Downtown businesses on the move

DAYTON (WDTN) - Robert Gray jokingly calls his shop, The Ohio Coffee Company, the "Cheers" of downtown Dayton.  
    
Gray's regulars count on him for a great cup of coffee and friendly conversation.
    
However, it wasn't always easy. "We've fought tooth and nail to stay here, this is a tough corner," said Gray.

Located at Fifth and Ludlow, away from most downtown foot traffic, Gray gives a lot of the credit to the employees of Premier Health Partners.

PHP offices are located a block away and Gray said the company's workers account for more than 80% of his business.

That's why, when Gray heard PHP was moving a couple blocks north, he had to re-evaluate is own business plan.

"We love this location," he said. "We don't want to leave this building by any stretch of the means, but it's a business decision.  We are not going to hang on here when those guys leave".
 
Gray has signed a new ease in the Fifth Third building, one block south of PHP's new space at 110 North Main.
 
"It's a great location for us because it's centrally located in our service area," said Diane Ewing, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Premier Health Partners. "We are really excited about it".     

Ewing said close to nine hundred employees will be making the move from their current location at 40 West Fourth Street.

"This new building has really given us the opportunity to go from leasing a property downtown, to investing in downtown Dayton, by purchasing the building," added Ewing. "That really extends that long term commitment that we've made for so many years".

Gray is also committed to downtown, to his customers and to making it as a small business owner in Dayton.

"It's a different economy, it's a different century and things have to change," acknowledged Gray. "The money isn't going to come to you. You have to go to it".

Premier Health Partners hopes to be completely moved into the new building by labor day.

The Ohio Coffee Company expects to be settled in by early August.