporting a dream.”
The District Market will be open every day from noon to 7 p.m. starting the first week of November, Winston said. To stay up-to-date on District Market, visit the market’s Facebook page.
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