A beloved Ithaca vintage shop just gave a long-shuttered factory its first signs of life, according to Tompkins Weekly. FOUND in Ithaca reopened inside SouthWorks, becoming the first commercial tenant at the former Morse Chain Factory site.
The move followed Tompkins County’s purchase of FOUND’s Cherry Street building for a future homeless shelter. Owners Vanessa Weber and Jeremiah Cigno launched with a holiday pop-up that matched a typical month’s sales in eight days.
The larger space now houses nearly all 65 vendors, with a long waitlist. Developers say FOUND marks a turning point as SouthWorks pushes ahead with housing, workforce training, and infrastructure upgrades backed by $38 million in state funding.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].