{"id":56,"date":"2011-06-27T01:08:39","date_gmt":"2011-06-27T01:08:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/melissakramerscincinnati.com\/?page_id=56"},"modified":"2011-06-27T01:31:25","modified_gmt":"2011-06-27T01:31:25","slug":"green-products-flourish-in-over-the-rhine","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/melissakramerscincinnati.com\/?page_id=56","title":{"rendered":"Green products flourish in Over-the-Rhine"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Editor’s note: Lissa wrote this article in May 2008 for a journalism class at the University of Cincinnati, and it is published here for the first time. Since the article was written, Park+Vine has moved to 1202 Main St.)<\/em><\/p>\n

By Lissa Kramer<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Park+Vine, Cincinnati's "green general store," is now located at 1202 Main St. in Over-the-Rhine.<\/p><\/div>\n

The chill in the air didn\u2019t keep the children of the \u201cWoodstock Nation\u201d from the Earth Day celebration in April at Sawyer Point. Hippies, young and old, but mostly young, danced and played Frisbee on the lawn as folk bands played. Their floppy hats and tattered jeans suggested that they might be mellow enough to forget to feed their fish. This generation, though, is all but apathetic. They are environmentally conscious, not afraid to show it, and have created a demand for eco-friendly products and clothing that retailers in Cincinnati are beginning to fill.<\/p>\n

Years ago, green products were made for fringe groups, tree huggers and anti-fur radicals. Among green merchandise offerings were rough hemp pillowcases, which are ideal if an overnight facial exfoliation is in order. Today, though, green products have become practical and sophisticated, something non-liberals can embrace without changing their religion.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For example, Park+Vine, Cincinnati\u2019s \u201cfirst green general store,\u201d has held its own in the stylish Gateway Quarter in Over-the-Rhine since it opened last June. CityBeat<\/em> called Park+Vine \u201ca swank hang out for sustainable living enthusiasts.\u201d Graphic-print natural fiber rugs cover the shiny bamboo floors. Brightly colored pillows made from reclaimed fabrics look as if they\u2019d come from West Elm or Pottery Barn. Electronic music plays in the background and sleek art hangs from exposed brick walls of the restored Italianate building on Vine Street.<\/p>\n

The store caters to professionals and complements its retail neighbors that sell contemporary furniture, home d\u00e9cor items and eclectic gifts. \u201cA lot of our regular customers shop at Mica and City Roots next door,\u201d says Dan Korman, owner.<\/p>\n

Vine Street has always been a good place to take the pulse of the city. Art galleries, theaters and Music Hall firmly anchor the growing neighborhood that has been bolstered by converted lofts and mod apartments. Jean Robert de Cavel\u2019s Lavomatic Caf\u00e9, a hip-yet-casual restaurant, has fed and watered the theater crowd since it opened its doors in February. Park+Vine\u2019s clients are not the average deadheads.<\/p>\n

Rented lofts and converted warehouses in the city confirm the fact that the trend toward urban living is growing, no doubt helped by rising gasoline prices. Korman, who is 40, reaps the benefits of living in the city. \u201cI have no gas bill,\u201d he says. \u201cWhen I was young, we lived in an old neighborhood. I always rode my bike everywhere. I still ride my bike everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to a study by Deloitte, a business advisory firm, 17 percent of people plan on buying green this year. Korman sees these statistics play out in his customers. \u201cA lot of the people coming in here are young and are generally concerned for the future of their family.\u201d Quality control is a very real concern for the mainstream public, a natural outcome of the scare this past year with lead-based paint in toys made in China. \u201cMy customers want no connection to goods made in China,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

The alternative, buying American, is not as easy as it may seem. \u201cIt\u2019s really hard to find clothing made in the U.S., eco-friendly or not,\u201d he adds. He says that he tries to find as many local manufacturers within the \u201cgreen circle,\u201d jargon that means buying within a 100-mile radius. Purchasing within the green circle \u201climits the consumption of petrol chemicals,\u201d according to Jon Burkhardt, who works at Park+Vine.<\/p>\n

For example, Cincinnati native Michael Palmer created the fashion line \u201cNati Evolvement\u201d for American Apparel, which Korman sells at his store. \u201cLook At Me,\u201d \u201cWire And Twine\u201d and \u201cAlternative Motive\u201d also print t-shirts locally using base shirts from American Apparel, which are made in the U.S. Other locally made products sold at Park+Vine include Union\u2019s Bloom, a Northern Kentucky company that makes bags, and \u201cCulpepper\u2019s Daughter,\u201d which produces herbal personal care products. \u201cLinda\u2019s Luxuries\u201d manufactures bar soaps and is also sold at Findlay Market.<\/p>\n

Aside from the obvious benefit of reducing harm to the environment, many of the goods sold at Park+Vine come wrapped as a bundle of benevolence. For example, a set of lime-green coasters tied in rattan carry a tag that describes how the vendor, the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County, Oregon, helps with emergency services, housing and job training for those in need.<\/p>\n

Though many green products carry higher price tags, much of Park+Vine\u2019s goods are surprisingly affordable. \u201cWe sell a ton of Sigg bottles and Envirosax bags,\u201d Korman says. \u201cThey\u2019re not that expensive, and people feel like they\u2019re doing something good without making a huge commitment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eira, a 21-year-old geography student at the University of Cincinnati, buys makeup and cleaning products at Park+Vine. One of her favorites, she says, is Just Soap. Its churning process is powered by a bicycle pedal, not energy generated from fossil fuels.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe get a lot of young couples in here buying bedding and cleaning products,\u201d Korman says. \u201cThere are more from Hamilton and Middletown than I expected. We\u2019ve become something of a destination store.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Editor’s note: Lissa wrote this article in May 2008 for a journalism class at the University of Cincinnati, and it is published here for the first time. Since the article was written, Park+Vine has moved to 1202 Main St.) By … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":398,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"onecolumn-page.php","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/melissakramerscincinnati.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/56"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/melissakramerscincinnati.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/melissakramerscincinnati.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/melissakramerscincinnati.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/melissakramerscincinnati.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=56"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"http:\/\/melissakramerscincinnati.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/56\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":401,"href":"http:\/\/melissakramerscincinnati.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/56\/revisions\/401"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/melissakramerscincinnati.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/398"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/melissakramerscincinnati.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=56"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}