Located in the heart of Harrison, Ohio’s adorable shopping district, Enchanted Novelties understood the assignment when it came to opening a much-wanted bookstore along this Main Street with Hallmark movie small-town vibes. A charming space for bookworms of every genre, Enchanted Novelties features fantasy-themed decor and accents throughout the shop, including cozy reading nooks, faux fireplaces, a whimsical mural and a doorway decorated to look like a magical tree portal that will help transport you into the captivating realm of a good book. Shoppers can also enjoy the store’s back room as a place to relax or work and enjoy some complimentary tea. Along with new books, the store also has secondhand offerings, as well as other book-related goods like bookmarks, candles, tea and more. Want to be surprised? Grab a Blind Date With a Book to Buy — a secret read wrapped in paper that offers written clues to the content inside. enchantednovelties.com.
Look, times are weird. If biting your nails is your coping mechanism of choice, Spruce Nail Shop in Over-the-Rhine and Walnut Hills has got you covered. Whether you’re chewing away every time you get a breaking news alert, or you’re recovering from acrylics or SNS, Spruce’s "repair mani” will help you reset the damage. In addition to Spruce’s standard nail trimming and shaping, the repair mani allots for extra cuticle care, exfoliating sugar scrub and a hydrating massage. If polish is your thing, you can choose a mood-boosting shade of strengthening builder gel or strengthening polish. The best part? Your manicurist can offer personalized nail maintenance advice, making this the perfect mani for those starting out in nail self-care. What’s more, repair mani customers get a 20% discount on Spruce’s divine lavender cuticle oil. sprucenailshop.com.
If you are planning the winter wedding of your dreams, but don’t want to take wedding photos in the cold, we have the best spot for you. studio821 photography studio in Newport offers a wide variety of rooms and spaces for everyone's interest; there is an auditorium, a ballroom, a lounge and more. The studio has beautiful brick walls, couches and wooden floors to elevate whatever vibe you’re hoping to achieve in your photography session. 821.studio.
No matter how experienced you are at sifting through piles of treasure at thrift stores, nothing can quite prepare you for the divine chaos that awaits you at One Stop Thrift Shop in Cheviot. From antique dishware to clothing and furniture, there are treasures stuffed into every nook and cranny of this store. The best part? One Stop Thrift Shop is typically running some sort of sale, meaning that you get an even steeper discount on previously loved items just waiting to find their next home. Hungry after your treasure hunting? Stop by nearby Santorini Family Restaurant for some of the best Greek comfort food in the area.
If you get a chance to attend a murder mystery party put on by Murder and Merriment, put on your detective cap and get to work. This theater company’s Clue-like, carefully plotted murder mysteries give you the chance to be a detective for a night of fun crime-solving, with actors who stay in character as the suspects throughout the event, helping immerse you in the story. You’ll get to go around and ask them questions. They can be evasive but can’t lie (unless you ask them if they did it; they can lie to that). They’ll also walk around and discuss the murder, so be sure to listen in on their conversations. And before you make your final decision on whodunnit, you’ll get to hear from the suspects as they’re interrogated by the investigator leading the case. The company also offers over 60 different immersive storylines for any kind of themed murder mystery dinner/fundraiser/team-building event you want to throw. murderandmerriment.com.
An article of clothing that simultaneously shows off your love for Cincinnati and your own sense of style is exactly what you need. Told Ya Sew Studio is the best place to look for apparel that is freshly embroidered with Cincy love. The merchandise in the shop includes shoutouts to several Cincinnati sports teams, including the University of Cincinnati Bearcats, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Cincinnati Reds and FC Cincinnati. From bandanas to crewnecks to vintage cardigans, there truly is something for everyone at Told Ya Sew Studio. toldyasew.com.
Since Donald Trump won the 2024 election, few things have been joyful. But, Keli Spanier, the owner of the greeting card company Colette Paperie, has offered a reprieve to those filled with grief since Election Day. Spanier, who created the company to flip the script on typical greeting cards, went viral for her Trump-themed grief card that read “Merry Christmas, I guess…let’s enjoy the last few weeks before the apocalypse.” Her snarky comments are printed on dozens of different Trump grief cards and stickers, intended to offer a laugh during the dark times. colettepaperie.com.
Serious candle obsessives need to know about Hermit’s Hearth Apothecary. Chet the “Hermit” makes luxury-level candles by hand in his Green Township kitchen, and his Smoke & Mirrors scent is a knockout. It’s spicy, earthy, warm and loud – simply removing the lid offers home dwellers olfactory glimpses into the candle’s top notes of clove and bergamot. Light the wick and your home is bathed in a leathery bouquet of rose, lavender and labdanum. The tobacco and autumn leaves ground the notes of springtime, casting a fragrant glow that goes beyond room refreshing and tells a story. At first whiff, Smoke & Mirrors shot me back to springtime in Texas; like walking into a boot shop after a thunderstorm when the sun beckons the moisture to return to the clouds, carrying with it the scent of wildflowers and prickly cacti. Hermit’s Hearth Apothecary candles, incense, bath and body supplies and crocheted art can be found at the Northside Farmers Market, Findlay Market, Westwood Farmers Market, Second Sunday on Main and more, depending on the season. hermitshearthapothecary.com.
Last year, Wendy Braun and Tatum Davis opened a lifestyle boutique and apothecary named Monmouth St. Mercantile inside the old Baker’s Table Bakery location in Newport. They focus on self-care, wellness and self-love — and we all need those things right now — in the form of teas, clothing, astrology, candles and bath bombs. They sell an assortment of books, ranging from self-help to gratitude journals. People can book a tarot card reading, and they also sell different kinds of tarot cards. Aside from the mystical aspect, the store retained Baker’s Table bread machine and bakes and sells bread, because eating carbs is also an act of self-care. monmouthstmercantile.com.
If you’re looking for an authentic taste of the Middle East, with fresh, healthy Mediterranean dishes crafted with love, Olive Tree Catering has all the kibbeh and baklava you could want. Proprietor Ibtisam Masto fled war in Syria with her family and came to Cincinnati in 2016. While Masto says she struggled to adapt to life in the United States, she never gave up on her dream to own a food business. Olive Tree was born after she went through a chef fellowship program by Center for Great Neighborhoods in Covington in 2018, and she never looked back. Masto’s dishes are crafted with fresh, high-quality and delicious ingredients that give people a genuine taste of her homeland and offer a new perspective of Syria — one that emphasizes love and peace through food. The catering menu features appetizers like baba ganouj and kibbeh — Masto’s favorite — entrees like Syrian chicken and shish kebabs and, of course, plenty of baklava. You can also find Olive Tree at Findlay Market on the weekends during market season for smaller portions of her amazing cooking. olivetreecincy.com.
Repeat after me: There’s no reason to shop at a major retailer when a cute local boutique has exactly what you need. Launch Party in Over-the-Rhine totally eclipses the experience of trudging through a strip mall Ulta or braving the Kenwood crowds just to swatch concealers. The charming boutique — right across the street from Longfellow — is brimming with personality and personal touch. Owner Brit Cochran hand-selects indie brands from near and far to fill every spot on your self-care shelf: fragrance, makeup, hair care, even shower heads. Everything is luxurious and labeled for its social impact. Cochran spent years in New York City as a big-deal makeup artist, and now she’s offering that expertise to Launch Party customers. You can book a group or one-on-one makeup consultation with Cochran, who will create a custom look — glowy, glam or dramatic — and teach you how to recreate it at home. Plus, unlike Sephora, Launch Party offers a 15% discount on products purchased after your makeover. shoplaunchparty.com.
Clothing shopping, especially in the Clifton Heights area, can be difficult. If you’re a University of Cincinnati student, your options are limited. The main stores that sell clothing are Target and Urban Outfitters — both of which are expensive — along with a smattering of shops offering discounted streetwear. Anything else, and you’ll need to take a 14-minute drive, or 44-minute bus ride, to the Kenwood Mall. Fortunately, unbeknownst to many, there is a business down the street from UC that provides high-end vintage clothes at cheap rates, and whose name encapsulates the perspective of their customers: New2You. Associated with a nearby church, New2You is a thrift store that specializes in vintage clothing from brand names. From ‘80s-era Ralph Lauren chinos to vineyard vines shorts, New2You offers a wide variety of clothes, always in excellent condition and so fresh that they could be mistaken for new. In an age of fast fashion, when so much of what we wear is meant to be worn once and then quickly disposed of, New2You offers an alternative: embracing clothes that speak to you, regardless of their provenance, and making “high-end” fashion more accessible for everyone. instagram.com/new2youcincinnati.
Once Upon a Child has numerous locations and each one offers an abundant stock of clothes for kids from infants up to preteens, all in good condition. Clothes are conveniently displayed by age and color and there are always seasonal offerings for Halloween, Christmas and Fourth of July, plus a lot of Disney-themed clothing. They also have strollers, car seats, toys and books. Once your kids outgrow the clothes, bring them back. onceuponachild.com.