A long-dark corner of Findlay Market is about to light back up, as a new retail residency brings rotating shops and pop-up events into the former Goose & Elder storefront on Race Street this summer. Organizers say the project will turn that stretch of the market into a short-term proving ground for makers, creatives and small retailers.
According to Cincinnati Business Courier, the Race Street Collective is a partnership between Model Group, Findlay Market, Foundress Made and the Gratitude Collective. The group will take over the former Goose & Elder space at 1800 Race St., with the program described as a mixed-use residency that will spotlight makers, creatives and entrepreneurs over a three-month run. The initiative was announced on April 2.
A familiar corner gets a new role
The storefront at 1800 Race St. was renovated and opened as Goose & Elder in 2019, then went quiet after the restaurant closed last summer. WLWT reported that Goose & Elder shut its doors on June 15, 2024, after chef Jose Salazar turned his attention to other projects, and Findlay Market's building history backs up the address and recent tenancy.
How the residency will work
Per Cincinnati Business Courier, the Race Street Collective will run from June through September and is expected to host four to six business owners at a time. Organizers are planning frequent pop-ups, events and curated experiences aimed at pulling more foot traffic back toward the market esplanade. The setup is intended to offer small vendors a low-risk way to test out concepts while keeping the high-profile storefront active between long-term tenants.
What this means for Findlay Market
Model Group and market leaders are framing the Race Street Collective as a way to nurture neighborhood retail while giving shoppers something new to discover. The partnership aims to keep the Market lively and provide makers with a prominent platform in a heavily trafficked spot, according to Local 12.
