Founder & Creative Director
project role:
PROJECT OVERVIEW:
THE VISION:
cincinnati, OH
2017-2018
date:
Location:
The Green Store
The Green Store was a creative placemaking project and pop-up retail experience designed to help people make more conscious choices in their everyday lives. Launched with support from a People's Liberty Globe Grant, the project combined sustainable products, educational programming, and community events to create an accessible entry point into environmental sustainability.
Part retail experiment, part community gathering space, The Green Store invited people to explore practical alternatives to conventional consumer habits while connecting with others who shared a vision for a more sustainable future.
The Green Store was created to test a simple but powerful idea: people are more likely to change their behavior when sustainability is accessible, engaging, and rooted in community.
Rather than focusing solely on products, I envisioned a space where education, creativity, and connection could work together to inspire more conscious choices. Through a blend of sustainable retail, community programming, and creative placemaking, The Green Store invited people to explore what a more intentional lifestyle could look like in practice.
At its core, the project was a prototype for a different kind of community space. One that used design, storytelling, and shared experiences to make sustainability feel tangible, actionable, and possible.
The Green Store was launched in 2017 as a recipient of a People's Liberty Globe Grant, a highly competitive program that awarded $15,000 to local creatives to transform vacant storefronts into immersive, community-centered experiences. Backed by the Haile Foundation, People's Liberty was a philanthropic lab that invested in bold ideas designed to strengthen Cincinnati's cultural and civic landscape.
Conceived and developed as an independent social impact venture, The Green Store reimagined a storefront in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood as a hub for sustainability, education, and community engagement. The project combined environmentally conscious retail, educational workshops, wellness programming, and community events to create an accessible entry point into sustainable living.
More than a pop-up shop, The Green Store served as a real-world prototype for exploring how creative placemaking, experience design, and community programming could influence behavior, foster connection, and inspire more conscious choices in everyday life.
Project details
The Green Store demonstrated the power of creativity to inspire meaningful change. What began as a temporary storefront evolved into a space where people could learn, connect, and explore more sustainable ways of living. By bringing together retail, education, and community engagement, the project transformed sustainability from an abstract concept into something people could experience firsthand.
The project was recognized internationally at the Global Youth Forum in Dubai, where it received first place in the Environmental Sustainability category. Locally, it sparked conversations around conscious consumerism, supported community connection, and offered practical tools for individuals looking to reduce waste and make more intentional choices.
Perhaps most importantly, The Green Store proved that thoughtfully designed spaces can influence behavior, build community, and inspire action. The project became a living example of how creative placemaking can be used to address real-world challenges while creating experiences that are both meaningful and memorable.
impact
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