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Ohioanna All-Star Market will be a small New York City “bodega style” urban market catering to our currently underserved downtown-dwelling demographic. We chose the name “all-star” as a nod to our own local favorites; we plan to emphasize local produce, cheeses, coffee, beer and other locally grown and produced sundries to nourish our neighbors.
Ohioanna Market will feature fresh flowers, produce, bagels, breads, coffee and deli items. Columbus “All-Stars” will be featured including Stauf’s Coffee, Amish cheeses, dairy items from Happy Chicken Farms, and carry-out items from Betty’s, Surly Girl Saloon, and Tip Top Kitchen. We are taking suggestions for items now. Baked goods, cupcakes, bread, beer, wine and the usual sundries will be available as well.
The service will be fast, friendly, and we will be open late. We look to make our community brighter by providing fresh produce and healthy carry-out options in a safe, bright and friendly store. If successful, we look to build more stores in the coming years. Next stops include King-Linoln, Downtown, Gay Street, and Franklinton.
Our first shop will be located two doors north of Surly Girl Saloon. We will occupy the space currently held by Mary Catherine’s Antiques. Mary Catherine’s currently occupies two storefronts but she will downsize to one storefront and rent us the north side of her building. We are working to convert the space from retail to grocery with food-prep on site, so an opening date is still uncertain but we hope to open in late 2008.
Feel free to throw your suggestions our way, we’d love to hear them.
Elizabeth Lessner
elizabeth@tiptopcolumbus.com
614.291.8073
Wow.. this is awesome. I can’t wait for this to open and to patronize them.
this is awesome. i’m all over it.
Whoo-hoo, Liz, that made my day for sure :)
My next step is to figure out what is going on with farms contiguous to or nearby Columbus and what makes them tick. What are their challenges and how can I be involved in helping support those that switch to long-term soil-retention techniques (such as those in research by the Land Institute) so that these families can remain on their land far into the future. Ideally, it seems to me, that in a viable community, we would provide for ourselves and then any surplus could be exported or put up for leaner times. Instead we have many family farmers closing up shop and almost all are forced to use soil-exhaustive extractive farming methods in order to keep pace with international competition.
What are the governmental, economical, ecological and corporate influences on the daily lives and bottom lines of these farmers, and why have family farms been on such a steep decline for so many years? What are Farm Bills, when are they, and what do they mean?
It seems like a dauntingly huge and unsexy topic of study, which is why I think it could use a good lookover. Chances are there are some interesting things that could come to light.
great for the north Short North.
Ohmigawsh, someone pinch me! We’ve all been dreaming about this for so long! This is GREAT news and will be such a wonderful addition for us north enders. I wish it wasn’t so late, I want to tell everyone I know! My spirits are officially lifted :lol:
*happy sob*
but *sob* nonetheless. I’m super happy about this idea, but I’ve always had my eye on the Mary Catherine’s spot for my first restaurant. So it’s happy, and sad.
But I think it’s a really great idea. Definately would have loved it when I lived across the street.
Here’s my #1 request: can you get some uber cold coolers? I will stop there every night on my way home from work for ice cold beer. It’s strangely hard to find in this town.
So, anyone want to pony up some dough for me to buy Snapper’s? I’m not starting any rumors about them being for sale or anything, it’s just my next most desired location. . .
I am so pumped. My regular complaint as a VV resident is how much Giant Eagle is the opposite of where I want to be shopping.
WOW. AWESOME. THANK YOU, LIZ!
Looks like Blue Market doesn’t stand a chance.
Hehehe. Well, from the looks of things, you can definitely expect a heck of a first-day crowd, if nothing else.
Liz has been working on this concept for a long time and I am so happy to see the announcement. She defines the term engaged citizen and should get a special award.
For a long time city hall types have tried to lure a decent carryout to the downtown. Buying milk, cigarettes and Ritz crackers at CVS isn’t the kind of urban experience many of us are seeking (I agree it’s better than nothing, I’m not a total snob). If this works out I hope the concept can find a home in the central core.
Yay Liz Lessner!
Sweet! Is there anything we can do to make this happen faster!?!?!?
How wonderful. I hope this idea is super successful, allowing the KLD stop to be open within 6 months or less of the SN one. :) Yay Liz! :)
I love that a Columbus resident is being proactive. There is def. a large cry for this and I see nothing but good things coming. I also love that you kept it small so multiple can open within walking distance from each other. I will def. be there on day 1. Congrats!
I’ll probably still go to the UDF which also has very friendly employees and Ohio made products like milk, ice cream, ice, CBC, and Budweiser. UDF will also let you park your bike inside and gives free samples of decent ice cream.
I always wondered why Surly Girl had a logo for Ohio made beers on their menu, but did not have one next to High Life as it was likely brewed at the Troy, Ohio Brewery. Why no Bud either? Brewed on the same side of town as Surly Girl. Odd choices, seems biased and deceiving.
I will go to Ohioanna, but please build the place out of practicality and not as a novelty or specialty place please?
This looks promising.
I agree that UDF has friendly employees, and Ohio made products, but i think the aim of this new store is completely different and can’t even be compared to UDF. Produce? Cheeses? I’m pretty sure these are things you can’t get at UDF.
This is AWESOME news. Way to go Liz!
By “practicality,” do you mean that you should not have to get off of your bike while shopping there??
Oh that Cyclist is a funny one…
He’ll probably argue that one kind find cheese, bananas, apples, as well as a variety of entrees and snacks at his favorite local shop.
That is great news and a great concept— I look forward to seeing it evolve.
I look at this place as a local market that I would stop by daily and will enjoy spending time in the store even when not shopping for anything in particular. In no way do I see that in UDF. While I do like their milkshakes, their store lacks any creativity and I hope Ohioanna is NOTHING like UDF.
I’m not trying to rip UDF, because I do shop there often, but when someone who really cares about Columbus is trying to open a store I will give her as much of my business as possible to help her succeed.
That Cyclist…
So good at throwing people off topic.
I am also looking forward to a market I can wander through daily…Especially one that will hopefully have better hours than the North Market and a greater focus on providing fresh, delicious goods than having a multitude of individual vendors. Hooray for options.