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Food Hall Coming To Over-the-Rhine In Spring 2019

smorgasburg brooklyn
Courtesy of Smorgasburg
Findlay Market CEO Joe Hansbauer says Cincinnati's food hall is inspired by ones like Smorgasburg in Brooklyn, N.Y. (above), except indoors.

Local foodies will soon have a new place to chow down: the Corporation for Findlay Market, The Model Group, and Hickory Wald Hospitality Group are opening a food hall at 1818 Race Street in the spring of 2019.

While its purveyors currently are unknown, Findlay Market's President and CEO Joe Hansbauer says to expect a mix of established chefs and entrepreneurs to occupy the roughly 5,000-square foot space (formerly utilized by Epicurean Mercantile Co., or EMC, which closed its doors this summer).

food hall
Credit Courtesy Findlay Market Corporation
1818 Race Street currently stands vacant.

"It's going to be a mix for sure," he tells WVXU. "Existing established chefs who want to test out a concept they've been marinating on; the next chunk of folks - like the established chef's sous chef - who want a nice mid-step without going full board of investing into a restaurant; and the third target is the food entrepreneurs coming through Findlay Kitchen."

Findlay Kitchen opened in 2016 at Findlay Market and bills itself as a "non-profit food business incubater."

Hickory Wald will own and operate the centralized bar, and surrounding that will be 3-5 individual food stalls. "We'll be paying quite a bit of attention to the food styles, culinary choices, business ownership, and support new entrepreneurs and minority-owned businesses," Hansbauer says.

The food hall is currently without a name, but Hansbauer expects the project to move fast - he says the plan is to submit building permits by the end of this year, adding that the team is exploring "two or three floor plan options" that include an outdoor courtyard area and ample seating.

"It's an already-built space," he says, "so we'll be moving pretty quickly."

Jennifer Merritt brings 20 years of "tra-digital" journalism experience to WVXU.