Goal of Dayton’s first food hall on city’s west side: Revitalize Wright Dunbar Historic District

A partnership behind the creation of Dayton’s first food hall is hoping to revitalize the Wright Dunbar Historic District, bring opportunity to the community and move the city further closer to ending the food desert on the city’s west side.

The West Social Tap and Table, 1100 W. Third St., is scheduled to open at 7 a.m. Monday, July 25, featuring six-restaurant collective that will offer breakfast, lunch, a bar, and a place for social gatherings.

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“West Social Tap and Table operations have been in progress since 2020, and the perseverance is finally paying off,” Cheryl Dillin, chief brand officer with building managing partner Dillin, LLC., said in a prepared statement issued today.

“We have developed a very special bond with our tenants,” she said.

Those tenants will be Illy’s Fire Pizza, The Lumpia Queen, De’lish, Grind House Coffee Co., Soca, and Taco Street Co. - along with an operating bar.

The food hall property with 6,400 square feet of space ia across from the National Aviation Heritage Museum. Dillin Financial, Clous Road Partners, and Wright Dunbar, Inc. are partners in real estate. Total development costs were an estimated $2.15 million, according to Dillin.

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This project, the first phase in a planned series of Opportunity Zone investments within the city, aims to bring business opportunities to the corridor -- the center of the neighborhood where Orville and Wilbur Wright designed the world’s first successful motor-operated airplane, and where Paul Laurence Dunbar wrote his poetry.

The West Third Street Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places and is home to the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, the National Aviation Heritage Alliance, and the Dayton Region’s Walk of Fame.

“The W. Social Tap & Table represents what collaboration from private partnerships, government, for-profit, and non-profit organizations can look like! All the stars had to align for this project to happen! . . . Together we are creating a vibrant and diverse Wright Dunbar Historic District,” said Erica Hubler, director of real estate, Wright Dunbar, Inc., the non-profit dedicated to the management of the historically significant corridor West Third Street Historic District.

John Gower, president of Wright Dunbar Inc., said, “West Social helps to elevate the concept of West Third Street as a West Dayton Creative Corridor. Leveraging passion, vision, need, diversity, tenacity, and love with Social Entrepreneurship. This is another piece of the amenity puzzle that will support neighborhood growth and development in West Dayton.”

Each of the tenants began as food trucks that have grown enough to transition to stationary locations.

“I am excited to bring life to the Wright Dunbar area,” said Anthony Thomas, Taco Street Co.

Bill, of Grind House Coffee Co., said, “West Social solves the (food desert) issue with the best brands in the city.”

Dillin/Clous are renovating three additional buildings on Third street in the Wright Dunbar neighborhood.

Food Hall Fast Facts

> Ribbon-cutting ceremony, featuring Dayton Mayor Jeffrey Mims Jr., is 11 a.m. Monday, July 25

> The restaurants will operate seven days a week from 7 am to 10 pm.

> Limited Breakfast, full lunch, dinner, and drinks will be available every day

> Special menu items will be offered on occasion

> The space will also offer events including “The West Social Block Party,” the first of which is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 5.

> WestSocialTapAndTable.com will have the latest up-to-date restaurants, ordering information, menu, hours and special events.