January 2020

BIG PICTURE D’oh! Schneider’s Bakery in Westerville has the donuts you and Homer Simpson crave. Read more on page 60.

PHOTO BY REBECCA TIEN

CONTENTS COV E R STO RY

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THE INTERVIEW ISSUE 68

GALLERY SPACE: KYLA RAFERT 26

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SOUNDCHECK WITH SNARLS 32 THE SECRETS OF GHOSTWRITER 46 POPULAR PEPPERONI 50

46 106

SWEET THANG: COLONIAL CANDY 54 FROM THE COURT TO THE KITCHEN 60 614HOME: GEORGIE HOME 106

ON THE COVER:

Photo by Brian Kaiser

O P E N I N G VO L L E Y

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can count on when it’s January in Columbus: miserable gray skies, exercise classes filled to the brim with folks attempting to make good on their New Year’s resolutions, and (614)’s annual Interview Issue. Thankfully, at least one of these three inevitables is an enjoyable one.

There’s a spark that animates the conversations in the (614) offices about this issue that separates it from the other 11 covers we put out each year. While we’re excited about the stories we get to tell every month, and the different lenses they provide us to examine unique aspects of the city, this one is different.

The Interview Issue is our annual moment to take stock of who is making Columbus the city that it is right now. It’s an opportunity to pause and reflect on the stories of our neighbors who are doing incredible things, and consider how their work contributes to the tenor of our town, impacting—in ways large and small—our own lives.

This year, we feature both Columbus natives and folks who have made our city their chosen home—one coming here as recently as 2019. Our subjects span generations, ranging in age from 28 to 93, with athletes Blake Haxton (rowing) and Jim Lorimer (track and field and bodybuilding) serving as the bookends. The stories in this package coincide with the topics you see covered in (614) throughout the year. We have visual arts (Ann Hamilton), comic arts (Jeff Smith) and literary arts (Saeed Jones). We look at the Columbus community from a big picture perspective (Alex Fischer) as well as profile someone who is using her personal experience and connections to make a big impact (Habiba Bankston). Lastly, from the food and drink world, we talk to Beth and Eric Bean of the Columbus Brewing Company, about how they continue the legacy of a brewery that paved the way for the craft beer boom in Columbus. (Fun fact for those interested in (614) trivia: this is 14

PUBLISHER Wayne T. Lewis

here are a few things you

EDITOR IN CHIEF Linda Lee Baird ASSISTANT EDITOR Mitch Hooper CREATIVE DIRECTOR Alex Avery

PHOTO EDITOR Brian Kaiser CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Rebecca Tien, Kyle Tracey 614NOW EDITOR Regina Fox STAFF WRITER

P H OTO BY B R I A N KA I S E R

our first Interview Issue cover story featuring a married couple).

With a new decade beginning (hello 2020!) and a new editor at the helm, we decided to try something else new in this go-round. For the first time, our interview subjects were all asked the same question: When did you know the path that you wanted to take? We wanted to find out how each of our subjects decided to pursue the interest(s) that they are known best for.

Spoiler alert: we learned that it’s not always clearcut. The decision to follow a given path doesn’t always come from an epiphany, or a moment of clarity that leads folks to sell all of their belongings in order to pursue their dreams. Paths can be determined in small steps.

They can wind. Sometimes they seemingly disappear altogether, and you have to cut through the forest or jump into the stream before you find them again. Sometimes we don’t even realize we’re on a particular path until we turn and look back to see where we’ve been.

We have some other recommendations to make your 2020 little more interesting while you’re

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walking (or sprinting, or leisurely strolling—no judgement!) on your path.

There are galleries to visit and songs to hear. There are restaurants to try and drinks to imbibe. There are tips to make your home feel more inviting when the cold days keep you there longer. And, because New Year’s resolutions need not last all year—or even all month—there are a couple places to indulge your sweet tooth.

Readers, my wish for you as we begin this new year is to peep out from those gray clouds, dodge those sweaty neighbors at the gym, and recognize that things will unfold at their own pace. Determination and focus matters, yes, but so does keeping an open mind. Your path may lead you in unexpected directions this year. May you have the courage to follow it.

Cheers,

Mike Thomas

SENIOR CONTRIBUTORS J.R. McMillan, Jaelani Turner-Williams

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Olivia Miltner, John McLaughlin, David Lewis, Melinda Green, Kerry Francis, Nathan Cotton, Melissa Braithwaite

COPY EDITOR Dan Sponseller

LEAD DESIGNER Sarah Moore CREATIVE DESIGNERS Justin Remotap, Imana Onipe, Hugo Albornoz, Paul Barton ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Meggin Weimerskirch SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Derek Landers ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Nikki Harris, Adam Swing, Mindy Wilhite DIGITAL ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Lori Brittanham EVENTS & SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Taylor Staus VIDEO PRODUCER John Thorne OPERATIONS MANAGER Megan Sheedy VP OF SALES AND MARKETING Lindsay Press

Linda Baird (614) Magazine 458 E Main St., Columbus, OH 43215 Office: (614) 488-4400 | Fax: (614) 488-4402 Email submissions to: editor@614columbus.com www.614now.com

( INSIDE the PARENTHESES )

BY M I TC H H O O P E R

Things We Are Leaving In 2019 New year, new us—or at least until the end of the month. We are embarking on a new decade (exciting!) and now it’s time to Marie Kondo the shit out of all the bad habits we picked up last year. Let’s dive in head first and slowly exit out the back as we fall back into our old ways.

Cursing:

No more cursing in the new decade, dammit.

Okay… starting now.

Coffee after 5 p.m.:

x

It’s a never ending cycle. I stayed up too late the night before because I drank too much coffee at work and now I have to drink more coffee to stay awake at work.

Rinse, refill, and repeat.

(614)’s

2019 Spotify Wrapped Working 40+ hours a week often hunkered down in our offices, the various playlists heard from cubicle to cubicle ranges from western classics, hip-hop bangers, emo-era anthems, and local favorites.

Everyone else had their chance to flood their Instagram pages with their most listened to songs, and we thought we’d get in on the action, too. Here are the top five songs the editorial team had on repeat as we put together this magazine each month last year.

“Sunflower (feat. Steve Lacy)” by Vampire Weekend

“I really wore this album out in anticipation of Vampire Weekend’s Columbus tour date. Just nine months to go!” — Mike Thomas, Staff Writer

“Heart” by Rainbow Kitten Surprise

“This is one of those songs I never want to end. It’s a touch sad, but ultimately romantic and hopeful. It’s got a simple beauty to it that I just can’t get enough of.” — Regina Fox, 614Now Editor

“What’s The Use?” by Mac Miller

“I think I could listen to the bassline on this track on repeat for 100 hours. The song’s melody with the lyrics matches Mac’s ability to talk about the hard things in his life while keeping a smile on his face. ” — Mitch Hooper, Assistant Editor

Desk beers:

If we are being honest, we give this about a week.

“Road to Nowhere” by The Talking Heads

Desk whiskey:

This, however, does not include desk bourbon.

“A timeless, blissfully sardonic up-tempo tune whose message feels even more relevant today than it did in the mid-eighties. ” — Brian Kaiser, Photo Editor

“The Poop Song” by The Toilet Bowl Cleaners

Checking emails after work:

iPhone’s “Do Not Disturb” mode is no match for our constant need to check our emails.

ICYMI Are you following 614now? It’s our online publication dedicated to being the users’ guide to Columbus. Here are the top stories from December, and you can find these and more at 614now.com.

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“This song is what happens when you have three and six year old boys, an Alexa, and a shared Spotify account. This song is, as the title describes, all about poop. There is nothing to like about it unless you are a boy under the age of 10. My new year’s resolution is my own Spotify account.” — Linda Baird, Editor in Chief

(1): Easton’s “dramatic” rooftop bar and restaurant opens this week

Heads up, Easton, a snazzy new concept is now open as of Dec. 12 which is Restoration Hardware, or RH. According to a release, the three-story, 60,000-square-foot space will serve as “one of the most comprehensive collections of luxury home furnishings in the world.”

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(2): Holy Sheetz, new convenience store coming to Columbus

The popular chain of convenience stores and coffee shops headquartered in Altoona, Pennsylvania has announced an expansion into the Columbus market. Sheetz locations offer fresh, made-to-order food options that set the chain apart from the usual gas station fare.

614Now’s Quality Control Street Team

Every month, we post tons of content on 614now.com. And with the high volume of posts we do, our audience of dedicated readers are never ones to shy away from voicing up in our comment section. We see you, comment section warriors, and we applaud your efforts. Here’s our favorite from last month.

Ohio named one of the dumbest states in recent list Landing at number 43, Ohio ranks among the 10 dumbest states on Safehome.org’s ranking. The website looked at information such as bachelor’s degrees and college prep scores while creating their list, which named New Jersey as the “smartest” state and placed Idaho last.

Our Favorite Comment

Karin Bergman: Did their research require them to drive down I-71?

That's really all they needed to do to figure this out.

As an office that resides a few blocks away from the I-71N on-ramp, we detect no lies from Karin in this comment. The comment section was split this time as some Ohioans weren’t so surprised as others went on the defensive.

Other honorable mentions include Bryan Hrivnak calling the results “unpossible” and Daniel Fiorini questioning the credibility of the poll with New Jersey landing as the “smartest” state. C’mon, Safehome.org. Who are you trying to fool?

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WELCOME TO THE INSIDER! Have an event you want to shout-out?

Send an email to events@614columbus.com.

10.

11.

// The Schottenstein Center

// Mad River Mountain

Jeff Dunham is coming to Columbus and he’s bringing a whole crew of maniacs with him. The comedian and ventriloquist has created iconic characters on stage such as Walter the angry old man, or Peanut, the purple creature who is a bit of a loud mouth. As an entertainer who has been in the game for many years, Dunham and his cast of puppets should make for a comical night.

Ohio might not be thought of as a snowboard and skiing destination, but don’t tell that to the athletes competing in Louie Vito’s Rail Jam. This competition puts boarders and skiers to the test with difficult rails to perform tricks on. Even if you aren’t interested in participating, the spectacle itself is worth checking out.

JEFF DUNHAM: SERIOUSLY

11.

LOUIE VITO RAIL JAM

DANCEVILLE, USA 6TH ANNIVERSARY // Danceville, USA Danceville, USA is celebrating six years of grooving and this year’s party is burlesque themed. The night will include cocktail and hors d’oeuvres, plus a performance from headliner Trinity Taylor of RuPaul’s Drag Race. The night promises to be bigger and bolder than years past and we’d expect nothing less!

14.

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS VS BOSTON BRUINS // Nationwide Arena The Columbus Blue Jackets will be welcoming in the Boston Bruins midway through the month and the Jackets are in for a battle as the Bruins come in as the No. 1 team in their division. We are sure the guys on the ice will bring the pressure, but some extra help from the fans never hurts. Show up and be loud!

17.

COLUMBUS WINTER BEERFEST // Greater Columbus Convention Center Happy New Year! 2020 will be fully underway as the Columbus Winter Beerfest returns to the Convention Center for another year. Similarly to the last stop, visitors can find hundreds upon hundreds of IPAs, stouts, lagers, pilsners, and just about anything else they can dream up. This festival is two nights, meaning you’ll have to prepare yourself for this endurance test, but with a beer in hand and a designated driver by your side, we know you’ll pull through.

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2020 DUDE-A-THON // Studio 35 Cinema and Drafthouse “Nobody calls me Lebowski, you got the wrong guy! I’m the dude, man!” The Big Lebowski has achieved legendary status in terms of pop culture. From all the quotable one-liners to hilarious scenes, it’s without question a great movie. But, how much of the Lebowski can you handle? Enough to be surrounded by as many doppelgangers Studio 35 can hold? The Dude-A-Thon is back and ready to have you put your money where your mouth is.

UUPPCOMING UPCOMING PCO PC COM OMI MIN ING NG SSHHOWS! SHOWS! HOW HO OWS WS! S! SPECIAL

HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE IN CONCERT

ENGAGEMENT

JAN 3 - 5 ARNEZ J SPECIAL

// The Ohio Theater

JAN 10 - 11 RYAN HAMILTON

ENGAGEMENT

The world of Harry Potter will be brought to life through the sights and sounds of CAPA at the Ohio Theater. The music in Harry Potter is sometimes epic, and other times somber. CAPA does their best rendition with a live orchestra of the fourth installment of the Harry Potter saga.

SPECIAL

ENGAGEMENT

JAN 13 CHRIS KATTAN JAN 17 - 19 JOSH BLUE

SPECIAL

ENGAGEMENT

SPECIAL

JAN 24 - 25 CHRIS HARDWICK

ENGAGEMENT

SPECIAL

JAN 14 - 16 CRAIG ROBINSON

ENGAGEMENT

COLUMBUS FAIRYTALE BALL // NOAH’s Event Venue

SPECIAL

ENGAGEMENT

It’s looking like a magical night as all the princesses from favorite films are flooding into NOAH’s for a glorious ball.

Everyone from Rapunzel to Tinkerbell will be in attendance and there will be plenty of chances for photos, dance offs, and candy. It’s the perfect princess party for all the princesses in Columbus.

FEB 21 - 22

DAVID KOECHNER:

THE SYMPHONY OF CHAOS TOUR

SPECIAL

FEB 28 - MAR 1 RUSSELL PETERS

ENGAGEMENT

SPECIAL

ENGAGEMENT

MAR 4

WHINDERSSON NUNES SPECIAL

MAR 6 - 7 NICK SWARDSON

ENGAGEMENT

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2020 FIRST RESPONDERS NIGHT // The Schottenstein Center There’s a showdown on the ice at the Schott this January, but it doesn’t involve the Blue Jackets or either of the OSU ice hockey squads. Instead, this one features Columbus’ first responders as the Columbus Police Department takes on the Columbus Fire Department. Who will go home with bragging rights and the Buckeye Cup Trophy for another year? There’s only one way to find out!

MAR 13 - 14 LIL DUVAL MAR 20 - 21 DAVE ATTELL

SPECIAL

ENGAGEMENT

ALL ACTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

VISIT US ON THE WEB www.columbus.funnybone.com

TEXT FUNNYBONE TO 31279 TO JOIN THE VIP FUNNY BONE TEXT PROGRAM (msg & data rates may apply)

VISIT US ON

145 Easton Town Center Columbus, OH 43219

RESERVATIONS ARE A MUST!

614-471-(JOKE) 5653 614NOW.COM JANUARY 2020 (614) MAGAZINE

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1.20.19 - 1.25.20

(614)’S RESTAURANT WEEK // Varies New year, same great deals on three course meals! (614)’s very own Restaurant Week is back in action! During Restaurant Week, anyone can visit one of the many participating restaurants to enjoy a three course meal ranging in price from $15 to $35. It’s the perfect weeknight date night option, or a way to treat yourself to double the food for half the cost. As always, follow (614) on social media for chances to win gift cards and prizes throughout the week!

24.

LEBOOM 9 YEAR ANNIVERSARY // Skully’s Music-Diner Happy nine years, LeBOOM! Skully’s Music-Diner is hosting its biggest LeBOOM yet, as Ghastly, Aweminus, and Roevy will headline the high-energy night. The doors open at 8 p.m. and the dancing doesn’t stop until 2 a.m. It’s a marathon, not a race!

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GHASTLY, AWEMINUS, ROEVY, GHOST GARDENS, + MORE

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WONDERBALL 2020 // Columbus Museum of Art Wonderball is back! This year, throw on your best black and white attire for an evening of food, cocktails, and entertainment from local performers. Tickets are on sale now and this event helps benefit the museum as well as the arts community here in Central Ohio.

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5TH LINE 5K // Nationwide Arena It seems like no matter what the weather is, runners will find a way to do a 5K. And in the frigid temperatures of January, it seems the 5th Line 5K is the next challenge for cardio fans in the city. The 3.1-mile course begins in the Arena District and finishes at Nationwide where a post-race party will be held.

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THE TURBOS, GO GO BUFFALO, AND COYA HILL // Rumba Cafe Rumba Cafe will be welcoming in two Columbus favorites, The Turbos and Coya Hill, as well as one of Cincinnati’s most popular bands, Go Go Buffalo, near the end of the month. These rock bands are sure to put on a high octane performance and help bring January to a close on a high note.

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NORM MACDONALD // Hollywood Casino Columbus Norm MacDonald is no stranger to the comedy game. His list of accolades includes performing on Saturday Night Live for five seasons as well as multiple appearances on The Drew Carey Show. MacDonald and his brand of dry comedy will be taking the stage at the Hollywood Casino to cap off the month.

feb 02.

DISNEY ON ICE // Nationwide Arena If the princess ball just wasn’t enough, Disney on Ice in the beginning of February should fully send you into princess overload. Catch the cast of iconic characters take to the ice with dazzling performances and hit songs across the Disney movies.

feb 04.

THE LUMINEERS // The Schottenstein Center The folk rock group The Lumineers are coming to Columbus in the beginning of February off the heels of their album release III in September 2019. This group rose to fame with hits like “Ho Hey” and have stayed consistently in the top charts thanks to other projects like Cleopatra debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200.

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Gallery Space

Kyla Rafert

BY JO HN M CLAUGHLI N P H OTOS BY B RI AN KAI SER

T

he characters in Kyla Rafert‘s unique and searing brand of painting always seem to stare not back at their audiences, but through them.

Set against intricate, patterned backdrops that blend painting and printmaking, her work often depicts women donning ornate period clothing in large, still rooms. While at first these scenes might appear beautiful and even nostalgic, closer attention inverts these ideas.

Often, stark and lifelike animals will populate her canvases, bestowing a quiet surreality, as her paintings work to beautify and befuddle, all in the same deft brush stroke.

(614) sat down with Rafert, who lives with her family on a homestead south of Columbus in Amanda, Ohio, to talk about her work.

(614): I think what viewers initially notice in your paintings are your ornately-rendered backgrounds. There’s so much detail present in them; can you explain how they’re created?

The patterns on the walls and floors I screen print directly into the painting, so they are literally part printmaking. Their dresses, figures, and objects, as well as patterned rugs, are hand-drawn. I print patterns on the walls and floor last.

When I started this style painting, I was looking into dollhouse wallpaper, and then it occurred to me that with my training, I could custom-mix inks and screen print patterns to match everything.

The patterns all take an incredible amount of time, but it’s meditative for me. I’m actually a very anxious person, and it gives me time where I don’t have to think about anything. •

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There’s a distinct visual effect that these heavily patterned backgrounds create. What does that do for each piece?

The background of my paintings are intended to be realistic in the techniwcal sense, but the spaces I’m creating aren’t.

Sometimes it takes people a moment to realize that even though there’s patterns everywhere, the rooms are almost completely empty. There aren’t windows and doors, and a viewer can see just how barren these rooms are, and just how alone and vulnerable it makes the characters seem.

Going along with that, I think there’s this duality that’s ongoing in your work, especially with the characters, where what a viewer initially sees is sort of turned on its head.

The line that I intend to run through all my work is this sort of love-hate relationship with beauty. Viewers initially see these intricate patterns and beautiful figures, but there’s almost a voodoo-doll thing going on with the 28

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characters in my work. They’re these beautiful women—and I specifically want them to seem wealthy—you realize they’re almost trapped in these spaces; it’s the whole sticking the needle in the doll thing.

I think it also has to do with the fact that I’m able to make these beautiful things as an artist, but a lot of times there’s this tension between people wanting something that just looks nice and something that’s interesting.

Perspective seems to matter a lot in your work, for a number of reasons. How do you see it factoring into your paintings?

It’s like my characters, they’re always standing on a stage. The views are always a full-frontal perspective, and that makes the spaces appear very orchestrated. •

"

The patterns all take an incredible amount of time, but it’s meditative for me.

I’m actually a very anxious person, and it gives me time where I don’t have to think about anything.

"

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This also means there’s nowhere to hide. The people in my paintings always have these very flat poses as well, with their arms at their sides. I think my intention was to create something that looks on paper, at first, very realistic, but just doesn’t make sense as a real physical space.

While your paintings have a definite timelessness to them, the characters often seem plucked out of a specific time period. What’s your inspiration for that?

It’s interesting to me because my sister is a creative writer, my dad is a historian, and my mom is a therapist.

The more I think about it, the more I see pieces of all this in my own work.

There’s history, there’s narrative, and psychology in all of these that I can see. •

Visit kyla-zoe.com for more information or view of her work on Instagram at kyla.zoe.rafert.

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BY MIKE THOMAS

The Sound

of snarls 32

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PHOTOS BY B RI AN KAI SER

Columbus band snarls is bursting with promise on debut LP

AS

the decade that birthed the fidget spinner and basically nothing else of note drew to a close, music blogs large and small dedicated astonishing amounts of digital ink to their inevitable “album/song/artist of the decade” rankings.

Usually restrained to a totally undaunting 100 items, these lists surveyed the topography of a ten year span that saw the legacy of rock music as we know it (straight, male, and horny) continue its gradual and unceremonious slide into irrelevance.

From relative newcomers like Courtney Barnett, Snail Mail, and Julien Baker, to established voices such as the Breeders, St. Vincent, and Sleater-Kinney, rock music in the 2010s was revitalized by female artists who enjoyed a larger portion of the spotlight in this decade than ever before.

Columbus-based alt-rockers “snarls” are firmly situated on this new wave, but the rapid success the group has enjoyed since forming in 2017 is entirely due to their own hard work and astonishing creative powers. Consisting of Chlo White on guitar and lead vocals, Riley Dean on bass and vocals, and sibling duo Mick and Max Martinez on guitar and drums respectively, snarls is the capital city’s contribution to the future of rock—and they won’t be contained to the 614 for long.

Originating in the local DIY scene, snarls got their start playing house shows, eventually moving on to established venues throughout the city. The group’s sound incorporates influences from ‘90s grunge, to the emo stylings of bands like American Football, to the pop sensibilities of Halsey and Kesha. The result, as White puts it, is music that coalesces into a “melting pot of teenage angst.”

In the summer of 2019, snarls was propelled to a new level of notoriety when the video for the group’s single, “Walk in the Woods”—a glittering anthem of unrequited love sung over chorused-out guitars and with a hook more infectious than meningitis—premiered on the music blog Stereogum. The track also made the cut for the site’s “100 Favorite Songs of 2019” roundup.

“We didn’t even have a tripod, the camera was set on like four books and the backdrops kept fucking falling,” White recalls of filming the video, which the group self-produced.

“That song not only has given us more streaming, but has brought us so much press and cool shows,” Mick says of the track, which has accrued almost 40,000 streams 614NOW.COM JANUARY 2020 (614) MAGAZINE

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on Spotify at the time of this writing. “I don’t think the Sleater-Kinney thing would ever have happened if that song wasn’t out. It’s crazy that just that one song alone has brought us so much opportunity.”

The Sleater-Kinney thing? That would be snarls opening for the legendary Pacific Northwest rockers at the Newport Music Hall on their recent tour stop in Columbus. While it was easily the biggest show in the young group’s career thus far in terms of profile and audience size, the members of snarls were up to the challenge.

“...this is one of my— our—finer-crafted pieces of art that I am just really proud of, regardless of what happens with it, or if it goes anywhere.”

“For me, it’s easy to switch between playing a house venue and playing the Newport,” Dean says confidently of the band’s milestone moment. “It’s still just a stage.

It’s still just people watching me play my music. One’s just bigger.”

If the release of the group’s breakthrough single is any indication of snarls’ trajectory, it’s safe to assume big things are on the horizon. “Walk in the Woods” is just a taste of the group’s first full-length LP, titled Burst, which is planned for a Spring 2020 release.

To help achieve their artistic vision for the album, snarls tapped Jon Fintel of Relay Recording to handle production duties.

“Jon has played a really important role,” Mick says of Fintel’s contributions to the recording process. “Not only does everything sound high-quality because of him, but even when we brought demos to him, it was like ‘let’s scrap this song because it doesn’t quite fit in, and I know that you guys can do something better.’ And then we wrote one of our favorite songs.”

For established fans, the description that snarls teases for their new release should come as no surprise: expect a long emotional arc cast across tracks that alternate between “perfect for dancing,” and others better suited to crying. For snarls, the completion of the recording provides a profound sense of accomplishment.

“I make a lot of art. I’m always making a photo, or doodling, or writing. But this is one of my—our—finercrafted pieces of art that I am just really proud of, regardless of what happens with it, or if it goes anywhere,” says White. “If it just sits in a dark corner for the rest of my life, I’m still content. I’m just really proud of all the work that we collected in this little ten song record.” • Find snarls on all major streaming platforms.

For tour dates, merch and more, visit snarlsmusic.com

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Star

CHEF

In a rapidly growing Columbus food and drink scene, the city’s culinary creatives are fast becoming a new class of local celebrities. Over the next several pages, enjoy a snapshot of some of Columbus’ top chefs, all of whom’s work will be on display during Restaurant Week Columbus, slated for January 20-25th.

Then be sure to view all of the menus at EAT614.com. Dig in.

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As Music Director for the Columbus Symphony, Rossen Milanov collaborates with artists to create something powerful yet never the same. In Columbus he finds a youthful, bubbling energy and a city with a complete spectrum of artistic experiences.

ColumbusMakesArt.com | #artmakescbus

Additional support from: The Sol Morton and Dorothy Isaac, Rebecca J. Wickersham and Lewis K. Osborne funds at The Columbus Foundation.

614NOW.COM JANUARY 2020 (614) MAGAZINE

Photo: Stephen Pariser | Design: Formation Studio

Learn more about Rossen’s story and other Columbus artists, performances, exhibitions, concerts, public art and more at ColumbusMakesArt.com

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Star

CHEF

OWNER AND EXECUTIVE CHEF

Willam Lalli

La Scala & Vittoria La Scala has been a Dublin staple since 1972. William was the first employee hired in 1972 and took ownership in 2008. La Scala has been voted best Italian restaurant three years in a row and best banquet house two years in a row. Vittoria Prime Italian steakhouse is a new twist on the traditional steakhouse, putting out steaks with Italian flair, and serving great Italian dishes as well.

Signature Dishes Everything we do at both restaurants is homemade. The sauce, pasta, meatballs, and sausage are all made in-house.

La Scala’s signature dish is ravioli.

Vittoria’s is the bone-in-ribeye with asiago risotto.

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CHEF

EXECUTIVE CHEF & CEO

Juan Pasillas

The 94th Aero Squadron The 94th Aero Squadron is located between the runways of Port Columbus and offers dramatic views of arriving and departing planes. The 1917 French Farmhouse is full of military memorabilia and WWI and WWII-era aviation replicas.

The interior of the restaurant is cozy and romantic with stone fireplaces, wood paneling, and beamed ceilings.

Executive Chef and new owner Juan Pasillas has been with the company for over 25 years. Chef Juan has kept signature dishes like his famous juicy slow-roasted Prime Rib, Chicken Scallopini and beer cheese soup that pairs with his cracked wheat bread.

The homemade white cheddar mashed potatoes go great with every dish. Chef Juan and family have made The 94th their home, and would like to share this hidden jewel with you. Its history and food is what makes it so unique.

The 94th Aero Squadron was the most famous unit of early American air power.

Its unit featured the Columbus native Eddie Rickenbacker, who flew combat missions in France during the “Great War.� Eddie was an inspiration to the WWII aviators who flew such famed aircraft as the P-47 Thunderbolt and the P-51 Mustang. It is to these brave and courageous heroes we dedicate our restaurant.

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Signature Dishes • Prime Rib • Beer Cheese Soup • Chicken Scallopini

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CHEF

EXECUTIVE CHEF

Michael Koening

Fireproof

Short North Fireproof is a unique concept that artfully blends the modern tapas restaurant and a chic cocktail and wine lounge into one, offering a dynamic, fine dining experience with superior quality. Fireproof distinguishes itself by emphasizing the social experience, taking a vibe-driven approach to fine dining. The restaurant will create an infectious, vibrant atmosphere with a sleek environment designed to encourage guests to interact and mingle. Ultimately, Fireproof aims to redefine the modern dining experience, complete with incredible food, world-class service and the perfect ambiance.

Chef Michael Koenig is originally from Michigan. After attending Michigan State University, he worked in restaurants in Phoenix, Chicago, San Diego and Santa Barbara. He settled in San Francisco, where he lived for 14 years with his family and cooked at several popular establishments. Koenig relocated his family to the Columbus area 2013, and has continued to hone his craft in the Columbus culinary scene. Now, chef Koenig will bring his talents to the Short North, leading the Fireproof kitchen.

Signature Dishes Shishito Peppers: cherry tomato, grilled lemon, moldon salt Street Corn: off the cob, house-seasoned butter, chili tahini, cotija cheese, lime Gambas al ajillo: jumbo shrimp, garlic, Spanish olive oil, calabrian chili, toast points

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Star

CHEF

PIT MASTER

Greg Schmidt

Pecan Penny’s Located in the heart of Downtown Columbus, Pecan Penny’s serves up delicious smoked barbecue with traditional southern specialties, sides, snacks, and desserts. The barbecue opened in summer of 2018, taking over the former Ray Johnson’s Fish Market building. Owners Kevin Burns and Brad Hobbs hired Greg Schmidt as Pit Master, who had been smoking meat as a hobby since he was in his teens.

“We became friends at the Cornerstone Carryout. I would have parties in Olde Towne East and smoke entirely too much meat,” Schmidt said. “I started bringing plates of food over when I would pick up beers. One day they brought the idea of opening a barbecue to me and I jumped at the chance.”

Schmidt’s main belief is that meat should taste like meat, with smoke used to complement flavor, like salt and pepper, not overpower it. He uses a combination of pecan and oak wood along with his signature dry rub to achieve this. Since opening, the menu has evolved to include specialties such as poutine, burgers, salads and house made sausages. Pecan Penny’s also hosts special events such as whole hog roasts, crawfish boils and new multi-course tastings paired with cocktails or local craft beers.

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Signature Dishes • Dry Rubbed Baby Back Ribs • Downtown Sampler (smoked brisket, chicken, pulled pork and two side dishes) • Poutine Fries

A New Chapter

In Dining

Ghostwri ter P u blic Ho u se b rin g s frien dly, u psc a le din in g to Jo h n stow n

BY M EL I N DA G R E E N | P H OTOS BY KY L E TR AC E Y

D

enise and Dennis Blankemeyer have been passionate about hospitality their whole lives. Now, they’ve poured that passion into Johnstown’s newest restaurant: Ghostwriter Public House.

Ghostwriter is a study in juxtapositions—the white and charcoal interior, the interplay of light and shadow, the sheer and heavy textiles, the “refined rustic” menu. One thing that doesn’t need a foil, though, is the warmth of its spirit. Their hospitality shines through.

“The biggest compliment we got, right out of the gate, was that it seemed as if we’d been open for years, just how everybody was working in sync together,” Denise said.

The Blankemeyers have a history of putting their passion into action. They started their Crow Works furniture business in the 1990s, moving from retail into design and manufacturing, and eventually purchasing a manufacturing facility in Killbuck, Ohio, surrounded by a 100-acre farm.

The Blankemeyers moved their corporate offices to Johnstown in early 2019 and opened Ghostwriter in November.

“It’s just something we always wanted to do, open a restaurant,” Dennis said. Denise laughed. “I don’t think a single person said ‘Hey, that’s a great idea,’” she added. But they view it as the ultimate creative expression: Designs, flavors, sights, smells and a welcoming atmosphere.

“We thought, if we don’t make money on the restaurant, that’s okay; we can use it as a marketing space,” Denise said. “We could take that leap of faith, knowing that it wasn’t our livelihood.”

Local art and artisanship is big at Ghostwriter.

From the art on the walls, to the ornate frames around the televisions, to the brass beer tap handles, to the Crow Works furniture, to Dennis’ custom designed footrail, nearly everything that can be locally sourced has been. Of course, that extends to the food as well, with the majority of the menu procured from Ohio farms.

So why the name? “A ghostwriter is someone who writes the story but doesn’t take the credit,” Dennis said. “Immigrants picking grapes, beer makers, people you don’t see in the back washing your dishes, there’s a whole team of people who are very passionate, but they don’t get the credit, and it’s a nod to them.” •

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The space is both lively and relaxed. Ghostwriter has not one, but two full bars—one in the front of the building and one next to the open kitchen. The bars operate on speed wells, and in place of a backdrop of bottles, two large televisions display ambient imagery.

“Oftentimes when we grab a bite to eat, we like to sit at the bar because there’s more energy there,” Denise said. “We knew we were going to do the main bar, but with the open kitchen, we felt like there wouldn’t be enough energy on that side, so we threw in another bar.”

The Blankemeyers took the same approach to hiring that many successful restaurant owners have taken in recent years: find a great chef and a great general manager, and let them build and lead their teams with a minimum of interference.

Chef Brett Fife, formerly of Lindey’s in German Village, built his team almost entirely from kitchen staff he had worked with in the past, ensuring a solid foundation from day one. “It’s like having my own 48

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restaurant, without having to put up the capital,” he said. “This is my style, elevated tavern food. The ideas are approachable, but there may be some unique ingredients involved.”

Building the front-of-house staff was a little harder. “Here in a small town, there are fewer applicants, and finding experience has been the biggest challenge,” General Manager Coty Gilchrist said. “I’ve focused on personality and character, something genuine, laid-back, and warm, and I’m happy with the team I have.”

This is a place that balances a modern, urban aesthetic and dining concept with small-Midwest-town friendliness. On the night of the Johnstown Santa parade, the restaurant was sufficiently busy, yet the customer service was warm and welcoming. Servers made a point to learn guests’ names. Strangers struck up conversations. I ordered a smashburger at the bar and talked for over half an hour with the mother of one of the bartenders, there for her fourth visit. “I’m working my

way through the menu,” she joked. She’s not alone—Ghostwriter already has a good handful of regulars.

Their cocktail menu is straightforward, with a handful of seasonal specials. They don’t water down their drinks or shortchange you on the booze, either; the cocktails pack a delicious wallop.

The Blankemeyers are risk-takers, and their future plans are bold. “There’s lots of layers here,” Dennis admits. They plan to eventually use hardwood offcuts from their furniture manufacturing to fuel the restaurant’s grill works, for a true zerowaste manufacturing process. They also plan to create a sustainable farm on the land surrounding the manufacturing plant, growing their own vegetables and fruit trees, even livestock, eventually making the restaurant farm-to-table. It’s a perfect plan to grow their passion for hospitality. •

Ghostwriter Public House is located at 49½ Main Street in Johnstown. Learn more at ghostwriterph.com.

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Ezzo Sausage Company COLUMBUS-STYLE PIZZA HAS A GLOBAL INFLUENCE THANKS TO EZZO’S LOCALLY-PRODUCED PEPPERONI

BY J. R . M C M I L L A N | P H OTOS BY R E B E CC A TI E N

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D

on’t believe those who deny Columbus is a city defined by its pizza as much as any other industry. Dating back nearly a century from off-the-menu offerings appealing exclusively to Italian immigrants to the avant garde ingredients that reimagine the familiar format, our pizza has always been more craft than commodity, and often a family affair that also dates back decades.

Ezzo isn’t the first name that comes to mind when you think of Columbus pizza, but it probably should be. What started in upstate New York four generations ago in a family grocery store that stuffed its own sausage has grown into perhaps the most pervasive and prolific premium pepperoni purveyor in the world, run entirely from the company’s recently expanded facility on the city’s far West Side. Former Ohio State wide receiver Bill Ezzo grew the brand after the family business relocated to Columbus from Indiana in 1978, a legacy his sons Darren and Jon now share and enthusiastically embrace. Both are integral to daily operations, but Darren has slowly become the unapologetic ambassador for an unlikely empire.

“As kids, we were always driving with our dad to pizzerias. Tom Angeletti’s father was always around. He and our dad were tight so we would go to Ange’s or Capuano’s. We actually knew the people who became the namesakes of Columbus pizza,” recalled Darren. “I grew up a block away from Rubino’s.

As soon as I was old enough to hang out with my friends, we used to walk from Bexley High School, pool our money, and buy a couple of pizzas and play pinball. That was a big part of my childhood.”

The rest of the country has finally started to figure out that Columbus pizza isn’t simply distinguished by the crust and the cut, but the toppings as well. As indelible as the blend of cheese or sauce recipes is the pepperoni. Not that flat nonsense the national chains sling on triangular slices. This is socalled “cup and char” pepperoni that curls up in the oven as the casing cooks to a crispy edge contrasting the savory center. It’s a difference old school mom and pop shops and a rising tide of craft pizzerias favor over cheaper options from multinational, processed food conglomerates.

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“The reason our customers are so loyal is because we don’t compromise on ingredients. Every commodity pepperoni manufacturer uses pink slime to reduce cost and boost their lean protein because they use trimmings instead of muscle meat. We use shoulders and cheeks, that’s it,” Darren noted. “Our competitors have started to cut their pepperoni thicker trying to get it to cup like ours. But that just means our pepperoni offers better coverage, even if it costs a little more per case.”

Though Ezzo sells several varieties of pepperoni, and a spectacular sliced sausage, it’s their cup and char that remains their most beloved product, and an elusive one for home chefs hoping to up their game. Ezzo only sells to places that serve pizza, not retail customers. But their signature slices are so sought after, there’s actually a somewhat secret network of online outlets that somehow procure pepperoni by the case, then sell it by the pound—an unofficial pizza underground.

Pizza as most of us know it is largely an American invention with distinct regional differences. During an excursion to Italy, Darren unwittingly arrived in the tiny town of Terracina on a religious feast day. Without a taxi to be found to his destination, he ended up sharing a less familiar pizza at the train station with some locals—a simple focaccia with just a splash of sauce and a little shaved parm—a stark departure from a cracker-thin crust and toppings so thick they fall off the edge.

“There’s something in-between those two things that is the perfect pizza. I really think you should be able to see the sauce under the cheese, a balance of ingredients that doesn’t bury any one thing,” he opined. “It’s okay to experiment. If people didn’t, everyone’s pizza would be the same. It doesn’t matter where you are, or if you put pineapple or fresh cut flowers on it, so long as you make it your own.”

Darren isn’t a reluctant or reclusive ambassador, logging more time in the air than an astronaut and more miles in the past few years pitching prospects and converting clientele than a round trip to the Moon. Though he still prefers to drive to cities like Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Nashville, and New York,

lesser known pizza joints from Portland to Pakistan, Denver to Dubai, aren’t exactly accessible by car. Wherever he can’t reach easily by planes, trains, and automobiles, he relies heavily on the internet to help advance the brand.

“One of my ex-girlfriends works at Google. When I was wondering if I should start an Instagram, she said, ‘Why wouldn’t you? You’re out eating pizza anyway, you might as well document it.’ I didn’t think anyone would be interested in following a meat grinder,” he chided. “It turns out pizza tourism is a real thing, and every time I post a photo of someplace that uses our pepperoni, I get more followers and they get more customers.”

As with any premium producer of authentic foods, quality control is crucial. A recent recall of some Ezzo products—not unlike an occasional Jeni’s Ice Cream recall—is indicative of just how diligent those standards are. Darren revealed the affected products never left the production facility, and the expanded recall was entirely precautionary. In fact, Ezzo customers, and their customers as well, are so fiercely loyal to Ezzo, the biggest concern for most was how quickly they would receive more stock, including Tom Angeletti of Ange’s Pizza.

“Tom was actually my first boss. I used to work at Ange’s on Yearling as a teenager. He once told me I was the slowest pizza maker in America. I decided I’d stick to making the dough after that,” Darren confessed. “Tom is practically family. I’ve known him my whole life. That’s also what sets Ezzo apart. We’re as passionate about pizza as our customers. But they’re also family, and our family keeps getting bigger. •

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how sweet it is

A little chocolate shop in Clintonville offers big flavors BY: DAV E L E W I S | P H OTOS BY R E B E CC A TI E N

“

We also wanted to do

something in the community

and for the community since it has done so much for us.

”

I

walked into the Colonial Candy Shoppe on High Street in Clintonville during a sugar fast (don’t ask). Bad idea, because the sumptuous chocolate delights displayed were mighty tempting.

Thanks to the owner John Durst, a lifelong resident of Clintonville, I was severely tested. “You can’t come in here without sampling the chocolates,” Durst said. My sugar fast quickly turned into a sugar rush.

Colonial Candy has been around for five decades, having moved to its current location in 2001. Now owned by John, his wife Stacey, and their 16-yearold son Tanner, Colonial has been more of a local stewardship than an ownership. (The Dursts are the shop’s fourth owners, after purchasing it in 2015.)

While love of candy brought the Dursts to Colonial, it’s just part of their story. So, how exactly does a professor at Ohio Wesleyan (John), an employee of Battelle (Stacey), and a high school student (Tanner), who have no experience in chocolate and candy other than eating it, get into owning a candy store?

“We would shop here at the Saturday morning farmer’s market, and we’d come in here [to Colonial Candy],” Durst said. “One day we came in to get some chocolate and we saw this flyer saying the store was for sale. We laid the flyer down in our house for two months and never thought about it.

Until one day we wondered what she wanted. We asked. The price was right, and we bought it.”

Even though the Dursts have day jobs (and school), they all pitch in to keep things running.

And in the summer, when they add ice cream to the menu, they employ local high school and college students. “We bought the store in part because my wife and I worked through high school and we wanted our son to do the same,” Durst said. “We also wanted to do something in the community and for the community since it has done so much for us.”•

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Stability is what Colonial Candy is all about. And nothing is more solid than the relationship Colonial shares with Haggy’s, the Cantonbased candy and chocolate manufacturer and retailer that’s been around since 1923. It’s a name with cache among chocolate lovers, and Durst sees them as the key to people coming back for more. “I don’t think they have changed [what they make] since they first started,” he said. “We wouldn’t have bought the business without them being a part of this.”

Durst doesn’t proclaim to be a chocolate expert like Willy Wonka, but he thinks the chocolate just “hits the right notes.” In January the shop transitions from peppermint season into selling more traditional flavors— though if you can sample the French Mint, a pink-colored dark chocolate peppermint, it’s delicious any time of year. Chocolate-covered peanuts or pecans and standard milk chocolate caramel are always popular go-tos.

There’s hard candy lining the side of the store, with the signature Haggy’s wrapped chocolate candies prominently displayed straight ahead as you walk in. The Durst family also supports local Clintonville authors by displaying their books for customers to purchase when available.

Colonial Candy’s website states: We want to be a place where you can enjoy candy and be welcomed as a friend. A place that evokes memories and creates new ones. And we want to be a strong advocate for Clintonville.

This is our home.

Feeling welcomed, I indulged as Durst had encouraged. All told, I broke my sugar fast with six pieces of delicious chocolate: two milk chocolate caramels, a chocolate-covered pecan, two coconut cream chocolates and one brownie cream chocolate. And I’ll be honest—it was pretty sweet. •

Colonial Candy is located at 3519 N High St. in Clintonville.

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"

We want to be a place where you can enjoy candy and be welcomed as a

friend. A place that evokes memories and creates new ones. And we

want to be a strong advocate for Clintonville. This is our home.

"

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94TH AERO SQUADRON • 101 BEER KITCHEN • AAB INDIA GRANDVIEW • ALQUERIA • AMBROSE & EVE AMPERSAND • ASTERISK • ATLAS TAVERN • BALBOA • BARCELONA • BAREBURGER • BARREL & BOAR BARROLUCO • BASIL • BEER BARREL • BLACK POINT PRIME STEAKHOUSE • BLUE AGAVE • BOAT HOUSE BON VIE • BONEFISH • BRAZENHEAD GRANDVIEW • BREWDOG • BRIO • BRISTOL REPUBLIC BRU BURGER BAR • CAFE ISTANBUL • CAMERON’S AMERICAN BISTRO • CANTINA LAREDO CAP CITY FINE DINER & BAR • CHILE VERDE • CIMI’S BISTRO • CITY BARBEQUE COLUMBUS FISH MARKET • CONDADO • COOPER’S HAWK WINERY & RESTAURANT • COSECHA COCINA CUCO’S TAQUERIA • DEL MAR • EDDIE MERLOT’S PRIME AGED BEEF & SEAFOOD • ELEVATOR EL VAQUERO • EVEREST CUISINE • FADO • FIGLIO • FINAL CUT AT HOLLYWOOD CASINO FIREPROOF RESTAURANT & LOUNGE • FORTY DEUCE • FOURS • FUKURYU RAMEN G. MICHAEL’S BISTRO & BAR • GOGI KOREAN BBQ • GRANDVIEW CAFE GROVE CITY BREWING • HADLEY’S BAR & KITCHEN • HARVEST MOON CRAFT KITCHEN • HAVELI BISTRO HEN QUARTER • HIGH BANK DISTILLERY • HOFBRAUHAUS COLUMBUS • HOGGY’S HOOF HEARTED BREWERY AND KITCHEN • HOULIHAN’S • HUBBARD GRILLE • HUDSON 29 HYDE PARK PRIME STEAKHOUSE • J. GILBERT’S • KYOTO • LA SCALA ITALIAN BISTRO LEMONGRASS FUSION BISTRO • LINCOLN SOCIAL • LINDEY’S • M AT MIRANOVA MACKENZIE RIVER PUB AND GRILL • MARCELLA’S • MARTINI MODERN ITALIAN • MATT AND TONY’S MATT THE MILLER’S TAVERN • MAZAH • MCCORMICK & SCHMICK’S • MEZZO • MILESTONE 229 MITCHELL’S STEAKHOUSE • MORETTI’S OF ARLINGTON • NADA • NAPA KITCHEN + BAR NIDA’S THAI ON HIGH • NOSH ON HIGH • OLD MOHAWK • OSCAR’S • PAT & GRACIE’S GAY STREET PAT & GRACIE’S GRACELAND • PALLE BY MORETTI • PECAN PENNY’S • POLARIS GRILL RED BRICK TAP & GRILL • RED HOOK GRILLE • ROCKMILL TAVERN • RODIZIO • ROOH RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE • SMITH & WOLLENSKY • BREW BROTHERS AT SCIOTO DOWNS • SEESAW SOUL AT THE JOSEPH • SOULSHINE TAVERN & KITCHEN • SOUTH VILLAGE GRILLE SPAGHETTI WAREHOUSE • SPAGIO • TED’S MONTANA GRILL • TEXAS DE BRAZIL • THE AVENUE THE BARN AT ROCKY FORK CREEK • THE BOGEY • THE CREST GASTROPUB • THE GUILD HOUSE THE HALF PINT • THE KEEP • THE KNOTTY PINE • THE MARKET ITALIAN VILLAGE • THE MELTING POT THE PADDOCK PUB • THE PEARL • THE PINT ROOM • THE RAIL • THE REFECTORY • THE ROSSI THE RUSTY BUCKET • THE WALRUS • THE WINE BISTRO • THE WOODBURY • TOP STEAK HOUSE TUCCI’S • UNION CAFE • VINE + FORGE • VINO VINO • VITTORIA WOLF’S RIDGE BREWING • YELLOW BRICK PIZZA

Dunks and Donuts

Life is sweet for former professional basketball player-turned-bakery-owner Shaun Stonerook

BY ME L I SSA B R A I TH WA I TE P H OTOS BY R E B E CC A TI E N

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S

haun Stonerook believes if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The 42-year-old owner of the iconic Westerville bakehouse Schneider’s Bakery, says he hasn’t changed a thing—except deciding to accept credit cards—since quietly taking over ownership in April 2017. Schneider’s has been a Westerville staple since 1954, and Stonerook knew better than to change the fan favorites.

“All the donuts, cakes, muffins and rolls have been made from the same recipes for 60 years. We haven’t messed with any of the core things,” he said.

“People like them. I don’t need to come in and change things that are selling and people enjoy. Adding new donuts is one thing, but taking away products that people have grown to love over the course of their lives wouldn’t be a good business decision. The processes, the way things are done, the business, you can change, but there’s no reason to mess with something that’s already great.” • 614NOW.COM JANUARY 2020 (614) MAGAZINE

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“The processes, the way things are done, the business, you can change, but there’s no reason to mess with something that’s already great.”

The Westerville native says he never dreamt of owning a bakery. In fact, he said people laughed at him when he bought Schneider’s Bakery— maybe because he had just come off of a break after a 12-year professional basketball career in Europe. Bakery ownership and basketball couldn’t be more different, but Stonerook’s desire to move home from Italy with his wife Manuela to raise their children Alexi and Kai led him away from the court and on toward the cakes.

Stonerook earned recognition for helping Westerville North win the state basketball championship in 1994. He then went on to a successful college basketball career, playing for both Ohio State and Ohio University, where he was an All-Mid-American Conference player for two years in a row. He then moved to Belgium to play basketball professionally in 2000.

After a year there, he moved to Italy, where he played for another 11 years before retiring from basketball in 2012 and moving home.

“I was there [in Italy] for a long time, but the plan was always to come back here,” he said. “People may wonder why Westerville or why Columbus, but this is home, where family and friends are. Westerville is a great place to raise kids and call home.”

When Stonerook is not at the bakery or with his family, he runs the Shaun Stonerook Foundation, which benefits children in foster care.

Stonerook was adopted at nine months old, and wanted to give back.

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“It sounds cliche, but [foster children] ask the question—what’s wrong with them? Why aren’t they getting adopted?” he said. The foundation organizes special events, like a Christmas dinner with gifts, to ensure the children are recognized during the holidays. The foundation also partners with adoption agency Choice Network to provide “anything to help kids in foster care,” from new playground equipment to computer labs.

Although running the bakery means long, and sometimes very early, hours, Stonerook says carrying on the Schneider’s legacy is worthwhile.

“People say they have been coming here since they were a little kid, which is very cool,” he said.

Running the bakery requires an all-new education, and Stonerook is up for the task of learning. “I had no baking experience when I got here and I took the first few years to learn the business side of it. Within just the last six months, I’ve started to learn more about baking and frying and all that goes along with it,” he said. “There is 50-plus years of baking tradition here, so I’m not going to learn it all in a year.”

Thankfully for Stonerook, former Schneider’s owner Jeff Hamler is willing to teach him the tricks of the trade, along with several of the bakers who have worked at Schneider’s for over 15 years. Hamler helps out at the bakery during busy holidays, and still is invested in the bakery’s success.

“A lot of people would sell their business and walk away,” said Stonerook, “but he comes in whenever I need help.” Stonerook says that Hamler ran the business in a very “old-school” way, laughing as he shares how he’s learning from Hamler. “Everything was in his head, so I’m trying very hard to get those things out of there, just in case he decides not to come in anymore.”• Schneider’s Bakery is located at 6 South State St. in Westerville. Visit online at schneiders-bakery.com.

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three's company too Th ree brewe r i e s p l ant roots in c entra l o h i o

BY MITCH HOOP ER PH OTOS BY ZA N E OSL ER

H

ow’s the craft beer scene in Columbus doing? Well, to sum it up nicely, it seems business is boomin’.

We are at a point in the brewery game where seemingly every street corner and suburb has a spot to belly up to the bar and tie a few back. And as we enter into a new year, that trend is showing no signs of slowing down as Columbus welcomed two new-to-us breweries, Galena Brewing and Forbidden Root Brewing. Because the best things come in threes, Zaftig Brewing is opening up a new location on Fourth St. In the spirit of good-hearted journalism, we checked out what’s on tap at each of these spots. All in a day’s work, right?

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Forbidden Root Restaurant & Brewery - 4080 Worth Ave. Thanks to a quicker construction process than originally planned, beer fans are now able to enjoy a cold one at the Chicago-native Forbidden Root Restaurant & Brewery, which is located in Easton. The opening features 10 original beers on tap ranging from IPAs to fruited wheat ales and oaked Vienna lagers. Of the batches of brew, the Hoodie Weather is a perfect winter lager, as it’s crispy and malty, but finishes with a touch of caramel sweetness. Don’t let the brown ale appearance fool you—the flavor and mouthfeel is most definitely a lager!

The beer selection also features a 5.9% ABV Saison which is dry hopped with El Dorado for a citrusy body plus hints of pepper, thanks to the French Saison yeast. If you’re unsure of what beer to go with, the FR flight features Hoodie Weather, Saison, the NEIPA Small Talk, the fruited wheat ale Blackberry Fold, and the biere brut Sparkling Rose.

Of course, beer isn’t the only alcohol on the lineup here. Forbidden Root also has a few cocktails to choose from; some of which feature FR beers, others are twists on bar classics. The Rake is one of the seasonal cocktails which features Middle West Wheated Bourbon with Genepy des Alpes, pink peppercorn, FR Small Talk, lemon, and hopped grapefruit bitters. There’s also the Forbidden Old Fashioned, a cocktail made with Middle West Dark Pumpernickel Rye, maple, citrus oil, and Bolivar and Angostura bitters.

The newly-opened brewery also offers chances for Easton shoppers to stop in and grab a bite to eat. The food here is a combination of shareables and appetizers with sandwiches, salads, and a select few entrees. If you’re just looking for a quick snack to accompany your beer, cheese and crackers can satisfy a craving. And if you’re with a bigger group, order the cheese plate, which can serve up to five people depending on how big you want your order. Other options for sharing include a charcuterie board, and entrees like the mussels in curry coconut broth showcase the elevated options available.

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Zaftig Brew Pub - 119 E Fifth Ave. Zaftig Brewing, which already has a location in Worthington, has opened the doors on its new brew pub, in the Italian Village on Fourth St. While you’ll only find Zaftig originals on draft, variety is not lacking as 21 brews are on the menu. Of these, staples include the 7% ABV IPA Juicy Lucy, or the tamer Mini Bomb Blonde blonde ale at 5% ABV. The beer menu also offers chances for Zaftig to switch things up, as the rotating taps selection will feature one-off creations, recurring styles with seasonal twists, and a barrel-aged program with beers boasting ABVs upwards of 16%. Flights of three beers start at $8, and most 10 oz. pours are $5 to $7.

Non-beer drinkers will also find an assortment of cocktails on the menu, including the simple hop and tonic which features hopped High Bank Statehouse Gin, as well as the Zaftig Old Fashioned, made with Weller Special Reserve Bourbon. No matter what cocktail you decide on, you’ll pay $10, Zaftig’s established mixed drink rate. And if you’re after wine, a bottle of the most expensive vino on the list—Insurgente, a red blend from Portugal—will only run you $30. Other wine bottles include a sparkling moscato from Sicily, and rosé from Spain.

The food at Zaftig features a variety of shareables and snacks in addition to five entrees, including a grilled pimento cheese sandwich, and the ancient grain power bowl. Snack options include the Zaftig fries—French fries in a specialty blend of herbs and spices served with Brewpub ranch. If you truly want to upgrade your fries, add the Heavy Hearted Amber cheese sauce for an additional $2. It’s worth the upcharge.

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Galena Brewing Company 5901 Chandler Ct. Hailing into Westerville from Johnstown is local brewery Galena Brewing Company. This new location comes on the heels of Galena’s first brewery, which opened in September of 2018 after the brewers decided they needed more space. And more room is exactly what they got. The Westerville brewery and taproom now hosts six barrels—three times the amount at the original brewery.

The beer menu at Galena is a bit of a revolving door with audience input. The brewmasters here pride themselves on being “of the people” and “for the people.” Customers are encouraged to give opinions on how to switch up the flavor of a specific beer, or help come up with a name for the beer. The hope isn’t to find a beer they can sell but a beer people would want to drink. The results are options like Chocolate Wasted, a smooth porter with chocolate notes and a slightly minty finish, or The Dude IPA, a relaxed IPA with citrus and flowery hops.

While Galena doesn’t have a kitchen in the back, they have welcomed in a plethora of food trucks throughout the weekends. Options in the past have included Holy Taco, Hibachi Run, and Philly Buster.

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2020 INTERVIEW ISSUE the

Every January, we feature the movers and shakers of the city in in-depth, in-person interviews that dig into their backgrounds, their plans, and what ties them to the capital city.

“When was the moment you knew?”

We asked eight leaders in their fields—from business, to arts, to athletics—about their lives, their stories, and the decisive moment (or series of moments) that set them on their paths. The January 2020 Interview Issue contains eight moments—eight stories—that helped to define the trajectories of some of 1 top movers and shakers.

They come from different backgrounds, work in different fields, and spring from different motivations. But reading closely, you’ll find common threads across these stories: dedication to their craft. Commitment to improvement. Perseverance.

While our interview issue subjects are all Columbus-based, their stories are universal. So settle in, cozy up, and give yourself some you-time. You’ll want to read every word.

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BETH & ERIC BEAN

the INTERVIEW ISSUE

C O L U M B U S B R E W I N G C O M PA N Y O W N E R S

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We’ve always said we don’t want people to buy our beer just because it’s local—we want that to be a bonus.

“ Columbus Brewing Company was at the forefront of the craft beer movement. Beth and Eric Bean are making sure it stays that way.

BY MITCH HOOP ER P HOTOS BY BR I A N KA I SER

T

he next time you crack open a bottle of Columbus Brewing Company’s Bodhi, turn the bottle around until you see a seal of approval label. On every single bottle of CBC’s brews, there’s a quality assurance mark, signaling to the drinker that the brewer is proud enough of this beer to put their name on it. The name you’ll find on all bottles of CBC is Eric Bean, co-owner and brewmaster. And while he and his wife—CBC co-owner Beth Bean—have become more focused on working on their business rather than working for their business since taking over this legacy company in 2014, beer is always on their minds.

In 2019, CBC celebrated its 31st birthday, marking it as one of the longest-standing local breweries in Columbus. The special year also welcomed in a first for the company: a brewery and taproom on the city’s west side. It might sound crazy that one of the oldest breweries in Columbus is also one of the last to open a taproom, but the Beans both echoed this sentiment: it was the next proverbial step. While stocking bars with kegs • 614NOW.COM DECEMBER 2019 (614) MAGAZINE

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and grocery stores with bottles is a way to monitor how brews are doing in terms of popularity, the immediate feedback from customers in the taproom can help influence future brews, which are being created daily in the back. It’s the new age, and even local breweries want analytics.

The opening of the taproom also represents the work the Beans have put in since taking over CBC, a journey that can be split into many silos.

The brewery they took over holds a legacy in the Columbus community— both as an institution that is local, and one that serves some damn good beers. It’s up to Eric and Beth to not just maintain that status, but better yet, propel it to the next level. Outside some financial help from a bank, the brewery is essentially independent of investors, meaning there is creative freedom, but also plenty of risk. It’s also up to the Beans to craft the voice behind the brand of the beer. With a few iterations under its belt, the current CBC logo represents the traditions built by brewers past thanks to the old style font, and the brewers of the future thanks to modern illustrations, clever names, and interesting designs on the bottle.

The Beans are dedicated owners. While Eric starts his mornings bright and early for sensory tests and meetings, Beth is no stranger to working late into the evening, solving errors on the website and preparing for future projects.

In talking with the Beans, you can tell the two love every aspect of the brewing process. While showing (614) around the brewery, Eric’s eyes lit up as he talked about CBC’s sour program, or the new bottling system which helps monitor the amount of oxygen getting into the bottle once

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it’s sealed. (It turns out oxygen can be detrimental to beer over time after the bottling process, and the new device allows the Beans to discover where there might be kinks in the distribution line.) It’s subtle moves like this that ensure a quality product finds its way into pint glasses across the city.

“We’ve always said we don’t want people to buy our beer just because it’s local—we want that to be a bonus,” Eric explained. “We want to be the best beer on the shelf […] And it’s difficult. Making high quality beer is not as simple as many small brewers have found. It’s a lot easier when people are coming over and drinking your beer for free.”

This love for beer has roots that run deep for Eric. Prior to CBC, Eric was the brewmaster at Gordon Biersch, a well-loved national restaurant and brewery chain that began in 1988. Before that, Eric took his time to master his craft—literally. He attended U.C. Davis, where he studied brewing science in the master brew program under the guidance of a German-trained brewmaster.

“Henrick was the brewmaster and he was like, ‘Look, craft beer is going to stay. What I see as a problem is there aren’t trained brewers in the U.S. There are a bunch of talented brewers that don’t have the technical skills,’ ” Eric recalled. “He was the one who really convinced me that if I wanted to make a niche in this industry, I had to go to brewing school.”

The goal for Eric since the beginning has been the same: make high-quality beer he can be proud of while also pushing the envelope.

Originally, CBC approached Eric about coming on as the head brewmaster. He had other ideas in mind, kindly declining the offer and following up with a bigger ask: could he just outright buy the company?

“It was a Friday afternoon meeting that wasn’t really planned, and within a couple of weeks we were negotiating it and putting it all together,” Eric recalled.

It didn’t take long for CBC to need more space for all the projects they were working on at the time.

“In the end at the old place, we’d have to drive the forklift into the parking lot to turn it around and get it back in,” Beth said. “We never thought we’d fill up the new place, but if you look in the back, that’s not the case.”

The face and voice of the company comes from Beth, who manages the social channels with her own photography. It’s not often considered when it comes to drinking, but branding is a large part of what helps to sell your beers. While the true “King of Beers” might be up for debate, the trademarked King of Beers is something we are all too aware of. The same can be said for local brewers. Finding a way to stand out on the shelves is a challenge, and something as simple as a nice looking bottle design can be the difference between sipping a six pack of CBC IPA, or a case of Bud Light. The Beans entrust graphic designer Greg Davis to create the label designs, and his art work can be found on the murals inside the brewery and taproom.

The pinnacle of their hard work comes in the form of a bottle, the Columbus IPA. Prior to the Beans taking over, CBC was stocked with pale ales and lagers, but it was Eric who introduced a West Coast IPA to the line up. It was an instant success, and it led to the birth of other popular IPAs such as the aforementioned Bohdi and Creeper, both of which have been award recipients at the Great American Beer Festival.

“I think that’s why people know us, you know? Mostly IPAs,” Beth said. “That’s what really is the backbone.”

The Beans said 2014 is when they noticed the craft beer boom start to pick up steam. Couple a community’s interest in where their goods are coming from with a growing need for elevated options and you have the perfect storm for CBC. This is also when other local breweries started to find popularity, and the Beans tip their caps to places like Wolf’s Ridge for combining high quality beers with thoughtful dishes. While the CBC brewery and taproom currently doesn’t feature food, the Beans are working on a food adventure near Old Towne East called the Trolley Barn which will host CBC taps in the future.

Though the love of the brand and the beer is apparent, the care the two show towards its staff further proves the Beans’ dedication to quality. When the two took over CBC, the staff was much smaller than the more than 40 employees they have today.

“We always try to remember it’s not just Eric and I. It’s not just our house on the line,” Beth explained. “We have a bunch of employees and families that count on us and we are trying to make sure they have jobs in the future. We’re responsible for a lot of people—and not just us. Also the people we buy from. It’s like a whole community.”

As always for the Beans, its quality over quantity. This mantra is what has made this brewery into what it is today. And if Eric and Beth’s time at CBC has proven anything, it’s that all great things take a little time and a lot of beer. •

The Columbus Brewing Company Taproom is located at 2555 Harrison Road. Visit columbusbrewing.com to learn more.

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the INTERVIEW ISSUE

ALEX FISCHER C O L U M B U S PA R T N E R S H I P P R E S I D E N T A N D C E O

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Companies are moving where they can get the talent.

And Columbus is a city that is recruiting the talent.

“ Alex Fischer looks towards the future of Columbus

BY NATHA N COT TON P HOTOS BY BR I A N KA I SER

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lex Fischer is the most connected person in Columbus you’re unlikely to have heard of. Unless, that is, you dig beyond headlines and comb through the fine print of nearly any article discussing Columbus’ economic future, its business community, or even the recent campaign to keep the Columbus Crew in Ohio’s capital city.

To the engaged eye, Fischer—President and CEO of the Columbus Partnership, an organization of 75 CEOs in Central Ohio—is everywhere, a ubiquitous presence at the intersection of city and state politics, economic development, and civic life. For the Tennessee-born-andraised Fischer—whose versatile career includes stints in city planning, business, public policy, and the nonprofit sector— leadership means possessing the skill set to anticipate what is necessary for success, prompt action from others, or if needed, deliver it himself. • 614NOW.COM JANUARY 2020 (614) MAGAZINE

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Such versatility and incisiveness is perhaps the trademark quality of an urban planner, and it’s no surprise that Fischer sought this interdisciplinary training from a young age.

Fischer came to appreciate the urban planning space as a high school student in Hendersonville, Tennessee, leading his peers in an effort to prevent the demolition of Hazel Path, an old Antebellum home in town. Through that fight, Fischer quickly learned the power of public protest and collective action.

“One individual didn’t change that development, but I think I participated in the dialogue that went from tearing down [Hazel Path] to preserving it and allowing development to occur,” he said. “In my hometown it’s still held up as a really good example of quality development that also had a historic preservation bent to it. And I can point to that and say, ‘Hey, I think I made a little bit of a difference.’”

After graduating from the University of Tennessee, Fischer spent his early career involved in a variety of business and charitable endeavors in Knoxville.

The principals with whom he came into contact in those years shaped his understanding of cross-sector leadership.

“Tennessee has a tradition of public servants coming out of the business world, so I saw a lot of examples of business leaders interrupting their careers for public service,” Fischer explains. “At a young age, I got to know multibillionaires on the community side of their passions, not the business side, and so those all influenced me to realize that now in this organization of 75 CEOs, that there’s a real opportunity for business leaders to use the strength of their businesses and their leadership for the betterment of their community.”

After several years in private industry, Fischer transitioned into the public sector, serving as the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development before rising to the role of Deputy Governor and Chief of Staff to Tennessee Governor Don Sundquist in the early 2000s.

It was, perhaps, a bit of a surprise that the man with deep Tennessee roots, business connections, and a role at the pinnacle of local policymaking would transition to a similar position in Ohio. But that’s exactly what happened in 2002, when Fischer moved to Columbus to begin a position as the Senior Vice President for Business and Economic Development at Battelle, the Columbus-based scientific research and development firm.

Fischer acknowledges the transition to Ohio was a little odd—“because I was so deeply rooted in the ideals of what we’re doing in Columbus in a different state and different cities.”

He soon found his way to the epicenter of Columbus’ civic and business life—he now serves as a Trustee of The Ohio

“

State University, and the Chairman of Nationwide Children’s Hospital—and developed an appreciation for the city’s unique professional culture.

“In the process [of moving], I found things in Columbus that I realized I had never experienced before. I’d never experienced the level of collaboration. The level of tolerance and acceptance in this city is pretty phenomenal in contrast to some other places that I’ve lived,” Fischer explains. “What’s so motivating [about working in Columbus] is this being such a perfect place to do the work. By that I mean this culture: the scale of the city, the collaborative nature, the Midwestern values, the fact that we have four seasons. All the ingredients exist here.”

At the helm of the Partnership, Fischer has vast capacity and bandwidth to influence the Columbus economy in the near-term while rallying leaders across multiple sectors behind an aspirational vision for the future. Columbus 2020, the city’s economic development plan for this decade, launched roughly 10 years ago and allowed Fischer a vehicle with which to implement his vision. He decided early on that the project would shoot for the moon. ”[Columbus 2020] was a very ambitious set of goals. All the analysis said we couldn’t meet the goals but it’s like, “OK, so what?

Let’s go for it,” Fischer laughs. “And if we happen to miss the goals but in the process do some really great things, I don’t think anybody will complain. Well, we surpassed all the goals and it’s really interesting to have been accountable for it from the start until now.”

In addition to the obvious economic development successes in Columbus—the ongoing redevelopment of Downtown, recruitment of healthy corporations, and expansion across the 11-county Central Ohio metropolitan area— the region has benefitted from unexpected windfalls, such as the economic growth driven by data centers for big tech companies such as Amazon and Facebook.

Fischer attributes Columbus’ successful branding efforts and continued growth to multiple factors, most specifically a uniquely collaborative culture among Partnership members and public officials, and an explicit focus on the recruitment of civicminded companies and workers.

“I think it’s all about culture. I was not thinking this way 10 or 20 years ago. I think the future of the Partnership, the future of Columbus, is you keep preserving and teaching culture. That doesn’t mean that it has to be done exactly the same way— inevitably, it won’t because things are changing so fast. One of our cultural aspects that I’m proud of is that we’re comfortable in that very fast-changing environment […] Continuing to evolve that culture by not just taking it for granted is really important.

In the process [of moving], I found things in Columbus that I realized I had never experienced before. I’d never experienced the level of collaboration.

The level of tolerance and acceptance in this city is pretty phenomenal in contrast to some other places that I’ve lived.

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I think it could slip away if it’s not being cultivated.”

Columbus also stands out nationally in what Fischer calls “the talent war” as the home to approximately 150,000 college students, many of whom will be relied upon to remain in Central Ohio and continue the city’s economic momentum.

“The fierce competition for workforce is where we’re going to be leading the country […] There’s less of a hierarchy in Columbus for people who want to get involved and make an impact.”

To be sure, Columbus’ traditional selling points remain part of the equation as the Partnership sells Central Ohio to potential clients.

“It still really does matter that we’re in the center of the U.S. population, we’re a day’s drive from anywhere, a great quality of life, a great cost of living. We’re not congested, despite challenges with the commute. All of that adds up. Increasingly, though, it’s about talent. Companies are moving where they can get the talent. And Columbus is a city that is recruiting the talent.”

The rebrand of Columbus’ economic development organization from Columbus 2020 to One Columbus coincides with the birth of a much greater ambition, of a future in which Columbus will be able to stand alone as a city, when the suffix ‘Ohio’ will be redundant and obsolete. Fischer is well aware that sustained growth will require more of the discipline and urgency that permitted success this decade.

Specifically, he stresses the importance the Partnership places on regional master planning throughout Central Ohio, coupled with what he calls “a relentless drive to the growth agenda.”

“No one should assume we’re going to continue to grow. That was the attitude 20 years ago. The last 10-15 years we have consciously built an infrastructure—of Columbus 2020, now One Columbus—of enabling that growth.

There’s a science to it and we can never forget that,” he said.

“Our role is to make sure that we are continuing to grow, at the same time, can we do the best possible job of anywhere in the country at ensuring that the rising tide raises every single boat in a harbor? And can we defy the national trend of a growing economic divide?” •

Learn more about the Columbus Partnership at columbuspartnership.com

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BLAKE HAXTON

the INTERVIEW ISSUE

PA R A LY M P I C R O W E R

With his sights set on joining Tokyo’s Olympic Village in 2020, Blake Haxton is grateful for the village he has here in Columbus

BY L I N DA L EE BA I R D P H OTOS BY BR I A N KA I SER

A

s a senior and the captain of the crew team at Upper Arlington High School in 2009, Blake Haxton was making plans for the future. Then came a moment he couldn’t have planned for. In March, he developed a cramp in his leg that quickly turned far more severe; Haxton had contracted the flesh-eating disease necrotizing fasciitis. Within days, the illness led to organ failure, and Haxton was in danger of losing his life. To save him, doctors made the decision to amputate both of his legs. Ultimately, it took more than 20 surgeries and three months in the hospital before Haxton returned home.

Haxton shared his worries during his long recovery. “I remember being in the ICU still. [...] I was starting to project forward, ‘well, what’s life going to be like now?’” He worried about what he would be able to do, and what he would miss.

Although many of his hospital visitors encouraged him to try para-rowing, he was reluctant. “I knew what the process would be; I just had no desire to do it,” he said. His • 614NOW.COM JANUARY 2020 (614) MAGAZINE

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A lot of people don’t get to say they like any job they have. I have two jobs I really like—rowing and investing.

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resistance to rowing stayed with him when he was discharged, and throughout his undergraduate years as a Finance major at Ohio State.

His attitude began to change as he prepared to start law school. “I really haven’t been that active for four years. I need to be an adult and figure out, you know, just a way to work out and train and be healthy,” he said. So he returned to the ergometer—known as “the erg”—an indoor rowing machine. Still, it wasn’t what he was used to, and he didn’t enjoy it at first. “It felt so abbreviated and cramped,” he said.

It took a shift in his mindset to change his relationship with the erg. Haxton began thinking of para-rowing as “an entirely different sport” from what he’d done at Upper Arlington.

When he let go of those expectations, Haxton discovered that he was good. Really good.

“They publish time standards on the ergs... and if you’re under this time, you can try out for the national team; if you’re under this time, you can probably make it. […] Well I got under those times for my event.”

Haxton signed up for a competition called the Indoor World Championships, where rowers competed on ergs in the same room, pulling as fast as they could.

He won.

Then the U.S. National Team approached him about trying out. “That’s what got me back in the boat,” Haxton said. He calls returning to the water “one of the best decisions I ever made.”

In 2016, Haxton qualified for the Paralympic Games in Rio. He said that life in the Olympic Village isn’t as glamorous as it might look from the outside. “You’re pretty isolated,” he explained. Getting sick would be detrimental in races where tenths-of-seconds matter, so athletes keep to themselves and try to stay focused. “You don’t really get out of that loop of just training, sleep, compete. And you don’t really want to,” Haxton said. He ultimately placed fourth, “which was about as good as I could have done.”

Now 28 years old, Haxton is in his prime

years by rowing standards (male rowers are generally considered to peak between ages 28-32). He finished seventh in the 2019 World Championships, qualifying the U.S. Men’s team for a spot in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

Under the rules of U.S. Men’s Rowing, however, there’s still an individual qualifying race to determine who will compete. Haxton is spending his winter training for the race—and what he hopes will be his second Paralympics— with weights and on the erg. When the weather warms, he’ll return to practicing in the boat.

In addition to rowing, Haxton works fulltime as an Investment Research Associate at Diamond Hill Capital Management. “We divide up the market of publicly traded stocks by industry,” he explained, investing in opportunities that may have been overlooked or undervalued elsewhere. Haxton specializes in airlines and oil and gas, and calls the work “a ton of fun.”

Unsurprisingly, Haxton is a busy man.

With a twice-a-day, six-day-per-week training regime on top of his job, his schedule doesn’t leave him with much wiggle room or social time. “There’s some wedding invitations you have to turn down,” he said.

On the other hand, Haxton is thrilled with how he gets to spend his days. “A lot of people don’t get to say they like any job they have. I have two jobs I really like—rowing and investing—and I get to do both of them every day. What could be better than that?”

Even so, he becomes introspective when asked about the moment he knew that his path, as an athlete and businessman, was the right one for him to follow. “I’m not really sure it is,” he said. “I couldn’t answer honestly saying, like, I think that ‘Blake Haxton’s purpose on this planet is rowing or investing.’ I don’t know the answer to that question. And I do think we all have a purpose… and I think that the talents we all have are hints about what that purpose is.”

Haxton, someone who has been through— and accomplished—so much in his 28 years, expresses tremendous gratitude for the way he gets to spend his life. He’s grateful for his friends who have made his path as an athlete

possible. “I can’t carry my boat on my own, can’t do a lot of travel on my own,” he said.

“There’s a really core group that’s around that enables me to do all these things.”

Haxton has a true village of friends in Columbus and across the country who are intrinsic pieces in the puzzle of his athletic success. Members of his village will wake at 5 a.m. to join him on the water and help him practice. They will use their vacation time to drive him to competitions in other states. And not only will they do so without complaint, they share his excitement. “There’s not one trip [...] where we don’t look at each other and be like, “‘man, how cool is this!’” Haxton said.

His positive attitude and his selfdescribed “stubborn” dedication as an athlete were undoubtedly behind his U.S. Rowing teammates voting him the 2016 Male Athlete of the Year. Haxton is the first para-athlete to receive the award, and he’s humbled by it. “It’s the greatest honor I’ve ever gotten by a long measure,” he said.

Even in the hardest times, Haxton has learned to be “willfully grateful.” He points to that moment when he was still in the ICU, as he wondered what the future would hold for him as a double amputee. His fears and worries began to snowball as it sunk in that his life was forever changed.

And then he looked up and saw his mom sitting in the corner of the room. The moment was a revelation.

“I realized how true it was, that as bad as this is, it would be so much worse if my mom wasn’t here,” he said. “In that moment, it was like the snowball stopped rolling.” He began to think of the other visitors coming that day—his dad, grandpa, and brother. “I sort of found that it can snowball the other way,” he said. “I was surprised by how powerful that was.”

Haxton knows firsthand that life comes with real difficulties. He says the hard moments need to be confronted, not “swept under the rug.” Still, he focuses on the people around him and the support they provide him as an athlete, colleague, and friend. “When you get to go through life with teammates like that,” he says with a smile, “it’s pretty good.” •

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ANN HAMILTON ARTIST

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People want to share what they love and what they take care of. What an incredible gift that is.

“ Artist Ann Hamilton ensures her viewers are not passive bystanders

BY JOHN M C L AUG HL I N P HOTOS BY BR I A N KA I SER

S

ometime this week, this month, you might receive an envelope in the mail, nestled among the barrage of holiday gifts and well-wishing cards from family and friends.

You open it to find not a family picture or holiday greeting, but a dated photographic scan of a single fallen leaf. It appears stark on the page: quietly elegant, strangely canonized, its veins and creases made beautiful after being blasted with light.

This scan would represent a small part of Columbus-based artist Ann Hamilton’s project when an object reaches for your hand, an interactive installation currently on display at OSU’s Thompson Library. The work encourages viewers to take pieces from the exhibit that Hamilton has created and share them with one another.

Hamilton, a professor in the OSU Department of Art, is also undeniably one of the most prominent and lauded names in the world of contemporary art. With a portfolio that includes decades-worth of large • 614NOW.COM JANUARY 2020 (614) MAGAZINE

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scale multimedia installations and other work, the Ohio-born artist has earned herself coveted Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellowships, among countless other honors.

Because of this, Hamilton could likely call any place in the world home. Yet she chooses to do so in Columbus, where she now both teaches and operates out of her locally-based studio.

“You know, you don’t really know the consequences of those decisions at the time, but I can really see how being here, having that family support, the economy of Columbus, being able to have this [studio] space, and my affiliation with the university; all those things have led to my being able to develop practice that responds to a lot of different forms of work, and I’ve really been tremendously supported. The way that I’ve been able to pursue projects has been a consequence of all that support,” she said.

“When I moved here, Columbus wasn’t one of the “move-to” cities; people were asking me what I was doing. Sometimes what’s good for you is also good for the work and I have to trust that will be the case.”

Hamilton’s when an object reaches for your hand, displayed as part of Here, a recent exhibit at the Wexner Center for the Arts that also featured pieces from artists Jenny Holzer and Maya Lin, shows the benefits of this support in more ways than one.

“We have a fabulous public and university library system. When I was invited to do the new project at the Wexner, I was also already thinking about doing a project in the library,” she said.

“You know, partly, ever since the library opened, I’ve always thought about that vertical glass spine where you can see the stacks, and the two sides of that is this amphitheater space, inviting sociability, inviting potential performance.”

Using outdated scanners, some likely nearing 30 years old, Hamilton and her studio team scanned hundreds of different items over the course of nine months from personal and university collections, which were then printed on details paper and stacked on irregularly-arranged platforms throughout the library’s second floor.

Due to the scanners’ age and shallow depth of field, the images created by them (which often featured unique or rarelyseen items), became ghostly, and quietly beautiful in their own right.

But Hamilton’s work is about more than just the acts of crafting and display.

Visitors to when an object reaches for your hand are more than static viewers; they play an integral role in the work itself.

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Each person who sees the show is invited to take one of the scans displayed in stacks throughout Thompson Library, either to keep for themselves, or to mail to a friend or family member via a mailing station at the installation.

In this way, the work becomes a platform for connectivity, for people to share the things that move or matter to them. In the same way that Ohio State and the private collectors Hamilton worked with shared their prized items with her, viewers are able to do the same with whomever they choose.

“Everyone I talked to was so helpful; people want to share what they love and what they take care of. What an incredible gift that is. We were able to wander in and out of so many different parts of the university. I would say the piece isn’t so much site-specific; it’s just responsive to what is here, to that spirit of wanting to share,” Hamilton said. “This is why the mailing is so important, wanting to share what comes forward in the collection. When you mail something, it’s still carried by hand; the address is written out by hand. And that’s also about touch, and touch is what’s made visible through light in the images.”

This sense of community and shared details is also apparent in how Hamilton manages her Columbus studio.

Located in an unassuming but spacious building just south of downtown, Hamilton both works out of the building and uses it to host collective dinners, where visiting artists and speakers are able to interact with invited OSU arts faculty members and students.

“The events get set up and everybody sits together and it’s a beautiful meal. We have candles, wonderful food, and I think it’s part of what we do through positions at the university,” she said. “It’s a chance for people to actually be in conversation. Like, for example, with the architecture of our art program, there really isn’t social space, and so I hope in some part this addresses that.”

And even though Hamilton is now one of the figures firmly entrenched in the canon of contemporary American Art, it wasn’t a vocation that she necessarily saw coming.

In fact, she couldn’t recall a moment that she said to herself that she wanted to be an artist; she simply made art. “There’s some large gap between recognizing you love something and calling yourself something. I just grew up loving making things, and I had a ton of support from my family,” she said.

Hamilton has learned from her adventures, and as a professor, has opportunites to share her wisdom. “It was never a straight road,” she said, “but I always tell my students: do what you love.” •

Hamilton’s when an object reaches for your hand is on view in Ohio State’s Thompson Library through April 28. Learn more at annhamiltonstudio.com.

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SAEED JONES

the INTERVIEW ISSUE

AUTHOR

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Saeed Jones has traveled across the country promoting his new memoir and chosen Columbus for his own next chapter

BY JA E L A N I TU R N E R -W I L L I A M S P H OTOS BY B R I A N KA I S E R

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uthor and new Columbus transplant Saeed Jones finally has a break after wrapping up his 16-city tour to promote his new memoir How We Fight for Our Lives. It’s a book that isn’t solely about his past, but is designed as an earnest conversation with readers. The book succeeds Jones’ previous poetry collections and a stint as Executive Editor of Culture at BuzzFeed, and is already receiving numerous honors and highlypublicized acclaim.

“It took a long time to write the book, almost a decade. So, I had a lot of time to think about writing it [being] one thing, but when you publish it, it becomes something different. I tried not to think so much about other people and the audience, but I think I trusted that if I could write to myself sincerely [and] candidly, that would be a bridge for other people,” he said.

“It’s like you’re encountering someone when they just had a transformative experience. Something that’s really important for me in my writing is the cost of silence and the ways we silence ourselves. I think it’s powerful—as a writer, with the fortune I’ve had in my career—for people to be like, ‘I’m going through it’, and for me to be one more person who goes, ‘Me too.’”

Though some authors intend to tell their stories later in life, Jones wanted to focus his story on the time period from his upbringing in Texas through his mid-twenties to capture

a specific ethos that informed his narrative. Concerned that segments of his life would become deemed irrelevant to readers, he found the immediacy of the news sparked him to publish the book sooner than later. Soon after Jones considered writing in detail about the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, which shifted the LGBTQ+ conversation, the 2016 Pulse Nightclub shooting occured.

“Whenever I would get a little hard on myself about the book’s intentions, it felt like America would go, ‘We gotta do this now,’” Jones said. ”Everything’s not perfect but a lot has changed from 1998. [While writing,] I was like, ‘I don’t know if it’ll be a perfect book, but it’s gonna be the book that I want and need now.’”

After his mother’s passing in 2011, Jones is attentive to their relationship in How We Fight for Our Lives, endearingly dedicating the book to her even after a moment of uncertainty that occurred when he came out. In spite of having a vibrant relationship with his mother, Jones jokes that the two weren’t able to naturally discuss sexuality. Promoting the memoir before Thanksgiving, Jones mentions that some LGBTQ+ readers confided in him about their own awkward conversations with family.

“Sure, it’s important for us to write about clear and present •

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I want to learn more, I feel that’s when I’m most alive, when I’m learning and realizing that I’m learning.

danger, whether that’s police brutality, homophobic or racially-driven violence, [but] I think that it’s also important for us to pay attention to the more subtle hurts that come to define us. Sometimes those hurts are a result of failings; loved ones who just can’t support us because they’re like ‘I don’t get it’ and they kind of give up,” he said. “My mom was working two jobs, so a lot of times she was just tired. She was like, ‘Sorry, we can’t have a heartfelt conversation today, I gotta go to my second job.’ That had an impact on me, and I know that has an impact on a lot of other people in those moments. In any meaningful, long-lasting relationships—certainly family relationships—it is going to be complicated. If you don’t have multiple colors in how you’re thinking about that relationship, the truth is that something is being deadened, something is being intentionally or unintentionally ignored or silenced.”

An avid reader of works by Margaret Atwood and Audre Lorde, Jones recognizes a similar urgency from his memoir through his influence James Baldwin, admitting to reading his 1956 novel Giovanni’s Room repeatedly, revisiting it at different points of his life to gain a new perspective. Identifying with different characters each time, Jones focused essentially on Baldwin’s deconstruction of queerness and social dynamics, which intersected American politics with racial identity. “[Baldwin] wasn’t going to pretend that there was this monolithic Blackness. He wasn’t just going to pretend that there weren’t Black men—who he was advocating for in terms of civil rights— who weren’t homophobic. He was like ‘We’re gonna do all this together’” Jones said. “He’s drawing from his background in Christianity, but he’s changed; he’s not practicing his faith in the same way. He [was] just doing a very good job of showing how we’re in flux and that it’s natural and better to embrace that. I feel like that set me up to start paying attention.”

Habitually enthusiastic about settling in Columbus (or what he calls “the promised land”), Jones speaks gleefully about The Great Migration and Ohio boasting essential Black authors—Paul Laurence Dunbar, Jacqueline Woodson, Hanif Abdurraqib and Toni Morrison. While he notes that Black authors have thrived 88

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in Ohio through a formidable writing scene, in How We Fight for Our Lives, Jones touches keenly on the fragility of Black life. Days prior to our conversation marked the one-year anniversary of the death of 16-year-old Julius Tate, who was shot by Columbus police during a sting operation.

“If we’re able to villainize people we have wronged—and Julius was certainly wronged—it eases the rhetoric of brushing the wrong aside,” Jones said. “It happens so often and so much of our culture grooms all of us to move on. I’m not the one to say what justice for Julius and for Black people impacted by that violence looks like, but I would love to hear it. I have no interest in telling people to be quiet. I’m a writer, so I think a lot about editing and revision, and how you polish and the drafts you don’t want people to see. Cities are text, too.”

While Columbus continues to be a work in progress through systematic tensions, Jones is embracing the city’s tangible LGBTQ+ scene after residing in New York City, Atlanta, and San Francisco. In support of the Black Queer & Intersectional Collective, he attended the Columbus March for Black Trans Women in November, where he felt a sense of cohesiveness within the city. “I feel like the march was a great example of waking me up—unsurprisingly, it’s easier for cisgender gay men to live and feel embraced here than Black trans women in Columbus,” Jones said. “The stakes are high, but it feels possible. Here it feels like, ‘start reading up, go to that march, talk to people,’ as opposed to ‘here’s the finished story.’”

With a story far from over, Jones reveals that his next life work is to write about joy to balance the scales with his past struggle within How We Fight for Our Lives. Avidly writing about pain and loss, he vows to dabble into more written frameworks outside of his comfort zone. “I feel like I’ve written about myself so damn much, maybe learning to write in other forms—fiction— would be fun. I want to learn more, I feel that’s when I’m most alive, when I’m learning and realizing that I’m learning,” he said.

“That’s when I feel fully present as a person, not when I think I know the beginning, middle and end.” •

Follow Saeed Jones on Twitter and Instagram at @theferocity.

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JEFF SMITH

the INTERVIEW ISSUE

COMIC ARTIST

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Starting in the pages of The Lantern, Jeff Smith’s comic series BONE will finally be coming to Netflix. It only took three decades.

BY J.R. MCMILLA N PH OTOS BY BRIAN KA I SER

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eing at the right place at the right time is rare in any industry. Jeff Smith is the exception several times over.

An affable ambassador and native son of Columbus, Smith’s infatuation with illustration and storytelling emerged early and in equal measure, creating his first characters when he was five, which evolved into complete comics by the time he was 10. The Columbus College of Art & Design helped hone his craft, and the prototype for his acclaimed series BONE appeared in Ohio State’s student newspaper The Lantern at length. Just as independent comics were breaking into the mainstream, the self-published creator became both a folk hero

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and a rock star of the emerging scene, inspiring artists and earning industry accolades, including ten Eisners, essentially the comic world’s equivalent of the Academy Awards.

But there were also some setbacks just now being set right. A failed Nickelodeon effort to adapt BONE for television in the ‘90s, followed by a similarly stalled big-screen project by Warner Brothers, ironically paralleled the saga of Smith’s cartoon characters navigating a foreign landscape in an unforgiving world. But Smith took all of it in stride, and bided his time.

This past October, Netflix announced the longawaited animated series fans new and old had been long-denied, a project that just as easily •

“ When I grew up here, there were neighborhoods in Columbus where you wouldn’t go at night. Now we’re a chef-driven town with galleries everywhere.

We’re a cultural crossroads.

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may not have happened. Much like Smith’s history of impeccable timing, he seems to have arrived again at just the right moment in popular culture.

“I made a deal with Warner Brothers a decade ago, and they hadn’t done anything with it. They optioned it for two years, but I wasn’t particularly happy with the direction it was taking and didn’t want to renew. Then they purchased it outright and told me to sit on the sidelines,” Smith recalled. “But it was in the contract that if they didn’t make a movie within ten years, then the rights reverted back to me. So I had to wait. It was such an unpleasant experience, I decided I didn’t want to sell it again. But word got out and I started getting calls from streaming services and Netflix was the best match. That’s how it happened.”

Motion picture and television rights are esoteric legal devices that often give studios and networks the “option” to turn a story into a film or series within a given span of time. They come with lots of conditions and fine print typically serving those purchasing them, but occasionally those selling them. It’s a way to buy time, but also ensure projects don’t stay idle indefinitely.

“BONE was really an early mashup, before that term existed, of comedy and swords and sorcery. It was Bugs Bunny meets Lord of the Rings. I think it’s got to be the comedy and the combination of characters that made it popular,” Smith said, speculating on the mystery behind the series’ somewhat unexpected success, even internationally. “BONE is published all over the world. It’s still weird to pick up one of my stories and see the characters speaking French. If I knew the secret, I’d do it again.”

A decade ago, Netflix was mostly dropping DVDs in the mail and was producing zero original content. A year later marked the premiere of AMC’s The Walking Dead, a television adaptation that was so dicey at the time, they only gave the first season six episodes. Now Netflix accounts for more than half of all internet traffic in the U.S. on Sunday night, and The Walking Dead draws more viewers than all Sunday NFL games combined.

“The real problem we had with Warner Brothers was making a 1,500-page book into an hour and a half movie. It couldn’t be done, so it didn’t get done,” he said. “But a streaming animated show was perfect; it’s just like the comic book. It’s serialized and can progress chapter by chapter. It was the right time, and the right company.”

Netflix isn’t the only streaming service clamoring for content, and it’s easy to forget House of Cards, their first original series, only premiered in 2013. With Amazon Prime and Hulu wellestablished, and Disney and Apple both investing heavily in production for their own freshly-minted subscription services, Smith again seemed to capture the right moment to reach the right audience, all while maintaining the artistic integrity of BONE. “We’re still looking for showrunners. If everything goes well, we’re hoping to have shows in the fall of 2022. I’ll be a creator on the show and an executive producer, but it’s really just one more project,” Smith noted. “I still want to draw comics. I don’t need to be out there the whole time. Once the show is up and running, I can work here.”

As if BONE alone weren’t a sufficient source of inspiration for veteran and aspiring comic artists, Smith is also a founder and the artistic director of Cartoon Crossroads Columbus (CXC), an annual, and increasingly international, celebration of the city’s

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commitment to illustrated storytellers across every genre and format. But even before CXC, Columbus was arguably already a comic town. From esteemed exhibitions at the Columbus Museum of Art and the Wexner Center to nationally renowned institutions like the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum and Thurber House, our city has always recognized comics as art worth appreciating as much as any medium of creative expression.

“The idea behind CXC was that it would be more like a European show and not be all in one room at a convention center or hotel. It would be at different venues throughout the city. But it would also be a show that was more collegial, that would nurture comic creators and encourage connections,” he explained.

“When I grew up here, there were neighborhoods in Columbus where you wouldn’t go at night. Now we’re a chef-driven town with galleries everywhere. We’re a cultural crossroads. It’s why we wanted to have events all over town, to showcase the city.

And it’s working. People will go to an exhibit at the Columbus Museum of Art, then go to an event at OSU and stop in the Short North along the way, grab a bite to eat and talk about comics.”

Even as he prepares for the production of BONE the streaming series and the sixth year of CXC, Smith sees the similarities in both projects and the role he plays—getting the right balance of characters working toward the same goal and creating a story that compels audiences to return.

“You have to start each with a recap, so everyone knows the story so far. Tell your new episode, then end it with a cliffhanger,” Smith explained. “That’s the secret to any serial, whether it’s a comic, a television show, or a convention. You have to give people a reason to come back for more.” •

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That’s the secret to any serial, whether it’s a comic, a television show, or a convention. You have to give people a reason to come back for more.

“ To learn more about BONE and Smith’s other work, visit boneville.com.

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the INTERVIEW ISSUE

JIM LORIMER C O -F O U N D E R O F T H E A R N O L D S P O R T S F E S T I VA L

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As a trailblazer in sports promotion, Jim Lorimer has opened doors for countless athletes

BY MIKE THOMAS PH OTOS BY BRIAN KA I SER

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he unassuming exterior of the Arnold Classic Worldwide headquarters does nothing to betray the treasure trove of riches within. Inside the nondescript beige building in a Worthington office park are countless trophies and awards, depictions of Arnold Schwarzenegger from his bodybuilding heydey rendered in both oil and bronze, and more than one sword from the 1980s bigscreen adventure Conan the Barbarian.

More impressive than any of these material things is the history this place represents, the far-reaching impact of which could never be contained by four walls. It is where the keeper of that history can sometimes be found— the one who lived and shaped it, along with countless lives around the world and over many decades.

At 93 years of age, Arnold Sports Festival Co-Founder Jim Lorimer still comes into the office one day a week. To say that he’s accomplished a lot in his time is a massive understatement.

“I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of opportunities,” the effussive and humble Lorimer says of his many achievements. He’s the kind of person who you can speak with for an hour and still only scratch the surface of his story. Details that could serve as the focus for an entire profile—his having served as the mayor and vice mayor of Worthington for 52 years, for example—come and go almost as footnotes.

Among his varied accomplishments, a few stand out. A successful career in high school athletics as a champion of track and field and captain of the football team. A stint in the US Navy, then on to law school, followed by a role with the FBI. More than any of these things, one feat stands above the rest in Lorimer’s estimation.

“I’ve had an opportunity to do a number of things, and have enjoyed them all. But the most rewarding of all is what happened with the Arnold Sports Festival,” he said.

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Featuring 22,000 athletes from 80 nations representing more than 80 sports, the Arnold Sports Classic is Columbus’ signature event— in athletics or otherwise—as well as the largest multi-sport event in the world. (For a sense of scale, around 14,000 athletes took part in the 2016 Summer Olympics and 2018 Winter Olympics combined).

While competitions at “The Arnold” showcase the best of sportsmanship and healthy competition, the event as we know it would never have happened if not for a war—the Cold War, to be exact. That, and an exceptional group of teenage girls.

“During my years in the FBI in the 1950s, I was involved in the intelligence field. In that period, the big challenge was the Soviet Union, and I was interviewing communists all the time,” Lorimer recalls. “The communists were reasonably intelligent people, but they would insist with me that the communist system was superior, and that we were going to be living

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under that system in the future. Of course, I did not agree with them on that.”

Throughout this era with its highlycontentious geopolitical climate, sporting contests were just one of the many venues in which the USSR would attempt to showcase the supposed superiority of its way of life. In the 1950s, the communists began to recruit a strong body of athletic talent who were trained at a professional level in their various sports for the sole purpose of dominating the West in athletic competition.

In 1959, American athletes faced off against the elite talent of the Soviet Union at an event in Philadelphia. By then, Lorimer was out of the FBI and had moved on to an executive position at the Nationwide Insurance Company in Columbus. A lifelong sports fan and a curious observer of communist tactics, Lorimer travelled to Philly to watch the proceedings in person.

“The U.S. men, because of their great •

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The primary lesson of sports that is also true in life: you get back pretty much in proportion to what you put in.

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interscholastic program, managed to beat the Soviet track and field athletes, even though they had been training essentially as professionals for almost a decade,” Lorimer remembers of the event.

The women’s competition was another story.

“In the high jump, for instance, the woman representing the United States was doing what we call the ‘scissors’ high jump. That’s where you just sort of step over the bar, like in grade school,” Lorimer explains.

“The Soviet girl was doing what was in the Western rule, and she jumped almost a full foot higher than the U.S. girl.”

At the conclusion of the weekend’s events, scores of the women’s and men’s teams were combined. The Soviet’s totals narrowly edged out those of the US team. The next day, Philadelphia inquirer published a headline that went out across the globe: “Soviet Team Beats U.S.” Lorimer knew that the U.S.S.R. would use this win to trumpet the superiority of communism, when in reality, it was only a result of female athletes in the US lacking the training needed to compete.

“I said, ‘I could find a girl right here in Worthington and show her immediately how to jump higher than that girl on the U.S. team,’” Lorimer recalls. And he did just that.

Lorimer contacted a friend who happened to be the Worthington track coach, and asked him to identify the best 14 or 15-year-old female track athlete. The coach pointed him to a student named Melissa Long, a girl who raced against (and beat) male track competitors in her age group.

When Lorimer contacted Long about training for track and field events at the national level, the young woman jumped at the opportunity.

From there, he mined the top female talent from a Junior Olympic competition put on by the Columbus recreation department at The Ohio State University, and the Ohio Track Club was born.

“As I contacted them and their families, the reaction was the same as it had been when I contacted Melissa,” recalls Lorimer. “Here was a girl who didn’t have a chance to express herself athletically at all, and they were in heaven that somebody wanted them to come and compete.”

And compete they did, winning numerous meets on the 1960s indoor track circuit across the east coast. “In New York, the main indoor meet is the Millrose Games. These girls were winning—they won the Millrose Games, they won everywhere they went,” Lorimer said.

Lorimer’s success with the fledgling squad eventually led to his appointment as a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee for Women’s Athletics, which he would go on to chair. For his proven sports promotion acumen, he was later tapped to organize the National Weightlifting Competition at Veterans Memorial in 1967, and then the “Mr. World” Competition in 1970, which added the draw of a bodybuilding competition to a traditional weightlifting meet.

That first Mr. World event brought a young Austrian phenom to Columbus, and the rest is history. Impressed with Lorimer’s skills as an event runner and promoter, Schwarzenegger vowed to return to Columbus upon his retirement from competition and partner with him for an event that would raise the profile of bodybuilding to a global audience. The two came together over a handshake deal that would create the foundation for the Arnold Sports Festival as we know it today.

Through his decades of achievement in a landmark event that has helped shape the lives of countless athletes from across the globe, Lorimer has never forgotten where it all started. Every five years, he

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reunites with the group of special women who made up the first Ohio Track Club team, whose achievements paved the way for generations of female athletes to follow and who served as the forebears of Title IX legislation that guarantees equal treatment for female athletes to this day.

“They were 15 and now they’re all age 75. Every one of those girls graduated from college, and they have six master’s degrees, three PhDs and one Harvard Law School graduate,” Lorimer says with pride.

“They all tell me that the most significant opportunity they had was the opportunity to express themselves competitively. That sports experience affected their lives, and that’s what still drives us, that we’re affecting so many lives. If you have 22,000 athletes coming in, that means a lot to our community and it’s a lot of kids learning the important lessons you get from something like sports.”

Lorimer sums up one of those important lessons: “The primary lesson of sports that is also true in life: you get back pretty much in proportion to what you put in.” Coming from someone who has achieved what Jim Lorimer has in his lifetime, it’s advice worth taking. •

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They all tell me that the most significant opportunity they had was the opportunity to express themselves competitively. That sports experience affected their lives, and that’s what still drives us, that we’re affecting so many lives.

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To learn more about the history of the Arnold Sports Festival and for details on its upcoming events in 2020, visit arnoldsportsfestival.com.

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the INTERVIEW ISSUE

HABIBA BANKSTON PHIL ANTHROPIST AND COMMUNIT Y LEADER

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Don’t be afraid to create the things that you wish existed.

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Habiba Bankston helps her colleagues at L Brands give back while building a pipeline for leadership in Columbus

BY OLIVIA M I LT N ER P HOTOS BY BR I A N KA I SER

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abiba Bankston likes to say Brooklyn raised her, but Columbus groomed her. New York City taught her how to hustle, how to envision something and make it happen, how to fearlessly embrace new experiences.

But in Columbus, she learned how to slow down, master her craft and take time to develop her untapped potential. What she discovered was that her potential involved helping others.

“The people that I’ve met here, [they’ve] just kind of unlocked some things in me that I really didn’t know was there,” she said.

Bankston, now a senior community relations specialist for L Brands, brings both of those backgrounds to her work every day. Philanthropy for her isn’t just the work she does; it’s who she is.

And the blend of visionary entrepreneurship she absorbed in New York along with a deep dedication to community and service have enabled her to build networks and communities designed to nurture a new generation of young professional leadership in Columbus. • 614NOW.COM JANUARY 2020 (614) MAGAZINE 103

An illness that sparked action

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It’s not enough to live and work in a community, but that we must be present, involved and engaged in the growth and progress of the places that we call home.

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When Bankston was 17, she had a stroke.

Bankston was born with sickle cell disease, a group of inherited red blood cell disorders that affect hemoglobin in the blood, distorting cells into a crescent shape instead of a donut shape. The crescent red blood cells can stick in blood vessels and reduce oxygen to parts of the body. The resulting symptoms can be severe fatigue and pain.

Sickle cell, which is hereditary and most commonly affects African Americans, is what Bankston calls a “silent disease” because it’s often not obvious at first glance when someone has it. Growing up with the illness caused Bankston to miss school, and she was hospitalized two-tothree times a month.

She didn’t want to let that slow her down, however.

As she searched for role models who had experienced similar health challenges, she came across Wilma Rudolph, an Olympic sprinter who contracted polio as a child and needed a leg brace until she was 12.

“When I was growing up, there wasn’t a lot of people who had sickle cell that were well known, that really talked about what that experience looked like,” Bankston said. “I was constantly searching for models of people who were dealing [with disabilities but] [...] were still able to thrive and chase their dreams.”

Blood transfusions ultimately transformed Bankston’s ability to manage her sickle cell. They help increase the percent of healthy red blood cells in her body, reducing the symptoms of the disease. She’s been receiving one every month for 15 years. “(As a) regular recipient of blood donations, I have been touched by the power of community and of philanthropy,” Bankston said. “My life has been sustained by the generous gifts and donations from people who are simply committed to being a blessing to others, so it’s no coincidence that I find myself doing this work.”

Pathways to Leadership Bankston hasn’t always known that philanthropy was a good fit for her. When she was in college at Ohio State, she studied human nutrition and public health with the idea of going into healthcare. She was a very involved student, and one year while she was organizing the African American Heritage Festival, she met with then-Senior Vice President for Outreach and Engagement Joyce Beatty—now a U.S. Representative—who became another role model and mentor for Bankston.

“She saw a leader in me before I saw it in myself,” Bankston said. “She introduced me to the beauty of Columbus and instilled in me that it’s not enough to live and work in a community, but that we must be present, involved and engaged in the growth and progress of the places that we call home.”

That started Bankston on the career path of community engagement and philanthropy, eventually landing her at L Brands. There, she oversees the company’s foundation, community and giving campaigns that support organizations like Pelotonia and United Way, as well as volunteerism.

But Bankston’s work doesn’t stop there. She also cofounded the Columbus Urban League Young Professionals in 2015, a networking group largely for people of color, with the goal of building a strong pipeline of future leaders and connecting young professionals within Columbus and also across the nation. Further, she serves as an appointed Create Columbus Commissioner, dedicating her time to supporting young professionals in the city and making Columbus a welcoming and supportive place for them to call home.

Finally, she took her experience with sickle cell disease and founded Beyond the Cell, a national movement to create awareness about the disease. Other young people living with sickle cell seeking role models reflecting their experience, as Bankston once did, need look no futher than her Instagram campaign.

Building community ties Bankston first saw the power of community support and networks as a child in Brooklyn. Her parents came to the U.S. with a few other families from Ghana, and like many immigrant communities, she was surrounded by entrepreneurs. Her father owned an African market in one of the busiest areas of Brooklyn, and Bankston says she and her family were always trying to find new ways to uplift their community.

“As we had more and more family members that came from Africa, we were constantly trying to find new ways to either help them find employment [or] help them get connected,” she said.

Her mom moved her and her three siblings to Columbus when Bankston was 15, where she later graduated from Independence High School.

She says today that she hopes young professionals remember their ability to make a difference in their community and stay committed to achieving the changes they want to see.

“Don’t be afraid to create the things that you wish existed,” Bankston said. “Columbus is a piece of art in the making. YPs are shaping the future of this city. [...]There’s so much opportunity and there’s so many people who are probably thinking the same thing that you’re thinking. […]

So be fearless and create it.”

For Bankston, that admiration for fearlessness is reflected in Michelle Obama. She says she adores her for her intelligence, grace and creativity, but that she most admires her honesty and authenticity.

“I always want to show up as honest and as authentic as possible. Every single day, every single room that I step in, I want people to truly be able to see me,” Bankston said. “[Obama’s] never been afraid to tell us what she’s been through as a young black girl, but also as a first lady. She’s a woman on a mission. She’s never been afraid to write her own stories.”

Through her work in Columbus and nationally, Bankston is helping others do the same. •

Follow Bankston on Instagram at futureflotus, and join her sickle cell disease awareness campaign on Instagram at beyondthecell.

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WARM COLORS

Amp up your home style with color and quality from Georgie Home

BY K E R RY F R A N C I S P H OTOS BY B R I A N KA I S E R

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ove over, Pantone Color of the Year! A new local business offers a coordinated collection of quality home goods designed in rich color palettes, so consumers can easily and affordably elevate their home style.

Georgie Home, launched by Lauren Wagner and Laura Sullivan, offers thoughtfully designed home and lifestyle products. The company is dedicated to producing highquality, simple, friendly goods to make your home feel fresh.

“We wanted to create something where we felt really good about the quality and offer products we’d want to have in our homes. We didn’t want something that you just run to a big box store and buy,” Wagner said.

Wagner and Sullivan’s journey to launch their company was relatively quick. The pair worked together as graphic designers at a national company headquartered in Columbus in the early 2010s. As they searched for inspiration and created mood boards for work projects, they realized they had a similar vision.

“We’d get excited and say, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we could do our own thing some day?’,” Wagner said.

A few short years later, that shared vision was realized when Georgie Home’s first collection launched in November 2019. Phoenix is a line of hand and bath towels in coordinating colors and patterns. The duo started with towels because it’s an easy way to bring a bit of luxury into the home, and high-quality towels will last. While most high-quality towels are plain, Georgie Home offers something unique by combining quality with patterns.

“When you reach a certain age, it’s nice to have a little bit of luxury, and you might as well get something that you will have a while for just a little more money,” Wagner said.

FOR THE LOVE OF COLOR As designers, Wagner and Sullivan are passionate about color. And when they first started working professionally, there weren’t a lot of ways to feed that passion.

“I was having trouble coming up with color palettes and there weren’t a lot of online resources, so I started creating my own,” Wagner said. “I would find images that inspired me and pulled my color palette from that.” She began sharing these online in a blog about a decade ago, a collection that has evolved into an Instagram account.

As one can tell by Georgie Home’s collection, their current favorite colors (because, like all of us, Wagner said it changes over time) are sage and ochre (a warm yellowbrown) for Wagner, and dusty blue for Sullivan.

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CR EATE A COZY, PERSONAL SPACE WITH COLOR Carrying color over into home decorating doesn’t have to be hard or expensive. Wagner suggests using neutral colors such as whites and greys for walls, flooring, and furniture, and using pops of color throughout your space with items like throws, pillows, and wall hangings.

She also likes to add natural elements such as dried flowers, which are trendy now.

“I keep my walls the same and change up everything around it,” she said. “My taste changes over time and this lets me update my décor without painting.”

This approach also makes it easy to decorate for the seasons.

“I will add things for the holidays, and I’ll add color in the summer and greenery in the winter,” Wagner said. “I keep it simple–I won’t change my wall hangings, but I’ll update my dining room table, my mantel, and towels.”

If you’re not sure where to start, Wagner suggests perusing Instagram and Pinterest for inspiration.

“There are a lot of home bloggers that are inspiring,” she said. “Find something that you love and recreate it.”

Wagner has a long list of local, chain, online, and brick-and-mortar stores where she finds her decorating elements. Locally, she recommends Jewelweed Floral Studio and Stump as great sources for plants, and Trove Warehouse and Elm & Iron for accessories and furniture. The outlet malls and Wayfair are great for budget-friendly options, and antique shops and Etsy are great if you’re looking for something no one else has. The big retailers such as West Elm, Pottery Barn, and Pottery Barn Kids also have some great pieces.

WHAT’S NEXT Wagner and Sullivan hope to move Georgie Home into the brick-and-mortar space.

With the first collection launched, they are reaching out to retailers to explore wholesale opportunities locally and nationally.

They’re also planning for their second line, which will launch next spring or summer. The collection is likely to include placemats, table runners, and tablecloths. While they haven’t decided on a color palette, it will be fresh and coordinated, and inspired by the season.

Shop Georgie Home’s inaugural collection at georgiehome.com.

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