The powerhouse creative agency behind Blink, Cincinnati’s renowned urban arts festival, and many other projects around the country is moving its headquarters office to downtown Cincinnati as it eyes significant growth.
Agar, self styled as an experiential marketing firm, has acquired the three-story building at 8 E. Fourth St., where restaurant Sleepy Bee occupies the ground-floor commercial space. The firm plans to move its office this fall into 12,000 square feet comprising the second and third floors of the building. The space is just shy of three times larger than Agar’s current Over-the-Rhine office at 1205 Walnut St., which is owned by Cincinnati Center City Development Corp., or 3CDC, and where 3CDC has its headquarters office.
Agar has been in Over-the-Rhine for nearly 11 years.
“This was a business need,” Agar co-founder Josh Heuser told the Business Courier. “This place allows us to grow. We have a headcount of 30 right now, and we’ll be able to get up to around 75 if we’re able to grow to that level.”
Agar has had initial conversations with the city administration on job creation incentives.
Sleepy Bee will remain in the first-floor space of the Fourth Street building.
“We’ve met with them, and they’re currently still signed on as a tenant, and we believe it’s a good partnership and look forward to collaborating with them,” Heuser said. “It’s important to have a nice, well run breakfast location in that corner of downtown.” Agar July 9 acquired the 18,000-square-foot building through Ate Forth Street LLC for $1.8 million. The building was previously owned by Bam Realty Group.
Bill Draznik, with Coldwell Banker, listed the property. Brian Hubert, with Comey & Shepherd, represented Agar in the deal.
Agar is working with the Drawing Dept on the design of the new office. Urban Sites is doing the buildout. Heuser estimated it’s a $500,000 to $750,000 project.
The second floor will host dedicated office space. The third floor and rooftop, formerly a cocktail bar called Aster that closed during the pandemic, will become extended office space during the work week, though Agar also will use it as a venue for special events, pop ups and galleries.
Heuser cited the allure of being downtown as a key factor in the move.
“We’re really excited about the momentum of the Central Business District, with the convention center and the Elm Street park and Fountain Square and restaurant row at the Foundry,” he said. “We just really believe downtown has a lot of momentum, and we want to be there at the front of that.”
Agar has been in-office five days a week since the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We believe more and more companies are going to be going back to the office – we believe they should be, to support our downtown, and we’re putting our dollars behind that,” Heuser said.
The firm’s verticals include experimental marketing, retail innovation, hospitality and public art. It collaborates with the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr. Foundation, ArtsWave and the Cincinnati Regional Chamber on Blink, which is returning in 2026. But as much as 70% of its billable revenue comes from outside the Cincinnati region, including activations at Coachella and New York Comic Con.
“All those verticals are growing,” Heuser said. “We expect to see continued growth as the world becomes more transactional and reliant on artificial intelligence, leading to a rise in value of human experience and placemaking.”
*This article originally appeared in the Cincinnati Business Courier.