Columbus, Ohio USA
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Dis 'n' Data
By Margaret Marten, Editor
email margaret@shortnorth.com
July/August 2013
On June 1, Image Optical moved from 846 N. High St. into the space next to UPS at 607 N. High vacated by Brigade two months earlier. I mentioned in the last issue that Brigade moved north to 940 N. High where the shop Bungalow Home had been based (another relocater). Dr. Todd Clark opened Image Optical 11 years ago in the Short North after running his business for three years in Westerville where it continues to operate. Dr. Clark did not return repeated calls for comment. I had hoped to hear about the grand opening held on June 22 and thought it would be interesting to know how many pairs of glasses Todd Clark owns as well as his favorite styles, but attempts to reach him were unsuccessful. There is a section on his website “Meet Dr. Clark,” where you can see him smiling and wearing spectacles.
A new hair salon with eco-friendly products, pain-free parking, and half a dozen stylists opened at 136 W. Fifth Ave. between High and Neil, in front of Alternative Auto Care across from the Thompson Recreation Center. Owner Mya James, 42, a former interior decorator, apparently had the makings of a cosmetologist even as a youngster growing up on a farm in Marion, but it took the recent economic crisis to motivate her to finally follow her passion, return to school, become an Aveda graduate, and begin work as a professional stylist. “As a very small child, I was talented with curling irons, blowdryers, doing my girlfriends’ hair, always wanting to do someone’s hair and make them look good. In turn that makes me feel good that someone likes how they look,” said James. Practicing a few years in high-end salons here in Columbus gave her the confidence to begin thinking about opening her own business. When negotations for a salon purchase in Lewis Center reached a stalemate and became too stressful, James dropped her offer after six months of talks with lawyers, but the very next day spotted a “For Rent” sign while driving by the Fifth Avenue space and began steps to open her own shop. “I had my eye on this particular storefront for over a year,” she said. “I thought it would be a perfect area for a salon with all that store frontage, the glass.” And she just “fell in love” with the place. “I thought this would be the most beautiful salon ever,” she said. The name of her shop, Naama, is a Hebrew word meaning beautiful, attractive. “It fits the salon, that image, beautiful and attractive people coming in and out and looking good,” said James. Her staff includes artists, as well as a musician, a cellist, who helps arrange live music at Naama on Saturdays. “I’ve put 150 percent of the effort into this and here I am today, said James. “I opened it, designed it all, did all the work, and the doors are open.” Naama Hair Salon & Spa, located at 136 W. Fifth Ave., is open Wednesday through Sunday. They can be reached at 614-424-6070 or by
visiting www.vagaro.com/naamasalon.Piece of Cake, the Short North bakery and lunch spot at 772 N. High, designed a cake replicating the Goodale Park elephant fountain sculpture for the Friends of Goodale Park dedication ceremony held on May 19. The sculpture has jokingly been referred to as a wedding cake, so it was not a difficult concept for the designer, Michelle Amos to come up with. The bakery, which has been in the Short North for 15 years, recently changed hands after founder Brian Hotopp sold it to manager Laura Harter in April. Hotopp, 50, now living in Indian Lake, said it was time to move on and do other things, but the decision was not really sudden. “For the first dozen years that I owned Piece of Cake, I was working seven days a week, 10 hours a day,” he said. “I just decided that I needed to take some time and enjoy life.” He and Harter, 43, began to consider the possibility of her taking over the business shortly after she started there in October 2011. Hotopp gradually gave her more and more responsibilities as she continued to weigh the decision, and now she’s grateful. “I think it’s fun to have a business where you can make things and make people happy by giving them something that’s different,” she said. While raising her children (Janelle, now 14, and Nicole, 16) Harter, who lives in Worthington, worked part-time at a bakery when her children were in elementary school, and later at an insurance company, but that was not a good fit. “I was making money and had full benefits and vacation and all that comes along with the corporate job, but it just didn’t feel right to me, so I started looking.” Her earlier work at the bakery she enjoyed. Her degree in Spanish from Ohio State University years ago was not doing much good. A job posting on Craigslist eventually led to her position at Piece of Cake and gave Harter the challenging work, creativity, and happiness she desired. She is in charge of nine employees and works longer hours, but welcomes the responsibility and the interaction with people. “What I enjoy most is people. I really enjoy meeting people, talking to them – and the diverse population we have here in Columbus, I feel is wonderful.” Hotopp agrees. He is amazed by what cake decorators can do and said customers are thrilled when they pick up the “masterpieces,” and he enjoyed that most while running the business – making people happy. His decision to leave and Harter’s eagerness to learn and take over seemed to work out well for everyone. “Laura was the person to manage the business,” he said. “She had expressed the desire, and I said I would wait because I felt she was the right person, the ideal person to buy it.” To learn more about the menu, hours, and services at Piece of Cake, visit www.shortnorthpieceofcake.com or call 614-421-0399.
Barrel 44, a whiskey bar doing business at 1120 N. High since October 2008 (a few doors down from Surly Girl Saloon) expanded into an adjoining space formerly occupied by Maotef Gifts, which relocated next to ROY G BIV over a year ago. The bar area in Barrel 44 is now larger because the dining section was moved into the adjoining space at 1116 N. High. Owner Shawn Korn, who also runs Barrel 44 in Bexley, said a sliding barn door was constructed and placed between the two areas in order to accommodate special events that might be held there: whiskey tastings, parties or business meetings. “We used all materials from the existing space,” he said. “There was wainscoting all over the walls. We used it to make a door, a big barn door that slides, almost like an out-of-the wall pocket door to access that space.” Apparently if the door swung either way they would lose tables. Thirty seats have been added, and possibly 50 while standing up for cocktails. Bobby Cooper painted a new mural of a rickhouse (a barrel-aging warehouse) with five rows of stacked barrels on the south wall. Korn said they have had some success in Bexley with “folky-bluegrass” musicians, so he is considering that option in the new space, even though they don’t usually do live music. And there are those who take the menu at Barrel 44 seriously, so he is making an effort to change it periodically and do “seasonal stuff,” particularly now that the dining area has expanded. The physical menu is easier to navigate because they reformatted it onto a single page. Pot roast and an all-fresh garden veggie melt that sells well at the Bexley location have been added to the menu. Barrel 44 Whiskey Bar opens at 4 p.m. daily (11:30 a.m. on Saturdays) and can be reached at 614-294-2277. The website is www.barrel44.com.
A few doors down from Barrell 44 at 1108 N. High, the Square of Life, a beautiful health-product retailer, closed in June (or at least locked their door) due to safety issues experienced while tending the shop. They opened the store in March 2013.
Randy and Tina Corbin opened the former Phillips’ Coney Island diner at 747 N. High during Comfest weekend on June 28. John Gegas operated Phillips’ Coney
Island for 43 years before selling it to the Corbins last year. It had been closed since April 2012. Renamed PHILCO Bar + Diner, they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, offering diner-inspired items and specialties made by chef Andrew Smith who also works at The Rossi, another Corbin establishment at 895 N. High. The new number is 614-299-9933 and they have a Facebook presence.
Voodoo Denim Lounge closed in February 2012. The space, located at 780 N. High next to Torso, opened for business again as the Pint House & Beer Garden in late April after extensive renovations. An open-air patio was created by removing part of the roof to complement an indoor beer hall. The area covers 4800 sq. ft., seating a couple hundred people. The large open-air patio with retractable roof is usually filled with patrons and has a vibrant atmosphere. Owners Chris Corso, Mike Gallicchio and Brian Swanson of The CGS Group say it’s the only beer garden in the Short North, i.e., open-air establishment where beer is served. There is no shortage of beer in the neighborhood, but the place is unique and may be worth a trip just to try out something new. Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 3 p.m. to closing; Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to closing.
Red House Fashions, a new small independent women’s clothing store, opened in February next to Turner’s Barber Shop. Situated just north of Fifth at 1247 N. High St., the inventory is selected by owner Amna Khatoon, 37, and most noticeably colorful and inexpensive. There are handbags, jewelry and other accessories in addition to the stylish clothing that fills the small shop. It’s a fun place to visit because there’s surely something to catch your eye, but it’s not likely to drain your wallet. Hours run through early evening. Closed on Sundays.Email margaret@shortnorth.com or call 614-251-0656 with neighborhood news items for the Short North Gazette.
Email the Editor margaret@shortnorth.com
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