WalkerEvans

<b>J. Gumbo’s Adding Two More Columbus Locations</b> By Walker | November 16, 2010 8:30am <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/jgumbos.jpg"> J. Gumbo’s first made their Columbus debut on Gay Street in 2009 and should have four locations open by the end of the year with new restaurants coming soon to the University District and Polaris area. We recently spoke with Brandon Salamone, the local franchise owner of this Kentucky-based chain who opened the Gahanna location earlier this year and is expanding with the two new stores, to find out more about what we can expect of the new locations. READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/j-gumbos-adding-two-more-columbus-locations

Smart Phones, netbooks and tablet devices will continue to encroach on the marketshare of traditional desktop/laptop computers in general. I imagine Apple will have a pretty strong foothold riding on that new wave of devices, at least in the short term future.

Three good TEDxColumbus videos worth watching... each touches upon branding just a bit while talking about the future. Good food for thought:

<b>Pattycake Bakery Adopts Rad Dog</b> By sarahb | November 6, 2010 <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/rdpc.jpg"> Two of Columbus’ favorite vegetarian businesses have joined forces to bring Columbus more deliciousness. When Tawd Bell decided he wanted to sell Rad Dog, his all vegan hot dog business, Jennie Scheinbach of Pattycake Bakery was one of the first people he told. “I’ve always loved Rad Dog! - the hotdogs, the concept, the brand, and Tawd himself, and when Tawd told me he wanted to sell (his business), it seemed like a natural fit for Pattycake. “Out of all the people in Columbus that I would ever think that would own Rad Dog!, besides myself, Pattycake is who I would want to own it,” says Tawd Bell. READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/pattycake-bakery-adopts-rad-dog

<b>Clever Crow Opening Soon in The North Market</b> By Walker | November 3, 2010 <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/clever-crow.jpg"> Clever Crow Pizza opened inside Circus around a year ago and has quickly become a fan favorite here on CU. Owners Gary Robinette and Brooke Howell-Robinette officially announced today that they will be expanding into a stall at the North Market sometime in December to serve their unique pizzas to market shoppers. http://www.columbusunderground.com/clever-crow-opening-soon-in-the-north-market

<b>Zen Cha Expanding to Bexley and Gay Street</b> By Walker | October 25, 2010 3:00pm <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/zencha-downtown.jpg"> Zen Cha Tea Salon is planning to triple their presence in Columbus over the course of the next year. The popular Short North tea shop will be opening a second location at 2396 E. Main Street in Bexley some time in late December or early January, followed by a third location in Downtown Columbus on Gay Street. Each new location will be fairly similar in concept with some slight possible modifications to menus, hours and decor based on the build-outs in each new space. READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/zen-cha-expanding-to-bexley-and-gay-street

Just out of curiosity... what makes you say that?

How many young people like to sit and pull slot machines? The majority of this casino is slots. It will be filled with busloads of older people, just like other Hollywood Casinos in other states. There are bars and restaurants inside the Casino, which often comp/discount food & drinks to keep gamblers from leaving. I've seen studies (and am looking for it to link to it) done that show how few casino patrons actually venture outside of the casino to spend money at other establishments. It's a pretty small percentage. Possibly... depends on the type of convention, I guess. I don't talk to convention planners too often, so I don't know if "is there a casino nearby" is a common criteria when selecting convention locations. Doesn't sound like it would be. Does Penn National have a track record for supporting transit development? I've not read that. Penn National announced over a year ago that they were building a Hollywood Casino branded ugly pit that would look similar to their other Hollywood Casinos: http://www2.nbc4i.com/news/2009/oct/08/proposed_arena_district_casino_would_be_branded_ho-ar-18251/#When:21:55:07Z They've never had any plans on building something unique for Columbus. I'm happy that this isn't happening Downtown.

Wow! They closed all that!? I admit I haven't been over there in a while. Well at least your food at Tip Top was good. Next time you go to a busy restaurant, make a reservation under Goldman Sachs or Intel. I bet your service will improve :angel: San Fran Pizza Oven closed back in February, and supposedly the owner of the franchise is working on opening something else in the same space, but I haven't seen anything making progress yet: http://www.columbusunderground.com/san-francisco-oven-closing-and-transforming

Which there are plenty of if you're willing to look at them as individuals and not as one big overgeneralized group. ;)

The Cleveland Casino is not a "Hollywood Casino" which is what the Columbus Casino is, so the comparison is not quite accurate. A Hollywood Casino would be a perfect fit out on West Broad. It would stick out like a sore thumb in the Arena District.

A single story casino with no hotel attached is what was proposed for the Arena District. You call that high-density? ;)

Totally agree. I've never liked needing a lot of external devices for any kind of laptop. It's a bit slower to access, but I keep my external hard drives connected to a different computer on my home network so that I can have access wirelessly to external storage and for TimeMachine backup purposes. Otherwise I'd never remember to plug them in to back things up. ;) Ha!

I just picked up a netbook today. My first non-apple purchase in nearly 5 years or so. I really only needed a PC to do some Windows testing and use 1 or 2 web-apps that are pretty IE-specific. I've tried the VMWare/Parallels route and it takes up too much room on my HD on the Macbook and is a memory hog for the one or two quick things I need to use it for. I picked up this Gateway netbook refurbished at Microcenter (Columbus) for $220: http://www.gateway.com/systems/product/529668485.php Not a bad price to keep Windows off my Macbook. ;)

You're not thinking hard enough. :P Sorry if the library or 19th century old floozies encased in shrubbery didn't pop in my head :P Ha! You have to see it through the eyes of a child! ;) My 3yo *loves* riding the bus. It's like the coolest thing ever for him, while most adults I know would consider it to be pretty uncool. ;)

<b>Though Bustling with Activity, Gahanna Still Looking to Attract Businesses</b> Regional Spotlight — By Melanie McIntyre on October 15, 2010 <img src="http://www.themetropreneur.com/columbus/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Gahanna-1.jpg"> Gahanna’s current tagline “5 minutes to the Airport. 10 minutes to Downtown Columbus.” surely highlights two advantages it has over several other Central Ohio locales. However, two extensive redevelopment projects that officials have advanced there in recent years, not to mention the incentives in place to encourage business attraction and retention, give, perhaps, an equally compelling argument for considering the “complete community” east of the Capital City. READ MORE: http://www.themetropreneur.com/columbus/bustling-activity-gahanna-attract-businesses/

<b>Owner of Gahanna Coworking Space Wants to Foster Local Success</b> Community Support — By Melanie McIntyre on October 6, 2010 <img src="http://www.themetropreneur.com/columbus/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/sandbox-gahanna-1.jpg"> Small business owners and entrepreneurs uninterested in hunkering down in a home office or coffee shop have an alternative in Sandbox Gahanna. Located at 155 Mill St., the facility offers WiFi, copying/printing/scanning/fax capabilities, a conference area, a kitchenette, a lounge area, and complimentary water and coffee. “We had this empty space and wanted to do something that benefited the community,” says Chris Lottridge, owner of Sandbox Gahanna, which opened in June of last year. READ MORE: http://www.themetropreneur.com/columbus/owner-gahanna-coworking-space-foster-local-success/

<b>Modern Furniture Store Moving Into Short North</b> Business Profiles — By Melanie McIntyre on October 22, 2010 <img src="http://www.themetropreneur.com/columbus/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/grid2.jpg"> Tim Friar saw a void in the Central Ohio furniture retail scene and, rather than lament it, decided to fill it himself. Friar, a modern furniture fan, was all too aware of the lack of local retailers selling mid-price pieces in that style. Now his store, Grid Furnishings, will carry them. Located at 944 N. High St. in the Short North, Grid will carry a range of modern residential furnishings, art furniture, and art designed by makers and artists in the United States and Canada. READ MORE: http://www.themetropreneur.com/columbus/modern-furniture-store-moving-short-north/

I'd say Harrison West or Victorian Village would probably be the most ideal if you want to be within walking distance of both The Short North and the Arena District. Plus, you're close to 315 where you can hop on for the reverse-commute to Dublin for work. http://metro-rentals.com/victorian_village.htm

You're not thinking hard enough. :P

TONS of stuff to do! You're less than a half mile walk from the Columbus Metropolitan Library, which has been consistently ranked as one of the best in the nation. They have an awesome kids area: http://www.columbuslibrary.org Directly behind the library is the Topiary Park. If the weather holds up, it's worth a stroll: http://www.topiarygarden.org Just north of the library is the Columbus Museum of Art: http://www.columbusmuseum.org Your hotel is about a block from the OSU Urban Arts Space, which always has a variety of interesting exhibits: http://uas.osu.edu Friday, October 29th is the final day of the outdoor Pearl Market, worth strollering over to if you're free between 10:30am and 2pm: http://www.downtowncolumbus.com/pearlmarket/ +1 to UrbanSurfin on the Statehouse Tour: http://www.ohiostatehouse.org/Tours/Index.aspx Swing by Sugardaddy's on Gay Street and pick up a brownie or two. Best brownies in the world! http://www.sugardaddys.com You're about a mile from the North Market, but you can easily spend an hour or two there. Fun for kids, and a great place to eat: http://www.northmarket.com The aforementioned Tip Top is a *ok* suggestion, but most of their seating is at high tables that aren't optimal for balancing a 16mo. They have a few booth seats, so request one if they're free. http://www.tiptopcolumbus.com I'd probably recommend Dirty Frank's instead. Their seats are all regular tables, so it's easier for kids. http://dirtyfrankscolumbus.com The new Spinelli's Deli is another good choice. Local, good sandwiches, great for kids: http://www.spinellisdeli.com El Arepazo is always a favorite spot of mine: http://elarepazolatingrill.com See #1. I'd probably recommend Library/Topiary Park/CMA on Thursday since they're all close together and then Pearl Market (outdoors) and the OSU Urban Arts Space on Friday. Have fun!

I just hope that people don't forget about the awesomeness of Huffman's Market, just down the street: <b>Huffman’s Market Celebrates 24 Years of Tradition</b> By Walker | October 19, 2010 <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/huffmans4.jpg"> There’s been quite a bit of hullabaloo about the new Market District store that opened at the Kingsdale Shopping Center last week, and for good reason: It’s a massive store that contains just about everything under the sun. On the other end of the spectrum (and only a half mile down the road) Huffman’s Market continues to offer a more traditional grocery experience that is pleasantly bells-and-whistles free. The employees are friendly, product selection is diverse yet easy to navigate, and the commitment to carrying local products is a priority. To find out more about the store, we conducted a Q&A with Owner/Manager Tim Huffman: READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/huffmans-market-celebrates-24-years-of-tradition

<b>Jeni’s Ice Creams is Expanding to Cleveland Area</b> By Walker | October 22, 2010 <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/jenis-logo.jpg"> Back in August, we interviewed Jeni Britton Bauer and Charly Bauer of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, and they dropped a few hints about their first expansion outside of Central Ohio being somewhere in the Cleveland area. That expansion is now being made official with plans to open a scoop shop this Spring in Chagrin Falls, a suburb located roughly 35 minutes east of Downtown Cleveland. The new store will be located at 67 N. Main Street in Chagrin Falls, and will feature all of the signature and seasonal flavors, sundaes and ice cream macaroons available in Jeni’s Central Ohio stores. READ MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/jenis-ice-creams-is-expanding-to-cleveland-area

<b>Taste of Belgium Opening at Wexner Center Cafe</b> By Walker | October 21, 2010 <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/taste-of-belgium.jpg"> Back in August it was announced that a new cafe concept would be coming soon to the Wexner Center, and the decision upon that concept has been made. Taste of Belgium will be opening their second Columbus location and will begin full service starting on Monday, October 25th. Similar to their North Market location, “Taste” will serve up authentic Liège-style waffles and sweet and savory crepes, but will also offer an expanded, seasonal menu that includes European-inspired sandwiches, salads, soups, pastries and macaroons, all made from scratch. Beverage offerings have also been expanded to include coffee and espresso drinks, teas, smoothies and beer and wine tastings during special events. MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/taste-of-belgium-opening-at-wexner-center-cafe

<b>Pizza Rustica Opens Soon at South Campus Gateway</b> By Walker | October 20, 2010 <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/archives/pizza-rustica.jpg"> The South Campus Gateway has landed another new retail tenant as Pizza Rustica prepares to open next door to Gooeyz on Monday, October 25th. This new store marks the first Ohio location for the Florida-based company. “It is a very small operation based out of South Beach,” said local franchise owner Chris diDonato. “After spending some time in South Florida I became a huge fan of the pizza. I spent some time with the owner I loved the passion and creativity he brought to this concept.” MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/pizza-rustica-opens-soon-at-south-campus-gateway