Merchants On Main

Photo:  (left to right) Michael, Jessie, and Mike
North of Downtown Cincinnati, a group of business and art entrepreneurs offer items not found elsewhere - everything from contemporary crafts, pottery, jewelry, beads, silk fabrics and antique Indian saris, to decorative accessories ranging from antique, to vintage, to new.  Many of these independent businesses are part of the Merchants on Main, a group that has been supporting, programming and encouraging patrons to come down to Main Street in Over-the-Rhine for over 20 years. This week's Soapblog's feature three of Main Street's newest merchants.

Jessie Cundiff is a craftsman, designer, and gallery owner from Cincinnati, Ohio.  She started her career at age 20 as a stained glass apprentice, and now designer.  Her stained glass pieces can be found in a number of buildings in Cincinnati, such as CVG Airport, Cincinnati's Music Hall, Claddagh Irish Pub, The McAlpin, and countless churches and private residences. From 2006-2009, Jessie was co-founder, director, and curator of KraftHaus Gallery in Over-the-Rhine.   After receiving her BFA from NKU this year, Jessie helped open Mud-on-Main, a clay studio and co-op for other artists.

J. Michael Skaggs is a communication instructor at NKU as well as co-director with Bill Spangler of RoHo Photo Gallery.  Michael has taught at NKU since fall 2000 after careers with Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive and NPR affiliate WBGO-FM in Newark, NJ.  Michael's passions are photography, jazz and riding his mountain bike daily.  His photography book, Americans Revisited, Volume I, was published by Edgecliff Press on July 4, 2008.  Michael lives in a 3-story loft/gallery in Over-the-Rhine.

Mike Markiewicz is best known on Main Street as the founding father of Kaldi's Coffeehouse.  He has faked it, over the years, as teacher, hippie, pig farmer, rehabber.  He is most at home in the woods and hangs out now in another part of the forest, Main Street's new record store.