The outside of Referees Sports Bar, which opened in late 2022. After extensive remodeling of the interior spaces at 311 N. Main St. in Piqua prior to opening, the goal in 2023 was to extend and refresh the outdoor patio spaces available for live music, dining, and relaxing with a cold drink after work.
Submitted photo | Mainstreet Piqua
Submitted photo | Mainstreet Piqua
Main Street in downtown Piqua.
Submitted photo | Mainstreet Piqua
PIQUA — Piqua continues to grow and enhance its retail, restaurant, and service offerings with new and expanding businesses in 2023, said a progress report submitted by Robin Heintz, head of marketing and events for Mainstreet Piqua.
Growing businesses downtown include the new Poco Loco swim gear, Keller Williams Home Town Realty, and Bits & Pieces cafe, as well as the outdoor expansion of Referee’s Sports Bar.
Poco Loco Swim Gear opened at 325 N. Main Street in Piqua in November of 2023. Owners Lori and Scott Robinson supply swim gear to college and YMCA teams, as well as to the general public. They carry a large inventory of quality swim wear, in a wide array of sizes. They can also place custom orders to offer exactly what their customers are looking for. Poco Loco Swim Gear can be reached at 937-606-2499 or online at https://www.pocolocoswimgear.com/
Referees Sports Bar opened in late 2022, after extensive remodeling of the interior spaces at 311 N. Main in Piqua. In 2023, their goal was to extend and refresh the outdoor patio spaces available for live music, dining, and relaxing with a cold drink after work. Owner Carlos Cordoba, who also owns the El Herradero restaurant in Piqua, brings his restaurant expertise to the sports bar and its menu. Known for wings and subs, Referees also features a full menu including pizza, burgers and other sandwiches and quesadillas. Hours, entertainment, and food/drink specials can be found at https://refereesportsbar.com/
In June of 2023, Keller Williams Home Town Realty opened a new downtown Piqua location at 113 E. High St., (the former AAA site). Owners Brandi and Chad Lawson opened the new branch of the Keller Williams firm to cover northern listings in Miami and Shelby counties and beyond. They expect to employ about nine agents from the Piqua base.
There is also a co-working plan with developers, home improvement businesses, and other related businesses sharing the space, creating a one-stop service center for real estate investing. https://thelawsongroup.kw.com/
Bits and Pieces kicked off their rolled ice cream shop in August of 2023. As time passes, the menu continues to expand, with sandwiches, famous chili dogs, baked potatoes, Italian ices, and much more available for hungry guests. Owned by Tom and Cindy Lillicrap, Bits and Pieces is a spin-off of their popular This & That’s Candy Store on Main Street. The focus on delicious food at a reasonable price has made this location a top pick for lunch in downtown Piqua. Visit Bits and Pieces at 122 W. High Street. While you are there, congratulate Tom for being named Business Person of the Year by the Piqua Chamber of Commerce.
The MainStreet Piqua organization will again be offering the Farmers Market downtown on Thursday afternoons from May-September this year. The program continues to grow by leaps and bounds. The variety of foods and handcrafted items is unbeatable. Also, Piqua Farmers Market is one of the few in the area that accepts credit cards, EBT/SNAP cards,
Senior Nutrition vouchers, and WIC benefits. Vendor applications are available at https://www.piquafarmersmarket.com/
MainStreet Piqua’s Board of Trustees has been busy focusing on several areas of interest over the last few months. Their number one task was to find a new Executive Director to replace Lorna Swisher, who moved into a state position with the Heritage Ohio Revitalization Program. A candidate has recently been identified and agreed to join the organization.
We look forward to welcoming them to the MainStreet Piqua team. Watch for a full press release coming soon.
In addition to hiring a new Executive Director, the Board of Trustees has been busy creating the 2024 strategic plan for the organization. Much of this year’s plan is being created based on recommendations of the Piqua community. The public surveys and open forums were the result of a grant-funded consulant-led effort. This public feedback is leading to exciting new ideas for our downtown.
The many volunteer committees that make the full schedule of downtown Piqua events possible have been busy planning the 2024 event season. The season will kick off on May 17, with the annual Taste of the Arts celebration. Details of upcoming events can be found online at www.mainstreetpiqua.com, as well as on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
For additional information about Mainstreet Piqua volunteer opportunities, you can call the office at 937-773-9355 or stop by 326 N. Main Street in downtown Piqua.
