Established businesses moving into Main Street district

Two local businesses will soon be new neighbors in the 1100 block of Main Street in Over-the-Rhine. Lucy Blue Pizza is moving one block from its current location at 12th and Walnut Streets to 1126 Main Street. And the Cincinnati branch of strategic talent management agency Human Capital Institute (HCI) moved earlier this month two doors over from its temporary space to a newly-renovated office at 1110 Main Street.

Lucy Blue Pizza has been a late-night restaurant fixture since 2002, offering thin-crust pizza both in-store and from a sidewalk take-out window.

Taylor Thompson, owner Jim Thompson’s daughter, says the new store will be more of a full-service restaurant with larger, more open seating areas. Beer and wine service will be offered, along with more of a nightclub feel.

“We would love to have live music,” Taylor Thompson says.

She adds that Lucy Blue Pizza will open at the new location in a few months, once construction is finished. The restaurant plans to continue its current nighttime business hours from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. 

HCI is a branch office of a larger company headquartered in Washington, D.C. The two-year-old operation moved to Over-the-Rhine from West Chester and grew to nine employees at its temporary location.

Aubrey Krekler Wiete, a research analyst with HCI, says their new location “…offers everything needed in an office space.”

She says HCI has many Cincinnati natives on staff who like working downtown and contributing to business growth in Over-the-Rhine.

The location, she says, puts them closer to their clients.

Lucy Blue Pizza has three other stores, but Jim Thompson says the original in Over-the-Rhine remains his favorite. He says he is looking forward to expanding the business.

Both buildings are owned by Hanke Associates, LLC.

By Andy Dobson