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    Union Cafe Celebrates 20 Years in The Short North

    “The only thing that is constant is change.” That quote could easily be applied to The Short North neighborhood, where businesses regularly come and go, with only a couple of exceptions that have managed to stand the test of time.

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    One of those exceptions is the Union Cafe, which is celebrating 20 years in business this summer — practically an eternity for the lifespan of many bars and restaurants.

    Union opened its doors on May 5, 1996, originally at 630 North High Street, which is now the home of Bernard’s Tavern. Owner Rajesh Lahoti explained that even though the Short North had come a long way since the launch of Gallery Hop in the early 80s, it was still a much different environment in the mid-90s than it is today.

    “At that point in time there was little night time activity other than Rigsby’s, a few dive bars, and the 700 Club late on weekends,” he explained. “For every one business open, there were five others closed. It really wasn’t a place many people wanted to visit at night.”

    Lahoti is the perfect definition of a Columbus boomeranger. He grew up here as a kid, left for college, spent some time living in Chicago, Toronto and Los Angeles, returned home to Columbus as an adult, and settled into a home in Victorian Village. A few years later, he said that his decision to open Union was a complete whim.

    “I missed what Chicago had… those districts where you could walk everywhere,” he said. “When we opened, the Short North had a more artistic feel, and was more bohemian. It had more retail, but fewer restaurants. Of course, there were a lot more vacant lots, and it wasn’t nearly as dynamic as it is now.”

    When Lahoti opened Union Cafe in 1996, he had the idea to creating something unique and welcoming.

    “We’re gay and lesbian owned and operated, but we’ve always welcomed a homogenous crowd,” he said. “We were the third GLBT venue that we knew of in the country that had open windows into the neighborhood. We got some death threats, but it was an instant success because people were wanting to see and be seen.”

    After ten years of operation, Union Cafe made the jump to its current location at 782 North High Street in 2006 when the opportunity arose to purchase a property, rather than rent from a landlord.

    “I also really wanted a patio,” added Lahoti. “My business partner said that Columbus is a cold city and a patio wouldn’t work. But I had lived in Toronto, and if they can make it work, we can make it work.”

    union
    Photo by Walker Evans.

    As the two decades have rolled past, Union Cafe has continued to evolve to meet the expectations of a new generation of customers.

    “In order to succeed as a GLBT business today, you have to make a product that people want,” explained Lahoti. “The next generation wants to know what they’re getting, because they’re willing to go to non-GLBT venues and hold you up to that litmus test.”

    The downside of having a core GLBT audience that has become more particular about the types of venues they want to visit, is that it may be one of the factors that has contributed to the demise of an older style of gay and lesbian bars, not just in Columbus, but all across the country. National articles have been penned on the topic (“The Case of America’s Disappearing Gay Bars“), both lamenting the loss of some of those cultural spaces, but also pointing out that GLBT nightlife is headed toward a broader and more accepting society.

    “I have a different opinion on that and I think there will always be a need for GLBT gathering places,” said Lahoti when asked about the topic. “Even with the advent of the internet and meeting people online, many still want to have a place to go to meet people that feels like your home. The old model of GLBT bars doesn’t work anymore because of other correlations — they’re in remote locations, have no walkability, or they don’t invest in renovating their interiors. Some people are ok with that, but most of the population doesn’t want to sit on a bench and get splinters.”

    Today, Union Cafe has become an equally popular destination for both GLBT and non-GLBT customers alike. Lahoti doesn’t seem worried that the business has lost any of its original identity though.

    “Our original demographics aren’t that far off,” he said. “We might have a higher percentage of non-GLBT customers, but they’re here with their GLBT friends. Gay guys are bringing their straight girl friends and coworkers. Parents of gay and lesbian kids come in to eat and don’t feel uncomfortable, and they love it and come back and bring their friends. So, we’re really getting the allies of the GLBT community… which in this city, is pretty much everybody.”

    union-cafe
    Photo by Walker Evans.

    As someone who has seen the Short North change a lot in the past twenty years, Lahoti doesn’t seem to issue the same complaints that some other long-time residents or businesses have brought to the surface as the neighborhood continues to grow more dense.

    “We used to have parking, and now we have no parking, but we’re busier than ever,” he explained. “A regular Saturday now is busier than any Gallery Hop that we saw in our first ten years. The Short North is busy all the time, and has become more and more self sustaining.”

    As to what the future holds for Union Cafe, Lahoti mentions that ideas are always in the works for new locations.

    “We’ve looked at other concepts — we really miss the Havana Video Lounge,” he stated. “But our business at Union is growing so fast right now that we don’t want to take our eye off our core concept. We’ll be working on some changes to the patio soon in terms of layout and furniture. It’s so heavily used, and it’s a great design now, but we’re ready to take it to next level.”

     For more information on Union Cafe, visit www.columbusnightlife.com.

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    Walker Evans
    Walker Evanshttps://columbusunderground.com
    Walker Evans is the co-founder of Columbus Underground, along with his wife and business partner Anne Evans. Walker has turned local media into a full time career over the past decade and serves on multiple boards and committees throughout the community.
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