ASHLAND — Have you ever wondered what the apartment above Fig & Oak looks like? Or, how about the space above Antiques on Main?
Well, if you venture out to Ashland’s 2023 Hidden Spaces tour, hosted by Ashland Main Street, you can find out this weekend.
“A lot of things we do in our downtown are borrowed from other places,” said Sandra Tunnell, the executive director for Ashland Main Street.
Tunnell said Ashland’s been doing these tours of hidden spaces in the downtown area for about eight years. This fall’s lineup includes some spaces that have been on tours before and received renovations, like a new Airbnb at 31 West Main Street that was only open Friday night.
Tunnell said this tour is the first time some spaces have only been open on one day or the other. The Ashland Theatre and VFW are only open Saturday. The new Airbnb was only open to folks who attended on Friday night.
Tunnell’s office, at 143 ½ West Main, and the apartment above Fig & Oak at 100 ½ West Main will remain open for both days.
Friday’s stops
Rachel and Logan Barr live in the apartment above Fig & Oak. They said it looks different than usual right now because it’s currently being used as a movie set for a local film.
The film, called “Wormtown,” is being produced by Good Deed Entertainment. Rachel said the film is set in an apocalyptic time. All the electronics have been moved out of their house. One of the bedrooms has also become part of the set, hosting a character named Tommy.
Rachel Barr said she’s used to people being in her apartment, but filming the movie there brought a crowd.
“It was cool to see it on screen, and it will be great to see a movie about Ashland filmed in Ashland,” Rachel said.
Tunnell’s office was filled with plants. It also had a table set up dedicated to Ashland Main Street’s upcoming slate of fall events.
And, the new Airbnb open on Friday night transformed an old apartment into the “Board Room.” The basketball-themed space has a loft bed, a spacious living room and roof access.
The owners, Brittaney and Joe Reep, said they bought the building in 2019 and have been renovating it since. According to Joe, they rent out one of the apartments to a full-time tenant, but are trying something new with the Airbnb setup.
Brittaney said the AirBnB was officially available to rent starting in July, and that it’s been full nearly every weekend. Joe said the first month, a football player from Ashland University lived there. They’ve since had people come through for a variety of reasons.
“There’s lots of good stories,” Joe said.
Saturday’s lineup
For folks interested in attending the tour on Saturday, it will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Tickets are sold in front of Ashland Main Street’s office, at 143 ½ West Main Street. It’s $10 for a ticket, or $5 for children. Maps will be available.
The Ashland Main Street office, movie set, Ashland Theatre and VFW will be open for people to stop in on Saturday morning and afternoon.
Tunnell said the next Hidden Spaces tour is planned for the solar eclipse coming in April 2024.
For more information on Ashland Main Street’s other upcoming events, you can visit its event page.
