The story of how a new art store is coming downtown starts in Toledo. Dana Vingris, who studied art and architectural history and studio art at Miami University, moved back to Toledo after graduation. She got hired by the Toledo Museum of Art, becoming tied to the artist community there.
“It became clear that there was a concentration of the creative community living downtown and there wasn’t a resource to get supplies outside of bigger box stores located in the suburban areas,” Dana said.
Dana and her business partner started The Art Supply Depo in 2011 in downtown Toledo. A few years after the store opened, she sold her share to her business partner to pursue other career goals.
Fast forward a few years. Dana and her husband Ryan Vingris decided to move on from Toledo.
“When it was decided we were going to relocate, Dana felt the desire to have a small business again and we did some looking into different areas,” Ryan said. “This process revealed Dayton had a very strong and active artist community downtown without a local resource nearby to purchase and order supplies.”
This discovery three years ago motivated the couple to move to Dayton, get to know the community, with the goal of opening an art store within five years. They decided to settle in the charming St. Anne’s Hill historic neighborhood.
Credit: Ryan Vingris, CONTRIBUTED
Credit: Ryan Vingris, CONTRIBUTED
Dana involved herself with the Dayton arts community by working for DVAC (now The Contemporary Dayton) and then switched to working as a part-time grant writer for the Dayton Art Institute.
“The more we networked in Dayton, the more we realized the small business community was very supportive of each other, and we felt more confident we could make the art store happen,” Ryan said.
A year ago, the couple found a retail space that was being developed in St. Anne’s, owned by Karin Gudal of the Gem City Catfe. Karin was excited to work with the couple to make their Dayton dream a reality. Her goal was to have the space ready to launch by summer 2020.
Everything was on track with construction, but in early February of this year, the couple got an unexpected surprise: Dana found out she was pregnant with their first child. Then, just a few weeks later, the COVID-19 pandemic hits.
Juggling opening a new small business, pregnancy and a pandemic has not been easy. Despite the extra challenges, the couple has kept largely on track for unveiling their dream store.
“Overall we were very fortunate that progress was only delayed by a few weeks on the build-out due to the shutdown,” Ryan said. “We have had some delays in getting products and displays, but all in all we managed to pull it off.”
The store is painted in a vibrant blue color, prominently placed at 1509 E. 5th St., just past Stivers School for the Arts. The location itself is a point of pride for Dana and Ryan.
“While we are really excited to bring easy access to fine art supplies and expertise to Dayton’s vibrant arts community, we are also proud to be part of a growing small business community in St. Anne’s,” Ryan said.
“We have Hue House, St. Anne the Tart, and Gem City Catfe, all of which are owned by women,” he continued. “You can also add the virtual retail store Plum Vintage Barware, and while Fifth Street Brewpub is a co-op, the general manager is also female. We are glad to be part of this growing cohort!”
Credit: Ryan Vingris, CONTRIBUTED
Credit: Ryan Vingris, CONTRIBUTED
Beyond the physical space, Dana and Ryan are hoping this new art supply store not only provides convenience for artists but also provides a community space, too.
“We really hope it will become a community hub for conversation and collaboration that is fueled by the access to tools and supplies that allow for creative expression,” Dana said. “We hope the store will become a desired place to meet, converse, to explore, and network for the arts community.”
For those who want to shop at the new store, you will have to make appointments to shop due to COVID-19. This is hopefully a temporary arrangement to ensure shopper and staff safety. Appointments can be made on the store’s website (www.huehousedayton.com), which offers 30-minute private shopping sessions in the store.
A maximum of two people will be allowed in the store at a time, masks will be required, and they will only be accepting credit, debit, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, at this time.
Early this fall, the store plans to launch an online store as well, which will offer the ability to order and purchase supplies online for curbside pick up at the store.
HOW TO GO
What: Hue House
Where: 1509 E. 5th St.
When: Appointments are required for 30-minute private shopping sessions during the following hours: Monday & Tuesday: 12-6 p.m.; Thursday: 1-7:30 p.m.; Friday: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Saturday: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sunday: noon - 5 p.m.
More info: www.huehousedayton.com
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