CINCINNATI – For new business owners, there are still struggles to open doors, from rising costs to difficulty finding employees.
But for one new Cincinnati business owner, he’s proud to be a black-owned business in an up-and-coming neighborhood.
What you need to know
- Fly By Nature is OTR’s newest small business.
- Cam Mundon started the brand several years ago and is proud to have opened its first store.
- The store is the only black-owned business on Race Street, something Mundo is proud of.
- The store will celebrate its official grand opening in September
At Fly By Nature, a new small business located in downtown Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine district, every customer gets a chance to make their mark.
Cam Mundo is the owner of the business that started this store by asking every customer to sign on the wall.
Cam Mundo customers sign the shop wall. (Spectrum News 1/Katie Kapusta
“They’re giving me encouragement,” Mundon said. They’re really excited to do it and it’s coming and going like organic graffiti. So this was the vision.
Another view of him? Bringing this store to life. Fly by Nature is a clothing store that has been in business for years. Now, Mundo will officially open its doors next month.
“This is my dream. I’ve always loved fashion,” he said. “I’ve always loved when people are happy with what they wear on their bodies. I’m the same way, I love to look beautiful and let people have an experience. When I see this store, everything is coming full circle.”
While the store is still a work in progress, Mundon is making sure everything is just right – including the branding. The ubiquitous duck within these four walls represents Mundon’s older brother, who died in 2001.
“He always looked good and carried himself the way I wanted to go,” Mundon said.
The reminder of his brother’s and his own dreams and goals carries Mundo—especially as the only black-owned business owner on Race Street—something Mundo is proud of.
“I wanted to put my place in a place that was easily accessible and this area doesn’t get much better than OTR,” Mundon said. “I wanted to put my business in a different place. OTR is very diverse. I get all kinds of people from all walks of life walking through my store.”
Mundon owns Fly By Nature in Over-the-Rhine. (Spectrum News 1/Katie Kapusta)
Now, as he prepares the store for its grand opening, he knows his hard work and perseverance will pay off.
“You come to work every day, everything else falls into place,” he said.
