Khisha Asubuhi printed her first T-shirt more than a decade ago, thus launching Originalitees, her local clothing line that specializes in creating apparel boasting state, city and neighborhood pride. What started as an online operation became a brick-and-mortar last year when Asubuhi opened a storefront in Walnut Hills. Originalitees has always been dedicated to paying homage to Midwestern states and local Cincinnati staples. In 2018, Asubuhi became the first locally owned clothing brand to collaborate with the Cincinnati Reds by creating an exclusive T-shirt design for African-American community night. You may also know Originalitees for their “Cincinnati Believes Black Lives Matter” T-shirts, which benefited Beloved Community Church’s Cincinnati Bail Fund and the Obama Foundation’s My Brother’s Keeper Alliance; their “Product of Public Schools” pridewear, which benefited Cincinnati Public Schools; or their “Unity within the Community Design,” which helped support the Freestore Foodbank during the middle of the COVID-19 crisis. “My vision for Originalitees has always been a community brand. Part of our mission is paving the way for others. Whether fellow Black women in business, public school graduates or community activists. We want to be a contributor to the community that has fostered our growth over the last decade,” Asubuhi says. originalitees.com.
Best Auto Dealer (New Vehicles)
Best Birthing/Maternity Center
Best Bottled Beer Selection (Retail)
Best CD/Record Store (Non-Chain)
Best Cellphone Service Provider
Best Children’s Clothing Store
Best Chiropractic Practice/Clinic
Best Financial Planning Service
Best Green/Sustainable Goods Store
Best Local Indie Craft Market Vendor
Best Magazine/Newspaper Selection
Best Massage Therapy Practice/Clinic
Best Motorcycle/ Motorsports Dealer
Best Neighborhood Shopping District
Best Physician/Healthcare Practice
Best Place for a Kids Birthday
Best Place for an Adults Birthday
Best Place to Buy Your Engagement Ring
Best Wedding Photography Service
Best Place to Buy a Horse-Drawn Carriage
Best Garage Plant Shop Turned Brick-and-Mortar
Best Herbal Tincture to Help You Relax
Best T-Shirt Shop with a Message
Best Place to Find the New Silhouette for Pants
Best “This Old House” Resource Center
Best Homage to Crazy Ladies Bookstore
Best Covington Shop Helping Urban Homesteaders Get Their Start
Best Local Online Clothing Swap to Clean Out Your Closet and Get New Threads
Best Place to Find Kitschy Antiques
Best Place to Find a Dog Statue for Your Yard
Best Shop for Beginning Woodworkers
Best Remodel of an Over-the-Rhine Eatery
Best Historic Woodworking Machine Co. to Transform into a Wedding Venue
1. Tiny Needle
2. Caldwell Family Wellness
3. Hamilton Health Associates
1. HUSTLER Hollywood
2. Dusty Flynt Sexy Gifts
3. High on the Hill
1. Ohio Valley Antique Mall
2. Wooden Nickel Antiques
3. Florence Antique Mall
1. Cincinnati Art Museum
2. Clifton Cultural Arts Center
3. Brazee Street Studios
1. Michaels
2. Indigo Hippo
3.Cappel’s
1. Tire Discounters
2. Donovan’s Auto & Tire Center
3. Jake Sweeney Automotive
1. Mike’s Carwash
2. Sharonville Car Wash & Detailing
3. AAA Auto Wash
If you own an old home and don’t know about Hyde Park Lumber, consider this the best piece of advice you’ll ever receive. This historic Cincinnati business has been around for more than a century and deals in a plethora of craftsman creations you won’t find at your average Home Depot. The showroom is filled with hard-to-find moulding, trim and antique-style doors; replica vintage and traditional doorknobs and hardware; raised paneling; and even historic-style columns. If you’re undertaking any kind of renovation, repair or restoration on a home built in the 19th or early 20th century and can’t find a new — or even antique — item to match your needs, chances are Hyde Park Lumber has it. hydeparklumber.com.
1. Fifth Third Bank
2. PNC Bank
3. Chase
1. Bishops
2. Clifton Barbers
3. Gil’s Barber Shop
1. The Inn of Hyde Park
2. The Clifton House
3. Gaslight Bed & Breakfast
The duo behind Bellevue’s Coda Co. boutique have opened a new storefront: Sage & Scout. Named after owners Tanner and Kelti Ziese’s fur kids (aka their dogs), the shop offers products for human babies and toddlers. And as a sister shop to Coda Co., it has the same bohemian lean with a focus on ethical and natural goods — beechwood teething toys, wool mobiles and BPA-free silicone bibs. While the Zieses say they “aren’t blessed with babies of our own just yet,” they want to foster a sense of adventure and love of the outdoors for generations to come. sagenscout.com.
1. Montgomery Cyclery
2. Spun Bicycles
3. Reser Bicycle Outfitters
1. Good Samaritan Hospital
2. The Christ Hospital
3. St. Elizabeth Healthcare
1. Joseph-Beth Booksellers
2. Half Price Books
3. Barnes & Noble
1. Blue Manatee Literacy Project
2. The Friends of the Public Library Warehouse
3. Roebling Point Books & Coffee
4. Shake It Records
5. Blue Marble Books
6. Iris Bookcafe
7. Cincy Book Bus
8. Ohio Book Store
9. Homestead Used Books
10. Downbound Books