How Springfield Entrepreneurs Are Driving Downtown Growth

You may not expect a mid-sized city in Ohio to have a downtown full of young people on a Thursday night, or have groups of families, girlfriends and college students packing downtown restaurants and shops on the weekend. But that’s exactly what you’ll find in Springfield, Ohio. Where some downtowns are dying, Springfield is thriving. “There are 35 Springfield’s in the United States and this is the one you should know about. Thousands of jobs have been created in the past couple years due to business expansion and new companies moving into the area,” said Horton Hobbs IV, VP Economic Development for the Partnership. “This growth is fuel for the entrepreneurs transforming our downtown from pretty average to one that rivals bigger cities. If you haven’t been to Springfield in a few years, you haven’t been to Springfield.”

Entrepreneurs have taken hold of Downtown Springfield and are actively transforming it. COHatch Springfield is one of those transformative projects. Two of the co-owners and partners in COhatch Springfield, Pat & Nancy Williams, are from the city and wanted to help boost the economic growth and momentum happening in downtown. In partnership with Spring Forward, COhatch CEO Matt Davis, and others, they found the perfect downtown historical building to repurpose and restore so they could turn it into COhatch The Market. By restoring a historic building they breathed life into a section of downtown that had been underutilized. They created an incredible place to work, both for remote workers and entrepreneurs, along with a popular gathering space that’s busy throughout the week. The Market houses six restaurants, a retail space, a bar, and a brewery - all under one roof.

Operations Manager, Rachel Erie enjoys said, “Springfield is a historically rich city and it continues to grow. There is so much potential in Springfield, which is a huge draw for investors, small businesses, established businesses, and entrepreneurs looking to establish a home base. Not only is economic growth up, but we are also seeing a great shift in the age demographics. We are seeing more families and young couples move to Springfield to settle and raise their families.”

Businesses who move to Springfield can expect a warm and supportive reception. The Greater Springfield Partnership is part of a strong ecosystem that supports entrepreneurs and established businesses, helping them to secure incentives, recruit and train workers, and find commercial space. “We also have one of the top SBDC (Small Business Development Center) and many resources to offer to our small business community,” said Rachel. 

PretzelMaker, Charlo's Provisions & Eatery, Firefly, Alcony Weavers, Bullpen Sports Bar, Le Torte Dolci Bakery, Salato Deli, and the Crust & Company are just a few of the other businesses entrepreneurs have opened downtown in recent years. “Our downtown growth is just getting started and it’s already an incredible place to live, work, grab a drink or dinner, or spend time with the family. Springfield is truly a unique community because we offer the lifestyle amenities of a larger city while also being 40 minutes from the larger metros of Dayton and Columbus. In other words, you get the best of both worlds by living in Springfield,” said Amy Donahoe, Director of Workforce Development for the Greater Springfield Partnership. 

As for entrepreneurs, Hobbs sees Springfield as a welcoming place for all sizes of businesses. “As an economic developer I traditionally work with mid and large size companies on expansion and relocation projects. These companies benefit from a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem because it’s energizing, it attracts talent and helps to make a community an incredible place to live. Entrepreneurs can simultaneously benefit from being in close proximity to major employers. We offer both, making Springfield’s business community an incredible thing to plug into regardless of your company size.”

Learn more about Springfield, Ohio and how we are growing by contacting the Partnership. If your business is interested in relocating or expanding in Springfield, contact Horton Hobbs, VP Economic Development.