A long-vacant anchor space at Wilmington Plaza in Kettering is getting a second act, and it is not another big-box retailer. Clothes That Work has signed on for a long-term stay, more than doubling its footprint and turning dark retail square footage into a busy workforce hub. For the nonprofit, the move means a larger boutique, on-site storage and training space. For the aging strip center, it means steady daily traffic instead of a shuttered front door. For local job seekers and donors, it means expanded free services and more room for drop-offs.
As reported by CoStar, Clothes That Work inked a 10-year lease for 27,839 square feet at Wilmington Plaza, a deal that was named Lease of the Year for the Cincinnati-Dayton market in CoStar's 2026 Impact Awards. The coverage credits Tracey Herron of Equity and Steven Speranza of Woodard Development with steering the transformation of a vacant anchor box into a nonprofit-run community hub.
A Tailored Deal For A Nonprofit Tenant
The lease uses an uncommon structure designed to fit Clothes That Work's funding cycles and buildout schedule while still giving the landlord a reliable income stream, according to CoStar. "Clothes That Work is a great tenant for the market in a typically difficult type of real estate to lease," Andrew Hannah told the outlet, summing up why a community nonprofit can sometimes succeed where traditional retailers hesitate.
Local Impact: More Room For Services
Local reporting notes that the move roughly doubles Clothes That Work's space, allowing the organization to operate a combined boutique, warehouse and office setup that leaders say will let them grow free workforce services. According to the Dayton Daily News, Clothes That Work served more than 4,300 clients in 2024 and began accepting donations and operating at the Kettering location in July 2025.
How The Property Benefits
Wilmington Plaza, listed as 2724-2852 Wilmington Pike in commercial filings, still has junior suites available, so the nonprofit's arrival does not solve every vacancy. What it does do is fill a large, hard-to-lease box and keep the center visibly active, which is not a small thing in a cautious retail market. Property listings for the center now highlight nearby available space and point out the new Clothes That Work tenancy. See the Wilmington Plaza listing on Crexi for details.
Why This Matters For Dayton-Area Landlords
Retail market data for the combined Cincinnati-Dayton region shows vacancy and negative net absorption in early 2025, a combination that makes large-space deals tougher to land and more valuable when they do. Cushman & Wakefield's Q1 2025 MarketBeat report flags weaker absorption in the Dayton slice of the market and uses that to underline why creative leasing approaches for oversized spaces can be a practical tool. You can find that report through Cushman & Wakefield.
How Residents Can Support Or Participate
Clothes That Work is already taking donations and signing up volunteers at its new Wilmington Plaza home. The group's website lists donation and boutique hours and offers an appointment system for large drop-offs, so people can plan a closet clean-out without overwhelming staff. For current hours, volunteer information and impact figures, visit Clothes That Work.
