Community rallies around Oregon District shop owner battling cancer

“It’s every woman’s worst nightmare.”

The community is rallying around the owner of an Oregon District business that closed its doors last week.

A Facebook fundraiser has been established to support Dayton native Amanda Hensler, a graduate of Chaminade-Julienne High School and Wright State University.

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As we told you last week, Hedges & Wolf, 504 E. Fifth St., the clothing boutique she co-owned, closed abruptly due to sudden ownership changes. See original report below.

According to the the Facebook fundraiser's description, Hensler, 34, received news last week that she has Stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer.

The news "instantly brought us all to our knees. It's every woman's worst nightmare," according to the Facebook post made by her business partners and friends Kait GilcherSabrina Cox and Brittany Smith.·
"It is particularly devastating news as she lost her mother to breast cancer when she was 8 years old and has lived with the fear of this possibility her entire life," it reads. "While Amanda is the one with the life-altering diagnosis, we aren't going to let her battle cancer alone. We are going to do everything in our power to help Amanda, Zach, and their son Beau get through this. We are strategizing and plotting to ensure that she can focus on her health, take the appropriate time she needs off work to heal, and not worry about the daunting costs of cancer treatments and bills."

More than $25,000 has already been raised.

Read the post in its entirety here. 

**ORIGINAL STORY

Popular Oregon District shop closed, will be reborn with new concept

A prominent Oregon District business is closed its doors on Feb. 19.

An ownership change and the need to expand the variety of merchandise is part of the reason Hedges & Wolf, 504 E. Fifth St., will shut its doors, co-owner Brittany Smith said.

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Opened in early 2018 and owned by Smith, Carly BarrettKait Gilcher and Amanda Hensler, the shop specializes in clothing and accessories.

It is named partly to honor famed Dayton madame Elizabeth “Lib” Hedges (Elizabeth Richter).

Smith said the business was “in the black” and successful, but a change is needed.

“After getting so much feedback, we need to sell more than women’s clothes,” Smith said  “Everyone has been super supportive of Hedges, but we need to change the brand.”

Barrett and Hensler are leaving the business.

Smith and Gilcher, also co-owners of Heart Mercantile, are working on a new concept and name for the space.

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She described the yet-to-be named venture as a “lifestyle boutique.”

"We are putting a different store in and a different concept," said Smith, also a co-owner of nearby Luna Gifts & Botanicals. "It will be 'girl power.' We  will have something for moms and kids."

She said items offered by the new shop will fall somewhere between those offered at Luna and Heart, a business known for its snark.

Hedges & Wolf’s equipment and merchandise is being liquidated. The store is open until 7 p.m.

Hedges & Wolf was a finalist in Dayton.com's Best of 2018 contest in the category Best Place to Shop if You Don't Want to Dress Like Everybody Else.

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