Westerville is home to an array of shops and restaurants, all steps away from Otterbein’s campus. Owned by an Otterbein graduate, A Gal Named Cinda Lou is one among many shops.
The shop opened its doors to Westerville in 2006 and is owned by Debbie Hall Bennati. When needed, help around the shop is provided by Bennati’s friends, her daughter Julia Bennati and other family members. A Gal Named Cinda Lou is a product of family, receiving its name from Bennati’s grandmother.
Cinda Lou features mostly secondhand clothing, jewelry, furniture, records and knick-knacks from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s—products popularly known as vintage. The shop also supplies the sororities on campus with lavaliers.
Julia Bennati makes items for the shop as well, including bags, T-shirts and candles. She also repurposes old items to craft products such as matchboxes, light switch covers and hair bows.
“The store provides an affordable place to get vintage clothing, jewelry and gifts,” Bennati said.
According to Bennati, the store acquires most of its merchandise through auctions, people who are getting rid of belongings and pickers who find merchandise and bring it into the store.
For local businesses like Cinda Lou to be able to open their doors and thrive, the Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce helps them along the way.
According to Janet Tressler-Davis, president and CEO of the Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber tries to simplify the process of opening a business by providing new business owners with contacts, networking events and promoting businesses through their website and newsletter.
“You’re going to do business with people you know and people you trust,” Tressler-Davis said.
Perhaps that is why Cinda Lou was able to expand beyond the city limits of Westerville. Last year, their second location opened in the Short North, the area of Columbus just north of High Street.
Julia Bennati runs the Short North store location. There, the store offers the same merchandise, only on a smaller scale.
Bennati is also president of the Uptown Merchants Association. While many are familiar with Fourth Fridays held in Uptown Westerville during the summer, she said the association has plans to expand summer activities to every Friday.
On first Fridays they will host Cruisin’ Uptown, where shops will remain open late and classic cars will be seen up and down the strip. On second Fridays there will be a gallery hop. On third Fridays people can experience performing artists in the shops and on the streets.
Bennati encourages Otterbein students to shop locally and support their city. “We don’t see that many Otterbein students and Uptown is really booming right now,” Bennati said.
