A husband-and-wife team is bringing a karaoke wine bar to Norwood's Factory 52, with six private singing pods, curved banquette seating, and a menu built around sweet wines and shareable bites like charcuterie and dips. Sips Karaoke Bar + Lounge, founded by Rieley and Taylor Armour, is slated to open inside the sprawling mixed-use development in January 2027, though an exact opening date has not been set.
The lounge will occupy a 2,825-square-foot space at 4590 Beech St. inside Factory 52, according to Local 12. The Armours signed a 10-year lease with one five-year renewal option in September, with Justin Rex of Lee & Associates representing landlord PLK Communities and Mark Fallon of JR Anderson representing Sips in the deal. The six karaoke pods will be reservable by the hour and sized for groups of four to 12 people, according to Cincinnati Business Courier, offering an alternative to the open-stage format found at most karaoke bars.
Filling a Gap for Women in Their 20s and 30s
Co-founder Taylor Armour said the idea for Sips grew out of a perceived lack of nightlife options in the Oakley and Norwood neighborhoods built specifically for women ages 21 to 35, per the Business Courier's reporting. Factory 52's own announcement of the venue echoes that focus, noting that founders Rieley and Taylor Armour are specifically aiming to attract young adult female patrons with the combination of private pods, sweet wines, and shareable bites, according to Factory52.com.
Once open, Sips plans to operate Fridays from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Those hours would make it the first venue at Factory 52 reserved exclusively for guests 21 and older, a notable shift for a development where most existing tenants cater to all-ages crowds during daylight hours.
Joining a Growing Entertainment Lineup
Sips will join a commercial roster at Factory 52 that already includes The Gatherall food hall, Hi-Wire Brewing, Fretboard Brewing, and Aces Pickleball Bar & Grill. Local 12 also notes the broader campus includes apartments and townhomes, breweries, boutiques, a public market, a bark park, outdoor social areas, eateries, and offices. The development is valued at $250 million, per that same report.
That residential density is growing quickly. Hoodline reported that PLK Communities opened the first building of its luxury townhome development at Factory 52 with two- and three-bedroom units starting at $3,375 a month, giving a new late-night venue like Sips a built-in base of nearby residents. The site also draws regional crowds through recurring programming such as the House of Cards Carnivale, an 11-day fall festival with carnival rides, midway games, and food vendors.
A Factory With a Century of History
Factory 52 occupies the historic 20-acre manufacturing campus once home to the United States Playing Card Company, which made brands including Bicycle, Bee, and Tally-Ho in Norwood from 1900 until relocating in 2009, according to MKSK. Redevelopment plans preserved several original structures from that era, including a 1922 eight-story clock and bell tower, the original cafeteria building, and a 200-foot-tall smokestack, per MSA Design.
Landlord PLK Communities, founded in 2001 by Peter Klekamp, has grown into the largest owner of multifamily residential units in the Cincinnati metropolitan area, managing more than 7,000 apartment homes, according to the company. Sips is the latest addition to a tenant mix that has seen turnover elsewhere on the campus, including the pickleball tenant swap and a dining changeover inside The Gatherall food hall earlier this year.
