Main St, Over-The-Rhine

The part of Main St. that runs through Over the Rhine has its share of apartments and condos, but it's also been one of Cincinnati's entertainment districts for a long time. Like most of the city, Main St. has seen its ups and downs. Bars, galleries and shops come and go, but usually when one business leaves the street, another comes along to take its place.

Many structures along Main St are well-preserved Victorian architecture, a draw that's made the street part of the ongoing wave of urban settlements. People craving the convenience of Downtown living have reclaimed the buildings as in-town apartments and condos. They pay market rate for spaces that were once low income housing. Developers host annual urban living walks to show off the transformations.

Shopping
Galleries have always been one of the main attractions of Main St. They no longer line both sides of the street as they used to, but art still has a presence. Base Art, Enjoy the Arts/Start, Deogracias Lerma Photography and Classical Glass are just a few of the Main St. galleries. You'll also find Park+Vine, Cincinnat's "Green General Store," Clubhead Records, Greg's Antiques, Designsmithgallery modern "investment" furniture, JT's Mini Mart and more.

Dining and Entertainment
For drinks and music on Main you'll find Mr. Pitiful's jazz bar, Japp's since 1879 and Neon's Cigar Bar around the corner on 12th. Courtyard Cafe offers burgers, burritos and barbecue. Shadeau Breads sells pastries.

Main St. is always changing, so the best thing to do is to take a stroll along the street on a Final Friday. That's when all the shops, galleries and bars open their doors to invite everyone in for a visit. From May to October, Main St. Sponsors Second Sundays in OTR. They block off a section of the street to allow Artists, crafters, food vendors and entertainment to take over. In the fall Main St. hosts a Beer Fest.

Schools
Main St. is close to St. Francis Catholic Elementary and Rothenberg Preparatory Academy (Preschool-8)
on Vine. The School for Creative and Performing Arts (K-12) is several blocks away.