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    First Look: Center Street Market

    Heading towards the finish line in early March before the coronavirus pandemic put the world on hold, Center Street Market vendors are finally getting to serve their first customers in Old Hilliard.

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    Most of the market’s 11 vendors at 5354 Center St. are now open, including Dumplings of Fury, Bakes by Lo, The Cheesecake Girl, Rime Time, Meatball Mafia, Coffee Connections, Al’s Delicious Popcorn, Two Step Tacos and Serendipity. It’s the original line up with a name substitution for Legacy Smokehouse’s spot, becoming Two Step Tacos to signifying a pared down menu from the barbecue joint.

    Just two spots are left to open – an already announced Pitabilities, which should be up and running by the end of the month, and a confirmed but yet-to-be named burger concept.

    All Center Street Market vendors are required to be open from 11 a.m – 7 p.m., but have the flexibility to expand their hours on their own accord.

    Owner Robert Fry says many of the food vendors are already planning for later hours to feed the crowds from Crooked Can Brewing Co. which shares the space with Center Street Market.

    The brewery had opened in February, just weeks before the shutdown, and welcomed guests back as soon as the state allowed.

    The market and brewery have found themselves with room to spread out to accommodate social distancing guidelines. An event space is currently being used as overflow seating, complete with its own bar that’s pouring on the weekends.

    The City of Hilliard also closed down Center Street in front of the market, lining up picnic tables down the street for additional outdoor seating. Fry says the street will remain closed throughout the summer, but hopes that it will become a permanent pedestrian area.

    Wednesdays through Fridays, DORA (designated outdoor refreshment area) rules the street, with patrons able to take adult beverages across a five-block area.

    For more information, visit crookedcanohio.com and follow Center Street Market on Facebook.

    All photos by Susan Post

    Center Street is closed allowing for more outdoor seating.
    Rime Time
    Dumplings of Fury
    Meatball Mafia
    The Cheesecake Girl
    Treats from The Cheesecake Girl
    Gifts and goods at Serendipity
    Serendipity is the only non-food vendor at Center Street Market
    Bakes by Lo
    Goodies from Bakes by Lo
    Coffee Connections
    A plethora of popcorn at Al’s Delicious Popcorn
    Al’s Delicious Popcorn
    Two Step Tacos
    Crooked Can is ramping up production after imbibers quickly drank through several of the beers on tap after the brewery reopened.
    Crooked Can expects to roll out a few new beers this week.
    The event space is being utilized for additional seating with the bar open on weekends to help keep lines shorter.
    Tables are spaced out with seating flowing onto the patio.
    Socially distanced seating is available on Crooked Can & Center Street Market’s large patio.
    Tables line Center Street.
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    Susan Post
    Susan Post
    Susan is the editor of The Metropreneur and associate editor of Columbus Underground, and also covers small business and entrepreneurial news and the food scene in Central Ohio.Susan holds a degree in Communication with a minor in Professional Writing from The Ohio State University. She sits on the board of the Central Ohio Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and loves coffee, whiskey, cooking and spending time with friends and family.
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