Just in time for the holidays, City Goods, JumpStart, and Ohio City Incorporated (OCI) have partnered to launch a new food-focused retail concept: A pilot program that brings together local food entrepreneurs under one roof.

The Grocery at City Goods, launched in the beginning of November in one of six retail buildings at the City Goods complex, which opened two years ago at West 28^th Street and Church Avenue in the Hingetown area and was recently acquired by OCI.

The food-oriented shop currently hosts about 20 food-based businesses on its first floor, with plans to expand to the second floor. The City Goods complex provides accessible retail space for small businesses, where the entrepreneurs pay a flat monthly fee and keep 100% of their sales.

“We haven't done a ton of food on site previously, and this fills in a gap in the whole ecosystem,” says Liz Painter, co-founder and director of growth at City Goods. “We're testing this out as a pilot program through the holiday season, with hopes to continue and expand.”

The new grocery concept features specialty foods with everything from local baked goods, wine, and chocolates to producers of items like lentils, granola, seasonings, and sauces. The Grocery at City Goods officially ramped up during a Small Business Saturday event and will host pop-up activations throughout the holiday season.

“Our goal is to really be a platform for small businesses—serving as a stepping stone between pop-up markets and owning their own storefronts,” Painter explains. “We've had brands who were less than a year old to brands that are 20 years old on site [at City Goods].”

A jump start to launch

Lauren Smith-Petta, JumpStart’s director of educational services, says the goal was to get the pilot program underway in time for the holiday shopping season.

“We fast-tracked this collaboration in October in order to give entrepreneurs ample holiday retail opportunity,” she says. “Not only is it a great way for JumpStart, City Goods, and OCI to pilot a partnership, it’s a great opportunity for JumpStart clients to test the retail market, earn revenue and get exposure during the holiday season. It's a definite win-win.”

The entrepreneurs honed their skills through JumpStart’s entrepreneur programs, which provided coaching, cohort-based training—from market research and profitability, to merchandising, packaging, commercialization, and pricing.

JumpStart continues to offer support, providing weekly guidance to help entrepreneurs maximize their presence at The Grocery.

“Our clients have created amazing, delicious, and giftable packaged foods,” says Smith-Petta. “The Grocery is well-stocked with diverse, high-quality products made by equally diverse and talented entrepreneurs. We’re excited to see what this holiday season brings.”

Painter says the partnership with JumpStart emerged from the need to provide more comprehensive support to the small businesses. “JumpStart is working to come alongside these brands to help them make the most out of this pilot experience,” she explains. “JumpStart is supporting them in their goals and tweaking things along the way.”

Celebratory moments

The entrepreneurs in The Grocery at City Goods report quickly seeing success in attracting customers and sales in their short time in the complex.

Zahra Dobbin Finley of Zesty Compass Wine CollectionZahra Dobbin Finley has showcased her Zesty Compass Wine Collection to an enthusiastic audience, sharing her vision of creating vibrant, celebratory moments through wine.

“Zesty Compass is about more than just wine,” says Finley. “It’s about crafting experiences that bring people together and add zest to life’s moments.” With offerings ranging from crisp whites to sparkling wines, Zesty Compass has something for everyone—including unique holiday wine gift boxes featuring wines paired with aromatherapy products.

Finley launched Zesty Compass in 2021 after years in corporate operations. “As a wife, mother, and grandmother, I wanted to finally do something for myself,” she shares. “Part of our mission is reminding women that you can’t pour from an empty wine glass. Self-care is essential.”

While starting a wine business wasn’t easy, Finley overcame challenges like navigating licensing complexities and building brand awareness. Support from JumpStart’s Small Business Blueprint Program proved invaluable. “The program gave me confidence and clarity,” she explains. “It helped me refine my strategy and connect with a network of industry experts.”

The response at The Grocery has been overwhelmingly positive. “Customers love the quality and range of our wines,” says Finley, adding the North Star Sparkling Wine is one of her favorites.

“I love bubbly! It’s our flagship product and perfectly represents what Zesty Compass stands for—elegance, celebration, and living life with zest. Plus, it’s incredibly delicious & versatile, pairing beautifully with any occasion.”

Other popular items include the bold Cabernet Sauvignon and the limited-edition Sunset Wine Cocktail.

Looking ahead, Finley plans to expand regionally and nationally while staying true to Zesty Compass’s mission. “Our goal is to create memorable experiences and inspire people to live their zest life,” she says, citing the company taglines. “Cheers to living your zest life!”

Having your cake

Nina Dvorak Lawless and Devon Climer have quickly created a buzz over their Mugsy Bakes, offering a line of single-serve mug cake mixes designed to spark dessert “joy,” with no oven required.

While Lawless prefers their Lemon Vanilla mix, Climer prefers Chocolate Lava, they say Chocolate Lava is their best seller. “Whenever people give our Lemon Vanilla a try, they're instantly hooked,” Lawless clarifies, adding that they anticipate their seasonal Chocolate Peppermint is going to be a sellout at the Grocery.

The co-founders came up with the concept for Mugsy Bakes last year. “Devon frequently made mug cakes for herself and her family and grew tired of pulling all the ingredients from the pantry,” shares Lawless. “Upon researching if the idea for a mug cake line existed, she came up empty handed for a brand that really fit the balanced, healthful lifestyle (while never vilifying dessert!) that she likes to live.”

Mugsy Bakes Mug Cake MixesSo the two launched their business in October after hitting the summer markets and testing their concept.

“They’re convenient, nutritious, and never compromising on taste—we embrace life's simple pleasures 100% guilt-free,” says Lawless. “All of our mixes also happen to be gluten and dairy free, although we like to say you'd never know unless we told you!”

She adds that JumpStart’s mentorship had helped the pair launch Mugsy Bakes with confidence, focusing on strategic growth and retail partnership training. “The JumpStart program came at a perfect time for us as we were preparing to launch and it truly armed us with many tools and insights that we implement often,” she says.

Lawless and Climer says the feedback and validation they’ve gotten in their short time at City Goods has been fantastic.

“We are really just getting off the ground, and we feel we're already cultivating a community of people who are loving what we are building and are truly so supportive of us,” says Lawless. “We've received some great feedback not only about our current products but also possible innovations and directions that we could take Mugsy—it's amazing to hear.”

The pair say customer relationships are their priority, whether they end up serving the end user or partnering with a retail outlet, as Lawless adds that they recently received interest from a regional chain retailer.

“We really hope to create longstanding relationships with our customers and continue to expand locally and regionally in the near future,” she says.

One-stop holiday shopping

The Ohio City Holiday Hop ShuttleCity Goods will have Sip, Shop, Snack events, where customers can enjoy beverages from the on-site bar, The Lounge at City Goods (formerly known as The Hangar), snack from food pop ups, and shop the retail spaces every Saturday through Jan. 4. OCI will provide a free Ohio City Holiday Hop Shuttle from several shopping hubs throughout Ohio City neighborhood every Saturday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. through Dec. 21.

“All the proceeds from the bar pour back into the [City Goods] project as a whole,” Painter explains. “Another unique thing about the bar is people can actually sip and shop between all the buildings. All the buildings face towards each other and create a beautiful little courtyard space with string lights and we put bistro tables and things out there.”

Holiday hours

City Goods is located at 1442 W. 28th Street, 44113.

The Shops and the Grocery at City Goods are open Tuesday through Thursday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. They will be open Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and closed on Christmas day and New Year’s day.

The Lounge at City Goods is open Tuesday through Thursday 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.; and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Happy Hour is Tuesday through Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Lounge will be open on Christmas Eve from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. and will be closed on Christmas day, New Year’s Eve and day.

Ohio City Holiday Hop Shuttle Pick-up and Drop-off Locations

• Market District on Market Avenue
• Lorain Avenue and Randall Road
• Detroit Avenue and West 29th Street
• West 28th Street and Church Avenue