December 31, 20195 yr Retail is dead? Not in central Ohio, with its low vacancy rates According to a new report by the real estate information service CoStar, vacant retail space in central Ohio has dropped to a record low. For all the headline-making problems of stores such as Sears, Pier 1, Kohl’s, the Gap, Gymboree, Toys R Us and Chico’s, only 2.9% of central Ohio retail space is empty — down from 8.6% a decade ago and the lowest level since CoStar started tracking the rate in 2007. As traditional retailers close up shop, nontraditional shops and entertainment venues are moving in. Saraga International Grocery has taken over the former Kohl’s store on Hamilton Road on the East Side and the former Kroger in the Northern Lights shopping center on the North Side. The Scene75 entertainment center is replacing a Macy’s store at the Mall at Tuttle Crossing on the Northwest Side. Also on the Northwest Side, Ninja Citi Adventure Park is filling space once occupied by ApplianceSmart. At Chantry Square shopping center in the Blacklick area, empty Best Buy and Sports Authority stores have been filled with Trampoline Xtreme and the Otherworld art exhibit. Similar examples can be found throughout the Columbus area, as yoga studios, spas, fitness clubs, entertainment centers, churches and international groceries fill spaces once occupied by well-known retailers. In other cases, retail space has simply vanished. The Andersons store on the Northwest Side has been torn down, along with the Polaris Sears store, the Kmart store on Bethel Road on the Northwest Side and half the shopping center that houses the Hills Market in Worthington. The Andersons, Kmart and Worthington shopping center spaces have been replaced by housing, while the Sears space is being refashioned into an outdoor destination in the model of Easton. When that demolished retail space is taken into account, the total amount of central Ohio retail space grew by only 190,000 square feet in the past 12 months — about the size of a single Walmart superstore — according to CoStar. However, more than 800,000 square feet of retail space will be coming online soon, led by three big projects: Easton’s $500 million “Urban District,” stacked with new stores and restaurants; the continued expansion of Bridge Park in Dublin; and the 250,000-square-foot Hamilton Quarter, which opened this fall with Target and Hobby Lobby among its anchors. This will test the depth of central Ohio’s retail market in the coming year. MORE: https://www.dispatch.com/business/20190915/retail-is-dead-not-in-central-ohio-with-its-low-vacancy-rates
December 31, 20195 yr A lot of other cities don't have enough money for re-purposing or demo so that helps. I doubt Westland Mall is counted in the numbers since it has been condemned.
January 8, 20205 yr A redditor is claiming that a new Trader Joe's will be announced for Upper Arlington on Jan 24. Coming somewhere on Lane according to the redditor Edited January 8, 20205 yr by TH3BUDDHA
January 23, 20205 yr Express To Close 100 Stores, But None In Columbus https://radio.wosu.org/post/express-close-100-stores-none-columbus#stream/0 Columbus-based Express, Inc. on Wednesday announced plans to close 100 stores around the country, although none of the closures are expected here in Central Ohio. A press release from the upscale retailer says the 100 closures include nine stores that closed in 2019, 31 that will close by the end of January, and another 35 that will close by January 2021. ========================= Express was one of my go-to brands in undergrad but I admit I haven't bought anything from them in more than a decade now.
February 7, 20205 yr On 12/11/2019 at 10:57 PM, ColDayMan said: Yay!!! Popular convenience store chain coming to Columbus A well-liked convenience store chain is finally making its way to Columbus. Altoona, Pennsylvania-based Sheetz Inc. announced on Facebook that it plans to bring its brand to Central Ohio in 2021. It has 40 shops in the state, but those are predominately located in Northeast Ohio. The closest Sheetz to Columbus is a single store in Zanesville. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2019/12/11/popular-convenience-store-coming-to-columbus.html Holy Sheetz. The opening location will be in (drumroll) Obetz! https://www.columbusnavigator.com/sheetz-obetz/ https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/02/06/sheetz-makes-it-pick-here-is-where-the-popular.html Actually, this location is smack in the middle of the huge warehouse district north of Rickenbacker. So with thousands of workers coming and going past this location, its probably a great spot for a Sheetz to locate.
February 9, 20205 yr Those who shop at Lucky's Market at 2770 N. High Street in Clintonville got a shock recently when the Colorado-based natural foods grocery announced they filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on January 27. As part of that bankruptcy, Lucky's will be closing 32 of its 39 stores nationwide and closing its Colorado headquarters. However, it appears that the Clintonville Lucky's Market will remain open. Also part of the bankruptcy filing, Lucky's Market is selling its remaining seven stores to its founders, Bo and Trish Sharon, including the Columbus store, who will own and operate them. MORE: Lucky's Market founders to purchase remaining stores, including the one in Columbus https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/01/30/luckys-market-founders-to-purchase-remaining.html
February 10, 20205 yr On 2/7/2020 at 12:45 PM, Columbo said: Holy Sheetz. The opening location will be in (drumroll) Obetz! https://www.columbusnavigator.com/sheetz-obetz/ https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/02/06/sheetz-makes-it-pick-here-is-where-the-popular.html Actually, this location is smack in the middle of the huge warehouse district north of Rickenbacker. So with thousands of workers coming and going past this location, its probably a great spot for a Sheetz to locate. Score one for the Uncool Crescent!
February 10, 20205 yr More on the Obetz Sheetz development from the Southeast Messenger: "About 13.8 acres from eight parcels of land are set to be annexed into Obetz next month as part of a larger e-commerce development area. The total planned district area is roughly 43 acres from 14 parcels, located at the intersections of Toy Road, Alum Creek Drive and Bixby Road... The first consists of 8.8 acres that will serve as a fueling station with a convenience store and fast food. The second subarea has just five acres that will house Sheetz, also a convenience store and fast food option." https://www.columbusmessenger.com/obetz-preps-for-new-commercial-district-annexation.html Edited February 10, 20205 yr by GCrites80s
February 10, 20205 yr Are people that excited about a gas station? I mean, I've stopped at many Sheetz before - and the food there is basically incomparable to any other gas stations, which makes it very appealing for road trips and such - but...come on, it's a gas station lol. Very Stable Genius
February 10, 20205 yr 55 minutes ago, DarkandStormy said: Are people that excited about a gas station? I mean, I've stopped at many Sheetz before - and the food there is basically incomparable to any other gas stations, which makes it very appealing for road trips and such - but...come on, it's a gas station lol. Short answer. Yes. Longer answer. Gas station loyalty is serious business, especially in a city that many resident are necessarily from here. I spend over 300 nights a year on the road and when I'm in Sheetz and QuikTrip territory, I'm much happier. WaWa is overrated. But a Buccee's beef jerky counter is heaven. I'll pass up 10 gas stations to find one I like. Lol. Much in the same way that fast food is largely the same, there are people that have their favorites for reasons of atmosphere, selection, etc etc. The quality is all about the same but there is still preference. Sheetz has had kitchens in gas stations as long as I can remember first seeing one in the early 2000s and set precedents for alot of non truck stop stations. Sheetz, in many smaller communities is also oddly the place to go for many in the community. Much more important than a road trip stop but the place to go after football games, have coffee with your Friday regular old folks, etc. In a big city, probably not as much but still has that meaning to many people. Otherwise, For the casual observer, it's a non story.
February 11, 20205 yr 21 hours ago, DTCL11 said: Short answer. Yes. Longer answer. Gas station loyalty is serious business, especially in a city that many resident are necessarily from here. I spend over 300 nights a year on the road and when I'm in Sheetz and QuikTrip territory, I'm much happier. WaWa is overrated. But a Buccee's beef jerky counter is heaven. I'll pass up 10 gas stations to find one I like. Lol. Much in the same way that fast food is largely the same, there are people that have their favorites for reasons of atmosphere, selection, etc etc. The quality is all about the same but there is still preference. Sheetz has had kitchens in gas stations as long as I can remember first seeing one in the early 2000s and set precedents for alot of non truck stop stations. Sheetz, in many smaller communities is also oddly the place to go for many in the community. Much more important than a road trip stop but the place to go after football games, have coffee with your Friday regular old folks, etc. In a big city, probably not as much but still has that meaning to many people. Otherwise, For the casual observer, it's a non story. Clevelander here, I agree with the above sentiment. Whenever I am in Sheetz territory I definitely stop there before anywhere else for gas and snacks. Sheetz was there for me in college when I had late night trips from Cleveland back to Kent and everywhere else was closed, I can never turn my back!
March 7, 20205 yr Goodbye Art Van. We hardly knew ya. Nice looking building though. Furniture retailer shuttering after less than a year at Polaris Less than a year after opening in Columbus, a furniture retailer is closing its Columbus store's doors. Detroit, Michigan-based Art Van Furniture is shuttering all its locations across the country, a move that will impact about 5,500 employees across five states, the company said Thursday. The retailer's sole Central Ohio location opened in March 2019 at 1551 Gemini Place. ... The 70,000-square-foot two-story Polaris building, designed by Detroit-based Neumann Smith Architecture, sits on a very prominent corner northeast of the mall itself and has expansive open floor plates and glass. The company hasn't yet provided details on how it will dispose of properties including this one. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/03/06/furniture-retailer-shuttering-after-less-than-a.html
March 11, 20205 yr More Sheetz coming to Central Ohio: According to https://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20200310/fan-favorite-sheetz-plans-delaware-store "The Delaware City Planning Commission on March 4 reviewed an application for a Sheetz restaurant, drive-through and gas station at 700 Sunbury Road. The roughly 4.8-acre site was the location of the former Delaware Marine and U Roll It Tobacco shop, which has relocated to U.S. Route 23 North. Those buildings would be razed to make room for a 6,007-square-foot building, eight gasoline pumps and 47 parking spaces."
March 28, 20205 yr On 2/9/2020 at 6:11 PM, Columbo said: Those who shop at Lucky's Market at 2770 N. High Street in Clintonville got a shock recently when the Colorado-based natural foods grocery announced they filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on January 27. As part of that bankruptcy, Lucky's will be closing 32 of its 39 stores nationwide and closing its Colorado headquarters. However, it appears that the Clintonville Lucky's Market will remain open. Also part of the bankruptcy filing, Lucky's Market is selling its remaining seven stores to its founders, Bo and Trish Sharon, including the Columbus store, who will own and operate them. MORE: Lucky's Market founders to purchase remaining stores, including the one in Columbus https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/01/30/luckys-market-founders-to-purchase-remaining.html Cleveland market chain buys Lucky's Market in Clintonville The Lucky’s Market in Columbus has a new owner. Dave’s Market, which has 13 stores in Northeast Ohio, paid $1.25 million for the Columbus and Cleveland locations of the natural grocery brand. Those stores will continue to operate. Colorado-base Lucky’s Market announced the transaction Friday. The new owners have not yet answered questions about their plans for the Clintonville store. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/03/27/cleveland-market-chain-buys-luckys-market-in.html
April 9, 20205 yr Lucky's Market will stay Lucky's Market under new owners The Clintonville Lucky’s Market is staying Lucky’s Market. Dave’s Market, which has 13 groceries in Northeast Ohio, acquired the Columbus and Cleveland units of the Colorado-founded market chain for $1.25 million late last month. Despite the new owners, the name is staying the same, the staff is being retained and operations are not changing. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/04/08/luckys-market-will-stay-luckys-market-under-new.html
July 14, 20204 yr Still more Sheetz for Central Ohio: https://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20200710/sheetz-gains-initial-approval-for-hilliard-site
July 14, 20204 yr And this too: Northern Ohio convenience store chain expanding to Columbus area A new concept emerging from one of northern Ohio's largest convenience store chains is expanding to Central Ohio. FriendShip Kitchen will open its first Central Ohio location at 45 Coal Bend Road near State Route 23 in Delaware this week. The concept, a convenience store that also serves food, comes from Fremont-based Beck Suppliers Inc. "We've been evolving here in the northern corridor over the last three to four years, as we put a lot of effort into rebranding and remodeling existing stores," said Greg Erlich, president of Beck Suppliers. "Now that we have perfected the model, we want to bring it to Columbus." Launched in 2018, FriendShip Kitchen is the next generation of Beck's FriendShip chain, which has locations around northern Ohio between Toledo and Cleveland. The concept heavily emphasizes a higher-quality kitchen to differentiate it from convenience stores that serve food as an "afterthought," Erlich said. Nine of Beck's 27 locations have now been rebranded as FriendShip Kitchen stores. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/07/14/friendship-kitchen-to-open-in-central-ohio.html
July 15, 20204 yr 3 hours ago, mrnyc said: the cleveland to columbus pipeline never runs dry, does it? lol. I wouldn't exactly call Fremont "Cleveland" unless Dayton can claim "Athens!" "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
July 16, 20204 yr The Short North is losing a longtime retailer: Tigertree Closing Storefront, Moving to Online Format After 14 years, retailer Tigertree will say goodbye to its brick-and-mortar presence in the Short North. However, it’s not the end of the brand. “Tigertree…was built intentionally for a lot of people to come in every day and spend a considerable amount of time discovering things,” said Co-Founder Josh Quinn in a statement. “What we’ve found over the past few weeks of being reopened, it doesn’t really work any other way.” ( . . . ) Tigertree has been in its current location for the past decade, seeing the neighborhood usher in a number of significant changes, from streetscape improvements to the rollout of the Short North parking plan. For the next phase of its business, Tigertree will focus solely on e-commerce and make some changes to its product lineup. MORE: https://www.columbusunderground.com/tigertree-closing-storefront-moving-to-online-format-sp1
July 16, 20204 yr Tigertree's brick-and-mortar passing (and its message on why its brick-and-mortar presence is going away) has not gone unnoticed:
July 16, 20204 yr 24 minutes ago, Columbo said: Tigertree's brick-and-mortar passing (and its message on why its brick-and-mortar presence is going away) has not gone unnoticed: This is just a damn shame...and they are absolutely right.
September 26, 20204 yr Woof, this must be serious -- Easton, Kenwood and Mall of America locations closing down: Justice parent company Ascena Retail Group announces more store closures Another 23 Justice stores are closing, the retailer's parent company has announced, including the one at Easton Town Center. https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/09/25/justice-parent-ascena-to-close-23-stores.html Edited September 26, 20204 yr by GCrites80s
November 17, 20204 yr On 9/25/2020 at 9:51 PM, GCrites80s said: Woof, this must be serious -- Easton, Kenwood and Mall of America locations closing down: Justice parent company Ascena Retail Group announces more store closures Another 23 Justice stores are closing, the retailer's parent company has announced, including the one at Easton Town Center. https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/09/25/justice-parent-ascena-to-close-23-stores.html ^ Yup: Justice to sell for $90M, all remaining stores to close Ascena Retail Group has reached a deal to sell Columbus-based Justice for $90 million, with a wind-down of all its remaining stores expected to conclude next year. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/11/11/justice-to-sell-for-90m.html
November 17, 20204 yr And also: Mall at Tuttle Crossing appears headed for foreclosure The Mall at Tuttle Crossing in Dublin, whose slipping fortunes were worsened by the pandemic, appears headed for foreclosure, according to a firm that surveys commercial real-estate debt. In a Nov. 12 report, Kroll Credit Profile (KCP) reported that Simon Property Group, the Indianapolis-based mall owner, plans to allow two of its its malls, Tuttle and Southridge Mall outside Milwaukee, to fall into "friendly foreclosure." A receiver would be appointed to oversee Tuttle on behalf of the lenders once Simon turns over the property. “Once title is obtained, the trust will either sell the property 'As Is' or attempt to stabilize performance, which may improve the value of the property, and sell it at a later date,” said Mike Brotschol, a KCP managing director and one of the report's authors. Simon is the nation's largest mall operator. Like others connected to the brick-and-mortar retail industry, the company has been hammered by the pandemic, as its tenants have struggled to attract shoppers and remain open. Tuttle is 76% leased, according to the report. The Mall at Tuttle Crossing opened in July 1997 with 128 stores anchored by Sears, Lazarus, Marshall Field's and JCPenney. Within a few years, however, Tuttle was eclipsed by Easton Town Center and Polaris Fashion Place. Of the four original anchors, only Macy's and JCPenney remain. Like many indoor malls, Tuttle has sought to diversify its tenant mix, highlighted by Scene75 entertainment center taking over one of the anchor spaces. Tuttle is one of two central Ohio malls left that opened before Easton and Polaris. Eastland Mall has struggled significantly in recent years while its sister malls — Northland and Westland — have closed altogether. City Center Mall also shut down in March 2009. MORE: https://www.thisweeknews.com/story/business/2020/11/16/mall-tuttle-crossing-may-headed-foreclosure/6305486002/
November 17, 20204 yr Tuttle will probably be fine for the foreseeable future. This foreclosure probably has more to do with the fact that the valuation of the mall when financed was far higher than the value of the mall today.
January 15, 20214 yr Downtown Columbus businesses are worried about staying afloat, survey finds Between the pandemic and the summer's civil unrest, many of downtown's ground-floor businesses are worried about staying afloat, according to a new survey conducted by the Capital Crossroads and Discovery Special Improvement Districts. The SIDs conducted a series of polls of ground-floor downtown businesses, commercial landlords and hotels in August to gauge sentiment. Of 53 ground-floor business respondents, only 34% are fully open for business and 54% are open with reduced services. And 58% of them say they are worried about staying in business. But the poll comes as many of downtown's largest employers are keeping people working at home. Gov. Mike DeWine told state employees last month to stay home until 2021, while major office employers like Nationwide, JPMorgan Chase, Huntington Bank and American Electric Power have delayed or left ambiguous plans to return to full in-office work, depriving many downtown businesses of foot traffic. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/09/02/downtown-survey-most-ground-floor-businesses-are.html
March 29, 20214 yr https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2021/02/26/tigertree-to-mark-its-return-in-clintonville.html https://www.columbusunderground.com/tigertree-back-to-brick-and-mortar-with-new-clintonville-storefront-sp1 The brick-and-mortar portion of Tigertree is coming back. The popular shop, which closed last year after 14 years in the Short North, will reopen at 3284 N. High Street in the former Lacquer Gallery location in Clintonville. Above is the 3284 N. High location - it's in the middle of the block at the bump-out.
March 29, 20214 yr https://www.columbusnavigator.com/la-plaza-tapatia-columbus/ https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2021/03/05/new-and-expanded-mexican-grocery-opens-later-this.html https://www.columbusalive.com/story/entertainment/dining/2021/03/03/food-news-la-plaza-tapatia-sets-opening-new-west-side-grocery/6901006002/ A new and expanded La Plaza Tapatia mexican grocery opened March 24 at 255 Georgesville Road across from the Hollywood Casino. It is located next to La Plaza Tapatia's previous location on the West Side, which opened in 2004. The new location will have a wide array of new amenities including a bar, coffee shop, Mexican and Latin American prepared foods and palateria, which serves an assortment of frozen treats. There will also be traditional grocery offerings, including a bakery, produce, butcher shop and seafood. The food choices will extend outside as well because the new location was built with a large outdoor area for food trucks.
May 25, 20214 yr A little late posting this one about Lane Bryant - its from December 2020: Another big Central Ohio apparel brand sells to new owner Lane Bryant, which is headquartered in Central Ohio, is being sold to a New York firm familiar to Central Ohio. New Jersey-based conglomerate Ascena Retail Group, which is in bankruptcy, has agreed to sell the remainder of its retail brands – including Lane Bryant, Ann Taylor and Loft, and Lou & Grey – to Premium Apparel LLC, an affiliate of New York-based Sycamore Partners LLC for $540 million. The deal that will take all the brands private, according to a news release. ( . . . ) The deal comes just a few weeks after Ascena reached a deal to sell its other major Columbus-based brand, tween apparel retailer Justice, to New York-based Bluestar Alliance LLC, for $90 million, a deal which would close all stores and take the brand private. ( . . . ) Ascena's contraction has reduced its headquarters count in Central Ohio. Earlier this year, Ascena announced about 350 layoffs for its local headquarters operations, which as of this year counted 1,534 employees. It closed its office near Easton to consolidate in New Albany. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/12/02/another-big-central-ohio-apparel-brand-will-get-a.html
May 25, 20214 yr Big changes in store for Columbus retailers in 2021 Although there are big changes coming to Columbus' retail industry in 2021, you shouldn't expect to hear much about them. Three of the eight major public retail brands based in Central Ohio – Victoria's Secret, Justice and Lane Bryant – are preparing to go private under new ownership structures. And the other five – Bath & Body Works, Express Inc., Abercrombie & Fitch, DSW Inc. and Big Lots Inc. – have promised changes prompted by the evolving retail industry accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic. L Brands Inc. is in the process of splitting into two – taking Victoria's Secret private and Bath & Body Works public. The former will be challenged to turn around years of diminished sales, while the latter is taking advantage of exploding sales brought in part by the pandemic keeping people at home. Still more changes are in store at Express Inc., Abercrombie & Fitch and DSW. All three companies have suffered during the pandemic and each brand has said there's a need to cut down on the number of physical stores. ... It's not all been bad news though. Big Lots Inc., which earlier this year fought off an activist investor, will contend with its unexpected place as a surging brand during the pandemic. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/12/30/2021-will-see-big-quiet-changes-in-columbus-retail.html
May 25, 20214 yr Apparel was totally rocked in a way that most other retail wasn't. People didn't want to be all dressed up with nowhere to go. Most other retail is actually fine since the emphasis went back to stuff as opposed to experiences. Plus people figured out how insanely dull their dwellings were under minimalism when they had to spend non-Netflix time in them.
May 25, 20214 yr Columbus-based Bath & Body Works has seen soaring demand during the pandemic. Yesterday, the soaps, lotions and hand sanitizer retailer announced plans to add 500 workers to its existing workforce in Central Ohio to fill online orders at a new distribution center to be built in Pickaway County. Bath & Body Works will build a 1 million-square-foot distribution center at 1022 Exchange Way in Scioto Township. This is located just south of the Franklin-Pickaway County border and southwest of Rickenbacker Airport. According to its application with the Ohio Tax Credit Authority, Bath & Body Works is expected to create 500 full-time positions at the new distribution center with $18.3 million in estimated new payroll and retain 3,655 jobs with an estimated $135 million in retained payroll at existing facilities in New Albany, Columbus and Reynoldsburg. The first phase of the project will be ready in August 2022, with a second phase is expected to be complete in August 2023: https://www.dispatch.com/story/business/2021/05/24/bath-body-works-add-500-jobs-build-licking-county-distribution-center/5209195001/ https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2021/05/24/ohio-backs-bath-body-works-expansion-project-in.html
May 25, 20214 yr 11 hours ago, GCrites80s said: Apparel was totally rocked in a way that most other retail wasn't. People didn't want to be all dressed up with nowhere to go. Most other retail is actually fine since the emphasis went back to stuff as opposed to experiences. Plus people figured out how insanely dull their dwellings were under minimalism when they had to spend non-Netflix time in them. Relatedly, I've heard a lot of anecdotes about dry cleaners struggling. There were (and still are) very few events to dress up for, relative to pre-covid times. A lot of the white collar corporate jobs that might require a suit and tie went to WFH. So who were the customers to get their stuff dry cleaned for the better part of a year? Not many. Very Stable Genius
May 25, 20214 yr I remember it took a long time for the dry cleaners near me to open up again even though they were allowed to by June. If I remember right they didn't open until September or October -- maybe later. Perhaps it wasn't worth the bother.
May 25, 20214 yr ^ yeah my spouse's usual dry cleaner closed down out here in ny too. they went down to being open a couple days a week. no one was using it. my place, which emphasizes doing laundry too, held on.
May 27, 20214 yr With the Short North Gallery Hop returning on June 5 to an in-person event for the first time since the onset of the pandemic - the Short North Alliance is ramping up support for retail businesses with three new programs under the title of "Local Love": https://shortnorth.org/locallove/ Short North Arts District Local Love Rewards: Earn rewards at participating businesses in the Short North Short North Arts District Dollars: Purchase e-gift cards that can be used at participating businesses Short North Arts District Spirit: With purchase of a Short North Arts District Spirit item directly from a participating business, a portion of proceeds goes back to the community through the work of Short North Alliance NBC4 also did a piece on the Short North Alliance's Local Love programs: https://www.nbc4i.com/video/local-love-in-the-short-north/6660543/
June 18, 20213 yr Polaris Fashion Place unlikely to be sold in Washington Prime's bankruptcy Washington Prime Group may part with some of its malls, but Polaris Fashion Place likely won't be among them. The Columbus-based real estate investment trust owns 101 malls and outdoor shopping centers, including Polaris and several others in the state. It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Monday. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2021/06/14/polaris-fashion-place-unlike-to-be-sold-in-washing.html
June 24, 20213 yr https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2021/06/21/sheetz-update-whats-opening-and-whats-coming-next.html Sheetz expects to have seven Central Ohio locations open by the end of summer. The Altoona, Pennsylvania-based convenience store and gas station operator opened its first shop in Delaware at 710 Sunbury Road in April. The second opened this month at 5234 Alum Creek Drive in Obetz. Unit number three opened Tuesday at 9905 Johnstown Road/U.S. 62 in New Albany. The next Sheetz to open will be one at 1395 S. Court Street in Circleville that will happen next month, though the exact date has not yet been set. Three more are expected this summer: - 1895 Columbus Pike, Delaware - 4279 Cemetery Road, Hilliard - 2700 Brice Road, Reynoldsburg Another eight units are expected to open in the final four months of the year, which would give the brand 15 locations in its first eight month of rollout. More location info at https://sheetziscoming.com/locations
July 1, 20213 yr https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2021/06/22/upwest-another-broken-egg-among-new-easton-additi.html https://www.dispatch.com/story/business/2021/06/22/boss-gal-buff-city-another-broken-egg-afra-grill-and-brassica-heading-easton/5306824001/ Easton Town Center announced six new openings in its retail, restaurant and entertainment development. Probably the most interesting from a retail perspective is UpWest - an apparel, sleep, wellness and home goods retailer started by Columbus-based Express Inc. It’s the fourth shop for that brand and in the first in Ohio.
July 26, 20213 yr On 6/18/2021 at 6:59 PM, Columbo said: Polaris Fashion Place unlikely to be sold in Washington Prime's bankruptcy Washington Prime Group may part with some of its malls, but Polaris Fashion Place likely won't be among them. The Columbus-based real estate investment trust owns 101 malls and outdoor shopping centers, including Polaris and several others in the state. It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Monday. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2021/06/14/polaris-fashion-place-unlike-to-be-sold-in-washing.html https://www.dispatch.com/story/business/2021/07/23/polaris-mall-bankruptcy-doesnt-stop-new-tenants-opening/7989110002/ Above is a link to a recent recap on new tenants opening in the Polaris Mall. The largest of the new tenants is Fieldhouse USA and Airhouse Adventure Park, which opened a new $25 million facility on the site of the former Sears building. More about that in the Polaris development thread and the article linked below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2021/07/01/inside-fieldhouseusa.html https://forum.urbanohio.com/topic/185-columbus-polaris-developments-and-news/page/5/?tab=comments#comment-1023384 Plus, on the way is a store called Public Lands - replacing the Field & Stream store, which closed in April. This would be the second Public Lands store in the U.S. when it opens in October.
August 17, 20213 yr Catching up on some older 2021 retail news: Flag Lady store passes from mother to daughter The Flag Lady's Store, a Clintonville institution for decades, has changed hands, from mother to daughter. Mary Leavitt, who founded the business by selling flags out of the trunk of her car in Illinois in 1980, has sold it to her daughter, Lori Leavitt Watson, who has has been involved in the business since nearly its beginning. ( . . . ) Leavitt opened the first Flag Lady's Store on Indianola Avenue in 1982 and moved to the High Street location five years later. The store, one of the nation's largest flag retailers, sold 36,497 U.S. flags last year, along with about 5,000 Ohio State University flags and 2,500 custom flags. MORE: https://www.dispatch.com/story/business/2021/01/12/flag-lady-store-passes-mother-daughter-expand-offerings/6638341002/
August 17, 20213 yr Old Spice Picks the Gateway for First-Ever Barbershop On March 1, Old Spice will open its first-ever brick-and-mortar barbershop at the University District’s Gateway, 1614 N. High Street. According to the brand, the area’s young, diverse demographic brought Cincinnati-based Proctor & Gamble’s Old Spice up to Columbus for its new retail presence. ( . . . ) Additionally, Old Spice has teamed up with local coffee roaster Brioso on a co-branded roast that will be served at the shop. ... The Old Spice Barbershop takes the place of Abercrombie & Fitch’s “Learning Lab” store concept which opened in August of 2018. MORE: https://www.columbusunderground.com/old-spice-picks-the-gateway-for-first-ever-barbershop-sp1/
August 17, 20213 yr On Paper Still on High Street After Short North Move On Paper announced late last year that after 20 plus years in the Short North, the shop would be looking for a new home. And they’ve found it – just two doors north at 743 N. High Street. At the time, Owner Margy Lydy-Meeker expected a move out of prime, High Street real estate. However, the opportunity presented itself to move into another space owned by the same landlord. The new shop’s sales floor is just over 1,000 square feet, slightly smaller than the 1,500 square feet of the old shop, however that lease included the same square footage in the basement. A short move also meant a brief closure of just a week to get back up and running. MORE: https://www.columbusunderground.com/on-paper-still-on-high-street-after-short-north-move-sp1/
August 19, 20213 yr There isn't any information about locations beyond "Ohio and California" so far, but Cincinnati (Amazon Air at CVG) or "test market" Columbus would seem likely. Amazon Plans to Open Large Retail Locations Akin to Department Stores Sebastian Herrera, Esther Fung and Suzanne Kapner - Wall Street Journal - Aug. 19, 2021 "Amazon.com Inc. plans to open several large physical retail locations in the U.S. that will operate akin to department stores, a step to help the tech company extend its reach in sales of clothing, household items, electronics and other areas, people familiar with the matter said. The plan to launch large stores will mark a new expansion for the online-shopping pioneer into bricks-and-mortar retail, an area Amazon has long disrupted. Some of the first Amazon department stores are expected to be located in Ohio and California, the people said. The new retail spaces will be around 30,000 square feet, smaller than most department stores, which typically occupy about 100,000 square feet, and will offer items from top consumer brands."
August 19, 20213 yr ^ That’s fairly surprising news. Maybe they can at least help to fill up some of the empty mall spaces they helped to create…
August 20, 20213 yr ^ kinda suprized it took amazon so long to do that -- i mean they have the merch in hand!! question -- has anyone attended a short north gallery hop since it restarted in june? if so how was it? masking?
September 7, 20213 yr Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams grew sales 22% in 2020 — here's what it's planning for 2021 Nearly 70% of sales for Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams come from its stores in a normal year. But 2020 was far from a normal year. Capacity constraints due to the Covid-19 pandemic and other challenges — sorry, no sampling — made its dozens of scoop shops more carryout and delivery hubs than spots for sweet indulgences. It even closed a pair of Central Ohio stores. But the Columbus-based company still managed to grow sales by 22% last year. ... The stores eventually went through a transition similar to what many breweries experienced. Employee jobs shifted from working the counter to local delivery. Production moved from buckets of ice cream for stores into more pints for retail – just as breweries moved beer meant for kegs into cans and bottles. But it was the rollout of delivery and the surge in e-commerce that turned 2020 from a potential disaster into a success. Sales didn’t just grow, but changed. In 2019, Jeni’s generated 70% of revenue from its stores, 20% from grocery and 10% from its own e-commerce. In 2020, shops declined to 50%, grocery grew to 30% and e-commerce share doubled to 20%. Even within those store sales is a large element of e-commerce, as local delivery orders placed through the Jeni’s app fall into that bucket. MORE: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2021/03/19/jenis-splendid-ice-creams-grew-sales-22-last-yea.html
September 7, 20213 yr For the second time in three years, Easton Town Center has been named the nation's top retail experience by Chain Store Age magazine. The northeast Columbus shopping center, in its 22nd year, also won the award in 2019: https://www.columbusunderground.com/easton-ranked-1-retail-experience-in-the-country/ https://www.dispatch.com/story/business/2021/08/13/easton-tops-nations-retail-destinations/8122369002/
September 7, 20213 yr More Sheetz updates for Central Ohio: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2021/06/21/sheetz-update-whats-opening-and-whats-coming-next.html https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2021/08/06/sheetz-adds-bahama-mamas-schmidts-explains.html
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