Downtown Dayton Shopping Tour – Fire Blocks & St. Clair Street

On May 11, 2024, I took a group of shoppers around Downtown Dayton’s Fire Blocks and St. Clair Street areas. This free walking tour was set up and planned by the Downtown Dayton Partnership as a part of their annual Housing Tour. Here are my notes on the tour in case you’d like to follow in our footsteps.

Tour Stops

Stop-N-Save
36 W Third St

This store might look like a small bodega but it’s actually 6,000 square feet of fresh produce and grocery and deli items. If it looks familiar, that’s probably because Stop-N-Save has been serving Dayton customers in this location since 1997.

• In addition to groceries, this store also sells pizza and broaster chicken in case you don’t want to cook
• They are happy to accommodate requests if there’s something you need that they don’t stock, they can order it

Modern Eye
110 E Third St

Modern Eye is an independently owned eye care practice conveniently located in the Fire Blocks District. Dr. Elizabeth Eckhart and her staff offer eye exams and many other services.

• Services include comprehensive eye exams, contact lens fittings, dry eye treatment, pink eye treatment, ocular emergency care, and chronic ocular disease management.
• They have a unique selection of frames that you may not find at chain or corporate-owned places
• Dr. Eckhart designed this gorgeous shop herself!

After5
111 E Third St

Offering women’s clothing and accessories, After5 made a splash first as an online boutique before opening this stunning brick and mortar shop. This space also doubles as a luxury event center for private events.

• After5 launched online in 2019
• The owner of After5 also owns the Reserve on Third club
• After5 was a part of Downtown Dayton Partnership’s Retail Lab, which helped them get started in in-person retail

Tony & Pete’s
129 E Third St

You may know about Tony & Pete’s amazing sandwiches, but they also sell plenty of great food items, wine, beer, and more in their retail section.

• In addition to grocery items, Tony & Pete’s is known for their amazing sandwiches and sides, so definitely plan on revisiting sometime to order a meal – you can order online, even
• They stock local items like Smales Pretzels and Uncle Boof’s World Famous Pancake Mix, which they use at Ugly Duckling – it’s reopening soon!

Skeleton Dust Records
133 E Third St

Skeleton Dust Records opened in its current location in October 2017 and features an eclectic and curated selection music on vinyl, CD, and cassette format.

• They sometimes have used equipment for sale – keep an eye on social media to catch great deals on turntables, etc.
• They will be moving to Huffman – new address will be 2101 East Fifth Street – across a street from the owner’s wife’s store, Pink Moon Goods (definitely check that store out sometime!)
• You can also keep an eye on social media for their new arrivals

Wild Whiskers
33 S St Clair St

Wild Whiskers opened in 2023 and offers pet food, treats, health items, supplies, toys, and more. They specialize in natural pet products and host adoption events in the store.

• Their food and treats are also free of corn, wheat, and soy, which are can be allergens for some pets
• They host events here as well, including an upcoming kitten adoption event with the Humane Society on June 1 from 12-3 p.m.

Sole Touchers
37 S St Clair St

Sole Touchers is the destination downtown for sneaker heads. Fans of stylish footwear will love checking out what’s in stock, and they also offer buy/sell/trade.

• Their goal is to make quality and collectable shoes affordable
• They stock new and pre-loved shoes
• Sole Touchers had an online store for four years before working on opening this brick and mortar shop

Reduce & Reuse Refillery
133 E Fourth Street

Purchase and refill home and body care items without single-use plastics at Reduce & Reuse Refillery. With free local delivery, you never have to be without your favorite sustainable products.

• In addition to this downtown store, RRR has a location inside Maraluna in Oakwood on Far Hills Avenue
• They also have a mobile refillery truck – often parked at 2nd Street Market
  • Started originally as a mobile business, opening first brick and mortar shop in January 2022
• They have refillable bottles, jars, and tins you can purchase if you don’t bring your own

More Must-Visit Shops

We aren’t stopping at these great shops this time, but they should definitely be on your list for future visits.

Joui Wine
117 E Third St

This wine bar stocks a fantastic selection of wines you won’t find at the grocery store.

Val’s Bakery
25 S St Clair St

In addition to amazing pastry and coffee, Val’s offers a beautiful selection of items by local makers and sellers.

Vidia’s Closet
27 S St Clair St

This boutique offers women’s clothing, accessories, and more.

Why are they called the Fire Blocks?

While it might sound counterintuitive, many buildings were lost to electrical fire during the 1913 flood in Dayton. To ensure these buildings could withstand future catastrophe, the builders of the Fire Blocks constructed them with cement instead of wood, which gives them their sturdy industrial appearance today. Now the Fire Blocks feature retail and residential opportunities – check out FireBlocksDistrict.com to learn more.

More Dayton Retail

Check out Downtown Dayton Partnership’s Shopping page.

Thanks so much to this great group for shopping with me! (Minus one – taking the photo!)