Latonia gives visitors more reasons to linger
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The Roost, a coffee shop that also sells vintage items, opened its doors in 2020. Now, more businesses, like Wordcage, are joining the fold. Photo: Kristen Swilley/Axios
New stores are giving people more reasons to stop in Latonia at its Ritte's Corner commercial district instead of rolling right through.
Why it matters: The businesses are bringing fresh energy to the neighborhood as Covington invests in filling and improving local storefronts.
- This fiscal year, eligible Latonia commercial properties can receive up to $15,000 in forgivable-loan assistance for façade improvements.
Driving the news: One of the newest arrivals is Wordcage, which opened Friday. The used bookstore and media shop is owned and operated by Jessica Whyte.
- Whyte, who lives in Fort Thomas, got the idea after visiting Dark Star Books in Yellow Springs with her husband, Eric.
- The couple had already been selling books online for decades.
- "I was like, 'I want to do a bookstore,'" Whyte tells Axios. Her husband's response: "I don't, but I will support you."
Zoom in: Whyte stumbled across a Latonia storefront and liked the space and neighborhood.
- "The longer we've been here, the happier we are with our neighbors and the choice to move here," she says.
The big picture: Wordcage adds to a growing cluster of small businesses around Ritte's Corner that includes The Roost, a neighborhood gathering spot serving coffee and baked goods amid antiques, vintage pieces and local art.
- "We definitely push and tell people about all the other businesses too," Whyte says.
What's next: Whyte wants Wordcage to become a "third place" for the community — and hopes the businesses together can make Latonia a destination where people "have some lunch, do some shopping, walk around for a bit."
- "It's not just about me and a bookstore," she says. "It seems to be more of a community thing."