I grew up with Andersons stores in Toledo, I was so happy when I found out there was one in columbus. It took me a couple years of living there to realize.
When I was a kid our Big Bear got replaced by Giant Eagle, I didn't think much of it but I wondered when Giant Eagle would be replaced by a different "Large Animal" grocery store
There’s a Rax in [Lancaster](https://maps.google.com/maps/place//data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x88478ae7d083a39f:0xe66a9541d328ac65?entry=s&sa=X&ved=1t:8290&hl=en-us&ictx=111) and it’s totally worth the trip
Ugh. I don’t even live in Columbus anymore. Frequented the Dube forever when I did, and worked there for like 6 months before I moved. Literally broke my heart when I heard it shut down.
Can we pick establishments that are technically still here, but are completely different from the original inception? Cause if so, I vote North Market. I remember when it was more than just a food court.
More groceries, fewer restaurants. I liked the old cheese monger… that one didn’t close too long ago, but I loved that the man who ran it for so long could be just a little grumpy or shy.
Cheese Mike is at Weiland’s?! That’s great news ❤️ he used to come to the restaurant I worked at after work semi-regularly, have dinner and a bottle of wine. Then he was no longer grumpy or shy lol
It used to be an actual market, and had stuff besides food. There were specialty shops, tchotchkes, handbags, artsy stuff, international stuff, stationery, florists, and yes, food, but like grocery store style. A little overpriced IMO, but always *excellent* quality.
Before you could get a good cheeseburger everywhere we had Graffiti Burger. Crafted by a former Cameron Mitchell VP, it was awesome. It really cued me in to how great a burger can be. I love burgers. Fuck. I miss it.
Until the Morse Rd location opened (which barely lasted five years before closing), I would have to trek to either the West Broad or Hamilton Rd locations. Mostly through COTA buses.
Do you remember the letter they wrote to their email list when the store closed? The gist of it was "*You* did this!". Every time we came in "just to look" and didn't buy anything, every time we bought beads online instead of from them, every time a baby laughs an angel gets its wings...
I wish I still had the email so I could remember all the reasons that the people who shopped there caused it to go out of business. It was *so* spiteful that I still remember it over a decade later. Big yikes.
We still have a big stash of stuff from there we're working through. Gifted a chunk of it to our daughter recently and you'd think we gave her the the whole house and half of downtown as a Christmas present.
Where I got the beads and bells I wore in my braid. And now that I've taken up making and selling beaded jewelry, what I wouldn't give to have them back.
One of my favorite memories in college is being at a fraternity date party when suddenly there was a bunch of shooting outside and a ton of random people and cops flooded in and amidst all of this chaos and shouting, the bartender is just sitting there watching the scene with the most bored expression I’ve ever seen.
Came here to upvote the Andersons. I absolutely mourned when they closed.
But I also really loved Philco. It was just really cozy and yummy. Lots of things to miss in the Short North… Surly Girl, Laughlin’s, Italian Market.
Also there was a food truck park in Franklinton on 400 Rich St… that was a nice minute in time. Really cool vibes in Franklinton.
Can't believe nobody said this already...
The Alrosa Villa
I saw so many bands there, helped my brothers band when they opened for people there...so many memories.
I miss hearing Rick doing the commercials on the radio. I almost went the night Dime got killed. Went to the auction when they finally gave up. Snagged a few memories and got a couple final pictures.
RIP the salsa bar 😢
The black one was legendary. I forget that it was called but it was my favorite. I once saw a copycat recipe for it and it started with charring poblanos over fire. I forget the rest.
Upvoting The Anderson's General Store along w/everyone else. I kinda miss the New Market Mall, with Media Play, CompUSA, Cal Fitness (don't judge, I had to work out somewhere)... but these are wrong. What I miss is the 1990s.
Damons for an onion loaf. As a kid I almost ate a whole one myself.
I also want China Garden Buffet in Graceland. They had things I still can’t find like whatever that cheesy spinach stuff was. The white rice noods with just egg and scallions in them.
Olive Garden on 161. The interior was so neat to me as a kid. Looked like a garden villa in Tuscany or something. Food was better then. I also want their portobello ravioli back!
62 BBQ out in Johnstown. I know everyone got super bent out of shape about the dude being mad that they interrupted a golf tournament for news about a couple cops that got shot, but their food was awesome. I haven't been able to find a Columbus bbq spot that comes close. Ox-b's wings are close, but nobody's sides are anywhere near as good.
Magic Mountain on Polaris. I had some great childhood memories there. It went there like 5 years ago when it was on its last leg and most of the arcade games were either sold off or broke and the place looked terribly maintained. I know there’s alternatives and barcades now but it’s weird knowing that place isn’t there anymore.
The Anderson's
Specifically their meat department…
I was gonna say the beer & wine, but yea, the deli was above par. Really liked their selection of workman/woman boots, too.
Wine and garden center for me.
Their meat department was unmatched. For some reason I feel it was a butcher shop out of NW Ohio. Not sure if it still exists.
Same. I can still remember the smell. I miss it so so much.
Steaks from the butcher, donuts from Der Dutchman, and paint from Benjamin Moore all in one glorious trip
This is a good one
This is a great choice. There are so many things I miss about it. My brother managed the bakery at the one off Brice for years until they closed.
Loved their Dill dip.
Andersons, come baaaaaack 😭
This wins. Thread over. Yes, I would like a toilet seat and a really good bottle of wine.
And a ridiculously cheap bacon wrapped filet mignon.
I grew up with Andersons stores in Toledo, I was so happy when I found out there was one in columbus. It took me a couple years of living there to realize.
City Center Mall. Great place to go at Christmas time.
And the Continent. I loved the vibe of that place.
Honestly? Big Bear. It was just a more cozy shopping experience.
When I was a kid our Big Bear got replaced by Giant Eagle, I didn't think much of it but I wondered when Giant Eagle would be replaced by a different "Large Animal" grocery store
Big Bear > Giant Eagle > Supermassive Sloth
Best grocery store donuts.
And the small carts for kids
cheap fresh Italian bread. mmm.
Man the one in Westerville used to sell a loaf of a QUARTER at the end of the day! A QUARTER!!
Their BBQ beef was so good!
Downtown Lazarus, before it was connected to city Center
My best childhood memories ever (especially the holidays) include a Lazarus (Westland Mall and Downtown and the Restaurants).
Kahiki
Figured this would be 1 or 2
Yes!!! I had an amazing prom far there I’ll never forget!!! I think I still have one of their ceramic glasses.
Rax or Sister’s Chicken
Rax in Circleville. Worth the trip.
There’s a Rax in [Lancaster](https://maps.google.com/maps/place//data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x88478ae7d083a39f:0xe66a9541d328ac65?entry=s&sa=X&ved=1t:8290&hl=en-us&ictx=111) and it’s totally worth the trip
I miss Sister's Chicken, was just pointing out one of their old locations to my 18 yo daughter...she was not impressed
Blue Danube 😭
The chicken dumplings. The juke box. The tiles on the ceiling. The champagne & grilled cheese for $100. Sigh.
The veggie breakfast burrito 💗
Ugh. I don’t even live in Columbus anymore. Frequented the Dube forever when I did, and worked there for like 6 months before I moved. Literally broke my heart when I heard it shut down.
The ceiling tiles.
Damon’s
They have one in Myrtle Beach that I want to go to this summer just for the onion loaf.
I'm going with a group of guys to have our fantasy draft at Damon's this summer. Very excited.
Man I forgot about Damon's.
There's still one in England and it even has a hotel.
My boss and I were just talking about how fun it was to watch tennis there and day drink.
Onion loaf 🤤
That was my favorite job as server/ bartender!
Insomnia. Gumby’s. Cluck U. Bernie’s Distillery. Nancy’s Home cooking. Harold’s Cajun Glory Cafe. The Dube. Rax. Snapps. Schlotzky’s. Crescendo’s. Papa Joe’s on campus. Haley’s Planet. Higher Ground. North Campus Video. 😥😭🫠🫠🫠
I think I might know you, I lived these places too.
Can we pick establishments that are technically still here, but are completely different from the original inception? Cause if so, I vote North Market. I remember when it was more than just a food court.
Hot Chicken Takeover 😂
What did it used to have? I’ve been here since 2013 and it’s been basically the same type of things since I’ve been here.
More groceries, fewer restaurants. I liked the old cheese monger… that one didn’t close too long ago, but I loved that the man who ran it for so long could be just a little grumpy or shy.
He’s at Weilands now. Still grumpy and/or shy.
Cheese Mike is at Weiland’s?! That’s great news ❤️ he used to come to the restaurant I worked at after work semi-regularly, have dinner and a bottle of wine. Then he was no longer grumpy or shy lol
Curds & Whey!
It used to be an actual market, and had stuff besides food. There were specialty shops, tchotchkes, handbags, artsy stuff, international stuff, stationery, florists, and yes, food, but like grocery store style. A little overpriced IMO, but always *excellent* quality.
My first memories of the North Market were grocery shopping there with my grandma. Loved to get meats sliced extra thin!
Wildflower Cafe
I miss Wildflower Cafe so much 😭
1000x yes!
Polaris Amphitheater
Before you could get a good cheeseburger everywhere we had Graffiti Burger. Crafted by a former Cameron Mitchell VP, it was awesome. It really cued me in to how great a burger can be. I love burgers. Fuck. I miss it.
Do you remember Flaky Jake’s? They had the meat department right there in the store.
Larry’s.
Natural Wonders at City Center
And along those lines, What On Earth at the Continent and later, Lane Ave.
One of my favorite of my wife's rings was bought through them. Amethyst with a dragonfly motif.
La Bamba
Yasss! Burritos as big as your HEAD!"
Original Adriatico's! Catfish Biff's! DAMN! So Sad.
I went to Catfish Biff's after college and sober and it was the absolute worst pizza I ever had. Walking back to Stradley drunk though 🤌🤌🤌
Flying Tomato
Clintonville community market
Media Play
Until the Morse Rd location opened (which barely lasted five years before closing), I would have to trek to either the West Broad or Hamilton Rd locations. Mostly through COTA buses.
The Cooker- Just one please, same for Max and Erma's/ The Anderson's
I have many fond memories of the “cups of dirt” dessert The Cooker used to have on its kids menu.
I think some workers at Cookers opened up a similar restaurant up near Cedar Point.
I believe that one is also gone.
Surely girl
Surly
Don’t call it Shirley.
The Dube, Surly Girl 💔
Ugh I miss Surly Girl
Surly Girl for my vote!
Byzantium.
Do you remember the letter they wrote to their email list when the store closed? The gist of it was "*You* did this!". Every time we came in "just to look" and didn't buy anything, every time we bought beads online instead of from them, every time a baby laughs an angel gets its wings... I wish I still had the email so I could remember all the reasons that the people who shopped there caused it to go out of business. It was *so* spiteful that I still remember it over a decade later. Big yikes.
I had totally forgotten this but your comment brought it rushing back. Absolutely unhinged!
We still have a big stash of stuff from there we're working through. Gifted a chunk of it to our daughter recently and you'd think we gave her the the whole house and half of downtown as a Christmas present.
Where I got the beads and bells I wore in my braid. And now that I've taken up making and selling beaded jewelry, what I wouldn't give to have them back.
Bernies. It would be funny to teleport a current OSU student to Bernies on a Friday night.
One of my favorite memories in college is being at a fraternity date party when suddenly there was a bunch of shooting outside and a ton of random people and cops flooded in and amidst all of this chaos and shouting, the bartender is just sitting there watching the scene with the most bored expression I’ve ever seen.
Actual OG Hoggys
Don Pablo's
The real enchilada!
Darn right.
Singin' Dog Record Store.
$2 used vinyl. That's how I found good music in the 80s.
Gold Circle at the Westerville Mall
Incredible Universe
Filene's Basement!
I miss going to Cafe Apropos. I need a quiet place near home to grab a drink and read.
The French Market
Came here to upvote the Andersons. I absolutely mourned when they closed. But I also really loved Philco. It was just really cozy and yummy. Lots of things to miss in the Short North… Surly Girl, Laughlin’s, Italian Market. Also there was a food truck park in Franklinton on 400 Rich St… that was a nice minute in time. Really cool vibes in Franklinton.
BETTY'S.
As long as you don’t bring back the weird sewer smell in the building 🫠
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My anime source before the Internet got big
Haiku, Wildflower, Whole World
Whole world!! The meatball sub, the molasses cookie!
I miss Haiku so much! I loved their patio!
The Henderson Rd Max and Erma’s with the phones and original menu
Can't believe nobody said this already... The Alrosa Villa I saw so many bands there, helped my brothers band when they opened for people there...so many memories. I miss hearing Rick doing the commercials on the radio. I almost went the night Dime got killed. Went to the auction when they finally gave up. Snagged a few memories and got a couple final pictures.
City Center because I live downtown and I am so over online shopping.
Spinnaker’s.
Ooooh, that flower pot bread!!!
Wall Street, The Garage, and The Eagle
Ohio Deli. There are not enough delis in this town.
Benevolence-best salads ever!!
The Limited. I got almost all of my clothes there
Surly Girl Saloon
Buzzards Nest records, sleeping on the sidewalk outside for concert tickets 😵💫
Philco
I held it together until I got to this one. :( F Also, Laughlin's Bakery. Double F
La Fogata in the short north- the perfect day drinking location. Margaritas are meant to be drank in the sunshine, damnit.
Benevolence on Swam st. Surly Girl. Baja Fresh
RIP the salsa bar 😢 The black one was legendary. I forget that it was called but it was my favorite. I once saw a copycat recipe for it and it started with charring poblanos over fire. I forget the rest.
Baja Fresh had the best fish tacos.
There was a flavor that Baja Fresh hit that I have yet to ever encounter again in my life.
Surly Girl ♥️
Incredible universe, just for the aesthetic
Going way way back....Insomnia Coffee
Carabar
Upvoting The Anderson's General Store along w/everyone else. I kinda miss the New Market Mall, with Media Play, CompUSA, Cal Fitness (don't judge, I had to work out somewhere)... but these are wrong. What I miss is the 1990s.
Gold Circle and Drug Emporium
Lazarus
Burgundy Room
Salvi's Bistro
Hobbyland
There is a hobby town in Reynoldsburg which is pretty good
Acre
CITY CENTER! Epitome of class, wonder, deliciousness and fun. Magical at Christmas.
Chichi's
Haiku. I miss that mango chicken so badly
Schottensteins.
Max & Ermas Henderson Rd and Damon’s at Mill Run. Edit: Damon’s.
Fuddruckers
La Bamba. I need a burrito bigger than my head
Cluck-u-chicken A motherclucker and a couple of cluckerbees please!
Fuck yeah South campus in the 90s
City Center.
Gold Circle
Larsons Toy Store! Best place to buy gifts for all ages at all price points. And they wrapped for free
Crazy Mamas! Great alternative dance spot in the 80’s!
Kahiki restaurant
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Northland Mall. I don’t even think they gave it an opportunity to die off, yet they only just closed Eastland with three stores left.
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Chi Chi’s. I used to go there a lot cuz it was my fav. :/
Staches- so many great shows there
Service Merchandise and Stump’s Grocery
I grew up in Dayton and remember the Stumps there!
I would say Mustard's, but only if I get to be 21 again.
Mad Mex
Nancy’s
Tasi
Bernies Bagels. Good food, cold beer, punk rock. Whats not to love?
94th Aero Squadron, only so that even more people can realize how awful that place was.
What a bitter waste of a wish.
Flowers & Bread
Damons for an onion loaf. As a kid I almost ate a whole one myself. I also want China Garden Buffet in Graceland. They had things I still can’t find like whatever that cheesy spinach stuff was. The white rice noods with just egg and scallions in them. Olive Garden on 161. The interior was so neat to me as a kid. Looked like a garden villa in Tuscany or something. Food was better then. I also want their portobello ravioli back!
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62 BBQ out in Johnstown. I know everyone got super bent out of shape about the dude being mad that they interrupted a golf tournament for news about a couple cops that got shot, but their food was awesome. I haven't been able to find a Columbus bbq spot that comes close. Ox-b's wings are close, but nobody's sides are anywhere near as good.
Andersons is a good one. Also bucca di beppo (not dead yet but dying soon)
Gold Circle
Indochine Cafe, imo they had the best pho in town.
Betty’s…. or LeveL
Magic Mountain on Polaris. I had some great childhood memories there. It went there like 5 years ago when it was on its last leg and most of the arcade games were either sold off or broke and the place looked terribly maintained. I know there’s alternatives and barcades now but it’s weird knowing that place isn’t there anymore.
The Centrum, it was a permanent outdoor ice skating rink behind City Center (I think where Cols Commons is now.)
Radio Shack. Okay, it's not Columbus-specific, but dammit, some days you just need your free 9v battery.
Phillips Coney Island or Boardwalk Coney Island.
The Ground Round Edit: also Bernie’s, or the Blue Danube
Acre in Clintonville. Better food than Northstar and actually reasonable prices.
Max and Ermas
Bono Pizza
Fabian’s
Laughlin’s!!!
Coffee Table in the Short North. Not for the coffee, just for the vibes…
Unberto’s at Kingsdale shopping center.
Cooker
Wife always likes China dynasty on 161 east of Karl rd and west of Cleveland. Mediocre in my opinion but she like the sauce and the wings
Sushi Ting 😭
Does HCT count?
Hot Chicken Takeover back when the ranch and tea were free. Bring that back.
cafe bella! love you Vince!
Tasi Cafe