WalkerEvans

<b>Mozart’s Cafe Adding Full Bar Service</b> By: Walker <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/mozarts-cafe.jpg"> Last month, Anand Saha, owner of Mozart’s Cafe and Vienna Ice Cafe announced that they would be closing the Mozart’s location at The North Market to refocus on their Clintonville locations. Today we find out that part of that new focus includes the addition of beer, wine and liquor to their menu. READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/mozarts-cafe-adding-full-bar-service

<b>The Grass Skirt Tiki Bar & Restaurant Opening Downtown in 2012</b> By: Walker <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Tiki-Bar.jpg"> The Columbus Food League (previously known as The Betty’s Family of Restaurants) is expanding once again with the announcement of The Grass Skirt, slated to open Spring 2012 at 105 North Grant Street in Downtown Columbus. The Grass Skirt will be open for lunch, dinner and late night service. READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/the-grass-skirt-tiki-bar-restaurant-opening-downtown-in-2012

There was a fire there a year or two ago. I would imagine that it's beyond being worth salvaging. Rip it down and build something bigger.

<b>Mile by Mile: The Future of Urban Design in Downtown Columbus</b> By: Cheryl Huffman <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/cheryl.jpg"> Seeking inspired recreation, Columbus residents and visitors are reconnecting to the downtown. From the Scioto Mile to the Mile on High, urban redevelopment is in demand. While critics believe there is no reason to go downtown, a culturally diverse audience arrived by foot (from as far as Franklinton), bike, and even classic car to check out the Scioto Mile. READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/mile-by-mile-the-future-of-urban-design-in-downtown-columbus

<b>The List: 10 Things We’d Like to See Happen Next in RiverSouth</b> By: Walker <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/south-front-street.jpg"> The RiverSouth area in Downtown Columbus was first envisioned around a decade ago, and many of the original set of individual projects have either been recently completed (Main Street Bridge, Annex at RiverSouth, Courthouse Annex, Scioto Mile, RiverSouth Parking Garage, etc) or in the process of wrapping up over the next year (streetscaping and infrastructure improvements, the Rich Street bridge, etc). So… what comes next for RiverSouth? New residential development? Retailers? Or something else? Here’s a list of 10 things we’d like to see happen in the RiverSouth area over the next five years: READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/the-list-10-things-wed-like-to-see-next-in-riversouth

Well said.

<b>Yabo’s Tacos Sets Sights on University District, Short North and Beyond</b> By: Walker <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/yabos-tacos.jpg"> Yabo’s Tacos opened their first location in Westerville in mid-June, and the owners have already got their sights set on quick expansion. “The Westerville location is killer with lots of traffic and great demographics for our concept,” explained Scott Boles, Co-Owner and Operations Director at Yabo’s. “Our plan is to try to do seven locations in Central Ohio in five years.” READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/yabos-tacos-sets-sights-on-university-district-short-north-and-beyond

<b>The Drexel Radio Café is Closing for Renovations</b> By: Walker <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/cafeinside.jpg"> Next Monday, July 18th, The Drexel Theatre Radio Café will be closing for renovations with no reopening date yet determined. The cafe space is being reviewed by Friends of the Drexel, Inc. to determine the best use of that portion of the building. READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/the-drexel-radio-cafe-is-closing-for-renovations

New Nobo development is coming along quickly! :D

Warning. Logic system error. Hahahahah!!!

^ Very excited to hear about Casto re-evaluating that building. Would make a great spot for ground-floor retail and apartments above. Hopefully they can figure out a good way to make the financial side of it work.

<b>zpizza Expanding to Clintonville, Planning Five Additional Locations</b> By: Walker <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/zpizza-steve-curtis.jpg"> <i>zpizza is about to get much larger in Columbus. While the company is based in Southern California, local entrepreneur Steve Curtis is putting his back into turning his regional franchise operation into something the community can be proud of. After piloting his single store in the Short North for the past three years, Steve and his wife and business partner Erin are working on developing additional locations throughout Central Ohio, starting with Clintonville, the neighborhood that they also call home.</i> READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/zpizza-expanding-to-clintonville-planning-five-additional-locations

<b>Review: Aloha Hawaiian BBQ & Asian Bistro</b> By: Morgan Kelley <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/hawaiian-bbq-4.jpg"> <i>First, a little background. Aloha Hawaiian BBQ & Asian Bistro is a family business. Restaurant Manager Sammi Tsai explained that her father-in-law runs the kitchen and has a background in the restaurant business. Originally from Thailand, the inspiration for the restaurant comes from the many types of Hawaiian BBQ restaurants in the Los Angeles area. The owners of ‘Aloha’ wanted to bring this type of cuisine to Central Ohio, where it currently doesn’t exist.</i> READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/review-aloha-hawaiian-bbq-asian-bistro

None of those places exist. That might be the problem.

Took a ton of photos at The Mile last night. Won't post them all, but here's a few and links to more: http://www.columbusunderground.com/photos-from-the-grand-opening-of-the-scioto-mile http://www.columbusunderground.com/more-photos-from-the-opening-of-the-scioto-mile <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/scioto-mile-01.jpg"> <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/scioto-mile-008.jpg"> <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/scioto-mile-015.jpg">

I'm sure there are plenty of people in the area who enjoy having new places to shop for day-to-day essentials and convenience items. Of course you have little reason to be excited about those types of things if you don't live in that area. Not every type of retail is going to be a destination draw from other parts of town. It would be nice if every store in every neighborhood could be a mom & pop local establishment, but it would be unrealistic to think that's going to be a realistic outcome. Are you trying to shame/insult local entrepreneurs into fulfilling your expectations? That's what it sounds like. I don't think that's going to work.

I'm totally cool with rider posting photos from Columbus Underground. No worries. ;)

<b>Harvest Pizzeria Coming Soon to German Village</b> By Walker | June 15, 2011 4:45pm <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/harvest-pizzaria-2.jpg"> <i>German Village is about to get tastier in a few weeks when the latest addition to their restaurant scene opens to the public. Harvest Pizzeria is the brainchild of Chris Crader and his fiance Bethany Lovell, and it combines old school Italian traditions with the new wave of farm-to-table cooking. “The concept for Harvest was born from a love of pizza and a desire to find top quality pizza in Columbus,” said Crader. “I felt there was a serious void in this area in German Village and Bethany and I decided that it was time to open a place of our own.”</i> Customers at Harvest might find that Chris is a familiar face in the local restaurant community. He got his start as a server and bartender at the Elevator Brewery and Draught Haus, and has worked as General Manager at Due Amici, Barrio and The Rossi. READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/harvest-pizzaria-coming-soon-to-german-village

<b>Sidebar Restaurant Coming Soon to Downtown Columbus</b> By Walker | June 9, 2011 <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/sidebar-5.jpg"> <i>According to a blog update at DaytonDailyNews.com, the Sidebar restaurant located in Dayton’s Oregon Historic District will be expanding to Downtown Columbus this summer and opening a second location in the former Brownstone space at 122 E. Main Street. According to their website, Sidebar serves “Mediterranean-style small plate tapas, with a South American influence”. They also feature unique and classic cocktails.</i> READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/sidebar-restaurant-coming-soon-to-downtown-columbus

This story (and two-page photo spread) gave me a chuckle. They could have used a much worse photo for "Fighting the Blight". If that photo represents Blight in Columbus, I'd say we're doing ok. ;)

Nice roundup! ;)

Some interesting discussion surrounding the parking issues and proposed "Entertainment District" on Lane Avenue: <b>Parking Issues on Lane Avenue / Upper Arlington</b> HERE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/parking-issues-on-lane-avenue-upper-arlington

<b>Orange Barrel Media changing the landscape one mural at a time</b> Business Profiles — By Melanie McIntyre on May 24, 2011 at 8:00 am <img src="http://www.themetropreneur.com/columbus/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/orange-barrel-1.jpg"> Some of Columbus’s most memorable wallscapes have been executed by Orange Barrel Media since it opened for business seven years ago. For OBM’s founder and president, Pete Scantland, the work is a labor of love. The Upper Arlington native claims he’s always had a fondness for signs− particularly creative, one-of-a-kind signs. Around the time Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman published his downtown business plan, Scantland decided wallscapes would be a great way to add color and a sense of vibrancy to the area and the rest, as they say, is history. In fact, OBM has successfully expanded into six other markets. READ MORE: http://www.themetropreneur.com/columbus/orange-barrel-media-changing-landscape-mural-time/

What would it take to get 10tv to put some offices in at Broad & High? ;)

I've always found it interesting that the chains & franchises (Dunkin, Starbucks, Soup Nazi) are the ones struggling at this corner, but the locals (BDF, Lola, Cinco, Caffe Daniella) seem to be doing quite well.