The Queen City is home to dozens of women-owned boutiques to explore and support. From chic shops offering kitchen and home accessories to lush plant stores, high-end and vintage clothing merchants, jewelry retailers and more, there’s plenty of local, lady-owned spots to love.
Lucca 126 W. Elder St., Findlay Market Owner, designer and machinist Lindsey Estes specializes in creating laser-cut wood, natural gifts, supplies and décor. If you can etch it or laser-cut it into wood, paper or leather, she’s probably made it. Find alder wood greeting cards, Art Deco wood-framed mirrors and hanging ornaments to appease everyone from Fiona fans to people who want to put the Roebling Bridge on the tree. Photo: Emily Palm
Handzy Shop + Studio 17 W. Pike St., Covington Think bright colors, cute sayings and shopping ops for your BFFs. “Handzy Shop + Studio is a boutique with the cutest collection of clothes, accessories, stationery, gifts and more,” says owner co-Suzy Hinnefeld (with Brittney Braemer). “We are all about offering upbeat products that foster friendships and make people happy. In the studio, we design our signature line of stationery, which you can also find in the shop.” Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Casablanca Vintage 3944 Spring Grove Ave., Northside This popular Northside vintage boutique features classic apparel and accessories from the 1800s to the 1990s. They also offer theater costuming, shoe repair and leather repair. The shop has been in business since the 1980s, but co-owners Ashley M. Beaufille Cook and Tim Willig bought the store in 2013 and have revived it to its former glory. Photo: Kaitlyn Handel
Continuum 1407 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine This pink and plant-filled women’s clothing store and bazaar features a curated selection of items from independent artists, designers and makers. Owned by Ericka Leighton-Spradlin, the high-end concept shop has a playful sense of humor and an eye for contemporary silhouettes, with brands including No. 6, Cold Picnic and Paloma Wool and plenty of other covetable objects: locally made ceramic jewelry, minimalist fragrances, eco-friendly nail polishes, architectural footwear and indie publications. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
The Budding Florist 1817 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine Ellie Wilke offers fresh, locally sourced flowers and tropical plants in a Findlay Market-adjacent storefront. In her “about me” on the Budding Florist website, she says, “After graduating from UC’s School of Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning, I applied my degree toward more organic design elements — flowers and plants. I have a true passion for creating floral arrangements that are inspired by the inherent beauty of nature.” Photo: Hailey Bollinger
The Native One 1421 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine; 326 Scott Blvd., Covington Anna Steffen founded The Native One as a pop-up in 2017 when she was just 20 years old. The brick and mortar (and online) shops offer easy and affordable trend-based women’s fashion with cross-generational appeal. The stores are stuffed with everything from rompers and oversized outerwear to affordable statement footwear and lacy underpinnings. You’ll also find accessories, apothecary and home décor. Photo: Emerson Swoger
The Rhined 1737 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine The Rhined is a tiny little cheese shop located across from Findlay Market. It’s great for grab-and-go goodies, offering a selection of jams, wines, cheese-themed cards and accessories like wooden cutting boards and fancy knives in addition to its generous display of cheeses. But the space also features about 11 indoor seats and a seasonal outdoor patio. Guests can choose from assorted cheese board options ($13) or choose from a variety of snacks like the fromage brule ($12). You can add charcuterie to your board if you so choose, although owner Stephanie Webster likes to remind that The Rhined is really about the cheese. Well, the cheese and wine. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Lane & Kate 1417 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine This Vine Street storefront offers a streamlined selection of high-quality, independently made jewelry using sustainably and ethically sourced stones. The pieces veer toward delicate, lovely and minimal with a nod toward the natural world. Photo: Facebook/LaneandKate
Fern 6040 Hamilton Ave., North College Hill Located in a converted College Hill gas station, Fern, owned by Megan Strasser, offers minimal, modern and nature-inspired items — and lots and lots of plants. Find a carefully edited selection of unique hand-thrown pottery, art, weavings and more, along with a curated assortment of beautiful, thriving greenery. Buy and learn how to care for all sorts of millennial-friendly houseplants, from a “Chinese Money” pilea peperomioides plant to a kokedama (aka string-wrapped moss ball) and fiddle-leaf figs. Photo: Facebook/FernStudioCincinnati
Coda Co. 400 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue This hip and crafty shop features maker-made products from upcycled and natural materials, like macrame wall hangings, coffee-bag pillows and bourbon barrel pub tables. Owned by husband-and-wife duo Kelti and Tanner Ziese, she is the softer side of the business, hand weaving macramé wall hangings out of cotton rope — organically attached to driftwood collected from the banks of the Ohio River — while he works with reclaimed bourbon barrels to create a variety of wood furniture and accessories. Photo: Facebook/codacompany
Idlewild Woman 1230 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine This hip and cozy family-run business is a clothing and lifestyle destination that embraces the beauty and creativity of the modern woman. The ladies behind the shop include owners Julie Clark, a ceramicist; Jessica Murray, a graphic and handbag designer; and Tessa Clark, a DAAP graduate and fashion designer who competed on Project Runway. And with a pedigree like that, they deliver on well-made and well-curated apparel, accessories, alpaca throws and coveted high-end denim. Photo: Facebook/IdlewildWoman
Queen City Alchemy 1808 Race St., Over-the-Rhine Emily Little first launched her line of soaps and body products as “Little Organics,” with a focus on herbal medicine, informed and filtered through her Appalachian heritage. Now, a decade old, Little Organics is Queen City Alchemy, a high-end locally made holistic skincare line featuring soaps, serums, balms, deodorants and other botanicals crafted using non-toxic, compassionate and therapeutic ingredients. There are no dyes, no fillers, no parabens and no sulfates. The line is certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny and part of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics from the Breast Cancer Prevention Partners. Find 40-some-odd products in the community-focused storefront near Findlay Market, which also carries a curated collection of pieces from other makers. Photo: Facebook/QueenCityAlchemy
Rookwood Pottery 1920 Race St., Over-the-Rhine; 7875 Montgomery Road, Kenwood Towne Centre; 7135 Foundry Row, Liberty Center Rookwood Pottery, currently owned by Marilyn Scripps, was the country’s first female-owned and operated large manufacturer. “Pioneering artist Maria Longworth-Nichols founded the studio in the Queen City over 130 years ago, building the business and laying the foundation for what Rookwood is today: a world-renowned artisanal ceramics company, operating in the heart of the Ohio River Valley,” says Sarah Ditlinger, Rookwood’s former marketing director. “From its 88,000-square-foot production facility, Rookwood builds upon its rich heritage, creating American-made, artisan-quality ceramic pottery and tile.” Photo: Facebook/rookwoodco
HighStreet 1401 Reading Road, Pendleton Local design/lifestyle store and studio HighStreet set up shop at the intersection of Over-the-Rhine, Pendleton and Mount Auburn in 2006. Co-founded by Leah Spurrier and Matt Knotts over a decade ago, the design hub has doubled in size, incorporating a furniture store and studio for commercial and residential design projects. While the shop boasts an impressive selection of eclectic interiors, hard-to-find magazines, men’s and women’s apparel and bath and body goods, its charm also comes from the owners’ ability to collect and curate exceptional curiosities. Spending time exploring the nooks and crannies of the shop is extremely rewarding. You may discover a bowl of antique prosthetic teeth, a stuffed jackalope head, vintage locks, 18th-century French mouthwash, an existential coloring book, beetle paperweights and other magical and macabre magnificence. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Sloane Boutique 1216 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine Founded in 2011 as one of Vine Street’s original revamped OTR anchors, this women’s clothing store offers items for the style-blogger set and more. In their own words, they “mix edgy styles with touches of modern-femininity, always with a foundation of quality and the idea that unique pieces can make getting dressed fun and personal.” Photo: Facebook/SloaneBoutiqueOTR
Gumdrop 15 W. Pike St., Covington This bright and colorful kids shop from the minds behind Handzy has all sorts of goodies. From school supplies and sleepwear to the best new toys and most adorable clothes and accessories for toddlers and newborns, there is cuteness tucked in every corner. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Hi-Bred Vintage 4041 Hamilton Ave., Northside Founded by artist Shawna Maria in 2011, this Northside curated boutique features vintage clothing, jewelry, vinyl, housewares and curiosities. Photo: Kaitlyn Handel
Knickers of Hyde Park 2726 Erie Ave., Hyde Park Founded by Jenalyn Schneidel in 1999, this Hyde Park lingerie boutique offers a perfect mix of practical and pretty all while honoring its mission to make women feel confident and beautiful. Find daily-wear high-end brands like Betsey Johnson, Hanky Panky, Jonquil and Cosabella alongside some more risqué Knickers “after dark” bedroom play items like teddies, thigh highs and sensual accessories. Get fitted for a bra by one of their highly-trained staffers or browse a summer selection of bra-sized swimwear. Also offers a nice selection of plus-size products so every woman can feel sexy. Photo: Brittany Thornton
TMBTITWI 6 W. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine Helmed by a world-traveling art specialist, the clothing, homegoods and accessories at The Most Beautiful Thing in the World Is are fully eclectic. As the name suggests, the shop features German knitwear, Italian leather boots, French apothecary items and a gallerist’s nirvana of other modern and sculptural women’s wear. Photo: Adam Doty
The Chocolate Bee 4037 Hamilton Ave., Northside As the collective home of Chocolats Latour and Bee Haven, this shared Northside storefront features artisan edibles. Chocolats Latour, from pastry chef and chocolatier Shalini Latour, sells fair-trade, gourmet chocolates made with local ingredients. Find everything from herb-infused chocolate bars to hand-painted truffles and holiday-themed creation. Bee Haven is a honey-lovers’ dream, offering products like beeswax candles, lip balms and raw, unpasteurized honey made with the help of the owners’ own beehives. Photo: Facebook/TheChocolateBee
Gia & the Blooms 114 E. 13th St., Over-the-Rhine; Findlay Market, Over-the-Rhine Yuliya Bui is the mind behind this contemporary floral shop that offers arrangements at an affordable price point. The interior of the OTR storefront is an urban jungle that houses a larger-than-expected selection of items like greeting cards, candles and locally made ceramics along with lots of houseplants. There are air plants of all shapes and sizes, hanging and trailing options, super-tall cacti, $5-a-pop little plant buddies and more. Burlap-wrapped hand-built bouquets begin at $35, and delivery is free within the Cincinnati metro. Gia & the Blooms also has an outpost in Findlay Market. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Artichoke OTR 1824 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine Brad and Karen Hughes opened their Artichoke storefront down the street from Findlay Market in order to offer marketgoers a convenient destination for cookware. From basics to unique pieces not available anywhere else, you’ll find the tools you need to throw down in the kitchen like you’re an Iron Chef; think colorful ceramic tagines, SMEG brand appliances and beautiful bundt pans. And if you’re looking to enhance your skills, take a class in artichoke’s demonstration kitchen — just make sure you don’t step on lazy shop greyhound Gus. Photo: Facebook/artichokeOTR
Poeme 3446 Michigan Ave., Hyde Park Helmed by husband-and-wife design team Kristen Folzenlogen and Philip James, this shop offers personal stationery, unique gifts, custom invitation design services, clever sundries and more. Their selection of whimsically patterned personal planners, calendars and organizers is great for any Type A personality and there’s a large selection of droll and amusing office accessories. Photo: Facebook/PoemeStationery
Sweet Sistah Splash 1218 Sycamore St., Over-the-Rhine This Over-the-Rhine storefront is a self-described “multi-cultural boutique, vintage bookstore and community program space for women-owned businesses with aligned vision and missions.” Consignment goods at the space nurture the urban woman’s experience and include everything from body butters to accessories. Look for classes that run the gamut from workshops on vegetarianism and natural hair to metaphysical consultations and yoga. Photo: facebook.com/SweetSistahSplash