(614) July | 2023

the Ohio Expo Center & State Fair.

Fair will be held from July 6-Aug. 26 at

year's Ohio State Fair. This year's State

bustling crowd and carnival games at last

A neon Ferris wheel flashes before a

BIG PICTURE

Photo by Jordy Middlebrooks.

JACK MCLAUGHLIN Editor-In-Chief

Walking on the Wild Side

To this day, I’m amazed by the fact that I still have all my fingers and toes.

And for good reason: I was raised on the outdoors. While I grew up in Chicago—during the summers, at least—my family would spend the vast majority of our free time in northern Michigan. We’re talking internet-is-still-an-issue-up-there north, on the sparsely-populated northwestern tip of the Lower Peninsula.

What the area lacked in population, though, it made up for in wildlife.

Every day up there, going back to elementary school, I would ask my parents to drop me off at a nearby patch of woods that was dotted with neglected, algae-ridden ponds. They would drive off, and I would spend hours, entire days sometimes, stalking northern leopard frogs. I had the patience of a big cat (although this didn’t carry over into my adult life), standing motionless for minutes–a beat-up net outstretched in my right hand–before scooping one up.

I also had a bad habit of grabbing adolescent snapping turtles when I could find them, although I learned pretty quickly why this was a bad idea. I would also need to conceal the snakebites that often covered my hands, to make sure my parents didn’t get too concerned. I was allowed to catch (and release, like I did with all animals) the local garter snakes, but none of the larger, less-identifiable species, although sometimes I broke the rules.

Once, I remember hiking through the sprawling hardwood forest that made up our backyard. It was August, and getting dark, when I came nearly faceto-face with a great horned owl that must have been close to my height at the time. More than anything, I remember her eyes, which felt like they could see straight through me. I felt vulnerable and exhilarated and terrified all at the same time.

Walking back home in the last of the light that evening felt like an almost spiritual experience, like some primal corner of my brain was on fire.

As a species, our fascination with wildlife, in the natural world, goes deeper than language or love: It’s part of our biology. Maybe I feel it a bit more than others, but when animals are involved–even if it’s insects–there’s a curiosity that rises up in me that I can’t control or explain. Since I’m not a zoologist or an expert in evolution, I’ll refrain from speculating, but even though we live most of our lives out in tidy houses on grid-planned streets, there’s a part of us that’s still wild.

Our July issue embraces this, whether that’s through chronicling pet skunks in the city, taking a closer look at big cats just outside of Johnstown, or by finding a falconry school without having to leave Columbus proper.

We hope you enjoy Going Wild

� STAFF PICKS Our staff picks

Since we’re diving into animals and pet of all shapes and sizes in this issue, we asked our staff to share their own favorite pets, whether that means animals they currently have, or ones they grew up alongside. Here’s what they said.

My fish Carl. The original and 2.0.

— Anna Gerhard, Account Executive

Growing up in the 90s, we had a Dalmatian who would howl along to the Backstreet Boys.

— Jack McLaughlin, Editor-In-Chief

Growing up my family had a black-capped caique named Emmy. She was a master at mimicking the doorbell sound and would ding-dong ditch us all. The. Time.”

—

Atlas Biro, Creative Designer

Malcolm reigns supreme for me. My lil brindle corn chip feet bundle of joy.

—

Lizzy Saunders, Brand Manager,

(614) Beer

Hands down our current dog, Heinrich the giant schnauzer, is the best pet ever! Never have known a dog that likes to snuggle so much—all 90 lbs of him.

— Mindy Wilhite, Account Executive

My two dogs - Sammy the mini hippo & Aycie the 110lb bernedoodle are the BEST pets. Two completely different personalities—the little one constantly guards me & will growl if anyone gets too close. The big one is the exact opposite— afraid of everything including his own shadow. BUT at the beginning and end of every day all they want to do is see who can get the closest to me.

—

Meggin Weimerskirch, Advertising Director

My current cat Flynn. He’s the friendliest cat I’ve ever met, will literally watch TV and TikToks with me, and even knows his name.

— Julia Attanasio, Social Media Manager

ON the WEB

Do you check your news and entertainment updates on 614now.com? You should. Every day we’re posting Columbus’s top news, entertainment, and sports stories from throughout Central Ohio. Check out all the Columbus news online, including the new ones below at 614now.com and subscribe to our daily email!

→ This annual Columbus-area festival features a dodgeball-style “Tomato War:” Here’s how to participate

Whether or not all of us will admit it, nearly every one of us has dreamt of tossing a ripe tomato to watch it splatter across someone else. Did you know that one central Ohio festival allows you to actually do this, though? Scan the QR to learn more.

→ New Yelp list of country’s best donut shops features two Ohio stores

Not one, but two different Ohio donut shops are among the country’s best, according to Yelp. The food review giant recently published its 2nd annual list of the country’s best 100 donut stores... Scan the QR to keep reading.

→ This year’s Pokemon international Championships will be held in Columbus

While Ash Ketchum may or may not make an appearance, The Arch City is preparing for some serious Pokemon action, as the 2023 Pokemon International North America Championships will be held in Columbus.... Scan the QR to keep reading.

#AsSeenInColumbus

PRES S PLAY

614 VIDEO

Did you know that (614) has a YouTube channel with some very shareable video content? It’s true. Keep an eye out for more on our (614) Columbus account and on social media. In the meantime, scan the QR code to check out our newest videos.

Worthington Jewelers definitely has some beautiful pieces ready for you to make yours. But truly MAKING it yours? That's where custom jewelry has the leg up.

• Snack Attack Returns! EP. 2

Everyone is guilty of getting the munchies, but trying the obscure, strange, and downright weird? Leave that to us! Snack Attack will prep you for your next grocery store trip.

• A Patio that Summer Deserves! Summer is the season of Sunny days, blue skies, and let's face it, high temps. Find the perfect way to cool off and relax at El Vaquero!

• ZipZone Outdoor Adventures

Fly high amongst the trees at Zipzone! 5 Woodland climbing and adventure courses await as you harness in and navigate these treetop obstacle courses and zipline your way to fun!

@the_nail_b

@woodybuzz2012

@ryanp_photo

@casakarmelitas

• A Personal Touch from Worthington Jewelers

The fascinating story of Columbus-area native Ryan Francis’ move from horror movie actor to nerdcore rapper

By Taylor Dorrell

Photos by Jen Brown

Story Design by Bryce Patterson

Ryan Francis, also known by his stage name Huge Euge, is a relatively average millennial Midwesterner with a shaved head, a short beard, and an appearance which, to the untrained eye, might go unnoticed in a crowd. But to those who do know him, with his casual presence and his niche oeuvre, he looks and talks exactly like the glasses-wearing character Darren from the 2007 horror film, Thankskilling, which in fact he is.

But that’s not all he is. →

Explore

Search by location, artist name, type of art or any keyword and help us make the database even better by sending your photos and details.

Current Janet Echelman

Jazz Duets, Omar Shaheed Gather & Flow, Studio KCA

As We Are Matthew Mohr

Portals for Nature Miss Birdy

Bobcat Godmask, Adam Hernandez

← Ryan Francis, AKA Huge Euge

Francis was born and raised in Ohio, coming of age in the 90s in Heath where he was a passionate “theater kid,” he dropped out of Ohio University his sophomore year while playing drums in the MySpace-era punk band Overrated. He then starred in the black comedy slasher, Thankskilling, and now, working a day job at covermymeds, he is pursuing a career in the musical genre called “nerdcore,” a niche category of rap that caters to self-described geeks, techies, and nostalgic millennials. And he’s killing it.

Thankskilling

As it happens, most do not know anything about nerdcore and the appeal of terrible horror movies. Horror is a genre, probably the only genre, where a movie is more successful the worse it is. The appeal is not in its quality, but in its entertainment value.

“With horror,” Francis explained, “you don’t need a good script. You need some creative kill scenes, good one-liners, and people just want to smoke a bowl or drink a bottle of whiskey and watch this stuff and just laugh.”

But the niche genre nonetheless draws crowds that fill convention center halls across the country and generates fandoms far larger than one would expect. In fact, after the unexpected success of Thankskilling – a student made horror flick about a killer turkey whose creative one-liner is “there’s no such thing as an evil turkey, oh wait, I lied” – Francis started getting recognized in public, receiving invites to speak at horror conventions, and signing autographs for fans.

There was a point when he found himself at a convention table in Dayton sitting next to the professional wrestlers Diamond Dallas Page and Jake the Snake and the Red Ranger from Power Rangers Being killed by a talking turkey in a student horror film had earned him the same level of fame as professional wrestlers and a power ranger, an achievement that is as impressive as it is absurd.

When the film was turned into an Off Broadway opera in the 2010s, showing in New York and Atlanta, people came from all over the world to see it. When the opera was put on in the Short North in 2016, Francis played his original role. The show sold out every night, attracting fans from New York, Montana, and even a couple from Alaska. “It was just crazy that this silly, terrible, terrible movie gripped people so much,” Francis recalled.

While his career acting in horror films was short lived, he later moved onto another niche scene in the arts.

Nerdcore & Huge Euge

To understand nerdcore, one has to understand the 2016 drama between late Jeopardy host Alex Trebek and the nerdcore rap community. On a 2016 episode of Jeopardy, a contestant gave a personal anecdote confessing that she listens to “nerdcore hip hop.” She defined the genre as “people who identify as nerdy, rapping about the things they love: video games, science fiction, having a hard time meeting romantic partners.”

The host, Alex Trebek, responded coldly, “losers, in other words.” The clip was uploaded to YouTube where it garnered half a million views and gave the nerdcore community, perhaps for the first time, a single rallying cry: to make a diss track against Alex Trebek.

The track and video titled “Who is Alex Trebek?” satirized Jeopardy and called out Trebek who, as one rapper put it, “call us losers then backtrack it like you didn’t really mean it, on a show that’s made for geeks, so what you think we wouldn’t see it?” Francis sees this as a major historical event in the development of nerdcore, a TVfueled internet feud between nerds.

It was during a small Thankskilling release party in a little bar in Heath when Francis performed his first show as Huge Euge, his own nerdcore alter ego. It was a small crowd and was a somewhat confusing experience for those in attendance, a majority of whom were there to see a horror movie about a talking killer turkey. But it was also a confusing experience for Francis, who was still trying to figure out what he was doing as a nerdcore artist. Over the years, Francis has become more comfortable on stage, has recorded music, and met other artists.

Nerdcore, a niche genre that still hasn’t found its mass audience, doesn’t produce enough local artists to get a full lineup, so Huge Euge often finds himself opening for a variety of acts, from comedians to hardcore bands. Despite audiences often not recognizing the genre at first, crowds have been supportive. “The music scene here is super accepting,” Francis told me.

Nerdcore rap started as a hobby for Francis, something he did on the side. In 2012, he started an annual performance called the Huge Euge Holiday Show where he’d headline a show after chatting with B-list celebrities and actors. But for a long time, that was the extent of Huge Euge.

Then the pandemic hit. All of a sudden Huge Euge became a more essential aspect of Francis’ life. He teamed up with Matt Stinnett to record and get the ball rolling on new music, won a grant from covermymeds to go on tour, and has been booking more shows around town, and recently even received a Greater Columbus Arts Council Grant for his newest track. His music takes on a variety of topics. One of his songs is a story about Tony the Tiger finding an alien Blob; another is about hula hooping; and then there’s a working-class dialogue between a quitting bartender and his employer.

While the nerdcore community is still small, it is growing. Columbus is seeing a boom in tech jobs and other white collar work, an influx of millennial geeks that could act as an omen signaling a bright future for the genre of nerdcore. In this potentially radiant future, Huge Euge, the punk drummer turned b-list horror celebrity turned nerdcore rapper, will undoubtedly be at the forefront.

You can follow Huge Euge @HugeEugeOfficial; His new song “Super Toy Run” (beat by Matae) went live on all streaming platforms July 1

Meet the entirely glutenfree sister store of the beloved central Ohio shop, The Dipped Donut

By Molly Hammond

Founded in 2019, Jeni Reida was looking for a replacement business for her family’s 20-year-old tanning salon and laundry facility. Her main criteria? She wanted a FUN business that didn’t have extensive daytime working hours. Located in

Delaware and trying to make ends meet, the Reida family wanted to go in a different direction to help pay the bills. The family listened to the local community’s requests—everyone was eager for a fresh donut shop, with fun flavors and bright new ideas. →

Photos by Tyler Jamison

Story Design by Bryce Patterson

↓ Gluten-free long johns

After 18 months of research into an industry she didn’t know a lot about, Jeni landed at the Dipped Donut with her business plan, thanks to trial and error and countless trips to other local donut shops.

In 2008, Jeni’s daughter, Kayla, was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Jeni found it important to find a treat that her daughter could indulge in safely. When opening The Dipped Donut, the team always dedicated one Monday out of the month to use the Gluten Free fryer to help cater to people diagnosed with celiac and gluten-free foodies. After a while, the gluten-free crowd exploded, encouraging Jeni and team to expand their business to have gluten-free options at all times. Through popular demand, Gluten Free by the Dipped was created—a gluten-free, dairy-free donut shop right next door to the Dipped Donut, in late 2022.

“I was in the shoes of many parents that walked through the doors,” said Reida. “All they wanted was a treat for their child to feel normal again. I wanted to give them that. With the Dipped Donut and GF by the Dipped, we are able to give the community the best of both worlds.”

Gluten-free options include Long Johns, Boston Creams, Jelly Filled and Apple Fritters. The shop also caters to other dietary restrictions, making vegan-friendly options available once per week.

All they wanted was a treat for their child to feel normal again... we are able to give the community the best of both worlds.

↓ Gluten-Free by the Dipped donuts ↑

Donut lovers can enjoy homemade vanilla cake donuts topped with a variety of different icings and toppings. The Dipped Donut’s homemade icing flavors range from the classic chocolate, strawberry and vanilla to unique flavors including black raspberry, maple and more. Customers can choose from different toppings to dip their donut into including bacon bites, M&M’s, sea salt, coconut, sprinkles, oreos and more. The shop also sells cinnamon rolls, which have quickly become a fan-favorite over the years.

Both of Reida’s donut shops were founded on family. Jeni’s husband, Carl, is able to utilize his Mechanical Engineering degree almost every day at the shop while her daughter, Kayla, often works for the family business as well. This familial unit goes beyond blood for them too, as the shop’s employees are all connected to the Reidas on a level beyond the vocational.

“Every employee at our store is considered family to us. We never have an issue finding staff. We’re just a close-knit family,” said Reida.

The Dipped Donut also offers fundraising opportunities to local schools, charities and churches, all while aiming to shift the narrative on the disease that has affected her own family firsthand.

“We are changing the way people with Celiac feel about food. It’s safe to say that we are bringing normalcy back to people’s lives.”

The Dipped is open Tuesday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to noon and Saturday 7 a.m. to noon. The shop is closed Sunday and Monday. Gluten-Free by The Dipped is open every day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

To learn more, visit thedippeddonut.com

↑ Jeni Reida, Owner

By Melinda Green

E

After a handful of international awards, Echo Spirits has carved out a comfortable home among Columbus’ elite distilleries

Photos by Sumner Howells Story Design by Atlas Biro

cho Spirits Distilling Co. has become a small distillery doing big things. It might not be long, though, before they’re a big distillery doing even bigger things. →

↑ Echo Spirits Bourbon

"WE WERE LIKE THE ‘RUM AND THIS AND THIS AND THIS’ GUYS. WE WANTED TO...EVOLVE OURSELVES AS THE RUM AND WHISKEY COMPANY.”

↑ (From Left) Nikhil Sharoff and Joe Bidinger, Echo Spirits Co-Founders

“I think to a large degree, we're on the same trajectory as a lot of [the other local distilleries],” co-owner Joe Bidinger said. “We just had a couple years of pandemic that hit at the wrong time to slow it down. We were just ready to launch. We had the white rum, which is not a retail friendly product, in five liquor stores, and then suddenly all of you know, everything shuts down. We don't have any other products. All of our customers are completely gone. We essentially kind of burnt a good year there easily.”

But in the last year, Echo has started to accelerate as a company. They now have two salespeople, two social media presences (for the distillery and the bar), a marketing coordinator, and even an intern.

It’s hard to stand out in a city full of big players, Bidinger admitted. Watershed is known for gin and bourbon. Middle West, vodka and whiskey. Noble Cut, cellos and flavored whiskeys. Echo, meanwhile, has been finding its focus.

“Product wise, spirit wise, we're trying to reinvent ourselves,” Bidinger said. “People used to ask me, ‘What do you make?’ And I’d say, ‘Oh, we make mostly rum— but we're also known for this and this and this…’ and that kind of became this trailing, never ending sentence of things that we make. We were like the ‘rum and this and this and this’ guys. We wanted to reorient or kind of evolve ourselves as the rum and whiskey company.”

And it’s working. Their Queen’s Share rum, aged in bourbon barrels from Watershed and Noble Cut, won Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (the largest spirits competition in the world) in both 2022 and 2023.

“If you win double gold three years in a row, it's platinum,” Bidinger said. “And that's pretty rare that anybody gets that. So I'm kind of stressed about that for next year already, because, you know, that stuff's already in barrels—and we know which barrel it is. Boy, I hope this works.”

Not only that, but their White Rum and Genever received silver medals at the 2022 SFWSC, and their White Rum won a Double Gold in the 2022 New York International Spirits Competition. Their Spiced Rum (perfected after more than 50 test recipes) won Silver at the super-prestigious 2023 American Distilling Institute International Spirit Awards.

In 2021, Echo’s Pineapple Rum won a gold medal at the Berlin International Spirits Competition, and they received the award for USA Flavored Rum Distillery of the Year. The distillery’s even been voted one of the top ten rum distilleries in the country by USA Today readers.

They’re also selling online in 48 states. And they’re rebranding a bit, changing their tagline from “Know Your Distiller” to “Gather Round the Still.” →

“At first, it was just Nikhil [Sharoff, coowner] and me and we were like, ‘Hey, make this personal connection with the people who make your things,’” Bidinger explained. “Now, there's a very good chance that the first interaction you have with Echo Spirits is not one of the two of us. But we can still be true to that message of, like, creating a community, creating an inclusive space and getting to know people on a personal level—that we're not just some big brand out there.”

Now, they’re moving further into the whiskey arena, with their first bourbons ready to be released—but only as each barrel is truly ready. And their cocktail menus continue to be among the most

creative in the city. The bar staff begins working on the next menu as soon as one is released, working solo and collaboratively.

“They're excited. We got people in here just kind of doing R&D all the time, and it's kind of fun to be sitting there in the office and somebody comes in ‘Here, try this; what do you think?’ It's not such a bad gig from that perspective,” Bidinger said.

Their barrels are being used to age products such as beer, honey, and maple syrup. One of their rye barrels currently is aging coffee at The Coffee Mess in Hilliard. “Yeah, it might not [work], but hopefully it will. Is it an upper?

Is it a downer? I don't know,” Sharoff said, laughing. “That's cool because it's layering the flavors on.”

"WE CAN STILL BE TRUE TO THE MESSAGE OF... CREATING AN INCLUSIVE SPACE AND GETTING TO KNOW PEOPLE ON A PERSONAL LEVEL.”

Those barrels come back and are used to age new spirits, with unique flavors that have developed over time. The team enjoys doing these one-offs and other limited releases.

“There’s only so many times you can make the same thing before OK, now it's just the production process,” Bidinger explained. “You can get to a point where you strip out all the creativity and all the fun parts of it. It's a hard, hard business to be in. You’ve got to keep it fresh to stay motivated.” And they’re definitely on track with that. ♦

To learn more, visit echospirits.com

Your New Morning Ritual

reopened,

By Jack McLaughlin

When The Goat at LC Gahanna, located at 6400 Preserve Crossing Blvd., reopened earlier, it did so with a brand new adjoining coffee shop and bodega offering everything you need to make your morning (and the rest of your day, for that matter) a good one.

The concept, fittingly named Morning Ritual, features everything from biscuits and breakfast sandwiches to houseplants and pet accessories. And while it offers a unique new service to the Gahanna community, Morning Ritual is

also instilling its own unique sense of community in the area.

“After 17 years of serving the Gahanna community, we recognized the potential for growth and the need for spaces that foster meaningful connections. With a strong sense of community at heart, our team thoughtfully redesigned and expanded the space to create a lively social environment,” said Haley Wagner, Business Development Manager at The Goat Restaurant & Bar.

Recently

The Goat at LC Gahanna is back with a summercentric menu, and a whole new companion coffee house

Photos by Lifestyle Communities

One of the ways social interaction remains at the forefront of Morning Ritual is through the addition of a walk-up window for coffee, breakfast sandwiches, biscuits, baked goods and more.

The window allows community members to grab a morning coffee or breakfast sandwich, alongside other patrons and their favorite canine companions.

“The Morning Ritual coffee walk-up window serves as a unique and non-traditional connection point for the community, especially among pet lovers who can easily order at the window alongside their furry companions,” said Alysha Coulson, Business Development Manager – Morning Ritual. “As cities and residents increasingly prioritize walkable destinations, the inclusion of a walk-up window fosters this sense of accessibility and engagement within the LC neighborhood.”

While The Goat and Morning Ritual make connecting with others outdoors a whole lot easier (and also offers additional outdoor attractions including space for sand volleyball, live music and a sprawling patio with fire pits), there’s just as much to enjoy inside Morning Ritual and the recently-updated version of The Goat Gahanna.

Boasting a cozy interior and an “endless summer-inspired dining area,” The Goat’s revamped Gahanna restaurant offers a slew of new menu items just in time for the warmer months.

These include cocktails like The StrawberryCello and the tropical Painkiller, both ideal companions for the summer sun, in addition to dishes like The Texas Gyro (topped with Moonshine Sauce and candied jalapeños) and Baked Potato Tots, a pair of dishes that emphasize The Goat’s commitment to serving

truly elevated comfort food. Also just in time for the warmer months, the boozy milkshake is another offering that’s exclusive to The Goat’s Gahanna location.

In addition to new food and an enticing atmosphere, Morning Ritual offers a bodegastyle shop with hip and locally-made wares to round a truly eclectic slate of offerings.

“Enjoy a freshly-brewed coffee and explore the Bodega at Morning Ritual! Find an array of houseplants (locally sourced from The Plant Gays), pet accessories, glassware, and more. Whether you’re looking to add a touch of greenery to your home or office, pick up a gift for a loved one, or simply treat yourself (and your furry sidekick) to something special, the bodega has something for everyone,” Coulson said.

Morning Ritual has two other central Ohio locations, at LC New Albany, and LC RiverSouth. You can learn more about the concept www.morningritual.com

THE COLUMBUS TOUR

From

By Jack McLaughlin

Photos by Sarah Pfeifer

Story Design by Tori Smith

The Ruby Soft Serve, from Little Ladies Soft Serve

Photo by Leonardo Carrizo →

Custard is great, so is ice cream, and sometimes we all have an itch only gelato or frozen yogurt can scratch. But we all know soft serve is the official dessert of Midwestern summers. And because of this, I decided to grab a pair of friends to take a tour with me of central Ohio’s standout soft serve spots. Of course, we couldn’t hit everything Columbus soft serve has to offer, so this list is by no means exclusive, but you also can’t go wrong with any of the shops on it, and each offers its own unique spin on the summer staple.

Belle's Bread

1168 KENNY CENTRE MALL

If you know, you know. Belle’s Bread–tucked between several other Japanese eateries on the city’s northwest side–has a national reputation for its French and Japanese-inspired baked goods, but soft serve is also a lowkey standout at the spot.

When we stopped by, the shop was hopping with others waiting to grab a buttercream pastry or cone, and it’s not hard to see why. Belle’s offers a surprisingly wide variety of dessert and drink options that use their soft serve, but we went for the item that’s become a Belle’s classic: the Matcha and Vanilla Swirl soft serve, which was as delicious (with plenty of herbal bite from the

← Vanilla and Matcha Swirl Soft Serve, from Belle's Bread

Community Grounds

1134 PARSONS AVE.

Vegans across Columbus can start celebrating in the streets, because Community Grounds vegan, oat-based soft serve was one of the highlights of our trip. Community Grounds is actually a coffee shop, not a dessertspecific spot, but its soft serve can stand up to the best of them.

The texture on this soft serve is nearly identical to the real, dairybased thing, with its flavor coming in just a touch sweeter, and not in a bad way. In fact, the sweetness of their vanilla soft serve provided the perfect contrast to the splash of espresso in Community Grounds’ Affogato (now one of my favorite Columbus desserts). Their chocolate soft serve was bolder in flavor and darker than many paler, dairy-based counterparts. Chocolate and vanilla are available on weekdays during the summer, but weekend flavors rotate, so make sure to call ahead.

← Oat-Based Soft Serve from Community Grounds

Double Happy

If you blink, you’ll miss it. And you’ll be pretty upset you did. Nestled into a 652 square foot building that you might drive past if you’re not looking for it, Double Happy is a west side gem, operating as a classic (walk-up only) soft serve stand that makes its mark with soft serve cones, but also a variety of indulgent and creative milkshakes (we tried the Banana Puddin’).

Don’t let the modest exterior fool you, though, Double Happy is more than just your average roadside stand. Aside from its distinctly rich and fuller-feeling soft serve, the west side spot creates their version of the frozen treat entirely in-house, relying on A2 milk, which features proteins that some believe are more tolerable to those with dairy-related digestion issues.

1280 BROWN RD.

← Milkshake from Double Happy

Mona's Eats + Treats

4362 BROADWAY (GROVE CITY)

While Mona’s is a bit off the beaten path for Downtown residents, we’re here to confirm that it is indeed worth the drive.

Offering the best of both worlds, Mona’s has a classic soft serve stand feel and aesthetic, while still boasting a small indoor dining area and a sizable outdoor patio situated along Broadway.

As its name suggests, Mona’s serves more than just dessert. Visitors can grab hot dogs and sandwiches and true ice cream (either by the scoop or served in milkshakes or floats) And of course, there’s the soft serve. Visitors can opt for soft serve in indulgent sundaes, or simply by the cone or cup. Pro tip: The cherry-dipped vanilla cone is something you need.

Little Ladies Soft Serve

673 WORTHINGTON RD. (WESTERVILLE)

The concept that started as one of the city’s favorite dessert food trucks is now one of its favorite brick and mortar shops, and it’s not too difficult to see why.

While you can opt for a standard cone at Little Ladies, the whimsical and artfully-decorated eatery is known first and foremost for its sundaes, which feature some of the wildest toppings you’ve ever tried (everything from candied pretzels to crushed potato chips and even puppy chow), in their house Sundaes and Special Sundaes.

The Essie, for example, features soft serve topped with lemon cornflake crunch, raspberry sauce, whipped cream and red sparkle dust.

The Lola Soft Serve, from Little Ladies Soft Serve

Photo by Leonardo Carrizo →

← Soft Serve Cone from Mona's Eats + Treats

LOOKING FOR M OR E?

Of course we couldn’t fit every worthy soft serve server in Columbus, so here’s a list of spots that we didn’t visit, but you absolutely should:

Dairy Hut Dairy Twist

(PATASKALA) (DELAWARE)

Both of these spots were just a touch too far for our trip, but if you’re down for a bit of a drive, they won’t steer you wrong.

Hilltop Dairy Twist

At the time we made our trip, Dairy Twist had not yet opened for the season, but this and Double Happy make the west side a bit of a hotspot for cold treats.

Dairy Queen

While we typically make an attempt to go local first, there’s no getting around the fact that Dairy Queen soft serve is a thing of culinary beauty. You can admit it.

Simply SMASHING

↓ Jared France, Smash Buddies Co-Owner

Anew concept offering its own twist on a food we all know and love – burgers – made its rolling debut via food truck on June 1. The Columbus-area concept Smash Buddies puts a spin on the classic entree, cooked to enhance flavor and maximize crispiness, and even offers its own version of the dish at the middle of a social media craze: The grilled cheese smash burger.

Kole Nuehs and Jared France, two Army veterans-turnedchefs from the West Coast, have brought their creations to Ohio’s Capital City. Fueled by a newfound passion for barbequing and a decade of friendship, the Smash Buddies owners put their own twist on the popular smash burger, complete with a special sauce, and of course their Smash Grilled Cheese.

“We started making these in a garage, just hanging out, family barbecues and stuff. We realized how delicious they were, so we kept making them,” France explained. “And then, in our current position, what we were doing, we weren't super happy with our careers, and were looking for something else. So we both love cooking and kind of came up with the food truck idea.”

According to France, the duo is aiming to recreate the almost minimalist-level-simple burgers found across the West Coast. They’re not dressed up too much (this means you won’t find “a pile of veggies'' on their burgers), letting ingredients shine for themselves. In fact, this ethos has found its way onto the truck's four-item menu:

Smash Burgers, Smash Grilled Cheese, Tots, Drinks.

And while the burgers themselves are simple, or at least unadorned, according to France, the process of crafting the perfect smash burger certainly isn’t. It’s more of an art form. →

Story Design by Atlas Biro

By Shelby Metzger / Photos by Aaron Massey

A pair of Pacific Northwest transplants are bringing a West Coast simplicity and an artful approach to the smash burger craft with their brand-new food truck, Smash Buddies

“What a smash burger is, is… meat in a form of a ball, we put it on the grill, and then we crush it as thin as we possibly can. So we use 2.3 ounce ‘pucks’ is what we call them, because they're kind of the shape of a hockey puck that we make. We throw those on the griddle and then smash them all the way down as flat as we can,” France said. “The way we do it, as thin as they are, they cook super quick, but they also get really crispy edges. You're not biting into, you know, a half pound of meat. It's a super thin patty that's crispy, and it kind of gives it a whole different flavor than your typical cheeseburger.”

They say Rome wasn’t built in a day, but in this case, it may as well have been. From conception to execution, Smash Buddies was born in just over a month ago.

But France and Nuehs weren't always barbeque connoisseurs. With a wide range of previous careers, they’ve each dipped their toes in a myriad of different waters before creating the popular food truck.

“We've had quite the eclectic journey to get here,” Nuehs said. “We were both in the army together. That's how we met. This was about 10 years ago. We served together, we both got

"WE CHOSE BURGERS OVER POLITICS, IS OUR SAYING."

↓ Grilling Smash Burger Patties

out. I ended up going back to school, went to medical school, decided after a semester, definitely not for me. And then that brought me to Columbus working with an asset management company. And then a campaign, which is where we were both working at the time. And that's when we decided to start a food truck and quit our jobs.”

France had a similar range of job titles in the years leading up to the creation of Smash Buddies. After leaving the military, he spent 5 years as a police officer in the state of Washington before working at the asset management company with Nuehs. France then entered a security position for a political campaign.

“All the campaign and political stuff, it wasn't really our scene,” France said. “We're more cheeseburger kind of guys. We chose burgers over politics, is our saying.”

Despite their lack of restaurant experience, the reception of the mobile Smash Buddies has been overwhelmingly positive. Their opening day took place at the grand opening of an ER Auto Care, and the collaboration proved to be a success, selling hundreds of burgers and making hordes of new central Ohio fans. →

↓ Saucing a Smash Burger

You can snag one of their new grilled cheeses or crispy smash burgers – complete with a special sauce – at a range of breweries and local events, including the Local Love Pop-Up Market on July 15-16.

Instead of ending this story on a poetic note or a dramatic call to action, we’ve decided to take one from the Smash Buddies’ playbook and keep things simple; We’ve decided to let a recent social media review of the burger truck do the talking for us.

“Saw that this truck was in the area tonight and zoomed over to it. Ordered the triple cheeseburger and tater tots,” one Facebook user wrote in a local restaurant group. “Funny that the guy behind me took a couple bites out of his sandwich on the way to his car and yelled: “This is unbelievable!’” ♦

To view the menu and see the truck calendar, visit sbohio.wpcomstaging.com

"THE WAY WE DO IT... GIVES IT A WHOLE DIFFERENT FLAVOR THAN YOUR TYPICAL CHEESEBURGER."

↑ (From Left) Jared France and Kole Nuehs, Smash Buddies Co-Owners

A Graceful Goodbye

Locally owned pet cremation and memorial service, Forever Friends, provides Columbus families with a more compassionate way to honor the legacy of their furry best friends

By Sav McKee

Story Design by Atlas Biro

/ Photos by Jen Brown

Our pets unwaveringly stand by us through the ebbs and flows of life. They stand loyally by our side through countless milestones, celebrations, and transitions. Forever Friends, Columbus’ full service pet cremation provider, understands that pets are cherished members of our family, and their legacy and devotion deserves to be honored with dignity and respect, all the way until the end.

Forever Friends believes that private cremations, customized memorial products, and viewings can provide families with peace during a very emotional time. They offer personal delivery of cremated remains, for they know how gut-wrenching it can be to have to return to the vet so soon after euthanasia, or even go to a funeral home to pick up the memorial package. Nothing can replace the happy wag of a tail or gentle purr, but a ceremony and memorial package can help preserve the memories made with your 4-legged family member.

Chris Lowe and Adam Dwyer, the compassionate licensed funeral directors behind the concept of Forever Friends, are dedicated to providing

exceptional care and support to grieving families. They founded Forever Friends after realizing there seemed to be a gap between the service level that existing companies offered and what families truly needed, and especially wanted, to remember the impact their pets left in their lives.

“We believe that pets are part of the family, and the level of service should reflect that,” said Dwyer.

remember their beloved furry friend. They create opportunities for families to actively participate in the farewell process, allowing them to say goodbye to their loyal companions in a more intimate way; this can include allowing a family member to help place the pet in the crematory or even pressing start on the cremator itself.

“It’s satisfying to bring some order and resolution to a very difficult time for our clients. We’re all humbled by the overwhelming support we’ve received from the Central Ohio community over the last 2 and half years. The positive feedback we receive almost daily confirms that we’re on the right track,” remarked Lowe.

In times of loss, Forever Friends is a beacon for sympathy as well. Their services go above and beyond, with 24x7 availability and transfers of pets from home to Forever Friends regardless of the time of day. They also offer personalized services, empowering families to choose how they want to

To learn more about the services Forever Friends provides, please visit foreverfriendscolumbus.com.

“We believe that pets are part of the family, and the level of service should reflect that.”

Meet Theo, the one year-old pomsky and winner of this year’s Cutest K9 in Columbus contest

By Jack McLaughlin / Story Design by Tori Smith

The city has spoken, and the winner of this year’s Cutest K9 in Columbus contest, which is sponsored by PetSuites, has been selected.

Meet Theo the pomsky.

“I first saw pomskys on Instagram a few years back, they looked super cute; like a smaller version of a husky,” Theo’s human companion Si Siew said. “I wanted a medium dog, about 20 pounds, and that’s how big they get.”

According to Siew, at nearly one year old, Theo is still very much in his puppy phase.

“He’s a little crazy,” she said with a laugh, “he doesn’t have a lot of ethics while playing; he’ll go right up to you and smack you in the face to get you to start chasing him, but it’s still super cute.”

With his husky heritage, Theo can be found posted up on the air vents in Siew’s house this summer, his go-to spot during the warmer months.

This year’s contest was brought to you by PetSuites. While the company is regularly involved in community events such as this year’s contest or working with local shelters, it’s also a service that any serious Cutest K9 entrant should know about. Because if you want your puppy to take home the Cutest K9 award some day, you’ll need to make sure they can get their beauty sleep, and look their absolute best for photos.

PetSuites serves as one of the nation’s premiere pet boarding, daycare, grooming and training services, and it operates a pair of Columbus-area locations in Gahanna and Worthington. For 20 years, PetSuites has been allowing its customers to fully tailor their cat or dog’s experience to meet their preferences, whether that includes one-on-one time with staff members, jumping in the PetSuites pool with the other pets or just spending some quality time relaxing.

PetSuites also offers two, three and four-week dog training courses, pet baths and grooming salons and much more.

To learn more, and to find the PetSuites resort nearest you, visit petsuitesofamerica.com

(614) Beer is a Registered Trademark of 614 Media Group, Inc.

Jack McLaughlin

Harris' Hawk, Irwin, landing at Ohio School of Falconry ↓

By

/ Photos by Sumner Howells

Story Design by Tori Smith

The sport of falconry has had its talons in Joe Dorrian since he was just ten years old.

If you ask Dorrian, it started when he—a fifth grader at St. Timothy’s Grade School on the northwest side of Columbus— read Jean Craighead George’s novel My Side of the Mountain, wherein the book’s teenage protagonist raises a wild falcon to help him hunt while living off the land.

“That was the spark that caused me for two years to carry around a little leather glove and a whistle, just in case I ran across a hawk or a falcon,” he said with a laugh.

While Dorrian never did encounter a stray raptor—even after he hauled reclaimed wooden pallets up from the creek near his house to build an enclosure in the garage of his childhood home—the bird from George’s book had already taken hold of his imagination, and has never truly relinquished its grip.

Even after Dorrian went on to serve as a successful executive coach in Columbus’ corporate world for more than 25 years, a not-so-small part of him still felt called by the world of raptors.

“I’ve been a falconer for more than two decades. At first, I had my vocation, and then my passion on the side,” he said. “Eventually, it came to the point where I wanted to combine the two.”

So in 2014, after following falconry as a hobby for 10 years and serving as the first Apprentice Director of the Ohio Falconry Club from 2009 to 2015, he launched the Ohio School of Falconry (OSF), which ever since has served as a premiere way to experience birds of prey face-to-face in the Buckeye State.

“The foundation of our program is built around getting people up close and personal with raptors,” Dorian said.

The word “falconry” refers to the sport of hunting wild game with a trained raptor, a sport that has been practiced by humans for thousands of years, although it began primarily as a means of gathering food. Lucky both for the squeamish and the zoologically curious, OSF’s instructional classes do not include hunting, and the group involves much more than just falcons.

Currently, its roster of birds includes animals like red-tailed hawks, peregrine falcons, African augur buzzards and even a massive Eurasian eagle owl named Henson (who also does commercial and wedding work). →

↑ Henson the Eurasian Eagle Owl, at Ohio School of Falconry

Falconry demonstrations at Ohio School of Falconry ↓

Held at historic Camp Mary Orton on the city’s far north side, the school is built upon a pair of foundational classes, Introduction to Falconry and Walk with Hawks.

The former, a two-hour course that teaches the basics of falconry and birds of prey, also allows visitors to handle and fly birds using a leather falconry glove. As its name suggests, the three-hour Walk with Hawks class includes much of the same basic information, while adding an hour-long stroll through Camp Mary Orton alongside—you guessed it—birds of prey.

“The main difference In Walk with Hawks is we cast [a falconry term] the bird into a tree and go for a walk in the woods. This means you have birds that come shooting down to your glove from 100-150 feet down,” Dorrian said with a laugh.

No matter which raptors are involved, OSF is still committed to its goal of educating. Interestingly enough, while corporate leadership coaching and falconry might not immediately seem like they have much in common, the OSF founder regularly finds himself pulling from lessons learned at his previous job.

“I started to notice that, whether I was coaching humans or working with hawks, the foundation of my relationships was all the same: It always came down to trust,” he said.

At the time it opened, OSF was one of the only free-standing falconry schools that existed. In the state of Ohio, it’s illegal to handle a raptor without the requisite permits, meaning there are few real-world scenarios where a regular person would have the opportunity (legally or otherwise) to learn about raptors face to face.

The Ohio School of Falconry is trying to change that, and introduce the Buckeye State to the natural world in a way many never even dreamed of. Well, those who didn’t read My Side of the Mountain, at least.

“I remember there was a student who was about nine years old. He was from a rough part of town and said he had never seen a peregrine falcon or an owl before, but he studied up on all the facts and was more enthused about anyone,” Dorrian said. “Then to have the hawk fly and land on his glove, he sort of said something under his breath. It took me a second to make it out, but I’ll never forget. He said: ‘Coolest thing ever.’ I know nobody else heard it, but I know the impact it made.”

To learn more and to schedule your own class, visit ohioschooloffalconry.com

“...WHETHER I WAS COACHING HUMANS OR WORKING WITH HAWKS, THE FOUNDATION OF MY RELATIONSHIPS WAS ALL THE SAME:

Harris' Hawk, Irwin, at Ohio School of Falconry ↑

Buckeye Bigfoot

With the second annual Hocking Hills Bigfoot Festival slated for early August, we dive headfirst into the legend of Bigfoot in Ohio

By John M. Clark / Story Design by Atlas Biro

Photos courtesy of Hocking Hills Bigfoot Festival

George Hill said he first spotted one when he was about 10 years old, while hunting on the large farm his family lived on in the Hocking Hills area. In the 32 years since, the farmer and 24-hour tow truck driver claims to have made 20 to 30 sightings of a creature many call “Bigfoot.”

Now a resident of Lancaster, Hill talks eagerly about his sightings – and those of his former neighbors – farmers who, together, owned about five thousand acres of farmland near the Hocking River. “It got to be pretty common,” he said. “Sometimes I’d see a full-grown female with a juvenile on its back. Other times,” he added, “they would reach over my neighbors’ fences and steal chickens to eat. Some people I know have even seen calf carcasses hanging from tree limbs.”

So, why the Hocking Hills? Hill surmises it’s because much of the property where the creature supposedly has been seen is undeveloped; it borders the river; and the entire area is in the foothills of the rugged and sparsely populated Appalachian Mountains. In other words, if you want to avoid people, it’s a great place to be.

Exactly, what are they? Hill believes Bigfoot fits on the evolutionary scale somewhere between apes and humans. They’re hairy creatures that walk upright, standing – in his estimation – anywhere from about five-feet-nine to six-feet-five or even sixfeet-nine inches tall. He said the biggest one he ever spotted weighed about 400 pounds. The adults are a grayish color; some of the juveniles appear to have a reddish hue. “And that one I saw when I was 10 let out a loud noise unlike anything I’d ever heard before. He definitely wanted me gone,” Hill said. →

"I think they know better than to hang around where they might be killed by humans."

Two other questions that always arise when discussing Bigfoot, or “Sasquatch,” as it’s known in some parts: Why have so few people seen them? And why is there no good evidence of their existence, like photos? Hill has heard the questions many times before, and he likes to answer them with questions of his own. Noting there is a black bear population in Ohio, he asks, “When’s the last time you saw a bear in the wild?” There are upwards of 900,000 deer in Ohio. He asks, “How many deer do you see in an average year?”

As for the lack of photos, he added, “Most of my encounters with Bigfoot, or even a small group of them, have been about a thousand yards away. And they’re fast, too. I have pictures and video, but they’re not very good.”

And, Hill said, he believes there will be fewer and fewer Bigfoot sightings in the Hocking Hills in the coming years. “All the land is being developed,” he explained. “Yes, these creatures, whatever they are, can be aggressive,” he said. “But I think they know better than to hang around where they might be killed by humans.”

From most scientists’ point of view, there is no such thing as Bigfoot. One paper from 2009 notes the overlap of Bigfoot sightings with black bear populations. Researchers note that while black bears usually walk on all four legs, they will occasionally stand on their back ones to get a better view.

Regardless of what they are, Bigfoot sightings in Ohio have been recorded since the late 19th century. And so have sightings of several other so-called “cryptids” – animals whose existence is questioned by science.

In 1913, two fishermen claimed to have netted a strange creature that resembled a sea lion, but with spotted skin and multiple legs. Before they could land the beast, it wriggled free of their net and disappeared. Other reports of this “monster fish” date all the way back to 1817, when two brothers spotted it on a beach near Toledo. As recently as 1990, people have reported seeing “Lake Erie Larry” (or “South Bass Bessie”) swimming near Cedar Point. “Larry” was the inspiration for the name of the “Cleveland Monsters” ice hockey team and even had a beer named after it – Lake Erie Monster IPA. →

Another locally famous cryptid is known as the “Dogman of Defiance” or, sometimes, as the “Defiance Wolfman.” This “humanoid-dog” creature terrorized the residents of Defiance in 1972, keeping police officers following up on leads and sightings for the better part of the summer. It was reported to stand upright and threaten people with a stick.

In 1955, witnesses in Hamilton County claimed to see fourfoot-tall frogs walking on their hind legs near the Little Miami River. Known as the Loveland Frog (or Frogs), this bipedal creature supposedly turned out to be a large iguana that was eventually hit by a car one night. But the rumors persist. A young man swore on his grandmother’s grave that he saw one of the giant frogs in 2016. This cryptid was even immortalized in its own stage musical – “Hot Damn! It’s the Loveland Frog!”

Aside from Bigfoot, the most famous of Ohio cryptids would have to be the Mothman of Gallia County. Those who believe in this six-foot-tall, part-human, part-moth creature with blazing red eyes and 10-foot wings originated in West Virginia in the mid-1960s. But he soon crossed the Ohio River and began terrorizing the good folks of southeast Ohio. Some have even connected the Mothman to a famous bridge collapse in 1967. Mothman didn’t get a musical, but a popular 2002 movie called The Mothman Prophecies was loosely based on the tales of his existence.

Whether real or not, Ohioans can’t seem to get enough of their beloved cryptids – as evidenced by the upcoming Second Annual Hocking Hills Bigfoot Festival. Scheduled for August 4th and 5th in downtown Logan, attendance is expected to surpass last year’s count of about 15,000. The event promises lectures, presentations, an arts & crafts fair, live music and more. So far, Bigfoot has not RSVP’d. ♦

Learn more and register for the festival by visiting hockinghillsbigfoot.com

View From the Top View From the Top

Columbus’ sprawling and action-packed ZipZone was recently tapped as the top aerial adventure park in Ohio and the second-best in the country, and it’s not hard to see why

By Laura Hennigan

Photos by Jen Brown

Story Design by Bryce Patterson

Securely strapped in, helmet on your head, stepping off the platform into the air and flying through the trees is a unique rush like nothing else. Ziplines are popular in exotic locales all over the globe, but we’re lucky enough to have one of the very best ones right here in Columbus.

ZipZone is a one of a kind outdoor experience located just north of Worthington off High St. Lori and Jerrod Pingle launched the adventure park in 2012, after years of working in the industry. “We spent time on Maui working for a company installing large ziplines on the island. Then we ended up traveling around the country, providing training and consulting for companies who were opening zipline tours,” shared Pingle. “While doing this, we saw how fun it looked and decided we’d like to bring one to Columbus. We thought it would make perfect sense for us to open and operate one, since we could hone all of our training skills to create a great experience.”

Tucked back from the busy road, you’ll follow a long, winding drive before arriving at a large parking lot. The adventure park operates on the expansive property owned by Camp Mary Orton, a local nonprofit run by the Godman Guild Association.

Once there, you’ll decide which of the three options you’d like to try. Ready to try ziplining? Choose the Canopy Tour, a guided zipline adventure spanning over 20 acres of forest. Small groups soar through the treetops from platform to platform, gliding across five ziplines and traversing four suspension-style sky bridges. If you’re looking for a little more excitement, try one of the Night Flight tours, which offer ziplining by the light of a full moon. The Adventure Park is a perfect choice for anyone looking for a literal elevated experience, offering a self-guided tour through five different courses built up in the trees. Similar to a ski mountain, each course is assigned a color, which indicates its difficulty level. Using a belay system for safety, climbers can choose what they would like to try, and every course is equipped with a variety of different elements and challenges. Adventure Park participants also get to zipline, with the beginner and expert level courses having one zipline and the intermediate level courses each having two ziplines.

Want to dive deeper?

Scan to watch a video compliment about ZipZone

There’s plenty of fun for the younger set too, with a Kids Park designed especially for ages 4 to 7. This course is just a few feet off the ground, and offers smaller-sized challenges like tightropes, moving platforms, rope climbs, and a mini zipline. Adults need to stick with their kiddos as they explore, but don’t need to purchase their own ticket.

Although it’s been popular with Columbus residents for years, ZipZone is now garnering national attention as well. It was recently named in the annual USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice awards as the second-best aerial adventure park in the country, and was given the top spot in Ohio. “The recognition was really incredible,” said Lori Pingle. “It’s a huge honor and it validated all of our hard work. Our staff are very dedicated, everyone here takes a lot of ownership and our guest experience is incredibly important to us, so it was amazing to be recognized.”

If you’re waffling between thrill and terror thinking about trying ZipZone, feel free to give them a call before booking. Their knowledgeable team is more than happy to walk you through the options and help guests figure out exactly what each adventure is like.

Everyone goes through a thorough orientation with full instructions before starting out, with plenty of time for questions and practice. “We make things very approachable,” said Pingle. “You don’t need to have any prior experience, you don’t have to be the most adventurous person out there, you can be hesitant or nervous, but if you want to try it, then we’re the place to go to. We love to see people who started out as nervous because it’s such a big reward when they do it and they didn’t think they could.”

THE RECOGNITION WAS REALLY INCREDIBLE, ... IT’S A HUGE HONOR AND IT VALIDATED ALL OF OUR HARD WORK.

↓ ZipZone visitors contemlpate their route

DELAWARE

Don’t be fooled by its vintage Americana charm: The city of Delaware is a hotspot for both restaurants and retail, and the arrow’s still pointing up

By Jack McLaughlin /

Middlebrooks

Photos by Jordy

Story Design by Tori Smith

Delaware, Ohio was the birthplace of former United States President Rutherford B. Hayes, and its idyllic downtown strip supports the nostalgialaden Bun’s Restaurant and the explicitlyhistorical Sandusky Street Corridor with its throwback Americana charm.

While nobody would question the role history plays in Columbus’ municipal neighbor to the north, don’t get it twisted— from gluten free bakeries to Korean fried chicken hubs and food truck depots— Delaware has put its finger on the pulse of the central Ohio food scene, and it’s a city on the rise.

But before we jump ahead to bulgogi and Celiac-friendly cinnamon rolls, we have to look backwards for a bit.

In the 1970s and 80s, according to the American Planning Association, abandoned shops and storefronts “dotted the three-block stretch of Sandusky Street, the commercial heart of downtown, and vacancy rates soared,” and the city that was a destination in the 19th and 20th centuries had seen better days.

This in part led to the designation of the Sandusky Street Corridor in the city’s central Downtown area, a multi-million dollar project that encouraged businesses and property owners along the strip to embrace their historical roots. Much of these buildings represent the historical charm Delaware holds today.

Starting in the early 2000s, more and more businesses began popping up along Sandusky Street and throughout the city’s Downtown, and the city’s occupancy rate soared.

Don’t let the historical charm fool you, either: this is a city on the rise. →

“WE’RE STILL IN THE EARLY STAGES OF WHAT’S GOING ON, BUT THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN DELAWARE. BIG THINGS.”

↑ Las Miches Marisqueras restaurant

In just the last two years, one of the first Korean fried chicken restaurants opened on Sandusky Street Downtown, and the District is also home to a ramen eatery, the beloved Dipped Donut and its entirely gluten-free counterpart (Gluten Free from The Dipped), and much more. A new mochi donut concept, known as Let’s Mochi Donut, will open on Sandusky Street later this year. Additionally, standout Columbus chef Josh Dalton also operates his “restaurant incubator” space which currently is home to Cove: A Seafood Joint. The space, located at 15 E. Winter St., is also where celebrated concepts Veritas and Speck Italian Eatery (both now with swanky Downtown Columbus homes) first started.

And just over a half mile east of Downtown Delaware, there’s another hotbed for both food and retail in the making. Station Square.

In 2019, local developer Paul Rockwell purchased the property at 59 Potter St., which he opened as the Delaware Food Truck Depot, a space for food trucks to bring an eclectic slate of culinary offerings that changed on a weekly, if not daily, basis.

The space is now home to the recentlyopened Sand Bar Station, a new concept from the owners of Shorty's Pizza, that continues to host food trucks on the weekends, while embracing an in-house live music venue and sand volleyball courts.

When Rockwell first purchased the property in 2018, however, it was not the sleek hub for food and entertainment it is today.

“When I bought 59 Potter St. there was razor wire, the paint was peeling off, and there weren’t any windows,” Rockwell said. “We chopped the wire, painted the fence, added volleyball courts, sidewalks, put in windows; we brought that thing back to life.”

He and local business owners are slowly doing the same with the rest of the area as well. Station Square, as Rockwell currently calls it, refers to a square-block area that runs north-south between East Winter Street and East Central Avenue, and east to west, from Lake Street and Potter Street.

The area, which was named for a pair of former train depots that are located within it, includes Sand Bar Station as well as a unique new carryout smash burger spot, featuring Ohio-raised beef known as Smash Shack*, alongside established concepts that include Las Miches Marisqueras restaurant, Stop 42 Bar, Bout Time Tavern and Bee Tattoo. →

* Editor’s note: At the time this story was written, Smash Shack had not yet opened, but it plans to open this summer.

Rockwell is even currently working with local group Main Street Delaware to help extend the city’s DORA (short for Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area) to Station Square.

Aside from Station Square, there’s a plenty of other private developers building the city up, including Mark Hidlebrand, who operates a handful of residential properties and a mixedup property.

“We’re definitely bullish on Delaware. We love the city: love the restaurant scene,” he said. “It’s all thriving.”

Larger real estate groups have a hand in the city’s growth as well. Developer RiverWest plans to bring the $35 million project Mill on Flax to the former home of the Delaware Manufacturing Company just north of Central Avenue along the Olentangy.

“Having thriving boutique shops, restaurants and bars and places people can shop means more local business owners are supported anyway. It’s going to help the city keep that small town feel that it has, and that so many of us like, but let it grow at the same time,” Rockwell said. “We’re still in the early stages of what’s going on, but things are happening in Delaware. Big things.” ♦

↑ Station Square