Columbus Monthly – September 2026

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH A FOOD STYLIST

FALL ARTS GUIDE

WHY WOOD COS. BET ON THE SHORT NORTH

PAGE 86

PAGE 23

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FALL ARTS ISSUE

Funny Columbus The City’s Growing Comedy Scene Page 36

SEPTEMBER 2026

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Every dollar raised by Pelotonia supports cancer research at the Ohio State Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute — and with $339 million and counting since its inception, the organization’s impact has been incredible.

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The new route was created to encourage more riders to join the Pelotonia community, including many patients who’ve expressed interest in participating while undergoing cancer treatment.

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SEPTEMBER 2026

contents

23 FEATURES 23

36

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Find the must-see shows and openings this fall. Plus, music at the McConnell Arts Center and a new leader at Thurber House.

The local comedy scene is sizzling, with performances happening across town nearly every night. Learn how to catch them and who to see.

The family-owned development company has shaped the Short North for over 40 years.

FALL ARTS GUIDE

FUNNY COLUMBUS

WOOD COMPANIES

ON THE COVER: Comedian Nef Johnson poses at The Attic Comedy Club.

Photos by Tim Johnson

SEPTEMBER 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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SEPTEMBER 2026

contents VOLUME 51 | NUMBER 9

10 PRELUDE 96 CREATIVE SPACE Henry Hess’ Franklinton studio

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Front & Center 12 NONPROFITS Goodwill Columbus’ CEO strategizes support 14 BLACK GIRL DAD WEEK Cultivating the next generation of Black men leaders 15 EVERYDAY KINDNESS HEROES Longtime arts sector volunteer Kathy Howard

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Wealth

44 GROWING GIVERS How to encourage kids to volunteer

82 SMART GIVING Charitable strategies that maximize tax benefits

48 GO-TO GUIDE Arts enrichment for kids

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Columbus Parent

Food & Drink

SPECIAL ADVERTISING

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86 TABLE ART A food stylist spills her secrets 88 DAVE THOMAS’ TALES A new book offers insights on the Wendy’s founder 90 LET’S EAT Our guide to local restaurants

Home & Style 70 FEATURE HOME A mountain-inspired Powell retreat

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20 HEALTH Treatments for animal lovers with allergies

80 TOP 25 The 25 highest-priced home sales in the Columbus region in July 2026

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16 PEOPLE Columbus Book Festival Kickoff Party and Alicia’s Closet Christmas in July

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SECTION

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A long weekend in North Carolina or Kentucky is just a day’s drive from Columbus, providing travelers with a wonderfu l fall refresh. Here are some trip ideas for escaping to the Bluegrass or Tar Heel state.

SEPTEMBER 2026 COLUMBUS

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Special Ad Sections 57 AUTUMN WEEKEND ESCAPES Where to get away this fall 59 EXCEPTIONAL EVENT VENUES Columbus spots to wow a crowd

52 Columbus Monthly (ISSN 2333-4150) is published monthly by USA TODAY Co., Inc.. All contents of this magazine are copyrighted © USA TODAY Co., Inc. 2026, all rights reserved. Reproduction or use, without written permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. Publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited materials. Known office of publication is 605 S. Front St., Ste. 300, Columbus, OH 43215. Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, Ohio, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Columbus Monthly, PO Box 221, Lincolnshire IL 60069.

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PHOTOS BY TIM JOHNSON

78 WHAT’S HOT Franklin Art Glass Studios

COLUMBUS MONTHLY SEPTEMBER 2026

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COLUMBUSMONTHLY.COM EDITOR AND GENERAL MANAGER, DISPATCH MAGAZINES Katy Smith

ADVERTISING MULTIMEDIA SALES MANAGERS Heather Kritter, Adam Trabitz

EDITORIAL FEATURES EDITOR Linda Lee Baird ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lucy Clark

PRODUCTION DESIGNER Rebecca Zimmer MARKETING MARKETING MANAGER Lauren Reinhard

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Amy Bodiker Baskes, Joshua M. Bernstein, Nicholas Dekker, Randy Edwards, Kevin Elliott, Kathy Lynn Gray, Donna Marbury, Aaron Marshall, Jill Moorhead, Laura Newpoff DESIGN & PRODUCTION PAGE DESIGNERS Kathryn Biek, Kelly Hignite, Kaity Athialy, Hannah Patton DIGITAL EDITOR Julanne Hohbach PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO EDITOR Tim Johnson

LETTERS: letters@columbusmonthly.com ADVERTISING: advertise@ columbusmonthly.com EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING OFFICES 605 S. Front St., Ste. 300 Columbus, OH 43215 614-888-4567 SUBSCRIPTIONS/CUSTOMER SERVICE 614-923-9566 columbusmonthly@subscription-team.com Mail checks to: Columbus Monthly PO Box 221 Lincolnshire, IL 60069

CONTRIBUTORS

Bob Vitale The Dispatch’s food and drink writer takes us behind the scenes with Dave Thomas, the beloved founder of Wendy’s, in a story told by his longtime pitch man, Denny Lynch.

Catch it on Page 88.

Kevin Elliott Our Fall Arts Guide listings were faithfully compiled by a freelance writer who has covered music and arts for the magazine. He scoured Columbus to create a delightful calendar of events in the section that starts on Page 23.

Jill Moorhead The longtime Columbus Monthly writer brings us a perspective from the State of Black America event held at the Lincoln Theatre, Page 14, and profiles the Wood Companies, the real estate firm that has left an indelible impact on the Short North, Page 52.

SEPTEMBER 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Prelude

The Great Public Funding Balancing Act

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a beloved neighborhood n 2026, with programs and orwhere I spent many Gallery ganizations of many kinds facHop Saturdays as a teen in ing federal funding reductions, the 1990s pushing a zine local elected leaders across the I created with some poet country are under pressure to friends. fill the gaps. For Columbus, that Today, when I look at the conversation has prominently artwork proliferating along featured questions about how to Katy Smith North High Street and befund social services, especially katy@columbusmonthly.com yond, it’s as if the beating homeless shelters. heart of the city has been Many in our community also are asking how government plans to fund the externalized for all to see and experience. Evarts. Cities that fund art well often use a model erything wonderful and complex about the where a percentage, usually 1 percent, of the soul of the Short North emanates from the annual operating budget supports the arts. pieces we enjoy today—all the life struggles The topic came up during a June panel discus- of our residents past and present, all the crazy sion on public art in the Short North, which business ideas, the risky leaps of faith taken by was called together to celebrate the dedication our property owners, the righteous protests of the neighborhood’s reimagined Mona Lisa against injustice of all kinds, the arms locked mural, a piece by celebrated Columbus artist in solidarity.

It’s that community spirit that captured Mandi Caskey called She Moves With Color.

During the discussion, Caskey and Los An- and was in turn captured by one Columbus geles artist Ryan Sarfati advocated for a larg- company that has a well-deserved profile in er conversation about art in Columbus (and this month’s issue—the Wood Companies. everywhere) that centers the voices of artists For much of the past 40 years, the family real estate firm has been a quiet force revitalizing themselves.

City Council member Lourdes Barroso de and shaping one of the most recognizable Padilla, who has championed the arts, said she neighborhoods in Ohio. You can learn more would love to see the city move toward finding about its impact starting on Page 52.

The Wood Companies story, set in the city’s a permanent funding stream for public art.

However, she said right now, social services preeminent arts district, dovetails perfectly concerns are first in line to be dealt with. That with our Fall Arts Guide. Our packed calenis understandable. So, TBD on a potential per- dar of arts events will keep you inspired this fall. The section, which includes a few arts feacent for art in Columbus.

In the meantime, art endures. I’m proud tures, starts on Page 23. Following that, dive to see how much collaboration is happen- into the city’s burgeoning comedy scene in ing to usher Columbus into the next era of our Funny Columbus feature beginning on public art, especially in the Short North. It’s Page 36.

CONTACT US Send letters to: Editor, Columbus Monthly, 605 S. Front St., Ste. 300, Columbus, OH 43215. Or email: letters@columbus monthly.com. A letter must include the writer’s name, address and daytime phone number. Letters will be edited for length and clarity. All letters sent to Columbus Monthly are considered for publication, either in print or online.

Columbus Monthly @ColumbusMonthly @ColumbusMonthly Web: ColumbusMonthly.com Email: letters@ columbusmonthly.com

CORRECTION Tiffany Lawson’s solo show at the McConnell Arts Center will be in November 2027. A story in the August issue contained an incorrect date.

LA-based artist Ryan Sarfati works on a mural entitled Slow Like Honey along North 4th Street.

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PHOTOS BY TIM JOHNSON

FROM THE EDITOR

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front & center Crafting Community Tools in the jewelry workshop at the Priscilla R. Tyson Cultural Arts Center.

Find out why a longtime volunteer loves spending time there, Page 15.

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

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Front & Center | Nonprofits

Spirit of Goodwill Goodwill Columbus CEO Ryan Burgess has led the organization through a transformation that lets it help even more people in the community.

Story by Shelley Mann Photos by Tim Johnson For Goodwill Columbus, one strategic real estate transaction proved key to a period of incredible growth and diversification under CEO Ryan Burgess.

After nearly 70 years of operations out of a 6-acre campus in Grandview, in 2022 the organization sold its aging Edgehill Road property and relocated its administrative headquarters to the Grange Insurance building on South High Street.

That $11.3 million sale provided the cash needed to open several new locations integrated within the communities Goodwill serves, including four job training centers, new adult day hubs, and three new retail stores in Clintonville, Grove City and Westerville. “We wanted to make our services more accessible,” Burgess says, “so instead of having everybody come to one campus, we wanted to push our services out into the neighborhoods.”

Each new location was designed to marry Goodwill’s highly visible thrift store business with its critical, but often under-the-radar, work of serving people with developmental disabilities.

In 2024, the nonprofit’s first all-encompassing location opened in Grove City, combining a thrift store and donation drive-through with an adult day hub and educational classrooms for job training programs. Windows placed near the thrift checkout lanes allow shoppers to see Goodwill’s services in action. “Everybody knows Goodwill because of the thrift side of the business,” Burgess says. “[This way] people can truly understand that’s where their dollars are going to work in the community.”

And those dollars have been hard at work. Goodwill Columbus had an ambitious goal to equip 100,000 people by 12

Ryan Burgess at the Grove City Goodwill store

2030 with skills through job training, career coaching and vocational rehabilitation. Under Burgess’ leadership, the nonprofit hit that milestone five years early, serving about 117,000 people between 2020 and 2025. “One of the reasons we were able to attain that 100,000 [so quickly] is because we’re more easily accessed by the public, and more people know about the services we offer,” Burgess says.

During his five-year tenure, the nonprofit organization’s revenue has grown from $48.5 million in 2018 to $59.7 million in 2024, while assets nearly tripled to $61.9 million in 2024 from $21.5 million in 2018.

Leading with heart For Burgess, who spent two decades in

corporate banking before a move to state government after he says he was called to public service, the organization’s business-centric focus paired with a strong mission proved attractive.

Since arriving as CEO in March 2021, taking over after the retirement of longtime leader Margie Pizzuti, he’s made it a point to get out of his office as often as he can and into the stores, the service hubs and the job training centers. “That’s why Goodwill is here, is serving those folks in our community,” Burgess says, “and as much time as I can spend with them … I can better understand the challenges they face every day.”

He’s also brought a spirit of collaboration to the role. Soon after coming on, Burgess began reaching out to other nonprofits to find ways to work together.

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One partnership that came from those conversations was with the Columbus Urban League, which was seeking a donation hub for its My Brother’s Closet initiative, which outfits men before job interviews.

Goodwill offered the Urban League dedicated space for suits, collared shirts, shoes and other donated attire inside its centrally located Morse Road thrift store location. “I really appreciate Ryan’s leadership on what he’s brought to the table at Goodwill. He understands we’re not competing. This is about collaboration,” says Stephanie Hightower, president of the Urban League.

History of Opportunity Goodwill was founded in 1902 by an entrepreneurial Methodist minister working on the south side of Boston. His idea was to sell donated items from wealthy neighborhoods to generate revenue to better serve his community.

Today, Goodwill Industries International supports a network of 150 local Goodwill organizations across the country.

Since 1939, when the Columbus organization was founded by Rev. Charles Graham with a location on the Near East Side, Goodwill Columbus has focused on two areas: serving people with developmental

disabilities and workforce programming.

As part of what Burgess calls the organization’s “people services” for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Goodwill Columbus offers adult day services programming for over 400 people a year as well as 24/7 in-home care through a residential services program.

The organization generates revenue through its “business services” vertical, which contracts with local companies and organizations to provide custodial and unarmed security services, and those in-demand entry-level roles allow the organization to fulfill its mission to help people get back into the labor force.

Open to adults looking for a career change or to reskill, Goodwill’s workforce program serves about 10,000 people a year. Job placement services are complemented by free job training, with career pathways including technology, healthcare, infrastructure and broadband technician training.

This spring, Goodwill Columbus launched the Clean Tech Accelerator, a new solar panel installation training program that equips graduates with an industry-recognized credential, transferable skills, and, more often than not, job offers in a fast-growing industry.

“Ryan and his team consistently challenge themselves to find innovative ways to help people build meaningful careers.

Our new solar panel training program is a perfect example of that forward-thinking approach,” says Linda Roubinek, board president of Goodwill Columbus and executive vice president at Grange.

“It reflects a leadership team that is anticipating the future of work and creating opportunities that prepare people with the skills they need to take the next step toward meaningful employment.”

Five-Year Plan “Thrifting is having its moment right now,” Burgess says. The the organization is looking for more retail locations and expects to continue expanding the thrift footprint over the next five years.

Burgess sees momentum in a growing city like Columbus, and he anticipates the organization will only strengthen its legacy of serving those with developmental disabilities, a population that is increasing as more families move to the area. “There are so many opportunities for individuals to participate in the prosperity that’s taking place,” Burgess says, “and Goodwill is just trying to make sure as many individuals can participate as possible.” ◆ Ryan Burgess talks with adult day services clients at Goodwill in Grove City.

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Front & Center | Community

The Ubuntu Leadership Institute at the State of Black America event

It Takes All of Us

How Black Girl Dad Week asks men and boys to show up for women, girls and their community.

On a Monday night in July, 58 young Black men joined a sold-out crowd at the Lincoln Theatre. Wearing matching T-shirts reading, “I am because we are,” they stood out among the women in heels and floral dresses and the men in Sunday-best suits.

There was upbeat music playing as the young men entered. On stage, an energetic emcee welcomed guests by name, calling out well-known community members, business owners, and elected officials like State Rep. Dontavius Jarrells with a familiarity that made everyone feel like an insider. The 588-seat theater felt like a high-energy family reunion.

It was the third annual State of Black America, hosted by Male Behavioral Health as part of Black Girl Dad Week 2026. The centerpiece of the evening was a conversation between Congresswoman Joyce Beatty and political commentator Roland Martin on the issues facing Black America—from voting and civic engagement to education and economic opportunity.

For Jewel Woods, founder and director of Male Behavioral Health, the evening fit into a much larger purpose. Black Girl Dad Week, he said, is built around a simple question: What role should men and boys play in the lives of Black women and girls? His answer includes being engaged fathers, advocating for educational and

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career opportunities, supporting women in leadership and taking responsibility for ending violence against women.

Those young men in matching T-shirts were there intentionally.

Participants in the Ubuntu Leadership Institute, they spend a week each summer at Ohio State University developing leadership skills through physical training, college exposure, career readiness, mentorship and community service.

Woods said organizers made a point of inviting more young people after Roland Martin’s annual discussion of voting patterns showed the youngest generations were consistently the least represented in the room.

Emmanuel Swaray, a student leader and Ubuntu mentor studying exercise physiology at Ohio University, left inspired.

“The work needs to be done,” he says.

“We can’t expect or sit around for another presidential term for circumstances to change on our behalf.”

One message stayed with him throughout the evening: Focus on the micro, not just the macro. Small acts matter. Small donations matter. Local elections matter.

Community change begins with individual action.

For Rashard Hudson, a recent graduate of Columbus Africentric Early College High School preparing to attend Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, the

evening reinforced a different lesson.

“There’s no better time than now to change the situation that you want to change,” he says. “You can’t just sit around and hope for change. Get on your feet and work for it.”

Hudson says his generation already feels empowered to speak up, but the event challenged him to think about how he’ll use his voice. He hopes to build a business that helps small businesses access financial resources while continuing to mentor younger students, just as older mentors invested in him.

Their perspectives echoed Ubuntu’s guiding philosophy: I am because we are.

“This is a mantra that we carry with pride,” Swaray says. “If I’m thriving, that means my group is thriving. If I’m going through something, that means my group is going through something. We are a family.”

For Woods, that’s exactly the point.

“So much of being a kid is responding to the reactions of adults,” he says. “A lot of adults owe young people an apology for the world we’ve created.”

By intentionally bringing young men into rooms where civic leadership is happening—and where they can see Black women and men leading together— Woods hopes they’re not only inspired by the conversation, but that they are prepared to one day lead it themselves. ◆

PHOTO COURTESY IRA GRAHAM III

By Jill Moorhead

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Front & Center | Everyday Kindness Heroes

The Art of Giving Back Kathy Howard is a mainstay at the Priscilla R. Tyson Cultural Arts Center.

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

By Kelly Tucker If you’ve ever visited the Priscilla R. Tyson Cultural Arts Center Downtown to attend a gallery opening, take a class or just appreciate the building’s rich history, you likely have Kathy Howard to thank for your experience.

The 72-year-old Columbus native and avid art enthusiast has been volunteering at the center since 2013 following her retirement as an occupational therapist. In 2016, she took on the role of volunteer coordinator.

Throughout her career at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Howard says she frequently found ways to incorporate art as a medium, helping her patients find creative outlets and catering activities to her patients’ individual needs. “It was a perfect job for me,” Howard says. “But I’ve always had a servant attitude, always wanting to help.”

Since retiring, she has seamlessly transferred that desire to serve from caring for her patients to supporting the Cultural Arts Center—a place she says feels like home.

Howard dedicates her time to coordinating volunteer events for the center— the main one, of course, being the Columbus Arts Festival. In 2026, the center served as a hub for food, drinks, entertainment and shelter to patrons throughout the three-day festival, featuring a Friday night Patron Party and a full lineup of spoken word programming on its outdoor stage. Howard oversaw 127 volunteers—including 83 first timers—who contributed 544 total volunteer hours for the event.

“So many people have never been here, so we want to really share how great this place is, and how wonderful it is, and how inexpensive it is to take classes here,” Howard says. “It’s like a hidden gem of Columbus.”

Howard assists with as many Cultural Arts Center events and programs she can throughout the year, racking up about 80

Kathy Howard

gallery openings over the last decade.

Her endeavors have included leading volunteers in constructing 16 new easels, and dismantling and relocating 12 old jeweler’s benches before installing new ones.

On Thursdays, visitors can count on finding Howard at the center’s Conversations & Coffee artist talk series, pitching in on setup, cleanup and coffee duty. She is also an avid participant in the center’s classes. Figure drawing, metalsmithing, enameling, book arts and pottery are some of her favorites.

“I’ve been a jack of all trades, master of maybe some,” Howard jokes.

After working alongside Howard for 13 years, the center’s former arts administrator, Todd Camp, says she’s long overdue for recognition.

“She is extremely driven, passionate, stubborn, but an amazing artist, and just a great person,” Camp says. “She’s quietly behind the scenes, doing lots of things.”

One of those things, he recalls with a laugh, was trying to participate in a gallery opening the same day she broke her wrist and underwent surgery. Luckily, in the end, Camp was able to convince her to stay home and recover.

When asked what’s kept her coming back all these years, Howard doesn’t hesitate to reply.

“The people,” she says. “Our volunteers have all been really good. Having people be happy because they accomplished what they wanted accomplished. Being able to share the wonders of this building during the Arts Festival, to meet the public and share with them everything that we do here.” ◆ This article was made possible by the Center for HumanKindness at The Co­ lumbus Foundation, which partners with Columbus Monthly to showcase kindness in the community. Suggest ideas to Kelly Tucker at ktucker@dispatch.com. Learn more at ColumbusMonthly.com/Kindness.

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Front & Center | People

Columbus Book Festival Kickoff Party Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation hosted the Columbus Book Festival Kickoff Party on July 10 at the Main Library. More than 600 guests attended. The event recognized the people who made the Book Festival possible, including donors, sponsors, authors and panel moderators. The fourth annual Columbus Book Festival, held July 11-12 at the Main Library and Topiary Park, offered a weekend of entertainment for book enthusiasts.

PHOTOS COURTESY IAN ALEXANDER PHOTOGRAPHY

1 Catherine Strauss, John Lowe, Dan Sharpe and Heidi Welch 2 Heather Whaling, Kate Bauer, Kelly Clifford Riehl and Regan Walsh 3 David White and Lauren Hagan 4 Brock Bethel and Sarah Milks Bethel 5 Lisal and Don Gorman 6 Rachel Heine and Bill Remias 7 Jordan Lynton Cox, Carla Williams-Scott and Wendy Tressler 8 Siana and Shelby Bobst 9 Charlie and Rhonda Fraas 10 D.L. Augustine and Colette Harrell

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Front & Center | People

Alicia’s Closet Christmas in July On July 18, Alicia’s Closet held Christmas in July, an inaugural summer fundraiser benefiting the organization’s Help for the Holidays program.

Steve Whiteman served as ‘Summer Santa’ for the event, which was held at the Gahanna Sanctuary. Help for the Holidays provides holiday gifts for area children impacted by the foster care system, including those in kinship care, reunified families and former foster youth. In 2025, more than 1,100 young people benefited from the program. The event raised more than $19,000 towards Help for the Holidays 2026.

PHOTOS COURTESY @NICOLEALEXPHOTO

1 Emily Creech, Steve Whiteman and Anita Godfrey 2 Steve Whiteman, Brittany Waterman, Marissa Ring and Kat Rethman 3 Heather Creed and Steve Whiteman 4 Kelsey Ring and Megan Mwilitsa 5 Bridget Tharp and Tony Baker 6 Steve Whiteman and Mark Kovacevich

SEPTEMBER 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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7/30/26 10:56 AM

Everyday Kindness Heroes

Kindness is all around us.

We look to honor those who improve, heal, and unite our community, one selfless and extraordinary act of kindness at a time.

Look for monthly stories in Columbus Monthly celebrating kindness in Central Ohio.

The Center for HumanKindness at The Columbus Foundation has partnered with The Columbus Dispatch to highlight those making our community a better place. Help us inspire kindness by suggesting people, initiatives, or organizations to feature by emailing kindness@dispatch.com.

The Dispatch retains full editorial independence for all content.

Nominate your heroes:

Learn more at ColumbusMonthly.com/Kindness.

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8/4/26 8:42 AM

.

Beth Murphy: Murphy: Beth Beth Beth Murphy: Murphy: Stroke Survivor & & Stroke Survivor Stroke Survivor Stroke Survivor & & 9/11 Warrior 9/11 Warrior 9/11 9/11 Warrior Warrior Beth Murphy has a motto she repeats Beth Murphy a motto she why repeats often: “Your why ishas your way.” Her is Beth Murphy has a way.” mottoHer shewhy repeats often: “Your why is your is Beth Murphy has a motto she again repeats easy, a promise of getting healthy often:a “Your whyofisgetting your way.”

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Beth has survived incredible direction. and devastating losses: two challenges Beth has survived incredible challenges and devastating Beth has survived incredible battles with melanoma, newslosses: of hertwo lung challenges and devastating losses: two battles with melanoma, news of heroftwo lung challenges and devastating losses: cancer, and the unimaginable loss her battles with melanoma, news of her lung cancer, and the unimaginable loss of her battles with melanoma, news of her lung husband Kevin the World Trade cancer, and theinunimaginable lossCenter of her husband Kevin the World Trade Center cancer, and theinin unimaginable loss of her terrorist attacks New York City on husband Kevin in the World Trade Center terrorist attacks in New York City on husband Kevin in the World Trade Center 9/11/2001.

And Beth’s challenges terrorist attacks in New York City didn’t on 9/11/2001.

And Beth’s challenges terrorist attacks in New York City didn’t on stop there.

9/11/2001. And Beth’s challenges didn’t stop there.

9/11/2001.

And Beth’s challenges didn’t As the years ticked by in the days stop there.

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Daughter Caitlyn slumped over the couch.

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Caitlyn left side of her Mom’s face was drooping left side of her Mom’s face was drooping and her speech slurred.

Caitlyn urgently herwas brother to call 911. The and her told speech was slurred.

Caitlyn and her told speech was slurred.

Caitlyn urgently her brother to call 911.

The news at the confirmed urgently toldhospital her brother to callthe 911.grim The urgently toldhospital her brother to callthe 911.grim The news at the confirmed realityindeed have a stroke. news atBeth the did hospital confirmed the grim news atBeth the did hospital confirmed the grim realityindeed have a stroke. reality- Beth did indeed havea alarge stroke.

Diagnostic imagery showed clot reality- Beth did indeed have a stroke.

Diagnostic showed clot Diagnostic imagery showed large clot on the rightimagery side of her brain,aaalarge dissected Diagnostic imagery showed aalarge clot on the right side of her brain, dissected on the right side of her brain, a dissected carotid artery and two brain bleeds. on the right side of her brain, a dissected carotid artery two bleeds. carotid artery and two brain bleeds.

When sheand woke upbrain three days later, carotid artery and two brain bleeds.

When she woke up three days later, shethe woke up three days later, Beth When came to realization that she was When she woke up three days later, Beth came to the realization that she was Beth came to the realization thather sheleft was not only in the hospital, but that Beth camethe to the realization thather she was not but notonly only thehospital, hospital, but that thatimmobile, her left left side wasinin paralyzed.

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the 20th memorial ceremony honoring the 20th memorial ceremony honoring those amazing heroes of 9/11 was taking the 20th memorial ceremony honoring those amazing heroes of 9/11 was taking the 20th memorial ceremony honoring place without her – and her children.

She those without amazingher heroes 9/11children. was taking place – andof her She those amazing heroes ofto 9/11 washer taking was not there in person honor place without her – and her children. She was there inasked person honor her She placenot without – and her children. husband.

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Beth asked for a TV could watch the ceremony live on husband.

Beth asked for a TV so she television. herlive husband’s could watchThe themoment ceremony on television.

The herlive husband’s could watch themoment ceremony onlife picture appeared on-screen, her television. The moment her husband’s picture appeared on-screen, her life television.– a The moment her husband’s changed tenacity emerged. picture appeared on-screen, herWhen life changed – a tenacity emerged.

When picture face appeared on-screen, her lifea Kevin’s Beth made changed – aappeared, tenacity emerged.

When Kevin’s face appeared, Beth made a changed – adeclared tenacity that emerged.

When pledge and she now Kevin’s face appeared, Beth made aknew pledge declared that shemade now aknew Kevin’s face appeared, Beth her way.and Through tears, pledge and declared thatBeth she spoke now knew her way.

Through tears, Beth spoke pledge and declared that she now knew directly the image of her beloved: her way.toThrough tears, Beth spoke directly to the image of her beloved: her way.

Through tears, Beth spoke “Kevin, need to live for these kids, and I directlyIto the image of her beloved: “Kevin, Ito need to liveand for these kids,toand directly theagain, image of her beloved: need to walk I promise do II “Kevin, I need to live for these kids, and need to walk again, and I promise to do “Kevin, I need to to live for these kids, and I everything I can get need to walk again, andstronger.

I promise to do everything I can to get stronger. needDetermined to walk again, and I on promise to do to get focus her recovery everything I can to stronger.

Determined to focus on her recovery everything I can to get stronger. promise, Beth looked for new therapies Determined to focus on her recovery promise, Beth looked for therapies Determined to focus onstrengthening her recovery for gaining movement andnew promise, Beth looked for new therapies for gaining movement and strengthening promise, Beth looked for new therapies her brain-body connection.

This led her to for gaining movement and strengthening her brain-body connection.

This led her to for gaining movement and strengthening NeuroAnimation, the only brain recovery her brain-body connection. This led her to NeuroAnimation, the only brain recovery her brain-body connection.

This led her therapy in the world proven to grow theto NeuroAnimation, the only brain recovery therapy in the world proven to grow the NeuroAnimation, the only brain recovery brain.

Beth came to the NewtoAlbany, Ohio therapy in the world proven grow the brain.

Beth came togreat the New Ohio therapy in the world proven toAlbany, grow the center with a list of goals.

These brain. Beth came to the New Albany, Ohio center with a list of goals.

These brain. Beth came togreat the New Albany, Ohio included zipping up a jacket, and tying center with a list of great goals.

These included zipping up a jacket, and tying center with a list of great goals.

These shoes...simple things sheand wastying no included zipping up athat jacket, included zipping up athat jacket, and tying shoes...simple things she was no longer able to do.

Tops on the list was shoes...simple things that she was no shoes...simple things that was no longer able do.

Tops onshe the list was holding her to first grandbaby – and even longer able to do.

Tops on the list was longer able to do.

Tops on the list was holding her first grandbaby – and even changing a diaper. holding her first grandbaby – and even holding her first grandbaby – and even changing a diaper.

The three week bootcamp put Beth changing a diaper. changing a diaper.

The athree week bootcamp put Beth through series of cognitive and The three week bootcamp putphysical Beth Theathree week bootcamp put Beth through series of cognitive and physical exercises.

The main attraction: anphysical through a series of cognitive and through a series of cognitive and physical exercises.

The main attraction: an immersive theater where Beth was exercises. The main attraction: an exercises. The main attraction: an immersive theater where Beth was challenged to use her skills andwas awaken immersive theater where Beth immersive theater where Beth challenged to her andwas awaken her senses by conquering challenged to use use her skills skillsundersea and awaken challenged to use her skillsundersea and awaken her Neuroanimals.

Neuroscientist, Dr. Omar her senses senses by by conquering conquering undersea her senses by conquering undersea Neuroanimals.

Neuroscientist, Dr. Omar Omar Neuroanimals.

Neuroscientist, Dr. Ahmad, who developed the program, says Neuroanimals.

Neuroscientist, Dr. Omar Ahmad, who developed the program, says Ahmad, who developed the program, says “What happens is your brain enters into Ahmad, who developed the program, says “What happens is brain enters into “What happens is your your brain enters this state of learning something new.into It’s a “What happens is your brain enters into this of new.

It’s aa this state state of learning learning something It’s really important state,something because itnew. triggers this state of learning something new.

It’s a really important state, because it triggers really important state, it triggers actual new neurons tobecause grow - and when really important state, because it triggers actual new grow and when actual new neurons neurons to grow -- and when that happens, we’re to able to create new actual new neurons to growcreate - and when that we’re able new that happens, happens, we’re able to to create new movement, repair cognitive damage.” that happens, we’re able to create new movement, damage.” movement, repair repair cognitive cognitive damage.” movement, repair cognitive damage.”

That’s just what happened to Beth.

That’sweek just what happened to Beth.

Her three bootcamp program That’s just what happened to Beth.

Her three week bootcamp program That’s justsensations what happened to Beth. brought back and gains Beth Her threeback week bootcampand program brought sensations gains Beth to Her threewere week bootcamp program thought gone, including her ability brought back sensations and gains Beth thought were sensations gone, including her ability brought back and Beth to move fingers individually andgains thought were gone, including her ability to move fingers individually and thought were gone, including her ability to independently of one another. move fingers individually and That was a independently of one another.

That was a move fingers individually and big deal! That was justanother. the tip of thewas independently of one That a big deal!

That was just the tip of the independently of one another.

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That was “why” just theand tip her of the Today, Beth’s “way” iceberg.

Today, Beth’s “why” and her “way” iceberg. haveToday, neverBeth’s been clearer.

Her recovery “why” and her “way” have never been clearer.

Her recovery Today, “why” and her “way” promise to Beth’s the memory Kevin set her in have never been clearer.ofHer recovery promise to the memory of Kevin set her have never been clearer.

Her recovery motion, got hermemory to NeuroAnimation andinin promise to the of Kevin set her motion, got her to NeuroAnimation and promise to the memory of Kevin set her in made life something to celebrate again. motion, got her to NeuroAnimation and made life something to celebrate again. motion, got her to NeuroAnimation and She continues to advocate on behalf of made life something to celebrate again.

She continues to advocate on behalf of made life something to celebrate again. the victims of 9/11.

And now, Beth can She continues to advocate on behalf ofbe the victims of 9/11.

And now, can She continues to advocate onBeth behalf ofbe fullyvictims present the livesnow, of her kids and the ofin 9/11.

And Beth can be fully present in the lives of her kids and the of 9/11. And now, Beth diapers can be nowvictims two grandbabies. fully present in the livesThere of herare kids and now two grandbabies.

There fully present in the lives ofcoats herare kidsdiapers andand to change and even little zip, now two grandbabies.

There aretodiapers to change and even little coats to zip, and now two grandbabies.

There are diapers little laces and to tieeven too. little Bethcoats is thetoproud to change zip, and little laces to tie too.

Beth is the proud to change and even little coats to zip, and grandmother, able do itisall thanks little laces to tie too.toBeth the proudto grandmother, able do itisallthe thanks little laces to tie too.toBeth proudto NeuroAnimation. grandmother, able to do it all thanks to NeuroAnimation. grandmother, able to do it all thanks to the NeuroAnimation can give others NeuroAnimation.

NeuroAnimation can give others the NeuroAnimation. same promise of a better by the NeuroAnimation can future, give others same promise of a better future, by NeuroAnimation can give others the offering both adults and children the only same promise of a better future, by offering both adults and children the only same promise of a better future, by therapy in theadults world proven to stimulate offering both and children the only therapy in theadults worldand proven to stimulate offering both children the only brain growth immersive therapy in thethrough world proven to stimulate therapy in the world proven to stimulate brain growth through immersive technology. experience has already brain growthThis through immersive brain growth through immersive technology.

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8/3/26 12:37 PM

Front & Center | Health & Wellness

Averting Allergies

Breeanna Herdman with her Chihuahua, Benny

Both new and traditional therapies can help pet owners breathe easier.

When allergist and immunologist Dr. Roger Friedman started practicing more than 40 years ago, he learned a lesson about patients with pet allergies.

“I would advise them to get rid of the pet,” says Friedman. “What they did instead was get rid of their allergist.”

That dilemma—keeping a beloved pet even as your nose runs and your eyes redden—has been around for ages. But these days solutions are plentiful.

Allergy shots, which have been used since the early 1900s, are a great treatment option after a patient undergoes allergy testing, says Friedman, who practices at Ohio ENT & Allergy Physicians.

Given over several years, first weekly and eventually monthly, each dose contains a small amount of whatever allergens set off an individual’s symptoms. That stimulates the body’s immune system to develop a tolerance to the allergens.

About two-thirds of people who complete a course of allergy shots are effectively cured, Friedman says. For the other third, additional rounds may help. And allergy shots can have additional advantages, including preventing the onset of asthma and reducing the chance of becoming allergic to additional substances.

Medications such as nasal steroid sprays, oral antihistamines, eye drops and others also can decrease allergy symptoms; for some people, that’s the only treatment they’ll need, he says.

A newer and quicker option is intralymphatic immunotherapy, known as ILIT. In this procedure, a small concentration of allergens is injected into the inguinal lymph nodes in the groin three times over two months. Because the injections go directly into the lymph nodes, tolerance to allergens builds up quicker than with subcutaneous injections in the arm.

The procedure isn’t approved by the 20

U.S. Food and Drug Administration, so health insurance doesn’t cover the cost.

Both Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Premier Allergy & Asthma offer ILIT, charging $3,300 to $3,900 for the series of shots.

OSU’s Dr. Christopher Brooks says Ohio State was the first U.S. university to offer the procedure 2½ years ago; several others now offer it. “A lot of people don’t have time for weekly shots, and they may live a long distance away from a doctor,” Brooks says. “So, a lot of patients have

found ILIT is worth it to them.”

Michelle Ganz had ILIT last fall after suffering from allergies to “everything outdoors” for years. Allergy shots as a child didn’t cure her so, at the age of 50, she opted for ILIT at Ohio State. “I used to have to limit my outside time to 15 minutes before my nose would run and I would get itchy, but this spring I could sit outside for hours at a time,” says Ganz, an archivist at the Dominican Sisters of Peace. “It cost me a fortune, but it was worth every single penny.”

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

By Kathy Lynn Gray

COLUMBUS MONTHLY SEPTEMBER 2026

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8/3/26 11:41 AM

PHOTO COURTESY OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY WEXNER MEDICAL CENTER

Dr. Summit Shah, owner of Premier Allergy & Asthma, began offering ILIT a year ago. He says the therapy has been used for about 20 years, and patients like it because it doesn’t require lengthy treatment. “We have a lot of people who fall off from taking the traditional shots,” he says. “This is equally effective.”

Brooks says ILIT can control symptoms for years. He says the series can include up to six allergens, and it works well for dog or cat allergies. It cannot be used for food or venom allergies, he says.

Ohio ENT & Allergy Physicians doesn’t offer ILIT. “There are very limited studies on it, and we need more data,” Friedman says. “We’ve looked at it, but we don’t think it’s ready for primetime.

We are on the sidelines, with the vast majority of groups.”

Both Shah and Friedman say that while some people believe they can keep allergic reactions to pets at bay with a so-called “hypoallergenic” dog, that is a major misconception. “There’s no such thing,” says Shah.

According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, all dogs produce allergenic proteins, in-

A lot of patients have found ILIT is worth it to them.”

Dr. Christopher Brooks, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

cluding in dander, hair, saliva, urine and blood. Those allergens linger in the air or settle on surfaces, triggering allergic reactions in those who are sensitive. Allergen levels in dogs marketed as hypoallergenic—such as poodles, labradoodles or bichon frises—are no lower than in other

dogs, the academy says.

Breeanna Herdman of Gahanna, who is allergic to dogs, says the allergy shots she’s been taking for about a year keep her eyes from watering and her nose from running when she’s around her Chihuahua, Benny. Previously, she took an antihistamine most days. “It’s definitely worth it,” says Herdman, a medical assistant at OSU’s allergy practice. “My allergies will get better as time goes on.”

Friedman says pet owners can take measures to reduce their exposure to dog or cat allergens. Make the bedroom a petfree zone, don’t use carpet on the bedroom floor and add an air purifier, he says.

He cautions parents who have allergies to be on the lookout for them in their children. A child has a 40 percent chance of having allergies if one parent has them and a 70 percent chance if both parents have allergies, Friedman says. However, the parent and child may be allergic to different things, he says.

Friedman says research into allergy control is ongoing, and additional treatments are on the horizon. As an allergy sufferer himself, he’s looking forward to those new developments. ◆

Treating You with Care

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DUBLIN CANCER CENTER 6700 PERIMETER DRIVE DUBLIN, OHIO 43016

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SEPTEMBER 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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21 8/3/26 11:31 AM

ON VIEW THROUGH JANUARY 3, 2027

Experience art with all your senses in Tavares Strachan’s first U.S. museum survey—only at The Pizzuti, Columbus Museum of Art’s campus in the Short North Arts District.

plan your visit

columbusmuseum.org

ColumbusMonthly_51016_08_14_2026_B_022_664790 (1).indd 1

8/3/26 11:29 AM

Fall Arts Guide

PHOTO COURTESY RANDALL L. SCHIEBER

Columbus’ vibrant arts scene is brimming with things to add to your calendar this fall.

From theater, concerts, live music, gallery shows, holiday events and more, there’s no shortage of opportunities to keep you inspired this season.

24 Vintage rock poster sale 26 Thurber House’s new leader 27 Events to pack your schedule 36 Columbus’ burgeoning comedy scene

SEPTEMBER 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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23 8/3/26 3:42 PM

FALL ARTS GUIDE

Rock On Tom Miller with a small sample of his concert poster collection

The McConnell Arts Center is getting its groove on with a series of live rock performances paired with vintage poster sales.

L

ongtime Worthington resident Tom Miller recently unearthed an impressive collection of lesser appreciated art: band posters.

Miller’s extensive collection, with household names such as Pink Floyd and The Beatles sourced from festivals like Woodstock and the Austin Psych Fest, soon will be on view at the McConnell Arts Center. The new series, Rockin’ Art at the MAC, will be built around sales of the rock poster collection in conjunction with live music from a variety of bands local and national including Vanilla Fudge and C+C Music Factory.

24

“I started collecting music around 1965,” Miller says. “I have continued ever since, never knowing that my record collection or my poster collection would be worth anything. … If you go to a concert, one of the options is to buy a poster instead of a T-shirt, and to me [a poster] is going to last a lot longer than that T-shirt, and a lot of the posters I bought 30 years ago are now worth 100 times what I paid for them.”

The series will be both an opportunity to see live music and buy posters, as well as a nostalgic experience for anyone acquainted with classic rock music, says

McConnell Arts Center executive director Kimberlee Goodman.

“One time, we had a ‘90s cover band here at the MAC. I [felt like I] was back in college, wearing my Dr. Martens boots, smoking a clove cigarette. I know that will be people’s experience as well when they come to these concerts,” she says.

“The nostalgia is huge. Everyone wants to remember when they were young, whatever decade that was.”

The proceeds of the poster sales will benefit the nonprofit McConnell Arts Center, something Goodman hopes can extend beyond this year. “I had imagined

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

By Zach Trabitz | Photos by Tim Johnson

COLUMBUS MONTHLY SEPTEMBER 2026

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7/31/26 1:06 PM

that Tom would prepare his collection and send the top 200 posters, and he’s not going to do that,” Goodman says. “He’s going to do it a little bit more piecemeal, which again, as the person who has to always be thinking about cash flow for the arts center, is a dream. If this is a gift that could go on for 10 years, as opposed to one big gift at one time, [that’s] a dream scenario.”

The MAC has been looking to establish an endowment that could sustain it with annual draws, which could be aided by the poster sale, says Goodman.

“I’ve gotten rid of at least 500 albums this year,” Miller says.” Initially, I [was sentimental], but I don’t really need to have [the posters] anymore. I need to pass it on. My son says if I die, he’s going to take two years off from work just to get rid of all the stuff I have. I’m trying to help him along, too. It was hard at first, but now it’s not. Now there’s some kind of satisfaction.” ◆

Rockin’ Art at the McConnell Arts Center Oct. 9 Vanilla Fudge with Angela Perley Nov. 6 Magic Dick of the J. Geils Band with Terry Davidson & the Gears April 24, 2027 C+ C Music Factory with MojoFlo May 22, 2027 The Family Stone For showtimes, tickets and more information, visit mcconnellarts.org

SEPTEMBER 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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FALL ARTS GUIDE

Thurber’s New Leader Poet Barbara Fant is ready to take on the challenges and opportunities of the historic literary center as its new executive director.

By Lucy Clark

I

26

Barbara Fant

reached out to let Thurber know they may be eligible for a grant from a literary arts fund she came across. “One conversation led to another, and the opportunity opened up.”

“The impact she’s made on the [communities where she has worked]—that [stood] out the most,” says Paula Cole, Thurber House board president and head of pension risk transfer at Nationwide Financial. “Couple that with her skill sets from a nonprofit business standpoint.

She’s been in so many different places supporting nonprofit organizations, which [sets her up well] for this position where she’s going to need to not only be influential but organize the community to continue to elevate Thurber House.”

In December 2024, Thurber House asked the local community to help it raise $200,000 to stay afloat. Like many other arts nonprofits, the organization continues to struggle amid budget and funding cuts and lack of community awareness or engagement. “[We’re] facing the same challenges as every other nonprofit organization,” says Cole. “Society is in this volatile space of financial instability. ... We’re trying to grow beyond that uncertainty.” Cole cites the rise of technology as a challenge to literary organizations, but

sees them as working in tandem, not opposition, to technology.

Thurber is working to enhance current partnerships and forge new ones. Ohio Humanities recently moved its operations to Thurber House, for example. This means the two organizations are able to share operational costs including rent, internet and security, per a representative from Ohio Humanities Alliance.

“We know how excited Barbara is to help Thurber House realize its full potential as a platform for civic engagement, and we’re thrilled to be a partner as she does,” says Ohio Humanities Alliance executive director Rebecca Asmo. “We look forward to collaborating on a plan to reimagine the museum and how the public can experience it as a living literary house rather than just a historic one.”

As Fant prepares to take on the challenges and opportunities presented by the executive director role, she’s excited for the chance to engage with all reaches of the Columbus community—literary and beyond.

“We create our greatest work when we tap into who we are fully and authentically. I think that’s what I’m always bringing into a space, is the importance of our stories,” she says. ◆

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

n a time when community is fragmented and art has been put on the cultural defensive, poet, advocate and incoming Thurber House leader Barbara Fant is ready to challenge the status quo. “I believe in the arts, and I believe that the arts heal and save people,” says Fant, who will become executive director at the literary nonprofit Sept. 1. “Artists, we’re the vanguards of the revolution, right?”

Fant, who was born in Youngstown but cites Columbus as the city that “cultivated her voice,” returns after a stint in Los Angeles, where she primarily worked within and alongside prison and justice systems, particularly with gang involved youth, teaching poetry and art as a mode of healing. Her titles there included program director for Homeboy Industries, artistic director for Street Poets Inc. and director of trainings and replication at Arts for Healing and Justice Network.

“I know what it’s like to be a young person who was compounded with grief, who didn’t have a voice,” she says. “It was always just about the healing centered work. ...

Writing something out is a certain level of release. When you get it on paper, when you get it out, you don’t have to carry that around in your system anymore.”

It is with a heft of compassion and community-centric experience that Fant will take on her position with Thurber House—priorities that are at the heart of her mission once she assumes the role. “I would like to make sure that every writer knows that they have a home here,” Fant says.

Fant was a teaching artist and previously sat on the board at Thurber. She COLUMBUS MONTHLY SEPTEMBER 2026

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Fall Arts Guide | Listings

HighBall Halloween Couture Costume Fashion Show

Fill your calendar with the arts this fall. Columbus offers theater, dance and musical performances, gallery openings and more.

By Kevin Elliott

August 1 Enduring Legacy Decorative Arts Center of Ohio, 145 E. Main St., Lancaster This exhibit pays homage to an array of makers, including glassmakers, fiber artists, potters and more. Through Aug. 30.

PHOTO COURTESY ANDREW BLIGHT

8 Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief’s Tribute to America’s Warriors National Veterans Memorial and Museum, 300 W. Broad St., Downtown An exhibition of over 90 portraits of post-9/11 service members and veterans hand-painted by former President George W. Bush. Through December 31.

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A Common Thread Ohio Craft Museum, 1665 W. 5th Ave., Grandview An exhibition celebrating the life of fiber artist Sue Cavanaugh and her unfinished large scale fabric installation.

Through September 26.

Columbus Comedy Festival Various venues in Columbus Comedy invades Columbus over five nights and dozens of stand-up sets around town. Headliners include Nina West, Greg Fitzsimmons and Saya Meads.

19 A Journey Through America with Robert Freimark The Frank Museum of Art, 39 S. Vine St., Westerville Completed between 1960-68, Friemark’s abstract, full-color screen prints for each of the 50 states reflects the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. Through Dec. 4.

September 1 Southern Oracles: A Celebration of the South Side 7 p.m., Weigel Hall, 1866 N. College Road, Columbus Streetlight Guild brings the artistry of Columbus’ South Side to campus for this free event, featuring a mix of music, poetry and dance featuring the Mark Lomax Trio and J. Rawls, among others.

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FALL ARTS GUIDE 3

THE ARTS ARE ALWAYS HAPPENING IN COLUMBUS! Find Hundreds of Arts Events at ColumbusMakesArt.com/Events ArtMakesCbus

Starman: Bertil Vallien—60 Years of Exploring Glass Art 5 p.m., Hawk Galleries, 153 E. Main St., Columbus Hawk Galleries celebrates its 40th anniversary with pioneering Swedish glass artist Bertil Vallien, whose Starman exhibition honors six decades of innovation in contemporary glass. Through Oct. 31.

5 9th Annual Old School Invitational 4 p.m., Sean Christopher Gallery Ohio, 815 N. High St., Short North A group exhibition featuring recent works by select 1970s and 1980s Columbus College of Art and Design alumni.

Through Oct. 10.

5 ColumbusMakesArt.com is a project of:

Future Icons: A Choreographic Project 7:30 p.m., BalletMet, 322 Mt. Vernon Ave., Downtown BalletMet presents a mixed-rep ballet with several unrelated short ballets, created specifically for this night by three visiting international choreographers.

10 Speak of the Devil: Shadows and Sounds of Ozzy and Black Sabbath 7 p.m., Shadowbox Live, 503 S. Front St., Ste. 260, Brewery District Speak of the Devil celebrates Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath with classic heavy metal tributes honoring the genre’s founding band. Through Nov. 15.

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THERE’S ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW ON VIEW

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777 Evening St. | Worthington, OH 43085 614.431.0329 | www.mcconnellarts.org 28

Jana Pryor and Nick Stull 5:30 p.m., Sarah Gormley Gallery, 95 N. High St., Downtown Stull’s layered experimental portraits and public art celebrate individuality and community, while Pryor’s quiet southeast Ohio landscapes capture solitude and introspection. Through Oct. 3.

11-12 934 Fest 934 Gallery, 934 Cleveland Ave., Downtown 934 Gallery hosts two days with 20 local bands—including a reunited Times New Viking, Dana and Jay Swifa—an outdoor mural gallery and over 30 vendors.

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12 Mozart to Matisse 2 p.m., Columbus Museum of Art, 480 E. Broad St., Discovery District The Columbus Museum of Art and Columbus Symphony collaborate on a tour of celestial American artworks inspired

by Dobrinka Tabakova’s Orpheus’ Comet, followed by a live performance.

16 Wine Down Wednesdays: Large Mouth Brass Band 5:30 p.m., Lincoln Theatre, 769 E. Long St., Downtown Enjoy happy hour on Lincoln Theatre’s patio, with libations and live jazz.

18 Clare Rojas: Returning Columbus Museum of Art, 480 E. Broad St., Discovery District Returning features over sixty works—including painting and sculpture—from Rojas, inspired by her return to Columbus after an illustrious career in the San Francisco Bay area. Through Feb. 7, 2027.

18 When Extraction Becomes Form It Speaks in Borrowed Tongues Wexner Center for the Arts, 1871 N. High St., University District The first solo exhibition from Congolese artist Sammy Baloji uses photography, film, sculpture and large-scale installations to examine the effects of colonialism. Through Feb. 14, 2027.

18 Temitayo Ogunbiyi: You Will Have Revelations Along Felled Branches and Longer Roots/Routes Wexner Center for the Arts, 1871 N. High St., University District Ogunbiyi encourages play and discovery to explore the layered histories and everyday use of plants in her native Nigeria to the Midwest. Through Feb. 14, 2027.

18-19 Rachmaninoff and Bartók 7:30 p.m., Ohio Theatre, 39 E. State St., Downtown The Columbus Symphony presents selections from Rachmaninoff and Bartók to begin its 75th anniversary season.

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FALL ARTS GUIDE 19 Jagged Little Pill Riffe Center One, 77 S. High St., Downtown The Contemporary Theatre presents the Tony and Grammy-award-winning jukebox musical based on Alanis Morrisette’s Jagged Little Pill album. Through October 4.

24 Chasing the Light: Artists Speak McConnell Arts Center, 777 Evening St., Worthington The group exhibition, curated by Loren Bucek, explores the concept of light through several dimensions, including how it builds community and illuminates social justice.

24 Sweeney Todd Garden Theater, 1187 N. High St., Short North The enduring Sondheim musical about the Demon Barber of Fleet Street makes its debut on the Short North Stage.

Through Oct. 18.

27 Gary Gulman: Misfit 7 p.m., Lincoln Theatre, 769 E. Long St., Downtown Comedian Gary Gulman brings his Mis-

fit stand-up tour to town; a mix of observational humor and self-deprecating stories growing up in suburban Massachusetts in the ‘80s.

October 2 Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock Live 6:30 p.m., Palace Theatre, 34 W. Broad St., Downtown Join the Fraggles as they embark on a live-action adventure to discover the legend of the Celebration Stone.

2 Dvorák and Brahms 7:30 p.m., Ohio Theatre, 39 E. State St., Downtown Aubree Oliverson returns to the Columbus Symphony to perform Dvořák’s dazzling Violin Concerto alongside Brahms’s radiant Second Symphony.

Through Oct. 3.

3 Color Improvisations 3 Decorative Arts Center of Ohio, 145 E. Main St., Lancaster This exhibit will feature an impressive collection of large-scale contemporary quilts.

3 Latino Heritage Festival Exhibition Blockfort, 162 N. 6th St., Downtown Blockfort will host a showcase of creative expression of Latino heritage with a group show.

3 HighBall Halloween Short North The Short North Alliance will transform High Street with over 80 makers, live music, a collection of galleries and the HighBall Halloween Costume Couture Fashion Show.

6 Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis 7 p.m., Mershon Auditorium, 1871 N. High St., University District The “Pied Piper of Jazz,” Wynton Marsalis brings his Lincoln Center Orchestra for a night of swing, blues and traditional jazz compositions.

6 Death Becomes Her Ohio Theatre, 39 E. State St., Downtown A musical based on the classic 1992 comedy, Death Becomes Her, with direction and choreography by Tony winner Christopher Gattelli. Through Oct. 11.

PHOTO BY FRED SQUILLANTE/COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Orisha Nnani painting at Urban Scrawl

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Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show Garden Theater, 1187 N. High St., Short North Join Brad, Janet and Dr. Frank-N-Furter to do the time warp again. The Short North Stage presents a limited run of the Halloween favorite. Through Oct. 31.

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Urban Scrawl 400 W. Rich St., Franklinton The 20th anniversary of Columbus’ longest running mural festival transforms Franklinton into an open-air gallery with live painting, studio tours and an auction of local art.

Mysteries, Anthems & Victories 7:30 p.m., Ohio Theatre, 39 E. State St., Downtown The Columbus Symphony’s 75th season features Gregory Spears’ world premiere of The Mysteries, as well as Davóne Tines’ Concerto No. 2: ANTHEM and Tchaikovsky’s triumphant Fifth Symphony.

Queer Constellations: Photographs from the Aronowitz Family Collection Columbus Museum of Art, 480 E. Broad St., Discovery District Featuring more than 150 photographs, this exhibition traces queer history from the early 19th century to today through works by Robert Mapplethorpe, Peter Hujar and others. Through March 21, 2027.

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16 Marilyn Davidson Theatre, 77 S. High St., Downtown BalletMet combines the glitz and glamour of Marilyn Monroe’s legacy with a traditional ballet performance. Through Oct. 24th.

Pulp Stiction Hopkins Hall Gallery, 128 N. Oval Mall, University District Columbus Collage Collective’s Emily Morgan curates an exhibit that unites local and national artists who use collage as a radical, participatory art form.

Through Nov. 14th.

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A Talk with Chris Ware 2 p.m., Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum, 1813 N. High St., University District The newly remodeled Billy Ireland hosts artist Chris Ware, creator of Jimmy Corrigan and Acme Novelty Library, alongside his exhibition, Life is Complicated, in conversation.

Bobrauschenbergamerica 7 p.m., Riffe Center Studio One, 77 S. High St., Downtown Available Light Theatre presents a production by Charles Mee about Robert Rauschenberg, imagining his life as a playwright instead of a pop artist.

Through Nov. 14.

OF EXTRAORDINARY INNOVATION AND EXCELLENCE

Nancy Crow curator

October 3, 2026 – January 3, 2027

November • Art Classes, Ages 5–Adult

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Maybe Happy Ending Ohio Theatre, 39 E. State St., Downtown The winner of six Tony awards, including Best Musical, Maybe Happy Ending is a romantic comedy that answers what happens when cyborgs fall in love. Through Nov. 8.

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Sweat Variant’s Adaku, Part 2 7 p.m., Wexner Center for the Arts, 1871 N. High St., University District Okwui Okpokwasili and Peter Born combine dance, theater and visual art to explore Black identity and the power of ritual.

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CONTEMPORARY QUILTS

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Miniature Halloween Village Streetlight Guild, 1367 E. Main St., Near East Side Now in its sixth year, the Mini Halloween Village is an intricately curated display of Scott Woods’ extensive collection of spooky paraphernalia. Through Oct. 31.

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COMING SOON

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Sydney Beach Zester 5:30 p.m., Sarah Gormley Gallery, 95 N. High St., Downtown Zester transforms antique domestic textiles by turning utilitarian materials into sculptures that question binaries and explore physical and emotional tension.

Through Oct. 31.

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Wednesday–Friday, 11:00 am–4:00 pm • Saturday & Sunday, 1:00–4:00 pm 145 East Main Street | Lancaster, Ohio | 740-681-1423 | decartsohio.org

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FALL ARTS GUIDE BalletMet performs the Nutcracker

4 Amy Pleasant 5:30 p.m., Sarah Gormley Gallery, 95 N. High St., Downtown Pleasant’s color-saturated figurative and botanical paintings draw on family photographs, found snapshots and the artist’s roots to explore memory, inheritance and generational change. Through Nov. 21.

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6 Pirates! A Penzance Musical Palace Theatre, 34 W. Broad St., Downtown CAPA and Opera Columbus collaborate on a new take on Gilbert and Sullivan, combining opera, musical theater and jazz in the songs of the swashbuckling classic. Through Nov. 8

7 Eureka Day Riffe Center Two, 77 S. High St., Downtown The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio presents the Tony winning play by Jonathan Spector centered around a mumps outbreak in a progressive California school.

Through Nov. 22.

7 Stand Out: A Decade of Paintings by Chris Taylor 4 p.m., Sean Christopher Gallery Ohio, 815 N. High St., Short North A retrospective of the artist’s playful and colorful works that call into question our perception and understanding of figure and image. Through Dec. 5.

14 Palace 100: The Genius of Ray Charles Palace Theatre, 34 W. Broad St., Downtown Capping 100 years of the Palace, Paul Shaffer leads an all-star band, featuring Columbus-born musician (looks like he’s in LA now) Billy Valentine and producer Gregg Field, through the music of Ray Charles.

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15 Dan Tepfer: Natural Machines 3 p.m., Timashev Recital Hall, 1900 College Road. N., University District Tepfer’s innovative approach to solo performance combines a programmed player piano with his own improvisational playing, into an immersive dialogue of man vs. machine.

19 Hedieh Sharifzadeh: Ideology to Invasion and Invasion to Transition McConnell Arts Center, 777 Evening St., Worthington Sharifzadeh uses foam sculptures to examine the present moment in Iranian society. Her confrontational art is meant to represent the Islamic Republic’s oppressive regime. Through Jan. 21, 2027.

19 Hairspray Garden Theatre, 1187 N. High St., Short North Short North Stage presents the esteemed musical, which follows Tracy Turnblad pursuing dance show fame while challenging racial segregation in 1960s Baltimore. Through Dec. 27.

ly and quick-paced, musical version of Dicken’s A Christmas Carol. Through Dec. 23.

8 Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas: The Musical Palace Theatre, 34 W. Broad St., Downtown The Seuss story about the true meaning of Christmas comes to life on stage.

Featuring the music of Mel Marvin and Timothy Mason. Through Dec. 13.

10 A Christmas Carol Riffe Center Two, 77 S. High St., Downtown A Contemporary Theatre favorite, Angela Iannone performs more than 30 characters in this captivating one-person adaptation of Dickens’ classic. Through December 20.

10 The Nutcracker Ohio Theatre, 39 E. State St., Downtown BalletMet performs the Tchaikovsky classic following Clara through the Land of Snow in search of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Through Dec. 27.

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Verdi’s Requiem 7:30 p.m., Ohio Theatre, 39 E. State St., Downtown The Columbus Symphony performs Verdi’s Requiem; one of the most monumental choral works accompanied by a quartet of guest soloists. Through Nov. 21.

NACBT Nutcracker Columbus Children’s Theatre, 5161 Forest Dr., New Albany NACBT will produce its 18th season of classic tale. Through Dec. 13.

December 4 Mr. Scrooge Riffe Center One, 77 S. High St., Downtown Columbus Children’s Theatre presents a live-

19 Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite 8 p.m., Lincoln Theatre, 769 E. Long St., Downtown Such Sweet Thunder brings Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite to the Lincoln Theatre, reimagining the holiday classic with fresh arrangements by Ryan Hamilton and an all-star ensemble.

PHOTO BY ALIE SKOWRONSKI/COLUMBUS DISPATCH

SML 7 and 9 p.m., Wexner Center for the Arts, 1871 N. High St., University District Celebrated supergroup of musicians from Chicago’s avant-jazz scene perform a dizzying mix of electronics, rhythm and improvisation. Named Best New Music by Pitchfork magazine.

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The Mic Drops Here

Columbus’ Comedy Scene Comes Into Its Own Story by Linda Lee Baird Photos by Tim Johnson

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Rance Rizzutto and Tara DeFrancisco at The Nest Theatre

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t’s 6:30 p.m. on a Monday night in June, and Sweeney’s Walnut Street Tavern in Franklinton is already packed. But the crowd isn’t there to kick back after a long day. They’ve got pens in hand, paper laid out on the bar and are listening attentively, ready to compete.

The goal is to come up with the funniest answers to prompts such as, “Take a common street sign and add something to make it rude.”

Welcome to Everybody’s a Comedian, a weekly event hosted by Travis Hoewischer.

“It’s less of a show and it’s more an interactive joke writing night,” Hoewischer says. “Like Cards Against Humanity through a bar trivia format.”

You could call this event a microcosm of the local comedy scene right now: It’s in a venue you might not expect, it’s free to attend and it’s unique in its approach.

The crowd is a mix of regulars and newcomers, some—like us—still trying to figure out the game. And, contrary to many assumptions about the world of comedy, it’s a supportive space to do so.

Even as Hoewischer roasts some of the anonymous answers as he reads them aloud, there’s a certain motivation that comes with less-than-stellar responses.

Those he deems the worst in the round are invited to own their failings by identifying themselves and taking a shot of Malört, which undoubtedly helps wouldbe comedians whet their creative whistles for the next round.

If you want to take the game further and use the jokes you walk away with as the start for a larger set at an open mic, you’ve got plenty of options in town.

Do you want to be a comedian? Do you want to see more comedy? Take a class in the fine art of funny?

In Columbus, it’s a good time to do these things.

Sketching Out the Columbus Comedy Scene Options abound in local comedy right now, so much so that the first question

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you might ask is not, “What time is the show?” but instead is, “What type of show do I want to see?”

Is it improv? Check out the Nest Theatre or the Hashtag Comedy Co. Sketch? Shadowbox Live might be the spot for you.

Seeking standup? Consider heading to The Attic Comedy Club in Olde Towne East, or spend a few minutes searching to find open mics all over town at spots like The Spacebar. Or, take a chance on one of the Don’t Tell Comedy shows, which pop up in unusual venues across town, revealed only on the day of the performance.

There are the subgenres to consider as well. Do you prefer long or short form improv—or perhaps an improvised musical? Are you looking for local talent behind the stand-up mic, a national name or the next big thing?

Search a little bit, and you’ll find options for crowd work, talk-show style and character-based performances. And if you don’t want to leave your house, you can catch local comics via podcast and on Instagram.

All told, Hannah Romich, the co-owner at Hashtag, who performs under the stage name Hannah Romes, estimates there are 500 to 600 people who do comedy in Columbus.

“There’s great open mics happening almost every night of the week in Columbus,” says Barack Lesnar, co-manager and co-booker at The Attic. In many other cities, those open mics might have a small crowd—perhaps consisting mainly of other performers—but here, he says, comics are “able to develop in front of hungry audiences that are prime for comedy.”

Lesnar compares the comedy scene now with the city’s longstanding reputation as a test market for food, fashion and technology. “I think if you can build a name, if you can build the brand and you can build your comedy here in Columbus, I think it really travels across the country.”

The annual Columbus Comedy Festival, which will be held for the third time this year Aug. 27-30, celebrates the growth and significance of the local scene. Organized by Columbus Underground, the event unites venues from MadLab to the Columbus Funny Bone and the Southern Theatre in collaborating to showcase local and national talent.

Nickey Winkelman, who regularly hosts at the Funny Bone and has been performing in Columbus for 20 years, says the collaboration among venues for

the festival “is really rare and cool to see.”

She counts the local scene today as being among the best in the country.

“When I started in 2006, there were a handful of open mics. Now you can get on stage multiple times a night every night of the week. We have more women in the comedy scene than ever before, and tons of opportunities for people to create and produce their own shows,” she says.

Romich says Don’t Tell Comedy, a national brand, has bolstered the visibility of the local scene. “People have seen some of their favorite comedians who are based in LA have a Don’t Tell special,” she says, explaining that when they discover there are Don’t Tell shows in Columbus, they’re eager to attend. And once there, they have a chance to see local talent alongside up-and-coming regional and national acts.

“If you come to a Don’t Tell show, you’re going to see some of the best people in the country that are like in the middle class, maybe about to pop. They open for the names that you’re familiar with. And, you know, they’re kind of the next up,” says Peter Ostapowicz, Midwest regional producer for Don’t Tell Comedy. “Kam Patterson, who’s currently on Saturday Night Live, was doing our [Columbus Don’t Tell] shows before he even moved to Austin, which is how we’ve kind of popped,” he says.

Ostapowicz says Columbus is “one of the stronger Don’t Tell Comedy cities,” hosting close to 150 shows annually and over 200 in 2024.

Lesnar says the city has strong comedy clubs, and he describes a virtuous cycle

that emerges from them.

“It brings big name comedians to the scene. It allows opportunities for those local comedians to get on stage with big names, which allows them to be introduced to local comedy fans. It allows local comedy fans to be introduced to them. But there’s also a lot of independent comedy production that happens in the city,” he says.

Hashtag Comedy Co. near the Short North.

An improv performance at The Nest Theatre

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How and Where Do Local Comedians Get Started?

The Nest Theatre in Old North Columbus is both a performance space and a training ground for emerging talent. If you’re interested in improv, or you want to get some experience before jumping into an open mic or see some of those in-

L.T. Thornton, left, and Isaac Nnyanzi perform an improv skit at The Nest Theatre

dependent productions Lesnar refers to, it’s a good place to start.

Founded in 2016 by married couple Tara DeFrancisco and Rance Rizzutto, the Nest offers a four-level core curriculum of improv classes.

“And then after that, we have a bunch of what we call ‘bliss paths,’ ” Rizzutto says. “Once you learn that stuff, we also teach you how to do stand-up or teach you how to do sketch comedy or writing for late night TV, among tons of other things that we have.”

Many of the performers you can see now on local stages got started at the Nest, Lesnar included, who says he “took all their classes” in 2018. Hashtag also has offered classes for a decade, with the brick-and-mortar Short North area club opening in 2023.

And of course, open mics offer many opportunities to get started. While bigger venues like the Funny Bone can fill up quickly, they’re also an important pipeline. The Attic’s website notes that comics who stand out at the weekly Wednesday open mic are considered for paid spots elsewhere in the schedule.

But you don’t have to be at a designated comedy club to see comedy: Events are happening at The Spacebar, Café Bourbon Street, Sweeney’s and elsewhere.

As Winkelman notes, the city hasn’t

Peter Ostapowicz

38

always had the robust options it does today. Collaboration across clubs has helped to grow the scene. “There’s no expected exclusivity to one club where you’re not allowed to work at another,” she says. “Headliners can come in and be on both a club stage and a Don’t Tell show. Everyone wants a thriving scene because that benefits us all.”

More options generally also offer more opportunities for women and others who had difficulty breaking into the scene in the past. Comedian Amber Falter, who has been active in Columbus for over a decade, mentions the women-run weekly Brats open mic at Spacebar as a highlight.

“I love that open mic because it’s something I didn’t have when I started. And if I had that when I started, I would have been a totally different person. It’s so inviting. It’s such a safe space,” she says.

A growing scene also means more chances for newcomers. Nef Johnson, Lesnar’s counterpart at The Attic, says prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were just a few people who determined your fate as a Columbus comedian. Some established comics “were sort of gatekeeping. And when COVID happened, it just made opportunities for comedy,” Johnson says. With clubs closed, people developed acts at home. When the city reopened, the landscape had changed.

“I went to dive bars, and I had [a] comedy residency at Skully’s, and another comedy residency at Natalie’s,” Johnson says.

That tension between established comics and newer faces is common in a young scene, Rizzutto says. “There’s a high probability that the people running the businesses feel a sense of competition and ‘us versus them,’ ” noting this was something he also witnessed in Portland and Chicago.

Lesnar says it’s an issue that hasn’t completely resolved. But the specialties of the various performance spaces help to differentiate the field. Comedians performing across venues can bring in new audiences as well, as can events like the Columbus Comedy Festival.

DeFrancisco offers an optimistic assessment of the growing landscape, comparing the comedy scene to a healthy music scene with multiple performance venues. After all, many options indicate a scene that’s thriving.

“If you see a good concert, you don’t want to not see another concert. … So why would we not help each other out as much as we can?” ◆

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Faces of Columbus Comedy

Owner and performer Rance Rizzutto congratulates improvisers after a recent show at The Nest Theatre

Meet some of the performers, producers, teachers and venue owners contributing to Columbus’ robust comedy scene.

O

n almost any night in a given week, you can find live comedy in Columbus. The city’s thriving scene boasts stand-up, improv and experimental performances in venues across town. Meet some of the local comedians, teachers and producers who are contributing to local comedy while building the next generation of comedians—and find out where you can see them in action.

Tara DeFrancisco and Rance Rizzutto: The Nest Theatre Husband and wife duo Tara DeFrancisco and Rance Rizzutto first met in Chicago, where they worked with renowned improv theaters including Second City and iO Theater Chicago. DeFrancisco says those places “were kind of like a grad school for comedy” in the early 2000s.

ComedySportz—an improv show that Rizzutto describes as being like a competitive version of Whose Line Is It Anyway?—first brought the couple together in 2003, though it would be another decade before they started dating.

Around the time they became a couple,

Story by Linda Lee Baird Photos by Tim Johnson they launched a groundbreaking improv show, Here: The (Improvised) Musical, an idea they pitched as iO was moving to a new building and the couple had an opportunity to experiment.

“We just thought, ‘Let’s see if we can sustain almost an hour-long show as two people.’ And we did it and got a standing ovation the first night, and it packed the place and sold out. … So when we moved buildings, we got a residency show,” DeFrancisco says.

Even as Here was gaining recognition—the couple has toured the show internationally, performing in 24 countries—the idea for The Nest was percolating. DeFrancisco, a Columbus native, says her local connections were asking for workshops akin to what was offered in Chicago.

Here’s success also gave them more flexibility on where to live. “It’s an easy combo for people to bring us in,” Rizzutto says. “You just have to fly two people.”

Though some in the Chicago improv scene were surprised to see DeFrancisco and Rizzutto start their transition to Columbus as Here was taking off—and

there was a lot of back and forth between cities as they settled—they opened The Nest 10 years ago, eventually settling into a North High Street brick-and-mortar.

With The Nest, they also founded a local comedy community, offering classes and hosting up to seven shows every week, even as they continued to perform. Rizzutto estimates over 1,800 students have come through the programs at The Nest, which prioritize care and support for all participants in constructing a safe creative space.

“Everyone’s just so kind and so hungry,” DeFrancisco says. “They take really good care of each other. And that’s been really in the fabric of design of this space.”

See It Live The Nest Theatre 2643 N. High St., Old North nesttheatre.com About: The Nest Theatre offers a full lineup of shows and classes, specializing in improv but including other comedic genres. Visit the website for tickets and more information.

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Barack Lesnar and Nef Johnson: The Attic Comedy Club The Attic Comedy Club is aptly named.

You’ll find it up a flight of stairs above Osteria Pizzeria in Olde Towne East.

And the climb is steep, but worthwhile.

Co-managers and bookers Barack Lesnar and Nef Johnson have made The Attic a premier destination for comedy in Columbus since they took over management in 2025 from the club’s founder, comedian Bo Stenger.

“It feels like watching comedy in somebody’s living room, somebody’s house that you really like being at,” Lesnar says of the space, crediting Stenger for his vision.

Johnson agrees. “That room is pretty close to the layout of the Comedy Cellar in New York, … so it’s just the best place you could ever do stand-up physically,” he says.

Johnson knows New York City rooms, as he spends roughly half of his time living in the city while pursuing stand-up, performing at clubs including the New York Comedy Club and The Stand.

The Attic nurtures the growing Columbus scene by providing audiences to local comics while elevating the level of talent that comes through town. “We’re still going to create opportunities to make the local comedy scene better. But we’re also going to bring big names. We’re going to bring national headliners,” Lesnar says, mentioning upcoming shows from The Office actor David Koechner and Saturday Night Live alum Chris Kattan.

Lesnar says they also have worked to break down barriers in local comedy.

“I felt the comedy scene in Columbus was very segregated. There [was] Black comedy, white comedy and there was often not a whole lot of mixing. I wanted something that just recognized everything as comedy within the city, brought everybody under an umbrella.”

Johnson shares the sentiment. “How far is The Attic going to get if we don’t have a plethora of different types of comics?” he asks. “It should be a mixing pot.”

For Johnson, comedy came from tragedy: He became serious about performing following his daughter’s suicide. “Comedy was the only thing I could do to get out of bed,” he says. “That was the only thing that could make me feel something good. And it wouldn’t last long, but I had to do stand-up.”

Lesnar, a New York City native of Dominican decent, grew up in Milwaukee and came to Columbus when he 40

Nef Johnson, left, and Barack Lesnar at The Attic Comedy Club

was 25 after finding a job while helping his mother relocate here. His stand-up draws heavily on his background: One of his jokes talks about how he was born on an island with many other Dominicans, and then revealing the island is Manhattan. Other parts of this routine talk about cultural clashes he experienced in the Midwest.

“I’ve always felt the need to express myself with words, so there just happened to be a convergence where my love of comedy and my professional life kind of led me to where I am now,” Lesnar says.

Johnson sees comedy as the right art form for this cultural moment. “I think comedy is huge right now because it’s needed,” he says. “It’s needed because we’re in a troubling time … because nobody’s talking to each other. And comedy is a version of the English language that you can only experience in a comedy club,” he says. “[We] don’t talk like that to each other at work.”

See It Live Pop-Up Comedy Jam at The Attic Comedy Club 7 p.m. Aug. 29; $10 892 Oak St., Olde Towne East theatticcomedy.com If you go: Barack Lesnar and Nef Johnson will perform with others in a show that’s part of the Columbus Comedy Festival.

Visit The Attic’s website for tickets.

Hannah Romich: Hashtag Comedy Co. Hannah Romich, co-owner of the Hashtag Comedy Co., is making a big impact on the local scene at a young age.

Romich, who performs under the stage name Hannah Romes, was recognized

by Forbes in 2025 as a member of the 30

Hannah Romich

Under 30 Columbus class.

Now 30, Romich has already been performing for a decade. After not bring selected for an improv team while she was an undergraduate at Ohio State University, Romich jumped into the local scene instead. “I wanted to do more, so I started going to those community classes,” she says. “And it was really neat because I got tapped into the comedy scene so early.”

Romich grew up in Wadsworth, a suburb of Akron, but brings her family’s

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suburban,” she says. “First in my family to go to Target, not to brag.”

Romich also serves as executive director of the nonprofit organization Columbus Laughs, which aims to promote the local comedy scene and help comics navigate it by connecting them “with tools that already exist in the community that they might not be aware of,” such as grants and funding opportunities, she says. Peter Ostapowicz, Midwest regional manager for Don’t Tell Comedy, serves as the organization’s director of development.

“Fair pay is something I really care about, something Peter really cares about,” she says.

See It Live Meemaw’s House at Hashtag Comedy Co. 7 p.m. Aug. 29 1253 N. High St., University District hashtagcomedy.com About: See Hannah Romich’s comedy variety show as part of the Columbus Comedy Festival. Visit Hashtag’s website for tickets.

Amber Falter

Tanya Vora

rural roots into shows like Meemaw’s House—a variety show that includes an opossum puppet and Werther’s Original candy for the crowd.

The show is inspired by the Appalachian culture her mother brought to her household and its contrasts with Romich’s suburban upbringing. “I’m first generation

Tanya Vora: Stand-up comedian and business owner Tanya Vora was interested in business before she was interested in comedy.

She had the idea for a company—Spice Up—that would connect the community through food and culture. In 2019, she began developing and pitching her idea at hackathons.

“Throughout these hackathons, I had been talking into a mic in front of people.

And so that developed an interest in doing that in a comedic way,” Vora says. She started attending open mics and finally stepped onto the stage herself in 2023.

Today, she’s one of six women co-hosts of Brats, a weekly open mic on Tuesdays at The Spacebar that Vora says is “women and femme focused,” though it is not meant to be exclusionary.

“I think it still holds true that comedy can be a boy’s club. That’s just our industry,” Vora says. With the number of open mics in the city, Brats’ founders wanted to establish a women’s night “to allow women and femmes to feel safe and welcome in our space specifically.”

Brats is named for the first letter in the names of its six rotating hosts—Bridjet Mendy, Rochelle Collins, Ria Pinkman, Allison McBane, Tanya Vora and Sydney Wingate. The group approach allows for the work to be shared among them.

Vora says the scene in Columbus is

supportive. “It’s welcoming. The comedians here, we all get to know each other.

And that’s different from other scenes,” she says. “People drive from other cities here because our scene is vibrant.”

See It Live Brats open mic at The Spacebar Tuesdays at 7 p.m., Free 2590 N. High St., University District instagram.com/bratscomedy About: Brats is a booked open mic that’s catered to women and femmes but welcomes all.

Amber Falter: Stand-up comedian and podcaster Amber Falter is no stranger to Columbus’ comedy scene: She’s been performing for nearly 15 years. Falter says comedy was part of a healing process for her after her mother died when she was 19 years old.

“I was so sad and desperate to learn how to laugh again,” she recalls. Finding community and seeking a way “to not feel alone in a lot of my trauma” brought her to the stage.

In addition to performing, Falter is a producer and the host of All Beef, a podcast focused on her work in the service industry and “all the beef that I have and other people have with the industry,” she says.

Beef is a recurring motif in Falter’s work and her life: Her family has owned and operated the Herman Falter Packing Co. meatpacking plant on Greenlawn Avenue for over 130 years, and Falter currently lives on the site.

“A lot of my friends in comedy tell me to write about my experience here, but I’m still living it. So it’s not funny to me.

It’s my reality,” she says. “Maybe when I move out, I’ll be like, ‘I lived in a meat packing plant and the butchers did my laundry,’ It’s so bizarre. But it’s just so normal to me, and I can’t see the irony in it yet,” she says.

Until she’s ready to write that stand-up routine, you can hear her on All Beef, which began its second season in June.

Catch it on Spotify. ◆ See It Live Female AF at MadLab 6 p.m. Aug. 28; $20 227 N. 3rd St., Downtown Madlab.net If you go: Amber Falter will perform with four other comics in FemaleAF as part of the Columbus Comedy Festival. Visit MadLab’s website for tickets.

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Bold.

Bold.

Original.

Original.

Columbus Monthly is your go-to for coverage of the arts and the creative forces driving our culture and economy. With in-depth reporting and unforgettable stories you won’t find anywhere else, we spotlight the artists, innovators and ideas shaping the city.

Stay Inspired.

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A special quarterly section of Columbus Monthly EDITED BY JULANNE HOHBACH

GETTING KIDS ENGAGED IN THE COMMUNITY Young children can reap benefits from volunteering, just like the organizations they are helping.

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THE GO-TO GUIDE: ART ENRICHMENT FOR KIDS 16 places where children can get creative Page 48

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Christina Sullivan of Seeds of Caring (center) talks with Jon and Betsy Zacks and their children, Haddie, 2, Theo, 7, and Ollie, 5, at a summer fun kit event for Community Housing Network.

The Value of Volunteering It’s never too early for children to learn the benefits of giving back, and there are plenty of local organizations who are eager to have young helpers.

T

hird grader Arbella Craig-Ramsini lives a comfortable life in Lewis Center with her mom, dad and 6-year-old twin brothers, Soren and Dagan. Their house is spacious, their closets are filled with toys and clothes, and their meals are tasty and healthy.

But although Arbella is just 8 years old, her parents have made sure she doesn’t live in a bubble of privilege. She’s well aware not everyone is as lucky as her family, and she’s learned that through volunteering.

“We are very fortunate to have a lot of good things in our lives, and we think it’s our responsibility to help others,” says her mom, Larsa Craig-Ramsini. “I wanted to get that ingrained in them at an early age.”

Two years ago, Craig-Ramsini started looking for ways her children could give

44

back and discovered Seeds of Caring, an organization that coordinates volunteer opportunities for kids. Since then, she and her husband, Jason, and their children have worked at all sorts of nonprofit organizations to help others.

A decade ago, Seeds of Caring founder and executive director Brandy Jemczura wanted the same opportunity for her young children. “I was reflecting on what kinds of kids I wanted to raise, and I started doing research on how to raise kind, empathetic kids,” says Jemczura, who has three children. Volunteering kept popping up as one way to build empathy, so she searched for places in Columbus her children could contribute.

“I was shocked at how difficult it was and how many barriers there were,” she says. After consulting with neighborhood

parents and finding other families were looking for similar opportunities, she started organizing volunteering events within her community. Four months in, she was so flooded with requests that she formalized the effort and founded Seeds of Caring in 2016.

The nonprofit organization offers volunteer opportunities for children ages 2-12 individually and in groups through more than 60 nonprofits. Some experiences, dubbed Anywhere Projects, can be completed at home and others are in-person events. Each includes a way for children to talk about why volunteers are needed, often through a conversation or a picture book.

“We want the kids to have learned something bigger, so they can think about life from someone else’s perspective,”

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

By Kathy Lynn Gray

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PHOTOS FROM TOP: COURTESY BESA; BY TIM JOHNSON

Jemczura says. “We want to curate meaningful experiences for the kids.”

If the experience is at a food pantry, for example, a Seeds of Caring coordinator might read a storybook about a child who visits a food pantry. Then the kids might assemble sack lunches or dental kits for an hour alongside their parent or guardian. Before the volunteers leave, they’re encouraged to reflect on what the experience taught them. “We want them to understand why their actions mattered,” Jemczura says.

In its first year of operations, the organization filled 285 volunteer programming slots; last year, that number stood at 57,109. Jemczura says many volunteers contribute multiple times a year.

Opportunities range from making crafts with residents of senior living facilities to sorting clothes at Charity Newsies and assembling back-to-school kits at the Open Shelter. Seeds of Caring charges small fees for some experiences, while others are free.

Other Ways to Give Back Another Columbus organization, Besa, coordinates volunteer opportunities for all ages. Matthew Goldstein started the group in 2012 after realizing the most fulfilling part of his week wasn’t his job in market research but his volunteer stints at Columbus Suicide Prevention Services. He co-founded Besa with his then-boss, Suzanne Coates Brown, and the organization had 56 volunteers its first year.

The word besa, Goldstein explains, is Albanian for “keep the promise” and “do right in the world,” a cornerstone of Albanian culture. “Our goal is to bring people together through volunteerism,” he says. Fundraising, sponsorships and volunteer coordination for businesses pay for Besa’s operations.

Besa welcomes young volunteers, who can participate in family-friendly events that range from filling back-to-school backpacks to tending gardens to prepping food for the needy. Besa also partners with Seeds of Caring on some projects.

Goldstein often takes his 4-year-old daughter, Evelyn Estep, to volunteer and she pitches right in, he says. “She’s been to litter cleanups with me, to Charity Newsies and lots of other places,” he says.

“She’s getting exposed to volunteerism and to community service in a way she wouldn’t otherwise.”

Besa sponsors about 100 service proj-

ects a month, Goldstein says. In 2025, the organization had 16,336 volunteers who contributed 46,542 hours of service.

Besa has logged about 281,000 volunteer hours since 2012.

“The idea of service is such a great equalizer,” he says. “They are powerful moments that will be with them the rest of their lives.”

The number of volunteer opportunities expands as a child grows older, but some community-based nonprofits welcome children as young as age 5 if they come with an older sibling or adult.

One is the Clintonville-Beechwold Community Resources Center. “The younger they are when they start volunteering, the more likely they are to do it as they grow up,” says Aly Hartung, volunteer services coordinator for the center. “It’s important that everyone is helping others.”

Kids can sign up to unload grocery donations for the center’s pantry, stock shelves, and set tables and serve food for senior brunches. Groups, such as school classes or scout troops, can sign up to fill produce boxes and rake leaves for older adults in the community, Hartung says.

“They always end up having a better time than they expected,” she says. “Usually, they come with a sibling or a friend, and they’re very accommodating and doing whatever we ask them to.”

Third graders from nearby Clinton Elementary School come every Wednesday in May and pack 100 to 200 produce boxes. “They crush it. They’re so proud of themselves that they’re able to help. They learn that many hands make light work,” Hartung says.

“One of the main things we talk about with kids is that there should be no stigma to asking for help,” Hartung says.

A young Besa volunteer assembles care packages for the YWCA Family Center.

Dan and Erin Krasen build a cardboard house with children Quinn, 9, and Otto, 6, during the Seeds of Caring event.

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More Youth Volunteer Opportunities Besa – The nonprofit organization coordinates volunteer opportunities for all ages. besa.org Children’s Hunger Alliance – Groups of all ages can assemble meals and boxes or work events, with younger volunteers helping alongside an adult. childrenshungeralliance.org/volunteer Clintonville-Beechwold Community Resources Center – High school students can volunteer on their own, while younger children can do so with an adult. Groups and individuals are welcome. clintonvillecrc.org Columbus Humane – Ages 16 and older can volunteer independently at the animal shelter and care center. Ages 12-15 can do so with an adult over age 21. Training is required. columbushumane.org Columbus Metropolitan Library – Children 12 and older can help as Reading Buddies or with the Summer Reading Challenge or School Help Centers. columbuslibrary.org/volunteer Columbus Recreation and Parks Department – Youth can assist parents or guardians at cleanups and special events. The Leaders-in-Training program allows 13- to 17-year-olds to gain experience with the department’s summer camps. columbusrecparks.com Columbus Zoo and Aquarium – Teens entering grades 8-12 can volunteer through the ZooAide program. Boo at the Zoo also accepts youth volunteers. columbuszoo.org/teen-volunteers COSI – COSI accepts volunteers starting at age 13. Training is required. cosi.org/volunteer Heinzerling Community – The nonprofit serving residents with developmental disabilities accepts volunteers ages 11-13 with adult supervision; ages 14 and older can participate on their own. Volunteers may engage residents in walks, reading or games. heinzerling.org/get-involved/volunteer Mid-Ohio Food Collective – Ages 13 and older can sort food, work at the farm or greet market shoppers. Individual and group opportunities are offered. mofc.org/get-involved/volunteer Nationwide Children’s Hospital – The hospital operates a summer volunteer program for high school students. Applications open early in the year and spots can fill quickly. nationwidechildrens.org/giving/get-involved/ volunteering Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio – Teens age 14-17 can volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House with a parent or guardian. rmhc-centralohio.org/volunteer-opportunities 2nd & 7 Columbus Kids’ Book Bank – Youth ages 12-16 can participate with parents or guardians to sort and restock books for the nonprofit. bookbank.secondandseven.com/volunteer Seeds of Caring – The organization coordinates volunteer opportunities for groups and individuals, including children ages 2-12. seedsofcaring.org Sources: Organization websites and officials 46

“None of us are that far away from needing help. Sometimes, it just takes one emergency for it to happen.”

‘It Makes Me Feel Happy’ Older kids can find opportunities at Columbus Metropolitan Library branches, where volunteering begins at age 12.

Last year, 781 youth volunteers donated more than 21,000 hours of service during the Summer Reading Challenge alone, says Christina Rodriques, volunteer services manager.

The challenge is held in June and July at all 23 branches. Volunteers help participants apply for the challenge and pick up rewards based on how much reading they’ve done.

“Volunteers get to engage with other youth, learn how to work with each other and our staff and how to interact with the public of all ages,” Rodriques says. “We have teens who have started volunteering at age 12 and do it all through high school. Lots of our staff started out as volunteers at the library.”

Rodriques sweetens the pot with pizza and ice cream parties for the volunteers, and many return to help in other ways.

Some branches have teen service clubs or teen advisory boards that work on special projects, and most use volunteers for School Help Centers and Reading Buddies, a program to boost reading skills for students in grades K-3.

Research has shown that kids who volunteer actively reap benefits beyond the reward of helping others. A 2023 study of 52,000 young people by the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health concluded that volunteering reduced anxiety and depression in children and resulted in healthier young people.

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Open House W

J

oin us for one of our upcoming open houses as we kick off our 28th season

e offer Creative Movement classes for toddlers, a pre ballet program for two year olds, ballet and tap classes for three years old, and ballet, tap, jazz, and hip hop for children four years old and older.

S top in anytime Aug. 22nd 10am-12pm

PHOTO COURTESY COLUMBUS METROPOLITAN LIBRARY

A volunteer helps a child at Columbus Metropolitan Library.

The state of Ohio has begun promoting youth volunteering through its Ohio Commission on Service and Volunteerism. The website, serve.ohio.gov/ volunteering-for-youth/welcome, explains how to organize a service project and offers suggestions on topics by age group.

For the Craig-Ramsini family, a commitment to giving back is woven into their busy lives. They volunteer about six times a year. “Young kids are self-focused, and I want them to be aware that there’s a bigger world out there,” says Jason Craig-Ramsini. “At a baseline level, I want them to learn that we’re in a bit of a bubble. I want them to know that different things can happen to people and they can need help. I want to instill in them the ability to see that they can do something to help.”

When the family volunteered at the Open Shelter, a coordinator shared a story about a man whose car broke down, and he didn’t have the money to pay for both the repair and his rent. “So, they learned about why someone might become unhoused,” Jason Craig-Ramsini says.

Neither Jason nor his wife volunteered until they were in middle school, but both have jobs where they see people in need. He is a high school social studies teacher, and his wife is an attorney who often does pro bono work.

Daughter Arbella says volunteering has helped her understand that everyone needs help sometimes. “I like helping people who don’t have clothes for school or don’t have a home,” she says. “It makes me feel happy because it’s making other people happy because they can have stuff.”

Her brothers echo her thoughts. “I do it because I want to help people,” Soren says.

“It makes me feel good,” says Dagan. ◆

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A puppetry class at Columbus College of Art & Design

THE GO-TO GUIDE

Get Engaged With Art Here are 16 places around town where children can explore their creative side with hands-on activities.

By Heather Lofy

The Arts Castle 190 W. Winter St., Delaware; 740-369-2787; artscastle.org The nonprofit organization offers yearround classes for all ages, plus workshops for sewing, jewelry-making, stained glass, watercolor and dance. The Arts Castle itself can be explored via a self-guided tour 48

and includes various studios for fiber art, ceramics and more.

BalletMet 322 Mount Vernon Ave., Columbus; 614229-4860; balletmet.org Children as young as 3 can take movement and dance classes through the renowned company, and older kids also can participate in open-session offerings, including a musical theater tap class for ages 12 and older.

Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum 1813 N. High St., Columbus; 614-292-0538; cartoons.osu.edu Located on the campus of Ohio State University, the Billy Ireland boasts free workshops throughout the year, including the popular Summer Saturday series where kids can interact with artists and cartoonists and put their own ideas to paper.

The Center for Architecture and Design 50 W. Town St., Suite 110, Columbus; 614-469-1973; columbuscfad.org Several times a year, the nonprofit CFAD

offers Design Pop sessions for elementary and middle school students. These drop-in workshops are led by Columbus-area design firms and feature activities and learning opportunities for aspiring young architects.

Columbus Children’s Theatre 177 E. Naghten St., Columbus; 614-2246673; columbuschildrenstheatre.org The longstanding theater organization offers a variety of classes for different ages and skill levels in acting, costuming, set design and more. For something more personal, try private lessons in voice, dance, piano and acting.

Columbus College of Art & Design 60 Cleveland Ave., Columbus; 614-2249101; ccad.edu CCAD classes are not just for college students: Art enrichment programs are offered for kids from first grade through high school. Annual workshops include 2D animation, photography, STEAM activities and more. The popular Saturday Art Classes series, which now includes

PHOTO COURTESY COLUMBUS COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN

A

rt has a unique way of bringing families together by sparking creativity and helping kids see the world through a new lens. Fortunately, Columbus is home to plenty of community organizations that offer enrichment opportunities for children of all ages to explore, create and learn.

From hands-on studio classes and museum programs to workshops and dropin sessions, here’s a roundup of 16 places in the city and beyond where young artists can get inspired and families can create together.

Many of these organizations post class schedules and event calendars on their websites, so check online for the most up-to-date information.

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afternoon sessions, is organized by grade level and offered in spring and fall.

place over a series of weekend mornings, with a final show at the end.

Columbus Jazz 769 E. Long St., Columbus; 614-294-5200; columbusjazz.org Formerly known as the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, the performing arts organization offers a variety of youth workshops, including jazz programs for girls. The orchestra also has an ongoing PBJ & Jazz free concert series designed for families with young children.

Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens 1777 E. Broad St., Columbus; 614-7158000; fpconservatory.org The conservatory offers arts and crafts workshops in a variety of areas, including painting, decoupage, floral design, and fused and stained glass. Some programs are all ages or open to older children.

Columbus Metropolitan Library Various locations; columbuslibrary.org The 23 branch locations in the Columbus Metropolitan Library system boast full slates of activities for all ages, including art-related options like Teen Open Studio, STEAM Club and even music classes for babies.

Columbus Museum of Art 480 E. Broad St., Columbus; 614-221-6801; columbusmuseum.org Each Saturday, the museum offers an all-ages Open Studio from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Drop in to create art that relates to a monthly theme. Art Breaks are an enhanced version of Open Studio that take place in spring, summer and winter.

Both are included with museum admission. Quarterly CMA Community Days are special Sundays with free activities, performances and more.

Columbus Recreation and Parks Department Various locations; 614-645-3300; columbusrecparks.com Two art venues, the Fran Ryan Center and the Priscilla R. Tyson Cultural Arts Center, fall under the Columbus Recreation and Parks umbrella, and both offer experiences for varying ages. This fall, the Tuttle Park Community Center will host Craft Time in the Park on Thursdays. Other classes offered throughout the city include performing arts, photography and film, sculpture, scrapbooking and journaling.

The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio 77 S. High St., Columbus; 614-453-4602; thecontemporaryohio.org For budding drama and musical theater fans, the Saturday Morning Musicals experience gives kids a taste of what it takes to be part of a production. Classes take

McConnell Arts Center 777 Evening St., Worthington; 614-4310329; mcconnellarts.org Along with various art classes throughout the year (oil pastels, foam clay sculpture art and even BalletMet classes), the MAC often hosts one-day workshops for kids. Mini-comics day is a favorite. Galleries at the MAC are free for all; grab a family guide, created by the in-house visual arts staff, at the front desk.

Ohio Craft Museum 1665 W. 5th Ave., Columbus; 614-486-4402; ohiocraft.org Each October and November, the Ohio Craft Museum offers a Create-It Saturday, a drop-in day with a free holiday-themed project. Additionally, gallery exhibitions at the museum often have a scavenger hunt for kids with a sticker as a reward once completed.

Thurber House 77 Jefferson Ave., Columbus; 614-464-1032; thurberhouse.org A staple of this literary locale is the Young Writers’ Studio for high schoolers, in which students gather every other week to meet peers and get feedback on their work. The Thurber House also hosts different workshops, camps and author visits throughout the year for various age groups.

Wexner Center for the Arts 1871 N. High St., Columbus; 614-292-3535; wexarts.org The First Thursdays series returns this fall, when the Wex stays open late for film screenings, lectures and hands-on art activities. These events are free but may require attendees to reserve a ticket. Find the Wexner Center in your own neighborhood at a Community Studios Pop-Up, with art activities at various locations around Columbus.

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The Wood Companies’ Brunner Building

Building a Neighborhood The Wood Companies has quietly shaped the Short North for more than 40 years.

Here’s what its founders saw in a rundown neighborhood in the 1980s and why the company remains steadfastly committed to its community and design principles today.

The Short North belongs to everyone who has ever claimed a piece of it.

It’s first dates that turned into marriages or hilarious stories. It’s coffee shops, rooftop cocktails, selfies on the digital IKEs lining High Street and Sunday afternoon brunches that go on for hours.

Every Columbus resident seems to have a favorite version of the Short North— and a story about why that version was the best.

What most people don’t realize is how much of that experience has been shaped, quietly and deliberately, by one family.

For more than four decades, Wood Companies has restored historic buildings, recruited entrepreneurs, championed artists and helped decide what kinds of businesses would define one of Ohio’s most recognizable neighborhoods. While others saw individual buildings, the Woods saw an ecosystem—one where galleries, restaurants, retailers and public spaces succeeded or failed together. Along the way, that philosophy helped it become the single largest commercial property owner 52

along High Street between I-670 and 5th Avenue.

Meet Sandy Wood The Short North didn’t look like an obvious investment in the early 1980s. Storefronts sat empty and historic buildings had fallen into disrepair. Many suburbanites avoided the neighborhood altogether. The area was gritty before gritty was cool. But Sandy Wood saw something others didn’t.

After working in banking and later for a retirement-home developer, Wood began buying aging buildings around Ohio State University before turning his attention to the Short North. He was drawn to its historic architecture, walkable High Street, Goodale Park and its proximity to Downtown and Ohio State University.

More than anything, his son Mark Wood, now chairman of the Wood Companies, says his father believed the neighborhood “should be more than it was.”

Wood Companies president Tyler Puhl says Sandy, who died in 2023, thought he could help turn the neighborhood

around in three or four years. Instead, it took 25. When money was tight, Sandy cut his salary in half while his wife continued teaching to support the family.

Advisers urged him to declare bankruptcy, but he refused. Instead, the family spent evenings and weekends renovating buildings together.

It was during those years that Wood Companies’ defining philosophy took shape: Build for the long term. Preserve historic character. Never compromise on quality. Think about the neighborhood before any single building. Mark says Sandy viewed partnerships—not buildings—as his greatest accomplishment, bringing together artists, entrepreneurs, restaurateurs and community leaders around a shared vision for the district.

For Sharon Weiss, who has operated galleries in the Short North for 32 years, that philosophy was most visible in Sandy’s commitment to the arts. He actively recruited galleries, kept rents affordable and championed the monthly Gallery Hop because he believed art would give people a reason to visit the neighbor-

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

By Jill Moorhead

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Photo from 2019 at right, Sandy Wood in front of the first building his company bought in 1984; and the Sharon Weiss Gallery, below.

A Family Affair When they were younger, Mark brought his daughters to construction sites. They traversed hard-hat areas and climbed to the rooftops to see the city. It was a Lion King moment—not “everything the light touches is yours,” but more like “everything the light touches deserves your care.”

After graduating from Hope College in Michigan, Mark joined the company full time. He arrived during one of the leanest periods in Wood Companies’ history.

His first assignment was leasing the Battleship Building at 444 N. Front St., adjacent to the North Market.

One of his first tenants was a young restaurateur named Cameron Mitchell.

Mitchell had raised money, written a business plan and was preparing to open what would have been his first restaurant. Then, just after Christmas 1992, Sandy called with the news: The bank was repossessing the building.

“I had to scramble,” Mitchell recalls.

“It was kind of fortuitous that it did fall apart ... But back at that time, I was so depressed and so upset that my first restaurant wasn’t going to work out.”

For Mark, it was “a really hard introduction to real estate.” He had landed the lease with Mitchell—now “one of the best and brightest restaurateurs in the country”—but the deal unraveled before the restaurant could open. “We had gotten the lease done ... and we couldn’t execute on it.”

Because we’re looking back with the benefit of hindsight, we know how the story ends. Today, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants operates 51 restaurants in 15 states and Washington, D.C.—and three of them are in Wood Companies buildings: The Pearl, Hudson 29 and Lincoln Social. It just took a little time for everyone to catch up to Sandy Wood’s vision.

Mark inherited both his father’s business and his philosophy. Today, that legacy is entering its third generation as Mark’s oldest daughter works at the Wood Companies, carrying forward the family’s long-term commitment to shaping the Short North.

Beyond Buildings The Short North is a spirit, first. It’s the Doo Dah Parade and Pride and Comfest

and dragging out of towners to Gallery Hop and introducing friends to Rooh and memories of $1 oysters at Rigsby’s and seeing furries mix with OSU fans when a convention matches up with a sporting event.

But that spirit doesn’t exist by accident.

It lives in the buildings, too. Amid the chaos and energy are countless details many developers would eschew in favor of profit: real Indiana limestone instead of stone veneer; parking garages wrapped in masonry instead of exposed concrete; retractable glass roofs that make rooftop restaurants usable far beyond patio season; oversized terraces and fireplaces that elevate apartment living; and historic architectural detailing so thoughtfully executed that visitors often mistake new buildings for old ones.

Those decisions aren’t the most profitable ones.

“We are not spreadsheet developers,” says Puhl. “We focus on the long-term customer experience. And ‘customer’ means more than our tenants. It’s the pedestrian, the restaurant customer, the resident—even the couple on a first date.

My first date with my wife was in the Short North.”

It’s a mindset Puhl lives every day. “We only get one shot at this,” he says. “If we’re lazy, if the window proportions aren’t right ... that’s going to bother me forever.”

Even now, he looks out his office window at 939 N. High, the building where the company has its home base, and fixates on a metal panel he wishes had been a different color.

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“The Short North started with art galleries,” Weiss says. “Sandy Wood was such a great fan of the arts.” More than three decades later, she says Wood Companies still treats galleries as partners. “We feel treasured and important.”

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Community Building While most developers talk about mixed use, the Wood Companies thinks in terms of mixed culture.

When asked what industry he’s truly in, Puhl doesn’t hesitate. “Community building,” he says. The company’s decisions are guided by a single question: How will this make the Short North a better destination? That philosophy extends from investing in streetscapes and aiding memorable places like Metsi’s, the wood-fired Italian eatery tucked beneath East Lincoln Street, to fostering the entrepreneurs, restaurants and art galleries that give the neighborhood its character.

What you’re not likely to find in a Wood Companies building: a Verizon retailer, a Subway franchise or another interchangeable storefront that can be found at nearly every suburban interchange. Those experiences already exist in a thousand shopping centers across the Columbus region.

Developing the perfect mix of tenants has become an art form of its own.

In short, the folks at Wood Companies are choosy. Mark Wood says they think about the effect each tenant will have on neighboring businesses and the district as a whole, passing on higher-paying tenants if they believe a business ultimately would be bad for the neighborhood.

Their philosophy has evolved, too. While the company once prioritized local and independent businesses above all else, today it also looks for businesses that are unique and add something new to the mix. With more than 280 locations, the Brooklyn-esque, status-signaling salad spot Sweetgreen is hardly an independent business. But its first Ohio location opened in the Short North.

Even so, the Short North remains a launching pad for creative entrepreneurs, and Wood Companies takes particular pride in recognizing businesses poised to become something bigger.

“They’re really amazing at recognizing when somebody is ready to grow,” says Betsy Pandora, CEO of the nonprofit Short North Alliance. “They have a knack for helping entrepreneurs.”

Maren Roth knows that firsthand.

She opened Rowe Boutique in a tiny storefront in 2007, and after three years, Wood Companies let her expand into the neighboring space by breaking through a wall. Fifteen years later, the company approached her about moving into an even larger location.

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“I always think of it more like a partnership rather than tenant-landlord,” Roth says. “They kind of underpromise and overdeliver.” She adds that Wood Companies “care[s] about the mix,” intentionally cultivating businesses that complement one another rather than simply filling vacant storefronts.

Today, businesses like Rowe, Ladybird and Samson Men’s Emporium all have expanded into larger Wood-owned spaces rather than leaving the neighborhood as they grew.

And then there is the dining scene.

The way Mark Wood and Tyler Puhl talk about it, Northstar Café occupies a special place in the company’s history—a leap of faith that helped prove the Short North could become a culinary destination. Opening in 2004, it certainly wasn’t the first. Credit also belongs to pioneers like Rigsby’s Kitchen, Betty’s and the Russian Tea Room, which planted flags in the 1980s and 1990s in what was then a rough-around-the-edges neighborhood. But Northstar was different. A few blocks north of most of the action at Second and High, it traded tables for magazine racks and bet that diners would gladly walk a little farther. In doing so, it hinted at what the district could become.

Today, those few extra blocks are filled with everything from Korean corn dogs to tasting menus. Visitors can even book a food tour to eat their way through the neighborhood.

Along the way, Wood Companies has continued cultivating food and drink concepts—from Brassica to Lincoln Social Rooftop and the live jazz, conservas and cocktails at Ginger Rabbit Jazz Lounge—not simply as tenants, but as reasons for people to venture one more block, stay one more hour and discover something new.

Before the restaurants, boutiques and rooftop bars, there were the galleries.

Sandy Wood believed the arts weren’t simply another category of tenant; they were the reason people came to the Short North in the first place. He recruited galleries, supported Gallery Hop, kept rents within reach and understood that creative energy could transform a neighborhood long before polished streetscapes or luxury apartments ever could.

Sharon Weiss remembers those early Gallery Hops with a smile. Nude models posed as living works of art. Galleries overflowed with experimental exhibits. “People complained,” she says with a laugh.

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the neighborhood for more than three decades—and who now also operates a women’s studio space and a second gallery—the policy is more than symbolic.

“If it was not for the Wood Companies,” she says, “I could not be here.”

But no neighborhood evolves without making tradeoffs.

The Cost of Change Not everyone believes the Short North has changed for the better. Questions about affordability, homelessness, public safety and the neighborhood’s identity continue to shape public debate. Wood Companies has heard the criticism. Mark Wood argues that because the company

Short North scenes at top and top right; rooftop pool on a Wood Companies building, middle left; and Tyler Puhl, left, and Mark Wood of the Wood Companies, bottom.

owns buildings for decades—not years— it has every incentive to think beyond a single lease or development. “The success of the Short North is the success of our business,” he says.

That philosophy shapes decisions large and small. The company limits most tenants to closing before midnight and requires food to account for the majority of sales at businesses serving alcohol, part of an effort to discourage the kind of latenight environment it believes contributes to disorder. It has also supported new neighborhood funding for safety, cleaning and programming, and says it has passed on higher-paying tenants in favor of businesses it believes will strengthen the district over the long term.

Yet perhaps the hardest part of building a neighborhood isn’t constructing it.

It’s watching it change.

The UDF convenience store across the street from The Rossi is still there, just as it was when this writer was in her 20s, figuring out adulthood one Gallery Hop, girls’ night out and birthday bar crawl at a time. So is The Rossi. But neither is quite the same. The UDF is much nicer.

The Rossi is, arguably, not as nice. The Short North isn’t the same, either.

Puhl says that’s the nature of a living neighborhood.

He laughs that Sandy Wood understood the cycle long ago. “People have been telling me the Short North has changed since 1982,” Sandy once told him. Then Puhl offers his own theory: “Everybody’s greatest viewpoint on the Short North is when you were 24.”

Perhaps that’s why nostalgia is so powerful. The Short North people miss is often the one they first fell in love with— whether that meant wandering Gallery Hop among provocative art installations, meeting friends at the Surly Girl Parking Lot Blowout, discovering a favorite boutique or watching the High Street arches light up for the first time. Every version became someone’s favorite version.

For more than four decades, Wood Companies has accepted that the neighborhood will never stand still. Buildings will be restored. Businesses will come and go. Generations will trade one favorite restaurant for another. The work has been trying to leave the Short North better than they found it—so that 20 years from now, someone else will look at the neighborhood, remember the version they fell in love with, and swear it was the best one. ◆ SEPTEMBER 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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PHOTOS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP COURTESY SHORT NORTH ALLIANCE; BY COURTNEY HERGESHEIMER/COLUMBUS DISPATCH; BY TIM JOHNSON; AND COURTESY WOOD COMPANIES.

Sandy Wood wasn’t among them. “He was such a great fan of the arts,” she says.

“He always stood behind the galleries and the projects.” At a time when many suburbanites still avoided the Short North because they considered it dangerous, Weiss says Sandy was trying to make it beautiful, safe and affordable—and believed artists would help lead the way.

That philosophy has survived the transition to the next generation. Today, Wood Companies has committed to limiting rent increases to inflation for existing galleries, an effort designed to keep the businesses that helped define the Short North from being priced out of its success. For Weiss, whose gallery has remained in

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A long weekend in North Carolina or Kentucky is just a day’s drive from Columbus, providing travelers with a wonderful fall refresh. Here are some trip ideas for escaping to the Bluegrass or Tar Heel state.

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Why North Carolina Captivates Travelers From the misty peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the sun-drenched sands of the Outer Banks, North Carolina blends mountain serenity and coastal charm in one state. New attractions and refreshed historic hotels make this year especially inviting for exploration.

Golf Returns to the Mountains: After an 80-year absence, the PGA Tour returns with the inaugural Biltmore Championship, Sept. 17–20 in Asheville.

Held at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove—a Jack Nicklaus–designed course bordering Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway—the FedExCup Fall event is co–title sponsored by Biltmore Estate and Explore Asheville, expecting 100-plus players and thousands of spectators.

New Wildlife and Light Experiences: This fall, Sylvan Heights Bird Park in Scotland Neck opens Penguin Point, home to 16 critically endangered African penguins with viewing areas and a dive pool. In Asheville, Biltmore Estate debuts “Luminere,” an evening light, sound and storytelling experience on the house facade and gardens, with artisan picnics and garden cocktails through Oct. 18.

Trail Towns Go Interactive: Visit NC’s updated Trail Town Guide now lives as an interactive landing page, making it easier to explore 30 destinations from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks. Each town links to featured trails, accessibility details, Leave No Trace principles and local trip tips, plus an interactive map for planning outdoor adventures responsibly.

Historic Hotels Reimagined: Downtown Raleigh’s iconic round Holiday Inn reopens in October as Hotel Indigo Raleigh after a $36 million renovation, adding a penthouse lounge and modern meeting spaces. In Mount Airy, The Balladeer Hotel brings 70 boutique rooms and music-themed dining to the Spencer’s Mill district. On the coast, Margaritaville’s Compass Hotel Beaufort offers 103 rooms and a marina for boaters near Cape Lookout. Near the Blue Ridge Parkway, Albert’s Lodge reopens as the Lodge at Mount Mitchell with modernized mountain comforts. And in Salisbury, the historic Empire Hotel is set to welcome guests again in late 2026 as a 35-room boutique property with residences and a steakhouse.

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Fall in Kentucky: A Season of Color, Flavor and Festivity Kentucky shines in autumn, when the Bluegrass is framed by hillsides of gold and the air fills with apples, cinnamon and oak-aged bourbon. From leaf-peeping drives and horse-country weekends to pumpkin patches, haunted attractions and harvest festivals, the state offers a rich mix of outdoor beauty and smalltown charm.

Scenic Drives, Trails and Horse Country: Hit the Red River Gorge, Daniel Boone National Forest or the Zilpo Scenic Byway for dramatic overlooks and vibrant foliage. In Lexington, walk Catalpa Road’s golden ginkgo canopy or explore Raven Run Nature Sanctuary. Autumn is prime for thoroughbred tradition: Catch the Keeneland Fall Meet in October, tour iconic farms or visit the Kentucky Horse Park’s 1,200 acres of bluegrass pasture.

Orchards, Pumpkin Patches and Seasonal Sips: Pick apples at Reed Valley Orchard, Evans Orchard and Cider Mill or Eckert’s Versailles Orchard near Lexington. Around Louisville and central Kentucky, Devine’s Farm offers corn mazes, hayrides and bonfires; Neltner’s Farm and Jackson’s Orchard host seasonal festivals. Follow the Kentucky Bourbon Trail for distillery tours and tastings, then explore Lexington’s Brewgrass Trail for craft breweries and cideries.

Haunts and Family-Friendly Fall: Lean into the spooky season with Louisville’s Jack O’Lantern Spectacular, ghost tours in Old Louisville and Covington and the USS Nightmare haunted steamboat in Newport. For families, spend a day at Dutch Country Safari Park on a hayride past zebras and camels, or catch Boo at the Zoo in Louisville for trick-ortreating and October evening fun. ◆

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Exceptional Event Venues

PHOTO COURTESY HILTON COLUMBUS DOWNTOWN

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Meet with Purpose Designed to inspire productivity and collaboration, our flexible meeting environments support everything from executive board meetings to citywide conventions. From seamless skybridge access to the Greater Columbus Convention Center and adaptable breakout spaces to post-meeting networking at

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402 N. High St., Columbus 43215 614-384-8600 hilton.com Stories on High with sweeping views of downtown Columbus, the attendee experience extends well beyond the final session.

Planning, Personalized Our team serves as an extension of yours, taking the time to understand your goals and offering personalized guidance from the earliest planning conversations through the final guest farewell. With responsive communication, creative solutions and proactive partnership, we help bring every event to life with confidence and care.

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Whether welcoming hundreds of conference attendees or hosting a once-ina-lifetime celebration, our goal remains the same: to create meaningful connections through thoughtful service, authentic local experiences and the warmth of Midwest hospitality—ensuring every guest leaves with memories as memorable as the moments they came to celebrate.

PHOTOS COURTESY HILTON COLUMBUS DOWNTOWN

hether celebrating life’s biggest moments or gathering for conferences, conventions and corporate events, our distinctive dining experiences, versatile venues, personalized service and unmatched location in the Short North Arts District create memorable experiences for every occasion.

Inspired by the creativity and culture of the Short North Arts District, Hilton Columbus Downtown offers guests an authentic connection to Columbus through one of the region’s largest private collections of local artwork.

More than 450 pieces by 128 Central Ohio artists are thoughtfully integrated throughout the hotel, creating a vibrant sense of place that celebrates the city’s creative spirit while transforming every stay into a uniquely local experience.

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Purposefully Connected.

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RETREAT 21 Gather for Every Occasion

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Meetings & Retreats Today’s teams deserve more than another conference room. Retreat 21 offers thoughtfully designed corporate meetings and retreats with modern indoor and outdoor gathering spaces, state-of-the-art audiovisual technology, fresh in-house catering, overnight accommodations and engaging team-building experiences. It’s a setting that encourages fresh ideas, meaningful collaboration and stronger connections.

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and small-batch ciders, then relax in luxury cabins and geodomes just steps away. From the first tour to the final dance, experienced venue concierges work alongside every couple to create a celebration that reflects their story.

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Cider & Wine Taphouse Open to the public, The Taphouse at Retreat 21 invites guests to slow down and stay awhile. Enjoy handcrafted wine and small-batch ciders, seasonal cocktails, local craft beer, tastings, live music and one of Central Ohio’s most scenic family- and pet-friendly outdoor patios.

Whether you’re gathering with friends, celebrating a special occasion, or simply taking in a sunset overlooking the property, every visit feels like a getaway.

COLUMBUS MONTHLY SEPTEMBER 2026

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RETREAT & EVENT DESTINATION

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itria on the Square is Columbus’ premier event venue to host your upcoming celebration.

Vitria is located at the storied intersection of 15th & High within steps of the iconic Ohio State University Oval as well as Mirror Lake. The venue is proud to feature elevated dining with a beverage-forward approach that will leave your guests impressed and stand out from their typical event experience.

The culinary team prides themselves on curating menus specific to the event they are hosting and suggests special touches to enhance the experience for all attendees. The beverage team enjoys customizing cocktails with fresh-pressed juices and signature garnishes unique to an event that adds a custom touch.

The Grand Ballroom at Vitria on

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14 E. 15th Ave., Columbus 614-540-3436 vitriaonthesquare.com the Square features 25-foot, floor-toceiling windows that overlook several of the iconic landmarks of The Ohio State University. This space features state-of-the-art monitors built-in that can showcase logos, a slideshow or custom artwork during an event. The Grand Ballroom can accommodate 320 guests seated at round tables with a stage or dance floor or 500 seated theater style.

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PHOTO COURTESY ROBB MCCORMICK PHOTOGRAPHY

VITRIA ON THE SQUARE

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home & style A Legacy of Art Franklin Art Glass Studios has made stained glass by hand for over a century. See inside the Germain Village studio, Page 78.

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

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Pool and backyard

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Mountain Modern in Powell A home on the Scioto River was renovated from suburban-chic to create a modern mountain-inspired retreat.

Story by Lucy Clark | Photos by Tim Johnson

SEPTEMBER 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Open living roomdining room-kitchen

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E

View of living room and pool from second floor balcony

scaping to a luxury mountainside retreat is a fantasy most of us harbor, but for a Powell homeowner, it’s their reality—minus the mountain.

Tucked privately off Dublin Road, interior designer Amanda Sexton of Distinctive Residential Design describes her client’s vision for the home as “mountain modern.” This manifests in the nearly 4,000-square-foot, four bedroom, three-and-ahalf bath home in stark but rich shades of brown and gray, a focus on natural materials such as stone, wood and iron, and eye-catching architectural features like vaulted ceilings and large windows that incorporate the outdoors as part of the decor.

This vision required total demolition of the original interior, Sexton says. “I ski a lot and spend a lot of time out west and in Europe. I said, ‘If you want this to look like a house in the mountains, the only way we’re going to get there is if we demo this from the inside out.’ ” Sexton and the homeowner worked with Todd Follmer of Heinlen-Follmer as the builder, who contributed his vision and insight to the mountain modern concept as well.

The front door opens into a grand foyer with a curved double staircase and balcony overlooking the first floor. A spiral staircase leads to the lower level. The handrails and balcony railings were all custom-made by Gahanna-based Suburban Steel Supply—the company behind much of the home’s metalwork.

The foyer feeds into the slightly recessed living room, which has floor to ceiling corner windows overlooking lush greenery, the Scioto River and an in-ground pool. The fireplace against a stone wall provides the room with an interior focal point when not gawking at the verdant views outside.

The kitchen continues the deep, cool-toned color scheme with thick ceiling beams,

Grand entrance SEPTEMBER 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Concrete bathtub in primary bathroom

Dining room opens into the large living room

dark wood cabinetry, sleek steel appliances and black stone countertops with a leather finish. “Just to make it more rustic,” Sexton explains, adding that the leather stone finish is found throughout the home. A dining table done in a similarly modern design connects the kitchen and living room.

The primary suite is on the first floor, offering a bit more warmth and classic rustic charm while still carrying heavy modern influences. The bedroom furniture is one of the few pieces kept in the renovations, Sexton and the homeowner say. The room has a fireplace and sitting area, and a large window provides views 74

Games in media room

similar to the living room. The ensuite bathroom is in keeping with the rest of the home, though a concrete bathtub lends the room a more brutalist energy.

Upstairs are three bedrooms reserved for the homeowner’s adult children when they visit, sporting soft and calming shades of gray and beige mirrored by texturally soothing furniture pieces, like a tufted fabric headboard. One bedroom has an ensuite, and the other two share a Jack-and-Jill bathroom that features abstract stone planters on the wall.

The true appeal of the top floor is the view—both of the living room below and the landscape outside. In the morning,

the homeowner says, the sun rises over the river. From the balcony, you can get “the money shot” as the sky turns orange.

The lower level is the hub of entertainment, and the homeowner says their children bring friends over to hang out even as adults. There’s wine and liquor storage with a lounge, home gym, outdoor pool access and a media room featuring a ping pong table, television and board games— all in keeping with the home’s mastery of mountain modern.

Sexton and the homeowner both view the renovation and its resulting spaces as a joy. “It was a great collaboration,” Sexton says. ◆

COLUMBUS MONTHLY SEPTEMBER 2026

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Primary bedroom

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Home & Style | What’s Hot Glazer Sakhone Syharath cements a window.

Historic Craftsmanship Fourth-generation artists at Franklin Art Glass Studios still make stained glass by hand in a German Village workshop.

By Lucy Clark | Photos by Tim Johnson Many of the ways of the craftsmen and artists of old, while deeply admired, have been lost to time. Trade secrets and insider knowledge have been forgotten throughout the years, and corners have been cut for necessity and ease. But at Franklin Art Glass Studios in German Village, Andrea Reid continues the legacy of handmade stained glass making.

Reid is Franklin Art Glass’ fourth generation, having been taught by her father, Gary Helf. The studio was opened in 1924

by Wilhelm Kielblock, Wilhelm Kielmeier and Henry “Elmore” Helf. The Great Depression ensued a few years later, at which point Kielmeier left, and Kielblock removed himself from the business side of operations to work primarily as an artist. Henry’s father, also named Henry Helf, worked at Von Gerichten Art Glass Company in Columbus before him, extending the legacy of craftsmanship even 78

further back in the family tree.

Despite initial leadership and financial challenges, the studio remains over a century later in the heart of German Village. The front is a retail space selling smaller items like lamps, decorations and crafting supplies. Customers also can order wholesale.

The building is inconspicuous enough, but behind “staff only” doors is a 23,000-square-foot plant with a 12,000square-foot warehouse—a spacious anomaly for the historic neighborhood.

Franklin Art Glass Studios has not changed its process in the century since opening. The team takes on both custom orders and restorations.

The process starts in Reid’s art room, where she sketches designs by hand on paper for each client. “We’ll draw whatever the customer is interested in, full size,” she says. “We don’t have comput-

ers, we’re not doing this on CAD—it’s all pencil, paper and a big table.”

Once approved, the drawing is cut into pattern pieces (similar to sewing) and sent to skilled glazers—many of whom have worked in the studio for decades.

There, they cut out each piece of glass to the pattern directions and arrange and solder them. “He’ll put a piece in, slide into the lead channel, tap it to get it taut and keep an eye on the lines, so that way it doesn’t grow in size as we go,” Reid explains while glazer P.K. Lianoudom works on a window panel for Ohio State University. From there, it’s flipped over and soldered again.

Once completed, the piece is taken to the back of the studio to be cemented.

“We do this for a couple of reasons. One, it fills in all the little gaps, so it keeps the glass from rattling in the channels,” says Reid. Cementing also hardens the lead

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SHORTHAND

Franklin Art Glass Studios

Photos clockwise from top left: P.K. Lianoudom works on a stained glass window; Franklin Art Glass owner Gary Helf; Shauntelle Stephenson, left, and Lily Kimple work on a restoration project; supplies and tools

222 E. Sycamore St., German Village franklinartglass.com Hours: 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Monday-Friday If you go: Stop in to peruse a variety of decorations and art pieces on sale in the retail shop, or if you’re looking to pick up a new hobby, browse the variety of crafting supplies on hand.

and waterproofs the glass. “If you didn’t put the cement in over time, gravity and heat [will take their] toll,” she adds. This step also darkens the lead and removes its shine, which keeps the primary focus on the artwork.

Churches are the primary client for Franklin’s restoration work, Reid says.

But far fewer churches commission stained glass today than in the past. “The amount of time and labor involved in making new windows like these is, for most churches nowadays, just not in their budget.”

The studio houses a wide variety of glass—roughly 1,900 different glasses from primarily domestic manufacturers.

“Most custom studios don’t have that, but because we do wholesale and retail, too, we have a huge inventory. It’s like having every crayon in the box to play with, which makes it really fun—we’re not limited.”

There’s also a staging area, which is host to some of the studio’s more historical works, including the entrance to the original Victoria’s Secret as well as pieces for Wendy’s, White Castle, Max & Erma’s and more.

“The greatest thing [about this job] is being able to have my daughter with me,” says Gary, who has worked at the studio fulltime since 1971. “In all the world, there’s only one Franklin Art Glass Studios.” ◆ SEPTEMBER 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Top 25 Home Sales July 1-31, 2026

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$3.8M

4621 Hull Farm Ln., Upper Arlington

Listed by Justin Hamilton, CRT Reatlors; Bought with Nick Vlasidis, Howard Hanna

$3.36M

2528 Onandaga Dr., Upper Arlington

Listed by Gregory Kullman, Street Sotheby’s International Realty; Bought with Mackenzie Skellan, Street Sotheby’s International Realty

$2.7M

2356 Oxford Rd., Upper Arlington

Listed by Anne DeVoe, Coldwell Banker Realty; Bought with Gregory Kullman, Street Sotheby’s International Realty

$2M

36 Ashbourne Rd., Bexley

$2M

3934 Tarrington Ln., Upper Arlington

Listed by Linsey Skolds, Century 21 Excellence Realty; Bought with Jeffery Ruff, Cutler Real Estate Listed by Cheryl Godard, Keller Williams Classic Properties Realty; Bought with Mandy Mancini, Keller Williams Consultants Realty

$2M

595 Fox Ln., Worthington

Listed by Brad Winter, Engel & Volkers Real Estate Advisors; Bought with Lee Ritchie, Re/Max Partners

$1.9M

4549 Ackerly Farm Rd., New Albany

Listed by and bought with Alan Hinson, New Albany Realty

$1.85M

4080 Patricia Dr., Upper Arlington

$1.73M

2221 North Star Rd., Upper Arlington

$1.72M

275 Ashbourne Pl., Bexley

Listed by Grace Scott, Fathom Realty; Bought with Tina Husted, Street Sotheby’s International Realty Listed by Marisa Nye, Street Sotheby’s International Realty; Bought with Katie Davis Spence, The Brokerage House Listed by and bought with Mike Carruthers, Coldwell Banker Realty

$1.65M

2279 Arlington Ave., Upper Arlington

Listed by and bought with Jane Jones, Howard Hanna

$1.63M

7871 Calverton Sq., New Albany

Listed by Jeffery Ruff, Cutler Real Estate; Bought with Rob Riddle, New Albany Realty

$1.59M

7652 N. Goodrich Sq., New Albany

Listed by Jeffery Ruff, Cutler Real Estate; Bought with Nicole Yoder-Barnhart, Howard Hanna

$1.58M

379 Westland Ave., Bexley

Listed by David Bolon, The Bolon Company; Bought with Jeffery Ruff, Cutler Real Estate

$1.57M

4011 Westbury, New Albany

Listed by Sandy Raines, The Raines Group; Bought with Rob Riddle, New Albany Realty

$1.5M

1990 Upper Chelsea Rd., Upper Arlington

$1.45M

1470 Cardiff Rd., Upper Arlington

$1.4M

300 N. Drexel Ave., Bexley

Listed by Kathy Panning, Street Sotheby’s International Realty; Bought with Becky Warnement, Coldwell Banker Realty Listed by Megan Hardgrove and Karen Smith, The Brokerage House; Bought with Jennifer Eckel, The Brokerage House Listed by Jeffery Ruff, Cutler Real Estate; Bought with Gledhill & Talis Real Estate Group of Cutler Real Estate

$1.38M

1058 Jaeger St., Columbus

Listed by Jeffery Ruff, Cutler Real Estate; Bought with Cindy Jensen, Re/Max One

$1.38M

5565 Evans Farm Dr., Lewis Center

Listed by Tina Cameron, Rolls Realty; Bought with Troy Marsh, Keller Williams Consultants Realty

$1.35M

7551 Ross Ave., Dublin

Listed by Jon Kirk, Re/Max Premier Choice; Bought with Jacqueline Gray, Ohio Real Estate Co.

$1.34M

2040 Wickford Rd., Upper Arlington

Listed by Jane Jones, Howard Hanna

$1.32M

129 S. Drexel Ave., Bexley

Listed by David Powers, Cutler Real Estate; Bought with Sarah Mullen, Keller Williams Capital Partners

$1.3M

2600 Maryland Ave., Bexley

Bought with Brian Stokes, Coldwell Banker Realty

$1.25M

7193 Hoover Reserve Ct. N., Westerville

Listed by Rob Riddle, New Albany Realty; Bought with Michael Jones, Coldwell Banker Realty

Columbus Monthly gathers home sales data from county auditor offices in Franklin County and its six continguous counties.

Realtor information comes from Redfin.

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SEPTEMBER 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Wealth Management

Finances and Philanthropy

Jon Eesley is a partner at Windsor Advisory Group.

Charitable giving can have significant tax benefits, even with new federal rules. But advisers say it’s not the only factor donors should weigh.

As a growing number of philanthropically minded individuals become more strategic in their approach to charitable giving, many are asking an important question: How can good people do good works for their families and their community— while also deriving tax benefits?

Charitable giving may once have been simple, says Jon Eesley, a partner with Windsor Advisory Group. Back in the day, you’d just write a check and get a deduction. But now?

“It’s more nerdy than ever in 2026,” Eesley says. “There’s all these little nuggets.”

“The One Big Beautiful Bill Act has changed the charitable giving rules,” says Susan Friedman, a shareholder at law firm Roetzel & Andress. “Changes include a cap on high-income deductions and a 0.5 percent floor of adjusted gross income for charitable deductions.”

“So where do we start?” Eesley says.

“With their passions. What I find is that most people I work with are business leaders, and a lot of their charitable giving is because of their obligation to the community. But if they sold the business or retired, it changes. They no longer have to do charitable giving ‘because I’m supposed to.’ That’s part of rewiring from their career to more about ‘me and my passions.’ ” There are four places to spend your money, Eesley says: yourself, other people (including family), the broader community and, of course, taxes. “The less you plan for the first three, the more that will go to the fourth,” he says. “Don’t do it [charitable giving] because of taxes, but if we can check multiple boxes, the nerdy person in me gets excited.”

“Charitable giving is really evolving,” says Jimmy Rogers, a shareholder at PDS Planning Inc. “For most of the last 20, 30, 40 years, people thought of it as purely a 82

tax strategy. But today people are redefining what giving means to them.

“My experience is that more people are looking to help out family members,” Rogers says. “With mortgage rates going up, housing prices going up, the job market not what it used to be, you’re seeing young people struggling to own a home.”

While in the past people would simply leave money to their heirs, “Now they’re saying, ‘What can I do now?’ ” he says.

Knowledgeable advisers can customize a plan for each client.

For Eesley, whose firm works with businesses and individuals with a net worth of at least $20 million, the strategy can be different from people of more modest means. “The reality is, people with more than enough rarely have well-defined goals of what it’s for,” Eesley says. “Part of it is getting into emotional things. Our clients have more fear about

how wealth will ruin the children than how it will enable the children.”

Once the client and their family are taken care of financially, the issue of identifying donation beneficiaries takes center stage.

“Our core thesis is that for the most tax-efficient charitable strategy, it’s not just enough to have charitable intent,” says Scott Eichar, a tax and advisory partner at accounting firm GBQ Partners. “It’s important to get the right asset to the right organization with the right documentation.”

“For different organizations, money means different things,” Eesley says.

“To OSU, $1 million is practically nothing.” But for another nonprofit, it could be transformative.

There is no specific income threshold that triggers tax benefits derived from charitable giving. However, under the OBBBA, taxpayers who itemize can only

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

By Tim Feran

COLUMBUS MONTHLY SEPTEMBER 2026

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PHOTOS COURTESY FROM LEFT: GBQ PARTNERS; ROETZEL & ANDRESS

deduct donations that exceed 0.5 percent of their AGI. Additionally, high-income filers will see a lower benefit cap of 35 cents per dollar, down from 37. Taxpayers who use the standard deduction can claim donations up to $1,000 per person.

“So, it is much more difficult to see a tax benefit now than in years past when the standard deduction was lower,” Friedman says.

“However, taxpayers over age 70½ can make tax-free donations directly from their IRAs to a charity with no need to itemize,” she says. “These contributions are a great tool to lessen income tax liability and make charitable donations for favorite organizations.”

In addition, another strategy is to combine or “bunch” a number of annual donations into a single tax year. A great way to accomplish this is to use a donor advised fund, Rogers says.

“So, let’s say you want to give an organization $5,000 every year for five years,” he says. “If you bunch it in a donor advised fund, you can take an immediate tax deduction of the full $25,000 while still making a $5,000-a-year gift, and that can be done locally via the

Scott Eichar

Susan Friedman

Columbus Foundation.”

Among other strategies, Eichar says “one of the most elegant” is donating stock that has increased in value over many years to a charity, in order to avoid paying capital gains tax. When the charity cashes the stock, it is not taxable. “That gain is not being recognized for state tax purposes either,” Eichar says.

For most people who want to establish a giving plan, a well-connected financial adviser who works with a CPA and attor-

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neys is the right first call.

“Some rules change from year to year,” Eicher says. “Many of our clients have a lot of philanthropic intent, so we’re constantly working with them to enhance their assets and do it in the most tax-efficient way.”

But make that call soon.

“I see more regret among older clients who didn’t do more when they were younger, because now it’s hard to get around,” Eesley says. ◆

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food & drink

Tricks of the Trade Food stylist Bridget Henry makes cocktails and cuisine look good for the camera. Learn her techniques, Page 86.

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

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Food & Drink | Q&A

Picture Perfect Food stylist Bridget Henry makes her clients’ dishes look delicious—even when they aren’t edible.

Story by Linda Lee Baird Photos by Tim Johsnon Chefs are often celebrated for their design on the plate. But for many major food brands, there’s another type of artistry happening behind the scenes. Food stylists work to ensure products look delicious on film and in photographs.

Bridget Henry, a food stylist living in Upper Arlington, started as a makeup artist in Columbus and New York City.

Now, she works with brands like Wendy’s, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams and chili sauce company Fly By Jing to ensure their products look perfectly craveable— even if Henry’s designs aren’t always edible themselves.

Henry spoke about her experiences and some of the tricks of the trade. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

How did you get started as a food stylist? When I lived in New York, I became a really big foodie. I would take all these little pictures on Instagram and go to all these places. And I also love to cook. So when we decided to move back, I was like, “I kind of want to do something new.”

And one of the creative directors at Vitamix [her client] was like, “Hey, you have such a really good eye for food, and we like how you plate things. Would you ever consider trying food and prop styling?”

They had me do a shoot. I did a whole kitchen. And they were like, “Okay, you’re our prop stylist now, not our makeup artist.”

I was doing a lot of tabletop food … and very light food styling. I started assisting other food stylists and assisted for probably two years to get the knowledge.

Bridget Henry uses tweezers to add real fig and thyme to the cocktail.

Bridget Henry

How do you prepare for shoots? The client will send the layout of what we’re going to shoot. For instance, I’m doing Wendy’s tomorrow. I got a product list of what we’re going to be shooting: a Dave’s Single, 86

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Fake ice is added to the cocktail.

The finished cocktail: a Fig and Thyme Gin Fizz. The color comes from food coloring and dish soap is used to look like carbonation.

a Frosty, some fries. Then they send me a shopping list. I go get things like lettuce, tomato, sesame seeds, if we want to put some sesame seeds on the bun.

What’s funny is you think, “Oh, you just pick out a bun.” Oh no. I’ll go probably through 100 buns. If we’re doing one burger, I will probably select 10 to 15 buns that are perfect. And then I’ll trim the buns and lightly toast the buns. I’ll put them in a Ziploc bag so they don’t get dried out until we’re ready to shoot.

What else is happening behind the scenes? A lot of times, the food’s not even real. It’s not even fully cooked. You just warm it up and put some glycerin on it to make it look like it’s hot and moist.

I pretty much cook everything with a torch.

When you style things as a food stylist, you have to get to the camera angle. I’m on eye level so I can make sure, “How’s this looking? Is it too tall? Are there holes?”

Any other tricks you can share? Let’s say we’re shooting a stack of tomatoes. If the tomatoes are all stacked on top of each other, what you don’t see is there’s a huge skewer through all of them that’s keeping them together. And there might be a can of spray paint behind them to lean them up so they don’t fall. Just using little things here and there to kind of trick the eye.

Kitchen Bouquet is a huge food styling trick. It’s like a brown gravy kind of mix. It’s really good for brandy, whiskey drinks, iced tea, coffee.

I make fake ice. Water droplets are not really water. It’s glycerin.

Ice cream is never real. I make it out of icing and food coloring.

I always have scissors. I have Windex, glycerin, Q-tips, makeup sponges, toothpicks, T-pins. T-pins are great because you could set a T-pin in something and then it just kind of balances whatever is on top of it, like for a hamburger bun.

There’s all these little tools that we use just to make things. ◆ SEPTEMBER 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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Food & Drink | Books

Tales of Dave Thomas

Dave Thomas with his wife Lorraine.

A new book from former Wendy’s executive Denny Lynch offers insights on the business’ famous founder.

Wendy’s executive Denny Lynch never called the boss by his first name.

“I didn’t call him Dave,” says Lynch, whose 34-year career with the Columbus-born burger chain included more than two decades traveling with its founder as Dave Thomas rode a wave of fame as the star of his company’s TV commercials. “I called him Mr. T. To me it was a sign of respect. It was also a reminder. Although I wanted him to be my best buddy, he was also my boss. I never wanted to say something to him that crossed that line.”

Call Me Dave is Lynch’s collection of memories, insights and lessons from the man whose image and words still hang on the walls of roughly 7,250 Wendy’s restaurants across the world. It took the former senior vice president of communications seven years to write and even longer to tackle without reliving the pain of losing a mentor and father figure.

Thomas opened the first Wendy’s in 1969 at 257 E. Broad St., two blocks east of the Ohio Statehouse. When he died of liver cancer in 2002 at age 69, a public visitation at Wendy’s headquarters in Dublin drew thousands of people. Even Burger King flew its flags at half-staff in his honor.

“Six months didn’t go by before people were saying, ‘You have to write a book,’ ” Lynch recalls. “At that particular time everything was raw. ... Then for a period of years, every time I would say, ‘OK I’m ready,’ it would get emotional again.”

He wrote the book with the encouragement and input of nearly 1,000 members of a Wendy’s alumni Facebook page and the blessing of Thomas’ family. Dave and Lorraine Thomas’ four daughters asked just two things: That Lynch tell a more complete story of their father’s childhood than Thomas himself ever shared publicly, and that he ensure their mother got credit as the person described in Call 88

Me Dave as the “captain” of the Thomas family. (Lorraine died in 2019. Their son, Kenny, died in 2013.)

“Dad omitted many of the sadder details [of his life] because he didn’t want to hurt his adoptive father or extended family,” Wendy Thomas writes in the book’s forward. “But times have changed, and people want to learn how to succeed when you start from nothing. And it’s important that we share the good and the bad, because our dad overcame many difficult struggles and stressful years to achieve his boyhood dream.”

That dream of a hamburger restaurant carried the Wendy’s founder through

tough times as a child. Although he’d eventually start the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, he grew up feeling stigma as an adopted child. His adoptive mother, Auleva Thomas, died when he was 5. His adoptive father, Rex Thomas, “had no problem using a whip if he thought his son was out of line,” Lynch writes.

“The wholesome father America fell in love with,” as Lynch calls Dave Thomas, grew up with a father who alternated between neglect and abuse. “I didn’t want to go into gory details,” Lynch says in an interview. “I think you get a pretty clear picture, though.”

PHOTO COURTESY QUALITY IS OUR RECIPE LLC

By Bob Vitale

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PHOTOS FROM TOP COURTESY KÖEHLER BOOKS; QUALITY IS OUR RECIPE LLC

Among interesting details Lynch shares in Call Me Dave: • It wasn’t Wendy’s that made Thomas rich. He was running the kitchen at a restaurant in Fort Wayne, Indiana, when the owner asked Dave Thomas to take over management of four failing Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants he owned in Columbus. Thomas became a part-owner himself and opened two more before selling them back to KFC and becoming a millionaire in 1968, the year before he started Wendy’s.

• Ad execs didn’t want Thomas in Wendy’s commercials. After the success of Wendy’s Where’s the Beef? commercials in 1984, the company endured some lean years. A New York agency pitched new ads with “a song about Wendy’s and dancers in the restaurant,” as Lynch recalls.

It was Charlie Rath, the company’s chief marketing officer, who suggested Thomas become Wendy’s pitchman. The advertising folks— and a writer at Advertising Age (since renamed Ad Age) who called Thomas “a steer in a half-sleeved

shirt”—didn’t like the idea.

• Some women found Thomas irresistible. During a 1991 book tour for his autobiography, Dave’s Way, a woman in Atlanta got her copy signed and then asked people in Thomas’ entourage whether their

boss was married. “Someone told her that yes, he’d been happily married for nearly 40 years,” Lynch writes. “After a brief pause, the woman surprisingly said, ‘How’s her health?’ ” Another time, a woman asked Thomas about his lunch plans and suggested a quieter place than the Wendy’s he said he planned to visit. Lynch later asked his boss if he realized he had been hit on. Thomas chuckled and said, “I can’t understand why.”

• Thomas thought about running for governor. In the 1980s, “very persuasive” Republican friends approached him about becoming a candidate for governor of Ohio. They went as far as conducting research that concluded he’d be quite popular. Lynch described Thomas as tentative but “willing to entertain those conversations.” “In the end, Dave decided to stay at Wendy’s,” he writes.

Call Me Dave is available on Amazon.

Lynch is donating his proceeds from its sale to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. ◆ The cover of Call Me Dave

Denny Lynch, Wendy Thomas and Dave Thomas at a Wendy’s 25th anniversary celebration in 1984.

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let’s eat

Visit columbus monthly.com to read about the latest restaurant openings.

WHERE TO DINE THIS MONTH

Editor’s Note: Please call restaurants to check hours and menu availability. $$$$ $$$ $$ $

Very expensive, $30 and higher Spendy, $21–$29 Moderate, $13–$20 Affordable, $12 and under

NEW Restaurant has opened within the last few months.

B BR L D

Breakfast Brunch Lunch Dinner

1 Outdoor Seating

1

2026 Best New Restaurant Best Restaurant

Let’s Eat is Columbus Monthly’s guide to area restaurants. The list is updated monthly with picks from our editors.

Send updates and suggestions to letters@columbusmonthly.com.

AFRICAN Chez Rama Restaurant You’ll find traditional Senegalese cooking at this friendly East Side spot. Menu items include dibi lamb, thieboudienne (a fish and rice dish), saka-saka, grilled tilapia and other West African dishes. 3669 E. Livingston Ave., East Side, 614-237-9315. LD $$

Drelyse African Restaurant Lisa Bannerman’s Tamarack Circle restaurant offers dishes from around the African continent, with a focus on Ghanaian fare.

Think: waakye, jollof rice, banku and fried fish, spinach stew and much more. 1911 Tamarack Cir. N., North Side, 614-430-3350. LD $$$

Fetty’s Street Food Chef Damian Ettish’s food truck menu draws inspiration from Thailand, India and his native South Africa. Expect dishes such as bunny chow, tom yum gai, boerewors, massaman curry, chilli paneer and more.

Food truck, Citywide, 614-400-9607. LD $$

Fork in Nigeria Hailing from Detroit, this food truck serves authentic Nigerian cuisine such as jollof rice, egusi soup with pounded yam, fufu and more. Food Truck, 6300 E. Livingston Ave., Reynoldsburg, 614-966-9969. LD $$

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Riziki Swahili Grill

Foodateria Kitchen

The Point Restaurant

Stop in to this North Side eatery for signature Kenyan and Nigerian dishes such as grilled goat, jollof, samosas and more. Several stews warm the menu, including Yetty’s Egusi, a stew made with vegetables, meats and ground melon seeds.

2492 Home Acre Dr., Northland, 614-7723461. LD $$

Traditional West African cuisine is served at The Point, including Ghanaian favorites like waakye, banku and jollof rice. 885 S. Hamilton Rd., Whitehall, 614-826-2797. LD $

Hisham’s This family-run food truck specializes in South African Cape Malay cuisine, including chicken curry over basmati rice. Also try the savory hand pies, and save room for doughnut-like koeksisters. Food Truck, Citywide, 614-565-4198. LD $$

Riziki Swahili Grill There’s a lot to love about Riziki Yussuf’s charming spot, serving authentic Tanzanian fare. Don’t miss the excellent chapati platter with chicken curry, the tender mishkaki (beef kebabs) or the turmeric-scented urojo soup (served only on Sundays). 212 Kelton Ave., Franklin Park; 1872 Tamarack Cir. S., North Side, 614-547-7440. LD $$

AMERICAN

Intercontinental Nigerian Restaurant

Asterisk Supper Club

This Northland establishment has been serving traditional Nigerian and West African cuisine since 2011. Go for authentic fare such as fufu, egusi stew, jollof rice, moi moi, fried plantains and more.

5777 Cleveland Ave., North Side, 614-2593951. LD $$

Owner Megan Ada offers teatime and suppertime in a bibliophile’s dream atmosphere. Craft cocktails are served at a handsome bar, while the eclectic menu ranges from fancy grilled cheese to lamb chops. 14 N. State St., Westerville, 614-776-4633. LD $$

Pat’s Delicious

After shuttering in 2018, the classic Old North restaurant has returned, albeit with a smaller menu than it once had. But you’ll still find deep fried starters, soups, salads and sammies—and a sense of Columbus history—to wash down with a cold beer. 2439 N. High St., Old North, 614-261-9308. D $$

Pat’s offers a different menu focused on Nigerian cuisine everyday. Here, you’ll find dishes like bitter leaf soup, moimoi and more. 4616 Cleveland Ave., Easton, 614-269-7122. LD $$$

The Blue Danube PHOTO BY ROB HARDIN

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like club sandwiches, burgers and Coneys; daily specials range from taco night to Thanksgiving dinner. 741 N. High St., Short North, 614-298-1014. LD $$

The Whitney House

Roosters The homegrown sports-bar chain is famous for its wings. The extensive menu also offers salads, chicken fingers, pizza and subs.

5511 New Albany Rd. W., New Albany, 614775-1144; 7110 Sawmill Rd., Dublin, 380204-6170; 897 City Park Ave., German Village, 614-444-8848; 1650 Stringtown Rd., Grove City, 614-539-8711; 4850 Morse Rd., Gahanna, 614-245-8151; 5225 Nike Station Way, Hilliard, 614-777-6125; 1832 Henderson Rd., Northwest Side, 614-3260216; 3370 Olentangy River Rd., Olentangy West, 614-262-3185; 1500 Stonecreek Dr. S., Pickerington, 614-577-9601; 1041 Gemini Pl., Polaris, 614-896-6460; 4650 W. Broad St., West Side, 614-853-0118; 376 S. Hamilton Rd., Whitehall, 614-759-7778. LD $

Scotty’s Café This family favorite on the East Side serves a full breakfast menu with specialty omelets, plus deli classics like excellent corned beef sandwiches on rye. 2980 E. Broad St., East Side, 380-249-2871. BL $

Bun’s Restaurant Located in historic Delaware, Bun’s has been serving classic comfort food for more than 150 years. The menu ranges from pot roast and steaks to fried shrimp and gyro platters.

14 W. Winter St., Delaware, 740-363-2867.

LD $$

Kitchen Social

You’ll find cozy booths and stiff drinks at this dimly lit German Village hangout serving better-than-average bar fare like cheeseburgers, Anchor Bar wings and pizza.

185 E. Livingston Ave., German Village, 614228-3904. LD $

A stylish, independently owned restaurant serving classic American grill fare alongside plates inspired by global cuisines. Start with the fan-favorite cheddar and scallion biscuits to go with any of the signature cocktails or a glass from the extensive wine list. The menu includes entrée salads, pizzas, tacos, seafood, steaks and more. 6791 Longshore St., Ste. 110, Dublin, 614-763-1770; 8954 Lyra Dr., Polaris, 614-505-8492. BRLD $$

Eight and Sand Tavern & Refuge

The Locust Table

Eight and Sand is a sophisticated yet casual neighborhood bar in Hungarian Village that slings solid American fare such as wings, sandwiches and hot dogs. 76 E. Innis Ave., South Side, 614-914-8601. D $

The name of this neighborhood café stems from the owner’s generations-old family farm, The Twin Locust Farm, which is a main source for the eatery’s ingredients and produce. The menu at this downtown Powell spot includes scones, egg sandwiches, veggie burgers and more. 16 Crossing St., Powell, 614-553-7322. BBRL $$

Club 185

Gahanna Grill The Gahanna landmark has a storied history dating back to the 1930s, with the Beanie Burger, prime rib and chicken Marsala. 82 Granville St., Gahanna, 614-476-9017. LD $$$

Harvest Bar + Kitchen PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

SOW Plated down-home and down-South dishes made with organic and local ingredients. 793 N. High St., Short North, 614-291-5000. D $$$

From the owners of Harvest Pizzeria, these locations offer the same wood-kissed pies plus salads, sandwiches, burgers and more.

940 S. Front St., Brewery District, 614-9477950; 2885 N. High St., Clintonville, 614947-7133. LD $$

Hubbard Grille Hubbard specializes in upscale takes on

Old Mohawk Restaurant This German Village favorite housed in a historic building is rumored to have ties to Prohibition. On the menu is standard American bar fare, including the famed turtle soup. 819 Mohawk St., German Village, 614444-7204. LD $

Press Grill What this longtime Short North favorite lacks in size it makes up for in character, with a diner feel and a bar the length of the interior. Press Grill serves solid American fare

With a “food is medicine” mantra, this handsomely designed restaurant in The Shops on Lane Avenue features a health-conscious menu and cold-pressed cocktails. 1625 W. Lane Ave., Upper Arlington, 614-826-0028.

BRLD $$$

The Two-One Located inside the Renaissance hotel, this sophisticated but relaxed eatery focuses on serving locally-sourced foods paired with a full cocktail menu. 409 Altair Pkwy., Westerville, 614-882-6800. BBRLD $$$

The Whitney House This Old Worthington mainstay recently got a refresh of its interiors and American grill menu, which features pierogies, burgers, pan-seared walleye and Sunday Supper rigatoni. 666 High St., Worthington, 614396-7846. BRLD $$$

BAKERY Al Aqsa Sweets Excellent baklava, petit four cookies, knafeh and other desserts are the focus of this traditional Middle Eastern bakery owned by Fathieh Abdellatif. 1940 Schrock Rd., North Side, 614-806-0293. LD $

Auddino’s Italian Bakery They don’t make bakeries like Auddino’s anymore. This old-school Italian retail bakeshop and wholesaler offers sandwich buns, pizza dough, pastries, cookies and more. 1490 Clara St., University District, 614294-2577. BL $

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Belle’s Bread Tucked away in the same complex as Akai Hana, this French-inspired Japanese bakery is known for its outstanding pastries, cakes and treats. 1168 Kenny Centre Mall, Upper Arlington, 614-451-7110. BLD $

Bite This Annie Dickson’s bakery celebrates goth culture as much as it does her innovative baked creations. A 12-foot tall skeleton greets visitors who stop in to this take-out shop for cakes, brownies and Dickson’s famous savory Bagel Bombs. 3009 N. High St., Clintonville. BL $

Golden Delight Bakery Best known for its delightfully light strawberry cake, this Asian bakery has been serving the city for 30 years. Other offerings include cream puffs, egg tarts, fruit tarts, cake rolls and a wide variety of specialty cakes. 246 Lincoln Circle, Ste. C, Gahanna, 614-9240097; 1516 Bethel Rd., Northwest Side, 614459-6888. BL $

Kolache Republic Inside The Daily Growler, this Czech-inspired bakery offers sweet and savory kolache for breakfast as well as varieties like kielbasa and cheese that pair well with beer. 730 S. High St., German Village. BLD $

Pistacia Vera The crème de la crème of Columbus pastry shops, with macarons, croissants, éclairs, tarts, quiches and a small selection of sandwiches. 541 S. Third St., German Village, 614-220-9070. BL $

Three Bites Bakery + Little Cat Boba

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

In this shared space, you’ll find sweet and savory baked items, strong coffee and colorful boba options. The Fillipino treats from Three Bites are exceptional, and the central location on Broad Street makes this

a worthwhile stop Downtown. 12 E. Broad St., Downtown. BL $

CARIBBEAN Caribbean Jerks Island Bar & Grill This locally owned spot offers a Caribbeanstyle take on American pub grub, plus live music. The menu features such islandinspired offerings as the Beachside Nachos, The Shipwreck burger and jerk chicken wrap. 1262 E. Powell Rd., Lewis Center, 614-844-6501. LD $

Ena’s Caribbean Kitchen Founded more than 20 years ago by matriarch Vinell “Ena” Hayles, a native of Jamaica, this Linden area restaurant offers authentic Caribbean fare like jerk chicken, callaloo and curry goat. 2444 Cleveland Ave., North Linden, 614-262-0988. BRLD $$

Island Vibes Restaurant A small, counter-serve eatery offering a selection of traditional Jamaican dishes like oxtail, jerk chicken, plantains and curry goat.

1558 Cleveland Ave., South Linden, 614-4054821. LD $$$

Mi Yaad Jamaican Restaurant Located inside Saraga International Grocery, this carryout serves top-notch Jamaican patties, jerk chicken, escovitch fish, curry goat, Rasta pasta and more. 2750 S. Hamilton Rd., East Side, 614-490-7197. LD $$

Val’s of the Caribbean A family-owned eatery serving Caribbean specialties like saltfish fritters, jerk chicken, oxtail and goat curry. 6820 Refugee Rd., Canal Winchester, 614-834-4403. LD $

CONTEMPORARY Agni

Avishar Barua (Top Chef Season 18) entertains guests with multicourse tasting menus that showcase Barua’s Bengali roots, penchant for creative hijinks and live-fire cooking chops. Reservations are a must, or try snagging a bar seat. 716 S. High St., D $$$$ Brewery District, 614-674-6600.

Comune Joe Galati’s restaurant and bar fills a void in Columbus with a plant-based approach to upscale dining. The seasonal menu includes shareable dishes like tahdig, house-made pita with dipping sauces, tempura cauliflower and semolina cavatelli. 677 Parsons Ave., Schumacher Place, 614-947-1012. D $$$

Gene’s This newcomer to Old Dublin’s High Street is a cozy space in an old house and a sister restaurant to the Coast Wine House down the block. The menu changes regularly to incorporate seasonal ingredients, while the accessible wine and creative cocktail lists invite guests to linger into the evening. 91 S. High St., Dublin, 614-553-7050. D $$$

Isla After hosting meals in their home through the Roy’s Avenue Supper Club, chef Andrew Smith and his wife Devoney Mills transferred the experience of communal fine dining to their new restaurant. Two groups of 14 guests are seated nightly at a shared table for a tasting menu, with a chef’s counter experience available on Thursdays for an additional cost.

Advanced prepaid reservations are required.

116 E. Moler St., Merion Village. D $$$$

Service Bar Local distiller Middle West showcases its fine spirits at this on-site restaurant and bar.

Expect New American fare with alongside excellent cocktails. 1230 Courtland Ave., Short North, 614-947-1231. D $$$

At his fine-dining restaurant, chef

Ena’s Caribbean Kitchen

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SoCal Kitchen + Bar Vintage luggage and maritime accents fill this attractive, Southern California-inspired restaurant and bar from Cameron Mitchell.

Seafood stars, with dishes ranging from tuna poke to lobster rolls to Fisherman’s Stew. Stir frys, burgers and steaks are also available.

An elevator connects SoCal to the rooftop lounge, Lincoln Social. 705 N. High St., Short North, 614-300-9500. BRD $$$$

Wolf’s Ridge Brewing French- and California-cuisine-inspired Wolf’s Ridge is a truly delightful reflection of how we enjoy fine dining today—a happy marriage of high-end small plates, pints of house-crafted beer and craft cocktails.

Don’t miss the brunch. 215 N. Fourth St., Downtown, 614-429-3936. BRLD $$$

GREEK Anna’s Greek Cuisine After serving her mother’s food in Greece, Anna opened her own restaurant over 22 years ago. Specialties range from pita sandwiches and pastitsio to lamb shank and moussaka. 7370 Sawmill Rd., Northwest Side, 614-799-2207. LD $$

King Gyros Greek Restaurant Greece-born Yianni Chalkias opened his fastcasual Greek restaurant more than 25 years ago, with gyros, lamb chops, Greek dips, dolmades and baklava. 400 S. Hamilton Rd., Whitehall, 614-866-9008. LD $$

Loops From the original Loops Spicy Gyro Roll to a loaded Chicago hot dog, Loops gives you

an authentic taste of the Windy City. 1629 Northwest Blvd., Fifth by Northwest, 614670-8808. LD $

No.1 Gyro Shoppe Traditional Mediterranean eatery serving gyros, falafel and Greek salad. 3591 W. Broad St., West Side, 614-272-6244; 4567 Cemetery Rd., Hilliard, 614-219-7600. LD $

Yanni’s Greek Grill A small, casual Greek eatery with an authentic menu, including lamb chops, stuffed grape leaves, gyros and hummus. 6196 Cleveland Ave., North Side, 614-890-4775. LD $$

ITALIAN Bar Italia Rick Doody brings Lindey’s beloved bread to accompany classic Italian dishes at this Easton restaurant. Bar Italia’s approachable-yet-refined menu offers wood-fired pizzas, red sauce pastas, meaty entrees and an extensive wine list. 4145 The Strand W., Easton, 614-702-2022. LD $$$

Basi Italia Nestled in the heart of Victorian Village, Basi Italia serves clean, simple Italian fare with innovative twists in a setting so intimate, you’ll feel like the chef invited you over for dinner. Basi offers one of the city’s best patios. 811 Highland St., Victorian Village, 614-294-7383. D $$$$

Borgata Pizza Café A family-run Italian eatery specializing in New York-style pizza, scratch-made pastas, calzones and panini. Try the ricotta cavatelli with marinara or spicy stuffed peppers—

tender Cubanelle peppers with marinara and gooey mozzarella cheese. 1086 N. Fourth St., Italian Village; 2285 W. Dublin-Granville Rd., Northwest Side, 614-396-8758. D $$

Cento For his 100th restaurant, Cameron Mitchell brings Italian cuisine to German Village, leaning into familiar, beloved pastas and mains. Happy hour offers good deals on wine and appetizers, including the excellent artichoke heart served only at that time. 595 S. Third St., German Village, 614.696.6565.

D $$$$

Claudiana Italian Restaurant Tucked away in a shopping center is this white-tablecloth destination for classic Italian-American fare, with pizzas, baked gnocchi, lasagna, spaghetti alla vongole, filet mignon and more. 8475 Sancus Blvd., Polaris, 614-846-2236. D $$$

Lola and Giuseppe’s Trattoria This quaint, husband-and-wife-owned bistro cooks up made-from-scratch Italian meals, with Italian wedding soup, chicken Marsala, Giuseppe’s Baked Rigatoni and meat lasagna. 100 Granville St., Gahanna, 614-473-9931. D $$

Metsi’s Wood-Fired Italian Chef BJ Lieberman has repurposed the space that was previously home to Hiraeth into an Italian restaurant named for his favorite baseball team. The wood-fired hearth is well-utilized in main dishes like osso buco and herbed snapper. A negroni-centric happy hour is offered from 4-6 p.m. 36 E. Lincoln St., Italian Village, 614-824-4516. D $$$$

Milano’s Italian Restaurant

Comune

A family restaurant serving hearty Italian fare, with spaghetti and meatballs, prime rib, shrimp scampi, lasagna and Orecchiette al Amatriciana. 6916 E. Broad St., East Side, 614-861-1277. LD $$

Smith’s Restaurant and Deli A neighborhood, family-owned restaurant that’s been serving classic Italian fare since 1961. Expect dishes like deli sandwiches, lasagna, pizza, Reubens and stromboli. 3737 N. High St., Clintonville, 614-267-7541. LD $

JAPANESE The 1126 Restaurant

Akai Hana This entertaining Japanese bento shop boasts some of the city’s best sushi and a wide range of Japanese and Korean entrées.

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This cozy and chic sushi restaurant offers an assortment of appetizers, sushi, udon, hibachi and tempura entrées alongside plenty of Japanese whisky and sake options. 1126 N. High St., Short North, 614725-3435. LD $$$

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Kirin Noodle Bar Calero’s Bar & Grill

What started as a ramen shop now offers a wider menu, including sushi and a variety of appetizers such as karaage, chashu pork buns and hand rolls, with a selection of Japanese whiskys. 4227 N. High St., Clintonville, 614867-5356. LD $$

Meshikou Ramen Meshikou is an open-kitchen ramen shop focusing on authentic preparations of noodle bowls, as well as a few Japanese comfortfood starters. Co-owner Mike Shek learned the ramen craft under a NYC chef—recipes to which Shek has added his own touch for Central Ohio palates. 1506 Bethel Rd., Northwest Side, 614-457-1689. LD $$

Red Rabbit Ramen Located at Honest Friend Brewing, this Japanese yatai cart serves yakitori and bowls of scratch-made Japanese ramen. 2112 S. High St., South Side, 614-233-1822. D $$

Sushi Factory At this shopping center spot, customers can expect an extensive menu of Japanese fare, from udon and hibachi entrées to creative sushi rolls and nigiri. A long sake and wine list completes the package. 8715 Sancus Blvd., Polaris, 614-505-6060. LD $$

Tensuke Express A modern and authentic noodle shop located next to Tensuke Market and Sushi Ten in Kenny Centre’s Japan Marketplace, with udon, soba, ramen and curry rice. 1155 Old Henderson Rd., Northwest Side, 614-451-4010. LD $$

LATIN AMERICAN Arepazo Owners Carlos and Carolina Gutierrez serve excellent Venezuelan and Colombian fare and cocktails in a hip atmosphere. Don’t miss the arepas, patacón and lomo saltado. 515 S. High St., Brewery District, 614-914-8878.

LD $$

Calero’s Bar & Grill This Northland restaurant is serving affordable Salvadoran cuisine with a large menu that will leave you wanting to return for more. The pupusas are a must-try, but from breakfasts to steak dinners, anything you sample is bound to leave you satisfied. 1644 E. Dublin-Granville Rd., Northland; 614-3948030. BLD $$

PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

Cilantro Latin Fusion The owners of Cilantro food truck have a dinein restaurant serving a mix of Colombian, Venezuelan and Ecuadorian fare such as arepas, pabellon, patacones and more. 4852 Sawmill Rd., Northwest Side, 614-754-1080, 993 King Ave., Grandview food truck, 614966-1222; 1044 N. High St., Short North; 660 Neil Ave., Victorian Village. LD $$

Choripán Argentine Grill A South American restaurant specializing

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in an all-gluten-free menu featuring empanadas, wings, steak platters and choripán, a popular Argentine chorizo sandwich. 5927 Karric Square Dr., Dublin, 614-467-9288. LD $$

El Pulgarcito Salvadoran Restaurant El Pulgarcito offers several different Salvadoran and Latin American dishes, such as the restaurant’s famous pupusas. 5133 E. Main St., East Side, 614-626-0063. LD $$

Mordisco Food Truck

chicken shawarma. Tacos, burgers and pizza round out the extensive menu. 1131 N. Fourth St., Italian Village, 614-999-9909. LD $$$

Nazareth Restaurant & Deli This family-owned eatery has been serving classic Middle Eastern fare for more than 20 years. Nestled in a Gahanna strip mall, you’ll find friendly service and freshly made favorites like chicken shawarma, falafel and hummus. 5239 N. Hamilton Rd., Gahanna, 614-899-1177. LD $$

At this wheeled Venezuelan eatery, whose official home is Olentangy River Brewing Co., you’ll find standout breakfast burritos, arepas, pabellón bowls and more. 303 Green Meadows Dr. S., Lewis Center, 786-557-8828.

BL $$

Pita Hut N Grille

Sí Señor Peruvian Sandwiches & More

Salam Market & Bakery

Owner Guillermo Perez crafts outstanding handhelds at this casual café. The roasted turkey club, meatloaf and fried pork shoulder sandwiches are hard to beat. Don’t skip the cilantro pasta. 155 W. Nationwide Blvd., Arena District, 614-670-4985; 1456 W. Fifth Ave., Fifth by Northwest. LD $

Freshly baked Middle Eastern breads are the highlight at this hidden gem. Try the khubz, an Arabic flatbread similar to pita, or the outstanding meat pies. 5676 Emporium Sq., North Side, 614-899-0952. BLD $

MIDDLE EASTERN Ginevra Café Ginevra, which began as a coffee shop and later expanded to serve lunch and dinner, offers a mix of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Somali dishes. Try the rice and lamb shank. 2285 Morse Rd., North Side, 614-4754880. LD $$

Habibi Grill Chef Tarek Albast (former owner of Mr. Hummus) presents this hip Italian Village eatery specializing in Lebanese fare such as baba ghanoush, fattoush, kafta kebab and

This teensy eatery next to Bob’s Bar serves up fresh, flavorful, fast food to a stream of regulars with a menu including falafel, kebabs, shawarma and pita sandwiches. 4965 N. High St., Clintonville, 614-433-0996. LD $$

Silav Café & Grill Specializing in Kurdish cuisine, Silav offers breakfast sandwiches and bowls in the morning and gyros, falafel, shawarma and kababs—including in sandwich and salad form—throughout the day. Round out your meal with a drink from the café and a signature dessert. 330 S. High St., Downtown, 614-456-7459. BLD $$

Yemeni Restaurant Offering a cuisine rarely found in Columbus, this eatery serves authentic Yemeni specialties like fahsa and foul stews, lamb mandi and Adeni milk tea. 5426 Cleveland Ave., North Side, 614-426-4000. LD $$

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Massey’s Pizza

Aracri Pizzeria This family-friendly pizzeria is the creation of an Italian whose father owned a small café in Italy. Expect New York-style pies, garlic knots, pastas and more. 51 E. Gay St., Downtown, 614-224-3013. LD $$

Dante’s Pizza A classic Clintonville pizzeria offering some of the finest pies in the city, plus pasta and subs. 3586 Indianola Ave., Clintonville, 614268-5090. D $

Eagles Pizza A longtime New Albany favorite founded in 1971, with pizza, subs, pasta, salads and desserts. 2 N. High St., New Albany, 614855-7600. LD $

Gatto’s Pizza This family-owned pizza joint in Clintonville is truly old-school, serving homemade Italian favorites like pizza, subs, salads and pasta. 3420 Indianola Ave., Clintonville, 614-263-3737. D $

GoreMade Pizza It’s all about the pizza here at Nick Gore’s modest spot. Thin-crust pies are woodfired in an oven imported from Italy, and seasonal toppings are locally sourced.

Enjoy solid cocktails and salads while you wait. 936 N. Fourth St., Italian Village, 614D $$ 725-2115.

Hounddog’s Pizza An Ohio State staple, Hounddog’s serves its famous Smokin’ Joes and breakfast pizzas until 1 a.m. on weekends. Order Howlin’ Hot sauce if you dare. 2657 N. High St., Old North, 614-261-4686. LD $ Tommy’s Pizza

This local pizza chain serves award-winning, Columbus-style pizza, plus wings, subs and salads. 261 Lincoln Cir., Gahanna, 614416-4444; 1229 N. Memorial Dr., Lancaster, 740-653-6633; 1951 E. Dublin-Granville Rd., North Side, 614-888-0022; 440 E. Broad St., Pataskala, 740-927-0786; 9838 Brewster Ln., Powell, 614-799-5777; 7070 E. Main St., Reynoldsburg, 614-868-0690; 399 S. State St., Westerville, 614-882-6466; 4464 E. Main St., Whitehall, 614-559-2222; 7838 Olentangy River Rd., Worthington, 614-8969800; 152 Graceland Blvd., Clintonville, 614505-6262. LD $

Mikey’s Late Night Slice What started as a late-night pizza shack in the Short North has grown into a minichain offering thin crust whole and bythe-slice pizza, wacky seasonal toppings and famed hot sauce—a mix of barbecue, ranch and other hot sauces—to top it all off. 268 S. Fourth St., Downtown, 614737-3801; 457 N. High St., 614-8690249 Downtown; 200 Georgesville Rd. Hollywood Casino; 1030 N. High St., Short North, 614 737-3488; 6562 Riverside Dr., Dublin, 614-333-5398; 4117 Worth Ave., Easton, 614-927-1136; 1839 N. Pearl St., Campus, 614-923-3863; 457 N. High St., LD $ Short North, 614-869-0249.

Paulie Gee’s Short North A Brooklyn-based pizzeria with Neapolitanand Detroit-style pies and craft beer. Offers traditional and eclectic pizzas with names like the Hellboy, the Greenpointer and the Ricotta Be Kiddin’ Me. 1195 N. High St., Short North, 614-808-0112. D $$

Terita’s This family-owned, carryout-only pizza shop has been serving up Columbus-style pies for over 60 years on Cleveland Avenue.

The housemade sausage is excellent on a pie or on one of Terita’s subs. 3905 Cleveland Ave., North Linden, 614-4752100. LD $

Tommy’s Pizza A Central Ohio tradition since 1952, serving pizza, subs, salads and pasta. 4279 W. Dublin-Granville Rd., Dublin, 614-764-3999; 1350 W. Lane Ave., Upper Arlington, 614486-2969. LD $

SANDWICHES Bears Bagels After gaining a following at local farmers markets, Bears Bagels opened a Hilliard shop in 2024. The family-owned business serves up handmade bagels, schmears and sandwiches and offers bagel-making classes that sell out quickly. 4142 Main St., Hilliard, 614-319-3561. BL $

Dave’s Cosmic Subs At this Northeast Ohio-based submarine sandwich chain, rock ’n’ roll meets Italian, vegan, gluten-free and whole wheat sub rolls.

Try out the Original Dave’s Cosmic Sub or Dave’s Best Meatball Ever Sub and wash them down with a flavored soda. 1766 N. High St., Campus, 614-824-5494. LD $

Goood Friends Jackie O’s on Fourth is home to this takeout window featuring seriously goood Midwestern sandwiches. Highlights include the Ol Faithful (fried chicken with Le Delice de Bourgogne) and Warby’s Melt featuring Wario’s Wiz. 171 N. Fourth St., Downtown.

D $$

Lexi’s on Third A Downtown delicatessen specializing in classics like the patty melt and Reuben, plus gyros, homemade soups and generously portioned salads. 100 E. Broad St., Downtown, 614-229-5394. BL $$

The Lox Bagel Shop Kevin Crowley’s cute Short North shop offers handmade bagels that are boiled and then baked over a live fire. The shop’s namesake sandwich and the egg with pastrami sandwich are standouts. 772 N. High St., Short North, 614-824-4005. BL $

Newfangled Kitchen Located next to the Drexel Theatre, this chef-inspired sandwich shop reimagines the classic American meatloaf sandwich.

Don’t miss The Fang, a meatloaf version of a cheeseburger. 2258 E. Main St., Bexley, 614817-1099. LD $

Wario’s Beef and Pork This no-frills, East Coast-style sandwich carryout from chef Stephan Madias saves the fireworks for the food. Try the steak sub done Wario’s Way or the killer chicken cutlet sandwich. Don’t skip the spuds. 4219 N. High St., Clintonville, 614-674-6200; 111 W. Nationwide Blvd., Arena District, 614-9148338. LD $$

SEAFOOD COLO Market & Oyster Bar In addition to fresh seafood for cooking at home, this North Market fishmonger offers lobster rolls, chowder, shrimp po’ boys and oysters on the half shell.

59 Spruce St., Short North, 614-929-5701.

LD $$$

Columbus Fish Market This high-end seafood restaurant offers daily fresh catch options and an eclectic, everchanging menu with favorites like Maine lobster, Shanghai Sea Bass, Mitchell’s Rib-Eye and Alaskan king crab legs. 1245 Olentangy River Rd., Grandview, 614-291-3474. LD $$$$

Cousins Maine Lobster Lobsters shipped directly from Maine are carefully prepared in small batches to provide a traditional New England experience. Offers lobster rolls, lobster tots, shrimp tacos and whoopie pies. Food Truck, Citywide, 614448-1256. LD $$ SEPTEMBER 2026 COLUMBUS MONTHLY

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PHOTO BY TIM JOHNSON

PIZZA

95 7/27/26 3:08 PM

Creative Space

Henry Hess

Photos clockwise: Henry Hess in his studio at Chromedge Studios; Henry with father Tom, sister Sophia and mother Amy; Sophia looking over Henry’s sketches; markers, pens and pencils; Henry working on a drawing.

Photos and story by Tim Johnson Walls lined with colorful characters start the immersive journey into Henry Hess’ studio, located inside Chromedge Studios in Franklinton. Hess, 26, dressed in his trademark bowtie and brimmed hat, smiles widely while surrounded by a world of characters from classic musicals, movies and cartoons.

Hess, who is on the autism spectrum and rarely speaks, was captivated watching Singing in the Rain as a toddler. Soon after that, he started drawing. “He started filling up the house with drawings,” says his father, Tom Hess. “It’s how he expressed himself and interacted with the environment.”

Tom and his wife, Amy, recognized that Henry needed more room and rented his studio space 12 years ago, immersing themselves in the Franklinton art scene. They were embraced by the community as a family, and Henry’s artistic talent and bold process and style were 96

recognized quickly.

“In the arts community, you’re celebrated for what makes you unique and stand out in the community,” says Henry’s sister, Sophie, who is the former board president and current member of the Franklinton Arts District organization.

While Henry continues to learn, thrive and grow in the arts world, Tom says he has taught his family “patience, humility and acceptance.” ◆

COLUMBUS MONTHLY SEPTEMBER 2026

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