olumbus is one of those places where you’re likely to find C something quirky or special without
even trying. Whether it’s a family owned bookshop on Broadway or a coffee shop built in an old bank, you’ll find unique spots to explore. Perhaps one of the most unique spots in Columbus is the Lunchnbox Museum at 3218 Hamilton Road. The entrance is nestled inside a small juncture between three buildings, with the front of the shop proudly declared with a scrap iron statue of a Tyrannosaurus Rex gracing the roof and the words “The River Market Antiques” just below. Statues of a bygone time in the United States grace the front windows, standing resolute, as if guarding the historic delights inside. The first step in is an experience, taking you forward in distance and backwards in time, with porcelain figures, an old school rotary phone, collections of metal and jeweled pins in wood and glass cases, and all sorts of art and collectibles from decades past scattered throughout a large and welcoming space. A kindly gentleman in buttoned shirt and dark slacks sits at a table
Allen Woodall
near the entryway, Allen Woodall, the owner of the Lunchbox Museum. The magic of the shop is the same magic that helped Woodall to build the museum in the first place, after beginning his collection in 1984. According to Woodall, he’d first been interested in collecting metal LocaL
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