(614) November 2022

Clintonville • Grandview • Easton • Powell

BIG PICTURE

PHOTO BY JEN BROWN

Powell's new members club 80 East added over 3,000 square feet to a historic downtown home, creating a unique vibe that can be either private or social, depending on what kind of mood you're in. TO READ MORE GO TO (Pg. 37)

Opening Volley

JACK MCLAUGHLIN Editor-In-Chief

I yam who I yam

Whenever anyone does something nice for me, I’m immediately skeptical of them.

I don’t know if this is just pathological, or if it’s a symptom of the times, but either way, my first thought ends up being something like:

Ok, but what do they really want?

Or What’s their long-game here?

While I believe it’s healthy to be cautious, there’s a very fine line between skepticism and cynicism, and that’s a boundary I find myself dangerously close to teetering over more often than I’d like.

Every year, November serves as our giving issue. This means I’m able to talk to some of the most legitimately generous and well-intentioned people in the City. It also gives me time to really think about the impact that some of our local nonprofits and community groups have, impacts that are legitimately life-changing for many.

And because meeting people you truly admire naturally leads to self-reflection, I got to thinking.

While I believe all of the people we highlight in our November cover section are entirely well-intentioned, would it really matter if they weren’t?

I mean, ok, if someone was stealing money or somehow creating nuclear superweapons (is that a real thing?), it would obviously be an issue. But what I’m trying is that, even if someone gives back to others because they enjoy the attention it generates, or they think the image of a philanthropist suits them socially, so what?

And if even these small acts of kindness that maybe aren’t purely-intentioned are still bringing good to people, who am I to question why someone is choosing to do them?

What I hope is that this issue inspires others to do what it taught me: To just shut up and appreciate the good when it happens.

Because the world is not always a great place, but there are always people who people care. And people who help others. And here in Columbus, I’ve learned firsthand there are a lot of those people.

I hope you enjoy some of their stories. Welcome to The Giving Issue

� STAFF PICKS

Our staff picks

November is a month of giving: Giving back, giving thanks, and giving away mashed potatoes, because you made 14 pounds too many for your holiday dinner. And speaking of holiday dinners, this month, we asked our staff what their favorite Thanksgiving (or Friendsgiving, if you prefer) dish was. Here’s what they said.

Sweet potato/yams. Literally the greatest thing in the world. Buttered up with brown sugar… Yum.

— Austin Black. Video Producer/Editor

Green Bean Casserole, hands down. It's the BEST.

— Meggin Weimerskirch, Advertising Director

Mashed potatoes, cranberries, Brussels sprouts, rosemary rolls and vegetarian stuffing, although everything ends up getting mixed together in one big wonderful heap.

— Lizzy Saunders, Brand Manager, (614) Beer

Let’s hear it for the dressing/stuffing!

— Lindsay Press, CEO

Mac & cheese!

— Justynne Pride, Marketing Director

Turkey wings are my go-to. They’re like giant chicken wings, and nobody ever wants them for some reason.

— Jack McLaughlin, Editor

Everything but the cranberry jelly. A sandwich on Friday with leftover turkey is so money.

— Paul VanHorn, Account Executive

I’ll second the green bean casserole. It’s the best thing ever.

— Victoria Smith, Creative Designer

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 suscribe to our daily email!

→ Meet the man behind Ohio’s largest pumpkin. Ever. While the Circleville Pumpkin Show grabs most of the headlines, a pumpkin larger than any the show has ever seen was quietly grown this year in Ohio.

→ Long-standing steakhouse to close Easton location, hunt for new Columbus home

Smith & Wollensky is preparing to leave the Columbus location it has held for more than two decades.

Let’s be honest, the odds of us making it onto the Price is Right or Who Wants to be a Millionaire are pretty low, and that’s our final answer. That’s where Game Show Battle Rooms comes in. The unique new Hilliard business will allow you and a group of six or more friends (up to 64) to live out your gameshow dreams.

→ New Hilliard business will let you live out authentic game-show experiences

@ajsoseby

@haircomesandy

@ron.schwind

@coldoctober

By John M. Clark

Photos courtesy of The Ohio State University

Story Design by Bryce Patterson

John M. Clark is a Columbus author and historian. Every month in (614) Magazine he recounts an interesting and unusual story he’s dug from the city’s fascinating past.

Ohio State University’s medical center is known worldwide for its many innovations in health care. Hanging bed sheets from hospital windows is not considered one of them, but perhaps it should be.

These days, you would be shocked to see a hospital doctor without a pager or a cell phone. But in 1951, “beepers” were little more than a novelty, and cell phones were beyond most people’s imagination. If you were an on-call OSU obstetrician, Saturday afternoons in the fall could be excruciating. You couldn’t attend a game at the “Horseshoe” for fear that you would be needed back at the hospital.

That is, until some enterprising doctors and staff members at the newly opened University Hospital (now known as Doan Hall) came up with a brilliant idea. An on-call doctor would register with the staff to let them know he (or she) was going to the game. If a game-attending doctor was needed to deliver a baby, he would look for a certain number of bed sheets hanging from a fifth-floor window at the hospital. For example, Dr. Smith would know that one bed sheet hanging from a window meant he was needed immediately. Two bed sheets meant Dr. Jones was needed. →

Columbus Doctors in the 1950s created an elaborate system to catch Buckeyes Games, while on duty

But, only so many white bed sheets could be hung at one time from hospital windows. And more and more doctors were wanting in on the arrangement. So, the staff began introducing colors. Dr. William E. Copeland joined the obstetrics staff in 1953. He recalled his code in a 1999 interview with the Columbus Dispatch – two green sheets and one white one.

In the 1950s, staff were generally seated at Ohio Stadium’s 45-yard line. From there, they had a clear view of the hospital, just a quarter-mile south. This was long before the building boom that saw a number of classrooms and medical buildings being constructed between the two.

The system worked well for more than a decade. But by the mid-1960s, the shine on the bed sheet “paging system” began to dull. Wireless pagers – though weak of signal, initially – had become

the 1950s, staff were generally seated at Ohio Stadium’s 45-yard line. From there, they had a clear view of the hospital, just a quarter-mile south.

widely available. Stadium announcers started making coded announcements for doctors who were needed back at their stations. And when a national magazine got word of the bed sheets, an embarrassed OSU administrator pulled the plug on the unusual alert system.

OSU hospitals weren’t the first to use electronic pagers to summon doctors. That honor went to New York’s Jewish Hospital. But leave it to OSU to devise an innovative use for them. In 1984, as kidney transplants became more common, OSU doctors gave pagers to patients on their transplant list. This allowed them mobility, as harvested kidneys have to be transplanted into recipients within 24 to 36 hours … whether it’s a football weekend or not.

For more stories like this, check out Clark’s book dedicated to unusual local history, “Columbus Uncovered

Spell-book pillow, made by Julia Barrett

By Jim Fischer / Photos by Jordy Middlebrooks

Columbus-based artist Julia Barrett has loved the movie “Hocus Pocus” since she was a little girl. The spooky-comic escapades of Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy appealed to the youngster and to her mother–indeed, they have been known to dress as two of the trio for Halloween.

“I’ve wanted ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ to happen for a very long time,” Barrett said. “I’m that kind of nerd.”

And not only did it happen – the film was released on Disney+ on Sept. 30 – but Barrett’s original art made an appearance in the movie.

Last fall, she was contacted by the movie’s production crew, asking if she’d be willing to have the original spell-book pillows (that she creates and sells on Etsy) be featured in the film.

“They’d seen them on my Etsy store, I guess. They’d reached out to a handful of artists around the world if they could use their work in a scene from the movie,” Barrett said.“Once I figured it was real, I was kind of shaking with excitement.”

That excitement continued right up until Barrett watched the movie with her family the evening it was available to stream.

“I thought we’d decided to just have a small gathering with close family but it ended up with my family coming in from around the state to watch it,” she said.

Barrett, of course, had not pre-screened the movie, so there were some pins and needles as they waited to see if and how her work would be included. Eventually, hands pointed and voices raised during one particular scene.

“When I saw (the spell-book pillow) come up on screen I was trying like crazy to get it to pause,” Barret said with a laugh. “It was a surreal moment. I was like ‘OK, that really happened.’ I admit there was some anxiety that passed right then.” →

La Plaza Tapatia's house

How one local artist’s passion project made its in way into a major motion picture Story Design by Victoria Smith

The evening also had a delightful coincidence. The Barrett family gathering doubled as a 20th birthday party for the family cat, Winifred, so named for Bette Midler’s “Hocus Pocus” character. The first scene in “Hocus Pocus 2” (minor spoiler only) is a birthday party for, you guessed it, Winifred.

Barrett has been making and selling the spell-book pillows on her Etsy store since 2017. She was asked to make new, proprietary ones for the film.

While the work she sells on Etsy is not a large part of her total body of work, Barrett said, the idea of feminism – both films feature multiple women as lead characters – and celebrating the quirky or unusual outsider are ideas present in most of her work.

→

“After that, it was just nice to be around family.”

↓ Julia Barrett, with spell-book pillow

↑ Julia Barrett, painting

↑ Julia Barrett, with dress

↓ Julia Barrett, painting

↓ Julia Barrett, with crow

“Body positivity, feminism, prochoice… these are things that my work addresses. And educating and normalizing things society might deem as outliers,” she said.

Barrett, a mixed-media artist who regularly delves into painting, murals and installation, lives and maintains her studio at Milo Arts in the Milo-Grogan neighborhood.

She admitted her current work has taken a back seat to curating, organizing and advocacy, but that’s not to say Barrett isn’t still creating. She’s currently curating seasonal exhibitions at Pokebap at the Budd Dairy Food Hall (check out “Roots,” a Barrett-curated multi-artist exhibition at Pokebap on exhibition November through January) and is also the current Curation Director for Wild Goose Creative. Additionally, she is working on an exhibition of work by Milo-based artists at 934 Gallery.

We’ve heard you can see her work on the big screen as well.

To learn more, follow Julia on Instagram @jlb.art

Worth Wait the

After 18 months of anticipation, Barrio Tacos opens OSU location to campout lines, fanfare

By Jack McLaughlin / Photos by Jordy Middlebrooks

Just like so many of the indulgent proteins served at Barrio Tacos, before Columbus could enjoy their new location on Ohio State’s campus, we had to let it simmer.

Initially announced in early 2021, the Cleveland concept’s hotly-anticipated second Columbus eatery endured just about every COVID-related setback under the sun, from staffing to supply chain and more.

And then, earlier this year, when a real shot at opening appeared on the horizon, that, too, fizzled out.

“We had a window to open earlier, but that would’ve happened at a time when school wasn’t in session, which just wouldn’t make sense for us,” managing partner Jason Beudert said.

After a year and a half that Beudert said felt like a lifetime, Barrio’s second Columbus location officially opened its doors on a brisk September day.

It did so to a reception restaurants don't often see. On opening morning, a line of well over 100 people–mostly college students–stretched down the 1800 block of North High Street. The atmosphere, with cheering fans and music, felt more like a weekend music festival than a weekday morning on a college campus.

“The line was so emotional to see since this project has been in the works for two years,” Beudert said. “We’re so grateful to OSU students for showing up today.”

Barrio—which was created a decade ago in Cleveland—initially came to Columbus in the spring of 2020 with a restaurant in Grandview. And ever since that opening, Columbus has been clamoring for more.

According to Beudert, part of what makes the concept so desirable to such a wide age bracket is the ability patrons have to customize their food, and in a fullservice setting.

“The new wave of dining we’re in, we prioritize freedom. When you create something yourself, it’s a lot more appealing,” he said. “That idea of building your own is a part of so many successful businesses: This is my drink; my Starbucks; my bowl; my taco.”

Yes, Barrio does let you customize tacos—in addition to offering multiple flavor combination suggestions if you don’t know where to begin—but you also have options if you choose to imbibe. A dozen different margarita combinations, such as the Burnin’ Thyme with mango and fresh thyme and the jalapeño-infused Freaky Tiki, are offered, alongside a full menu of house and brunch cocktails. →

↓ Barrio Tacos’ bustling interior ↑

"IT’S NATURALLY JUST A REALLY GRANDIOSE SPACE,”

And while these are available at each of the concept’s locations throughout Ohio, the Barrio team makes sure every new location feels truly unique. According to Beudert, it wasn’t too difficult to make its new North High Street space stand out.

“We honestly got very lucky with the location. It had exposed, 20 foot-tall ceilings that we left. It’s naturally just a really grandiose space,” he said.

The campus eatery also features the addition of original artwork from Eileen Dorsey—a large-scale but finely detailed mural—and Steven Bush, who created a massive spider chandelier in addition to installing a collection of multi-pronged metal stars which hang from the ceiling.

“Just to get it open successfully was one thing, but we’re super happy with how we’ve been received as well,” Beudert said. “OSU has always been one of the reasons we’ve wanted to come to Columbus, and this was always intended to be a flagship location for us.”

To learn more, visit barrio-tacos.com

By Jack McLaughlin

Photos by Jen Brown Story Design by Bryce Patterson

If 80 East, the swankiest new social spot in Powell, looks like it might just be someone’s house, that’s because, at one point, it was.

And for Gretchen Bonasera, who owns the concept alongside her husband Michael, that’s exactly how she wants it to be.

Not because she’d like to lose out on potential customers who don’t realize what they’re driving by, but because she and Michael care more about cultivating the right atmosphere.

The Powell spot is one of several new members-only clubs that are quietly ushering in a brand-new era of social clubs, redefining them as spots that care more about experience than exclusivity, and clubs you definitely don’t need your pinky up in the air for.

→

How one private social club–located in a former family home–is looking to redefine the members only concept

Depending on which door you use to enter 80 East, you’ll find yourself in one of two distinctively different locales.

One of them is a sleek, contemporary common area that features an upscale bar packed with just about every label of liquor you could ask for, all set against massive, full-wall windows overlooking an idyllic Powell ravine.

The other is a Victorian drawing room, complete with oneof-a-kind antique furniture, and the cozy, vaguely mysterious atmosphere that comes from this style of home. Because, according to Gretchen Bonasera, the concept was a home before she and her husband purchased it.

“When we bought the property two years ago, it was just a house. It was built in 1904,” she said. “We loved the history, and we saw the potential.”

What the Bonaseras also loved was how separate and partitioned each of its rooms felt, as if each area was its own, totally unique space, linked together by a series of winding, tunnel-like hallways.

So when the pair expanded the building—growing its floor plan from just over 1,300 square feet to approximately 5,000–they left the home, and its labyrinth of rooms, intact.

The addition, which broke ground last November, added the entire new bar space and (and new, adjoining patios) to the home as it was. And if this doesn’t lend itself to a necessarily smooth transition when navigating both sections of the building, that’s because it deliberately isn’t one.

“We like the bar space as a common area. If you want to socialize and meet other people, and you’re fine with a little bit of noise, it’s perfect for that,” Gretchen said. “We see the other rooms, the rooms in the home, as private spaces for individuals or small groups. That’s why we left all the original doors on, so each one could feel like its own.”

A House Club Divided Drinking History

It’s apparent when moving from 80 East’s polished new bar space to its individual meeting rooms that you’re stepping over a threshold, but it also feels like you’re stepping back in time. From the furniture to the intimate arrangement of each individual room, the house 80 East was built upon still feels like a home.

↑ The first (top) and second (bottom) floors of 80 East's common area ↓

For the Bonaseras, this was a huge selling point of the unique property at the corner of North High Street and East Powell Road.

“We loved finding a place like this because you can feel the history of it,” Gretchen said. “We specialize in serving bourbon, which is so rich in history itself, so that there’s a connection there.”

Under the guidance of Beverage Director Nate Howe, 80 East highlights a huge variety of bourbon and other spirits, from hard-to-source bottles to familiar, everyday brands. Flights of bourbon are available, in addition to wine by the glass and rotating cocktails like the Toasted Rye Tai (Old Forester Rye, Toasted Sesame Orgeat, Dry Curacao and lime) and Fall Foliage (Knob Creek Rye, Vermouth Rosso and black walnut).

The new social spot will also serve food from a concise menu of small bites and shareable plates prepared in its inhouse kitchen, offering everything from charcuterie to dessert cocktails and bourbon truffles.

“It’s the perfect spot to come before or after dinner,” Gretchen Bonasera said. “We’re within walking distance of places like Daily Growler and Novella Osteria, and we’re all in the same DORA.”

Join the Club

80 East is one of several newer Members Only clubs in Columbus, alongside No Soliciting and Prive Members Lounge, which recently opened inside of Chophouse 614.

The concept, which has undergone a soft opening in multiple phases, is expected to hold its official grand opening on Nov. 1. And while the Bonaseras are putting a hard cap of 200 members on the new Powell spot (although members are allowed to bring a certain number of guests), that doesn’t mean the space will feel stuffy or overtly-exclusionary.

“Whenever the membership waiting list gets too long, we’ll start another club,” Gretchen said with a laugh.

For the Bonaseras, the club has been a dream of theirs for 12 years now. And while the term “members only” can itself feel a bit haughty, 80 East isn’t embracing the exclusionary aspect or the atmosphere of bravado that can sometimes give similar spots a bad name. Instead, Gretchen said her and Michael are relying on their decades of hospitality experience to create the concept they think will be best.

"The idea of a private club can be a hurdle, but we’re not doing it to be better than anyone else; We’re not doing it to exclude anyone,” she said. “What we’ve learned is that this is the best way to create relationships, when seeing a lot of the same people like this. And that’s what we’re most excited about. The way we look at it, we just have 200 regulars.”

Interior designer Hillary Lutz (Left) and co-owner Gretchen Bonasera (right) ↓

iLltt e Cafe, Big Heart

At

By Jim Fischer / Photos by Andrew White

square feet, the newly-opened Stonebrick Cafe may be the smallest restaurant in Columbus

Stonebrick Cafe owner Denisa Hodzic said that having spent the amount of money she has at coffee shops over the years wasn’t actually the reason she decided to open Stonebrick Cafe on Columbus’ Northwest Side, but admitted it’s a fringe benefit.

“Now I make my own coffee,” she joked during a recent interview inside the 85-square-foot space – you read that right – on Bethel Road.

Indeed, she and her staff make coffee for lots of folks at Stonebrick, named for the pair of faux-brick arches adorning one of the shop’s walls. Still, she said, the shop’s size – Hudzik said she did a cursory investigation of business licenses throughout the state and can’t find a smaller shop – hasn’t been an issue, no matter how busy it gets.

“No one has said they feel rushed or claustrophobic” in the shop, Hodzic said. “It’s cozy, it’s comfortable. At 85 square feet, what you see is what you get.”

Despite the shop’s size, Stonebrick offers a full spectrum of coffee drinks and flavors. And while most of the shop’s business is takeaway, there is plenty of space for anything from a brief respite to remote working at the bar inside the large window at the front of the shop. →

“WHEN I THINK OF WHAT A

SHOP IS, IT’S ALWAYS COFFEE AND PASTRIES,”

“IT’S COZY,

WHAT YOU

IS WHAT YOU

“People can get a coffee, get some peace of mind and get their day started, whether they have their coffee here or take it with them,” Hodzik said. “That’s the kind of place I want this to be.”

Born in Bosnia, Hudzik moved to the U.S. when her parents immigrated in 1996 when she was two years old. Growing up, she was an avid fan of “C.S.I.” and other forensic shows, even purchasing her own fingerprint kit at one point, putting it to use on her family. Her dreams of attending the police academy and being a homicide detective were dashed following a gymnastics injury, which made the academy’s physical training too difficult.

Hudzik said she’s obviously aware of the cops-and-coffee/doughnuts stereotype, but said that Stonebrick’s customers come from all walks of life.

“There’s not really a specialty coffee shop in this part of town,” she said. “So we get people from all walks of life who are happy to be able to get a great cup of coffee in a cozy spot that has its own personality.”

Hodzik said the idea was hatched in a conversation with co-workers at the adjacent L.E.P.D. Firearms & Range, where she has worked for the past six years.

“I can specifically recall saying ‘You know what we need (nearby) is a coffee shop,’” she said.

It was an idea she couldn’t shake, despite it taking three years to come to fruition, given COVID-related delays on a number of fronts. One-Line Coffee, the local roaster that is Hudzik’s provider at Stonebrick, has been a big help, she said, including training and advice.

“I’ve never been a barista, never even worked in a coffee shop before. But I am a big fan of specialty coffee,” Hudzik said.

Stonebrick offers pastries from Der Dutchman in Plain City and Eleanor’s Plant Based in Ashville, Ohio. Hudzik said she had thought to offer a broader selection, but that the simple – and local – menu suits her shop to a ‘T’.

“When I think of what a coffee shop is, it’s always coffee and pastries,” she said.

To learn more, visit: www.stonebrickcafe.com

Five Columbus sandwiches perfect for fall

By Ray’Anthony Bruster

Photos courtesy of restaurants Story Design by Bryce Patterson

Now that the weather has cooled and the trees have lost their greenery, there’s something about hearty food that sounds so much more appealing. Maybe it's psychological, maybe it’s not. Either way, one thing is for sure: fall is sandwich season, so we’ve compiled a list of five local sandwiches perfect for the cool weather. Dig in!

Icarus Sandwich Shop, Italian-ish

The owners of Fox in the Snow launched their own sandwich shop, and we’re pretty glad they did. One of their hearty flagship sandwiches, the Italian-ish, is layered with sopressata salami, buffalo mozzarella, pesto and sundried tomato spread on a sesame seed focaccia bun.

You can also get this one vegetarian, if you’re after comfort flavors minus the meat.

At one of the most iconic delis in Central Ohio, why not reach for their most iconic sandwich: a classic reuben made with hot corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing on grilled rye. Their best-selling sandwich is served half or whole. Plus, the deli offers a bin of pickles that patrons can help themselves to.

Katzinger's Deli, Reuben

Because breakfast needs sandwiches too, The Lox Bagel Shop is here. Built on bagel sandwiches, the sleek High Street eatery’s namesake sandwich combines capers, onions, cucumbers and cream cheese (with pastrami lox as an add-on) that’s served up on a hand-rolled bagel.

This lunch spot is nestled in the heart of Old Town East, and it’s definitely worth a stop if you find yourself hungry and on Main Street. Their flagship sandwich, the Chicken Moo & Nellie, combines chicken with sautéed onion and garlic, baby bell peppers, muenster cheese, fresh romaine lettuce, and a toasted Cellone's hoagie bun, sliced to order and covered in Moo & Nellie Sauce. All sandwiches are served with their seasoned fries as well.

Ever since A&R Creative alum Stephan Madias opened Wario’s in the Arena District, Columbus has been clamoring for more. And for good reason.

One of their flagship sandwiches, simply called The Steak, features whole muscle ribeye (an unconventional cut for cheesesteaks), freshly chopped onions and house-made cheddar whiz that’s poured on steaming hot. The sandwich is served on a fresh semolina roll and is more than big enough to share.

The Lox Bagel Shop, The Lox

Wario's Beef & Pork, The Steak

Feed Me Sandwich Kings, Chicken Moo & Nellie

HOLIDAY Gift Guide

NOT YOUR MAMA'S CRAFT MARKET

notyourmamascraftmarket.com

Shop local this holiday season!

Not Your Mama’s Craft Market is a Columbus go to for locally sourced gifts. Get all your holiday shopping done under one roof at any of their four markets in November - December. Each market is unique with an impressive collection of 50 - 100+ small businesses from Ohio and the midwest.

Sunday, November 20th | 11am - 4pm | The Exchange | Bridge Park Dublin

Sunday, November 27th | 11am - 4pm | BrewDog Brewery | Canal Winchester

Sunday, December 4th | 3 - 8pm | German Village Lights | Schiller Park December 11th | 11am - 4pm | BrewDog Brewery | Canal Winchester

COLUMBUS ZOO AND AQUARIUM AND THE WILDS

Tours and Experiences at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and The Wilds

Make memories this holiday season by gifting a unique tour at The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium or The Wilds. Choose a Reindeer Experience to get into the holiday spirit, or plan a trip for Winter at The Wilds. There are dozens of unique experiences that are sure to delight that hard-to-shop-for person on your list. Gift cards available!

NORTH MARKET

North Market Downtown 59 Spruce St, Columbus, OH 43215

North Market Bridge Park 6750 Longshore Street, Dublin, OH 43017

Where else can you buy one-of-a-kind gifts, shop a wide selection of fresh food for holiday meals, and even get lunch -or- dinner (libations, too!) all while supporting local merchants right here in central Ohio? North Market Downtown and North Market Bridge Park have all of this and more for you to enjoy this holiday season!

This season, support local, fresh, and authentic independent businesses at your North Market!

From martial arts to horseback riding, a desire to make our community better unites central Ohio

What do cat cafes, the Scioto River and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu have in common?

While this might sound like the start to a really bad joke, it’s instead a display of just how diverse our local nonprofits and charities are. Columbus features groups healing with horseback rides, connecting and preserving our waterways, using martial arts as a form of community for veterans and first responders, and so much more.

In this month’s cover section, we’ve taken a deep dive into all of these nonprofits and several others that are just as unique. It proves that not only does actual concern for others and for our community defy age, race and profession, it also makes for some fascinating stories as well.

Welcome to November. Welcome to The Giving Issue →

Section Design by Bryce Patterson

↑ Tim Funk, co-founder of Stockhands Horses for Healing, and horses

By Jack McLaughlin

Photos by Leonardo Carrizo

When Tim Funk returned to civilian life after serving in the United States Marine Corps, he, like so many other veterans, struggled with the transition.

“I was kind of lost,” he said. “I was getting in trouble quite a bit and drinking more than I should have. I just didn’t feel like I had a place where I belonged.”

That was until he leaned on a four-legged companion, and accidentally uncovered an entirely new purpose. Only it’s probably not the four-legged animal you’re thinking of.

Funk found himself in horses.

Having grown up around horses (he got his first horse, a yearling Appaloosa mare, when he was just 13), the Marine veteran began riding again after leaving the military. And as he noticed himself improving, Funk knew this was something he couldn’t—he shouldn’t—be keeping to himself.

“After seeing how well it worked for me, I started sharing it with other people,” he said. “It just kept working.”

And then, with the help of fellow co-founder Lisa Benton, Funk made it official. In 2014, the pair created Stockhands Horses for Healing, a Delaware, Ohio-based nonprofit dedicated to helping individuals grow both mentally and emotionally through “equine-assisted learning.”

Stockhands assists over 100 people weekly through its recurring lesson program. Suitable for nearly any age, their lessons involve fun and challenging activities focused on activities such as grooming, horsemanship, or simply just riding. Stockhands believes through these activities, individuals can gain a sense of accomplishment, connection and understanding. →

How a former marine is using central Ohio horses to heal

“Horses are a mirror of ourselves,” Funk said. “So you’re sort of working together with them. If you’re feeling anxious, they are too. But then you start reassuring the horse and the horse starts reassuring you. You build a real bond; you learn from each other.”

While Stockhands still serves veterans (it has a specific program geared toward first responders as well), today, Funk and Benton accept anyone who is looking for a place to grow or heal—whether that’s physically or emotionally.

Funk recalled one particular participant in the early days of Stockhands that cemented to him just how impactful–and just how versatile–therapy horses could be.

A young boy on the autism spectrum came to Stockhands with his parents. Funk was told by his parents that the boy was mostly nonverbal and avoidant to physical touch.

“He came out and it just so happened that day someone took the horse we were going to give him to an event, and the only horse left was a hothead,” Funk said. “But when he got on the horse, his whole demeanor changed, and the horse’s whole demeanor changed, too. What sealed the deal for me was, after he got off the horse, the young man reached out and took my hand to walk back to his parents.”

According to Funk, the boy was so typically averse to touch that he didn’t hold his parents’ hands, making his session at Stockhands a serious breakthrough.

“There were a lot of tears that day,” he said with a laugh. “And it just made me think: Something special must have transpired on the back of that horse.”

Today, Stockhands operates with a staff of seven, part-time paid instructors, offering regular lessons and a variety of other programming. The nonprofit is also hoping to get bigger, and is currently preparing to launch a capital campaign that would expand Stockhands Horses for Healing.

Because Funk knows how horses can help. And the more individuals Stoackhands can offer a program or a lesson to, the better.

“When you break it all down, what I see when people walk away from our farm is people who feel like they have a place; people who feel like they belong,” he said. “And that’s what we’re aiming for.”

To learn more, visit www.stockhands.org

↑ Stockhands' horses

↑ Bella Tanzillo, 12, saddles up at Stockhands

↑ Funk and one of his horses

↑ Cat Cafe owner Amy Hou inside the cafe with a feline friend

New cat cafe and bar provides playtime, adoption center for Central Ohio cat lovers

By Sarah Sole Photos by Leonardo Carrizo

Shortly after opening her cat cafe this past August, Ivy Hou had the kind of challenge many owners of new establishments crave: Kitty Bubble Cafe & Bar was so busy that it required additional staff.

“It’s just a little more popular than we actually expected at first,” Hou said. “I guess it’s a good problem to have.”

The space, which opened August 25 at 5568 N. High St., occupies two adjoining units on North High Street, with a cozy cafe space offering small bites and a connecting play space for visitors to spend time with a collection of kitties from nonprofit Colony Cats. And while Hou created the space to be a cheerful refuge for cat lovers, the space has been a boon to the cats themselves: As of October, Kitty Bubble Cafe had successfully facilitated the adoption of 18 cats.

“I really just want to have all the cats saved,” Hou said.

Hou has a dog and three cats at home, two of which came from Colony Cats. Hou volunteered with the nonprofit for about four years and was able to parlay her experience volunteering into her new role as owner of a cat cafe.

A graduate of Miami University in finance, Hou had always wanted to start an animalcentric business. In 2019, she began considering a cat cafe, and during the pandemic she began planning in earnest at the beginning of 2020.

All the cats at Kitty Bubble Cafe come from Colony Cats, which handles the adoption process. Visitors interested in taking home a kitty can complete adoption paperwork on site for Colony Cats to approve, or they can work on the paperwork ahead of time to adopt a kitty on the same day as their visit.

Cats seven months and younger are $100 to adopt, while cats up to 7 years old are $75 to adopt. Senior cats have a $50 adoption fee, and all fees go directly toward Colony Cats. Up to 16 people are able to visit the cats at a time, and reservations are highly recommended. One hour is $15 per person, while 30 minutes is $10 per person.

Windows and double doors between the cafe and cat areas ensure that even those without tickets are able to at least see the kitties playing and sleeping. Hou tries to keep about 20 felines at a time in the space, which she decorated in soft pinks and blues.

On the cafe side, Hou offers coffee, bubble tea, and Mjomii macarons. Sandwiches, beer, and wine are to come, with the latter arriving last. The goal, Hou said, is to provide a happy space for visitors to forget their stressors and just relax with the kitties.

“It’s a place they can escape from their real lives,” she said.

↓ Patrons interacting with adoptable cats

↓ From Left: Sizzle Perry, Arica Morgan, Mario Dovell

By Jack McLaughlin Photos by Sarah Pfeifer

It’s time to meet your neighbors, Columbus.

Now in its second year, Columbus is My Neighborhood–a project created by The Neighborhood Design Center—is helping to tell the stories of 16 different BIPOC leaders currently inspiring the city.

After fielding nominations earlier this year, the 2022 Columbus is My Neighborhood class was revealed in late summer. It’s represented by individuals—referred to as “Neighbors”— hailing from a wide variety of professions, including brewery owners, refugee resettlement specialists, filmmakers and more.

A Neighbor, according to Neighborhood Design Center Project Manager Lisa Snyder, is anyone who inspires the community, whether that’s on a large or small scale.

“The program really wants to reward individuals for their everyday contributions and create opportunities to learn and engage with individuals you may not know on a day-to-day basis, but after a conversation, you feel like they are a friend,” Snyder said. “I think the fact that nominations come from peers adds to this, We all do a million different things in a day and may never know the impact that one interaction can have on someone.” →

With a brand-new class of communitynominated leaders, Columbus is My Neighborhood is sharing the stories of our city that matter

This year’s class features individuals like: Mario Dovell: Vice President of the Starfish Assignment, which works with law enforcement to meet the needs of communities.

Arica Morgan: Director of Programs at Dress for Success-Columbus, which prepares women for the workforce with employment retention programs and more.

Sizzle Perry: Owner of Crafted Culture, the first Black-owned brewery in Central Ohio.

And many more. You can learn about all 14 Neighbors—who run the gamut from filmmaker to pastor, motivational speaker and author—at cbusismynbhd.org

According to Perry, whose brewery Crafted Culture will be opening a new downtown location next year, for the nominated Neighbors, the program represents an opportunity to connect leaders from across neighborhoods and careers and begin important dialogues about Columbus.

“As someone who’s proud to say they’re from Columbus, I’ve always been interested in the people who put down roots here, whether they grew up and stayed or left and came back like I did, and Columbus is My Neighborhood connects me to those people,” he said “And already, there’s been an exchange happening on how to do something beneficial to the city. It’s bridging the gap between professions; it’s bringing people together.”

The program exists in several different mediums throughout the year, and a new one was added for 2022. Portrait photos of leaders in this year’s program were featured on kiosks throughout the city over the month of September, and new to this year’s class is an immersive podcast series called “Who’s Next Door?,” where each Neighbor is given a platform to tell their story.

The episodes, which run approximately 45 minutes each, allow everyone a deeper look into what each individual does, who they are, and what they value. They can all be found on the program’s website.

“Last year we did interviews with everyone. This year, the one thing we wanted to let individuals share their own story, and podcasts are the perfect format for that,” Snyder said. “It’s their story, in their own words.”

↓ Sizzle Perry

↓ Arica Morgan

↓ Mario Dovell

By Jack McLaughlin

Photos by Leonardo Carrizo

Just as quickly as Cory Minton will send you to the ground with a single leg takedown, he’ll lift you back up.

Literally. And metaphorically.

That’s because he’s the founder of the Ohio-launched Legion Project, a fast-growing non-profit that aims to help veterans and first responders heal with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

For Minton, who was medically discharged from the military just before being deployed, military service is rooted in his family.

And while they all took pride in defending our country’s freedom, both Minton’s brother

and mother suffered injuries from IEDs in the same year.

“My brother has always been my hero. He’s 6’8”, so it’s hard for a lot of people to not see him as a superhero,” Minton said with a chuckle. “But when he came home that year, he was a different person.”

Not long afterwards, his brother attempted suicide in the basement of their home. Minton found him and revived him, but at that point he knew something needed to change. He just didn’t know what.

→

How Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is helping veterans and first responders overcome trauma and find Community

↓ Mike Mullins (right-center) and Legion Project participants stand together during a session

“At that point I honestly didn’t know what to do, so I took him to the gym. We ended up grappling, doing Jiu Jitsu for over two hours,” he said. “ And by the end of it he was laughing, crying, it really, truly helped him.”

Local Project Legion coach Mike Mullins has also seen numerous transformations from the group first-hand, and believes Jiu Jitsu helps not only center individuals, but create an important sense of community that’s missing for so many.

“A lot of times, with people coming back from the military, or with others who have been through traumatic experiences, they don’t feel like they have people they can totally relate to,” Mullins said. “But what we see is that, just being around other people who have been in similar situations, that helps to create a really important camaraderie.”

The Legion Project was born in 2018, and Minton credits the input and experience of veteran Kyle Bruzetti, who he met at a local gym, as a cornerstone of the group, and part of why it’s taken off so quickly.

“I had never served myself, so I always had some sort of guilt there,” Minton said. “But then Kyle said that maybe I wasn’t meant to serve, that maybe I was meant to do this, to help those who did serve out of whatever they were going through. That really changed things for me.”

In four years,the project has quickly spread from one gym—Grove City Brazilian Jiu Jitsu—to many in central Ohio, before moving to other parts of Ohio and eventually other states (North Carolina and Virginia). It now also allows first responders and police officers (in addition to military veterans) to take part in multiple free Jiu Jitsu lessons every week.

Minton added that one of the most complete, and fulfilling, transformations he watched through the project was Bruzetti himself.

“Kyle is one of the most articulate people I know, but when we first met he would barely talk, he would keep to himself, and you could really tell he was fighting some demons,” he said. “Now, he’s one of our top coaches, he travels for Legion Project, he’s opened up multiple chapters of his own. It’s been amazing to see.”

↑ Legion Project fighters in action ↓

↓ Legion Project founder Cory Montin Courtesy Leigon Project

By Jack McLaughlin

Photos by Jordy Middlebrooks

On August 27, nonprofit RAPID 5 hosted its first river clean-up, in partnership with the cities of Columbus and Bexley.

The event was notable both for its size and its results: Over 200 people showed up, pulling 11,000 pounds of trash out of Alum Creek in just two hours.

If the effort is an example of the power of coming together to create change, then it's also a fitting symbol for the way RAPID 5 seeks to motivate the central Ohio community to redesign and rediscover its waterways.

For RAPID 5 President and CEO Dr. Amy Acton, that means recognizing these waterways as hidden gems, ones that have the potential to redefine the city’s recreation, education, health, housing, mobility, and transportation.

“I truly believe we are at a moment of transforming this region,” she said. →

Rapid 5 aims to connect Columbus’ waterways and highlight them for the local treasures they are

The roadmap to bring about such change has already been created. Board Chair Keith Meyers, an urban planner who founded landscape architecture and urban planning firm MKSK, helped spearhead the RAPID 5 vision. In July of 2021, The Columbus District Council of the Urban Land Institute (ULI Columbus) and the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) presented The RAPID 5 Project Conceptual Corridor Map. Design and planning firms REALM Collaborative, NBBJ, MKSK, AECOM, and EDGE created visions for the waterway corridors of Big Darby Creek, Scioto River, Olentangy River, Alum Creek, and Big Walnut Creek.

About a year later, RAPID 5 became a nonprofit organization in its own right, with Acton at the helm. The name stands for Rivers and Parks Imagination Design, with the 5 symbolizing the five waterways. The goal is for the organization to act as a catalyst for change, partnering with cities and townships, unifying funding efforts, and helping to create momentum to facilitate the waterway projects the design firms dreamed up.

“It’s making that job easier,” Acton said.

Acton was introduced to the Conceptual Corridor Map in December of 2021. The map is more of a book: At over 260 pages, it features renderings, designs, and concepts for the five waterways.

“Once you see it, you can’t unsee it,” Acton said. “I can’t stand the thought of living here if we don’t do this.”

At the center of the planning is the goal to create an integrated greenway system out of the five water corridors. And with the concept in place, RAPID 5 is working as a movement to unify the community’s energy around the projects. To that end, the four-person staff will hold more events similar to the Alum Creek clean-up and has plans to at some point create a pop-up store similar to what one might find at a national park, with gear, wellness items, and artwork depicting the five waterways. The goal, Acton said, is to bring energy to the overall initiative.

“Everyone will own RAPID 5 before this is over, and that’s the dream,” she said.

How EASE Logistics is redefining the standard of business philanthropy

By Jack McLaughlin

Ever since the inception of EASE Logistics in 2014, the Dublinbased business has prided itself on fierce loyalty, timeliness, and a neverending drive to improve. And as this has propelled the company forward–today it employs a staff of nearly 200 and operates three locations, a Marysville-based warehouse and has a sleek new headquarters on the horizon.

EASE believes that contributing to the success of the community at large not only helps others, it makes the company better overall.

By utilizing a combination of encouraged giving, sponsorships, and volunteerism EASE has identified three pillars of its #GIVEwithEASE initiative: Food Insecurity, Military and Veterans, and Kids and Community.

EASE understands that philanthropy goes well beyond making a donation or putting in volunteer hours, it means making meaningful connections outside of the realm of business-as-usual that often resonates in unexpected ways.The company strives to

create lasting community relationships through a wide range of activities–from hosting an annual Touch-a-Truck community event for kids, to fundraising golf tournaments, and even a partnership with the Columbus Crew.

Their dedication to giving shows. As of this November, EASE has already surpassed its total 2021 give of more than $100,000, with several more giveback initiatives ahead, this holiday season. This is in addition to providing in-kind transportation, raising thousands of pounds of food across multiple campaigns, collecting monetary donations earmarked for food, supporting our military veterans and their families through multiple avenues and providing essential school supplies, clothing and more to thousands of central Ohio children and families.

Take a look at how this local company works to #GIVEwithEASE and the organizations it gives to that make a difference in Central Ohio.

→

FOOD INSECURITY

Many Ohioans don't have regular access to food. In fact, 1 in 5 adults in Ohio are food insecure (the figure is 1 in 4 for children as well). These are families and neighbors going hungry, but EASE is fortunate enough to have the resources to fight hunger. EASE takes advantage of every opportunity to ensure Central Ohioans have food on their tables.

DUBLIN FOOD PANTRY

For nearly 50 years, the Dublin Food Pantry has been providing its community with the food many residents need, but may not be able to otherwise afford. The pantry began in 1976 when Dublin was only a village, and has grown alongside the now bustling city to support three different area codes and the state’s 9th-largest school district

Since the beginning of 2022, the pantry has been serving more than 2,000 individuals monthly, and it regularly operates events to raise food for those in need.

EASE recently held its second-annual Touch-a-Truck event, which featured more than a dozen vehicles for kids and families. Over two years, the event has raised nearly 2,000 pounds of food for the nonprofit. EASE also regularly donates to the pantry throughout the year, outside of event-based fundraisers.

“Touch-a-Truck was a great event for everyone, and all the kids we had present were just having the time of their lives,” said Denise “Dinky” Youngsteadt-Parrish, Executive Director of the Dublin Food Pantry. “The food they provide us with helps so many families in our community.”

MID-OHIO FOOD COLLECTIVE

Covering a range of nearly 10,000 square miles, the Mid-Ohio Food Collective serves 20 counties across central and eastern Ohio, including Franklin County. And with such a range, it’s no surprise the Collective offers up 170,000 meals per day to those in need.

Founded by Matt Habash in 1980, the Mid-Ohio Food Collective operates with 680 other agencies, and utilizes a volunteer force of over 13,000 individuals each year, making it a truly massive–and significantly impactful–operation.

As the official logistics partner of the Columbus Crew, EASE and the Crew teamed up during September's Hunger Action month to raise 525 pounds of food and monetary donations that amounted to more than $54,000 of groceries. They also secured 50 volunteer hours and packed more than 615 meals while at Mid-Ohio Food Collective's volunteer day. “We have been experiencing record highs of food insecurity throughout the year and are thankful for amazing partners like EASE Logistics who helped us make sure more families have food on their tables,” said Matt Habash, President and CEO of Mid-Ohio Food Collective. →

MILITARY AND VETERANS

EASE values our nation's military. Nearly 10 percent of the company’s workforce is military veterans. They also deliver military freight and support the service men and women and their families who sacrificed for our country. EASE regularly gives time, money, and resources to thank them for dedicating their lives to our freedom.

THE WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT

When the Wounded Warrior Project began in 2003, it aimed to provide basic care and comfort items to wounded servicemen and servicewomen returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, the Project has grown to become one of the most recognizable–and most impactful–veteran-focused nonprofits in the country.

The group offers an enormous array of services to military veterans, including everything from family support programs to physical and mental wellness aides, and even adaptive sports programs for wounded individuals. To date, the Project has assisted more than 157,975 veterans, in addition to over 40,000 family members. The Wounded Warrior Project has provided more than 40,000 hours of intensive outpatient care and therapy sessions in the last year alone.

On Aug. 21, EASE held its first-ever Wounded Warrior Golf Outing at the Golf Club of Dublin. The event featured a variety of teams playing scramble-style, and it raised more than $5,000 for the nonprofit. Even more–according to Wounded Warriors Project Spokesperson and mother to a wounded veteran Cindy Parsons–the outing demonstrated that EASE and the Dublin community were willing to stand up for its former soldiers.

“To see a community and company come together, wanting to make a difference to our warriors; to see them come together and put on this event was amazing,” Parsons said. “It means so much to me personally that they want to see our wounded warriors thrive.”

WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA

It’s an unfortunate reality that not all of our soldiers make it home, but Wreaths Across America is making sure these individuals, plus other veterans no longer with us, are getting their due. Created in 1992 by the owner of a Maine-based wreath company, the nonprofit provides wreaths that beautify the resting places of our fallen fighters. To date, they’ve provided millions across the country.

The group, which went viral in the early 2000s after posting a photo of its donations to Arlington National Cemetery, achieved its goal of covering the iconic cemetery in more than 225,000 wreaths in 2014. Today, Wreaths Across America coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies at more than 2,500 cemeteries, spanning all 50 states.

And EASE is making sure the nonprofit is active in Ohio as well. EASE began its partnership with the group two years ago. Beginning in 2020, the Dublin logistics company contributed 100 wreaths. They doubled their contributions in 2021, and are planning for an even larger amount this year and in years to come.

"Wreaths Across America is more to me than just laying a wreath over the headstone of a veteran who sacrificed their life for our freedom. This is about teaching future generations, sharing and understanding the importance of why these true American heroes gave their lives so that we can remain free, safe, and secure each day to come and go as we please," said EASE GOV OPS Director, David Hilton, a United States Air Force veteran. →

KIDS AND COMMUNITY

EASE is a family-friendly company, created by CEO Peter Coratola Jr., who like many of his employees, is a proud parent. That's why EASE recognizes that there are many children within their communities who lack basic necessities to be successful. The company regularly gives back to students and families throughout the communities where they live, work and serve, in order to help them succeed.

STUFF THE BACKPACK

While millions of young Ohians prepare for the new school year every summer, many families cannot afford the supplies necessary to help their students succeed. But NBC4’s Stuff the Backpack Campaign is here to help.

Now in its fifth year, the project collects critical school supplies that are donated to benefit tens of thousands of students each year in Franklin County and Licking County. Before this summer’s campaign took off, Stuff the Backpack had already assisted more than 165,000 students, from kindergarteners to high school seniors.

And as EASE aims to lift up the Columbus-area youth, the company has been a part of the program for two years.

EASE regularly assists the NBC4 initiative to collect both school supplies in addition to monetary donations to purchase them. In 2022, the Dublin logistics company increased its involvement to include not only collecting donated supplies, but delivering and storing them in their warehouse.

ONE DUBLIN, ADOPT-A-FAMILY

Every day, there are families in Dublin struggling to make ends meet, but One Dublin is helping them stay afloat.

One Dublin helps these families and more in a variety of ways, offering everything from mattress programs and emergency household bill assistance to help with clothing, school supplies, and even holiday gifts.

EASE, a primary sponsor of One Dublin’s Adopt-AFamily program, has partnered with the nonprofit for three years, and in 2021 the company delivered 510 gifts to children.

"One Dublin is proud to partner with EASE Logistics to ensure children in our community have what they need to succeed, whether that be backpacks full of school supplies, a warm winter coat or a comfortable bed to sleep on,” said Executive Director Heather Heins, "EASE has been an amazing partner that continuously gives back to the community, and we consider ourselves fortunate to have such a kind and supportive business in our own backyard."

→

For nearly a decade, EASE Logistics has been not only at the top of the industry, they've made it their mission to redefine it altogether.

And it’s not difficult to see why.

First and foremost, EASE prides itself on a top-tier customer service model. Because logistics concerns never rest, their business doesn't either. Help is available for customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, offering 2 minutes responses, 15 minute follow-ups and 15 minute quotes.

It's not just through customer service that EASE is changing the game, either. EASE continues to pioneer new ways to deliver excellence across the supply chain and prioritize the greater good of people and the planet.

EASE cares just as much about the entire Ohio community they call home. The Dublin-based company has demonstrated an unparalleled dedication to giving back. Philanthropy has been part of the EASE model since day one, and the business continues to improve upon its own charitable efforts. In fact, EASE employees are regularly presented with opportunities for giving that match their own interests and availability, creating a more satisfied workforce and even more chances to give back.

THE GIVEBACK

EASE is committed to the continued growth and wellbeing of those throughout Central Ohio and beyond. Every year, EASE proudly accomplishes new milestones and continues to make a difference throughout our communities by partnering with a wide range of nonprofits. In fact, as the company grows, EASE has pledged to give more as well, by increasing annual donations to match its growth.

Furthermore, EASE works to ensure those who want to find additional ways to give back have more opportunities to do so easily.

To join in these efforts to #GIVEwithEASE - scan the QR code below to learn more!

Let's face it, when you need a professional, whether it's a doctor, a Real Estate agent, or some other service-related field, you want to know what services they offer, but you also want to know who they are and what they're about. (614) is going to help you with that!

Every quarter, we will feature some of Columbus' top professionals in this special advertising section that helps you learn not just what they do, but how they do it and what their story is. From social enterprises that work to better their communities to highly skilled medical professionals who can better your health, we've got the story behind the storefront—and we're excited for you to meet them. Columbus, meet The Professionals. →

The Artist

By Jack McLaughlin / Photos by Sarah Pfeifer

Like a painter would hold a brush, Dr. Brian Dorner steadies his scalpel delicately between thumb and forefinger.

He’s ready for the first incision.

The namesake and founder of Dorner Plastic Surgery and MedSpa, Dorner has been operating his own practice as a board-certified cosmetic surgeon since 2004. Part of what sets the long-serving Dublin-based surgeon apart, however, is something most people wouldn’t associate with serious medical procedures.

That something is art.

“My father was a plastic surgeon, and I sort of always knew I wanted to be one. But my mother was an artist, and they both influenced me greatly,” Dorner said. “Being a plastic surgeon focused on cosmetics allows me to blend those two powerful backgrounds in my upbringing.”

According to Dorner, plastic surgery—especially cosmetic procedures, his area of focus—involves a subjective aspect that most surgeries don’t, as the idea of beauty is involved.

“It’s very different from other surgery and most medicine in general. It’s black and white whether or not a gallbladder removal is successful. But with cosmetics it’s not that simple,” he said. “In plastic surgery, the body is essentially a canvas. You have to understand where things start and how the patient wants them to end up. My work is the process of getting there.”

According to Dorner, part of what makes a good plastic surgeon is spatial intelligence. Another part of it is work ethic and dedication. But like a famous painter or sculptor, there’s also an ineffable “it” present factor present in the most successful cosmetic surgeons that can’t be taught.

“I can open a textbook and see the steps to perform a procedure, but there are so many nuances and details that aren’t always apparent,” he said. “I see a lot of patients who come in after procedures elsewhere and they have good straight-line results, as in nothing went wrong, but just don’t look the way they wanted to. I take my time to do it right, every time, for every patient. It’s important to take your time with every stitch so that it’s perfect. Many surgeons brag about how fast they are, but it’s not a race. It’s about results.”

How this elite Central Ohio surgeon blends the worlds of cosmetic surgery and fine art

And while larger surgical procedures have their place in the field of surgical medicine, as a whole, it’s beginning to lean into smaller procedures that are less invasive and more preventative in nature. And Dorner Plastic Surgery is on the forefront of this movement.

According to Dr. Dorner, this paradigm shift came about in large part due to the success of Botox, which was introduced commercially while the doctor was performing his cosmetic surgery residency, and remains a popular and highly-effective method to this day.

“I remember from when I was growing up and my dad would perform surgeries: Back then, if you wanted to look better, you had a knife, basically,” he said. “With Botox, you could really see the dramatic, long-term improvement people could have from preventative treatment.”

In fact, according to the Aesthetic Plastic Surgery National Database, in 2021, there were over 3.5 million botox procedures performed in the United States, making it the country’s top non-surgical aesthetic procedure.

Throughout the last decade, however, more and more preventative treatments—as opposed to reactive ones— have seen a spike in popularity. And as the times have changed, so too has Dorner Plastic Surgery’s approach to aesthetic medicine.

Today, the Dublin-based surgery center’s non-invasive options are myriad. High intensity laser work is available to resurface skin, rejuvenating it by promoting collagen

production. This relatively new procedure has been shown to pay serious dividends with as few as 3-4 treatments per year.

“With regular laser treatments each year, you’ll look younger after 10 years than you did before you started the process,” Dr. Dorner said.

Emsculpt NEO treatments can melt fat and build muscle in the midsection, buttock, arms, legs and more in just 30 minutes. According to Dorner, each session is akin to performing 24,000 sit-ups.

Also available is radiofrequency micro needling, hair restoration and removal, a wide variety of fillers, broadband light therapy, SMAS face and neck lifts and MiraDry, a noninvasive procedure which eliminates underarm sweat, and is uniquely hovering near a 100 percent efficacy rate after a just a single treatment.

“Listen, I haven’t worn underarm deodorant for three years after having MiraDry, and nobody’s told me I smell yet,” Dorner said with a laugh.

These procedures are offered in addition to the full slate of cosmetic plastic surgeries, including everything from tummy tucks to breast, arm, leg and buttock implants and even Dorner’s innovative rib removal procedure, which patients travel from across the globe to have performed.

Dorner Plastic boasts its own, on-site surgery center as well—something not always offered by plastic surgery practices—allowing the doctor and his top-tier staff to personally oversee every aspect of patients’ procedures.

Because for Dr. Dorner, aesthetic medicine isn’t simply a career, it’s a calling, one he’s felt for nearly all of his life.

“I take time with every patient who comes to see me, I think that’s extremely important. It’s not always something every doctor does, but it’s a process: To make sure patients are getting what they want, I have to spend the time; I have to listen closely to them,” Dorner said. ““It’s my passion to make people look better and feel better about themselves; That’s what I do, and that’s what my practice is all about.”

To learn more, visit dornerplasticsurgery.com.

4930 Bradenton Ave. Dublin, OH 43017 (614) 336-9000

“With regular laser treatments each year, you’ll look younger after 10 years than you did before you started the process”

The Beauty Boss

By Jack McLaughlin / Photos by James DeCamp

In less than four years, Boss Gal Beauty Bar has opened four unique locations across central Ohio. This means the budding young company is doing a whole lot the right way.

From nursing career to entrepreneur, owner Kathy Keeney is your go-to specialist for cosmetic injectables and other antiaging treatments. After spending over a decade as a registered nurse in a fast-paced acute care environment, she decided to learn microblading as a creative outlet. Soon, Kathy realized how much she enjoyed empowering women by making them look and feel their best, and Boss Gal was born.

The concept was the perfect combination of using her medical background and her artistic eye for beauty. Boss Gal Beauty Bar is an open-concept facial bar and medical spa. Their result-driven treatments for anti-aging include HydraFacials, microblading, chemical peels, laser treatments, microneedling, and cosmetic injectables such as Botox and Dermal Fillers.

“We prefer results over fluff. Our skincare products are all medical-grade, meaning they have a higher concentration of active ingredients,” Kathy Keeney said. “They get results. We stand by that, and one of our favorite things is seeing that change happen in people.”

What sets Boss Gal apart from a traditional med spa is its inviting, social atmosphere. Clients receive the expertise and professional level of care from highly specialized estheticians–with nurses and nurse practitioners on staff–without the cold feel of a doctor’s office. They focus on continuing education and staying up-to-date with the latest procedures and technologies.

How Boss Gal Beauty Bar is redefining–and reinvigorating–the spa experience

Kathy Keeney is also a national trainer for Allergan Medical Institute, and travels to practices across the country to teach medical providers how to skillfully and safely use cosmetic injectables. Boss Gal is the number one HydraFacial provider in Ohio and a top-ten retailer of ZO Skin Health in the country.

And it appears that the concept resonates with more than a few Central Ohioans, as Boss Gal launched its new Powell store–located at 9878 Brewster Ln.–on Oct. 2. Boss Gal also operates its original location in Clintonville, in addition to beauty bars in Grandview and Easton.

For more information about Boss Gal Beauty Bar and to schedule your anti-aging services, visit bossgalbeautybar.com, follow them on Instagram @BossGalBeautyBar, or send an email to booking@bossgalbeautybar.com.

Locations

“We prefer results over fluff. Our skincare products are all medical-grade, meaning they have a higher concentration of active ingredients,”

It may be cold outside, but these romantic wintry escapes are hot!

Story Design by Victoria Smith

By Mallory Arnold

inter can get dull if you stay inside with your loved one binging a Netflix show you’ve already watched and ordering in from restaurants you have way too often. Romantic getaways don’t have to involve the sun and a beach – in fact, we’re here to prove that romance can be found nestled by an inn’s fireplace, in a Christmas castle, on a carriage ride or between a seasonal wine selection. Below, we’ve put together the best romantic winter getaways in and around Ohio.

Granville

Straight from a Hallmark Christmas movie, this charming village is nestled outside of Columbus in Licking County. Reminiscent of a New-England town, Granville has plenty of adorable cafes, boutiques and restaurants that you and your partner can explore all weekend. Stay in one of the historic hotels or cozy bed and breakfasts. →

↑ Granville, courtesy Timothy E Black

↑ Granville, courtesy Welsh Hills Inn

For the outdoorsy couple, take on a romantic adventure by hiking through some of Cuyahoga Valley’s 125-plus miles of trails. Destinations that are crowded in the warmer months, like Towpath Trail and Brandywine Falls) are quiet and peaceful on a wintry day. After hiking, take a train ride through Ohio’s only National Park and see it blanketed in sparkling snow. The journey isn’t only filled with beautiful views, but you’ll enjoy an afternoon of cozying up with a warm cup of cocoa and chocolate chip cookies.

Holmes County is home to one of the largest Amish settlements in the U.S. There is truly no better place for the ultimate cozy getaway with no distractions. Tranquil, simple and gorgeous in the winter, Holmes County has several hotels to stay in for a weekend. Enjoy warm Amish comfort food like soups, dumplings and bread, explore boutiques and attend performances at Ohio Star Theater.

Is there anything more magical or romantic than Christmas in a castle? Every evening Nov. 25-Dec. 24, Landoll’s Castle, located in Loudonville, is aglow with over 150,000 lights, Christmas trees and carols. Stroll the grounds hand in hand or enjoy a hearty winter meal at The Copper Mug Grille. Landholl’s Mohican Castle has 11 suites with jetted tubs, fireplaces and more. This getaway is fit for royalty.

Surrounded by the frozen Hocking Hills State Park, you and your partner will stay warm in your Cedar Fall’s Jacuzzi. Perfect to rid yourselves of seasonal stress, this getaway includes couples massages and spa treatments. Nature’s backdrop is perfect to escape reality for a little while and focus on you and your partner.

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↑ Cedar Falls Inn & Spa, courtesy Cedar Falls

↑ Landoll's Mohican Castle, courtesy Landoll's Castle

These Tuscan-style Villas are set with cozy fireplaces, heated floors and luxurious beds. Enjoy carriage rides, craft beer tasting, cooking classes and winery tours in this romantic Italian-inspired atmosphere. This experience is particularly great for wine enthusiasts, as the winery features award-winning sips and over 30 varieties.

In the winter, the Georgian Manor Inn Bed & Breakfast sits atop a 1.3-acre winter wonderland with a beautiful garden sleeping underneath snow. The Inn provides a romantic getaway and a serene retreat with a plethora of rooms to choose from like the Lady Anne or the Lord Sheldon. Take an easy walk to Historic West Main Street to browse through specialty shops and grab a bite to eat or tour one of the local Norwalk wineries, D&D Smith Winery, Shady Ridge Vineyards and Paper Moon Winery.

Guernsey County is famous for its Dickens Victorian Village, a Christmas walking tour experience that replicates 1850’s England. The historic courthouse is aglow with thousands of lights dancing to holiday music, the trolley winds you through the snowy streets of Cambridge and a special candlelight walk is held to celebrate the season. Stay in one of the many nationallyrecognized hotels and relish in an old-fashioned Christmas romance.

↑ Dickens Victorian Village in Cambridge, courtesy Dickens Victorian Village

↑ Paper Moon Vineyards in Norwalk, courtesy Paper Moon