Columbus, Ohio USA
Return to Homepage www.shortnorth.com
Dis 'n' Data
By Margaret Marten, Editor
email margaret@shortnorth.com
January 2008
Rojo Tequileria, the Mexican restaurant located next to Haiku at 790 N. High St., has changed its name and menu and developed a partnership after a year of operation in the Short North. Owner George Tanchevski, who also runs five local Aladdin’s Eatery shops, said he opened Rojo because he recognized a void for Mexican food in the neighborhood, but after a year of less-than-stellar sales, he had to admit that Mexican food was not his forte and that he needed help. “For whatever reason, it wasn’t doing the kind of sales I expected it to do and I attribute it to the food,” said Tanchevski. “I think we tried to be a little too authentic or maybe too specialized in our menu.” Tanchevski decided to approach the owners of La Fogata Grill in Pickerington about taking over the operation. He and his family had frequented La Fogata and were impressed with the food. “The thing about it is that I felt it was the best Mexican food I’ve ever enjoyed, and that’s why I bent over backwards to get them here. Jeff Rinehart and Crispin Alvarez accepted the partnership with Tanchevski and took over in December, transforming the former Rojo Tequileria into La Fogata Grill. The menu is wider and more versatile for those looking for popular Americanized menu items. Hilda Esparza, who served as Rojo’s head chef, will remain on board, and a patio will be introduced in the spring. The restaurant serves lunch beginning at 11 a.m. Monday through Saturday and is open Sunday from 4 to 10 p.m. The number there is 614-294-7656.
The corner of Russell and High has become the showcase of another excellent fine furnishings store after the recent closing of anèw, which Linda Franz operated for nearly 12 years at that location. Elegant Imports, selling hand-crafted Indonesian teak and mahogany furniture, opened at 650 N. High in November. This is the second store for owner Patrick Harnett, 23, who started the business last year with a shop in Westerville, which he still operates by appointment in addition to the Short North location. Harnett first visited Indonesia while working for a furniture wholesaler in Hawaii where he moved to attend college, lured by the ocean waves for surfing – one of his passions. The furniture in Elegant Imports is purchased directly from the artisans themselves rather than manufacturers or wholesalers, so the pricing is surprisingly modest. In fact, Harnett has established a personal relationship with these families and travels to Indonesia every couple months to meet with the woodcarvers and to place orders. Furniture carving is one of Harnett’s pastimes as well, a skill he developed while fashioning surfboards over the years, so he can personally accommodate special orders in furniture design. The store has something for every room, all handcarved, some simple, others ornate. Everything is stunning and priced to sell. The spirit of the business is eco-friendly, marked with integrity and a sincere interest in the furniture and the artisans who created it. Patrick Harnett can be reached at 614-464-7992.
Clothing and fashion, ever-present in our midst, never fail to attract our attention, our time, and our money, so with a good number of apparel stores opening up in the Short North lately, an afternoon stroll will surely satisfy fashion-conscious consumers with an interesting array of shops to visit, and no shortage of restaurants to drop in to for a break along the fashion journey. One of the more recent retail stores, The Emperor’s Newest Clothes (a women’s boutique), opened the day of the November Gallery Hop in the former Wells Landing location at 636 N. High St. Owner Michelle Woljevach has been successfully operating The Emperor’s Newest Clothes in Grandview for over five years and had no plans to open another shop, but her entrepreneurial energies were stimulated by the large “For Rent” sign in the Short North window when she drove by with her boyfriend on the way to see a film. Three days after spotting the vacancy, she signed the lease. “In six weeks, I totally redid the space,” she said. “I had two fabulous contractors that showed up every single day. I’m really proud of it. I just love it.” She plans to keep the inventory in her two locations different so her customers can take advantage of a wider selection. “It’s the same look. I’m buying the same way,” said Woljevach. “It’s just different items so that my customers want to shop both stores.” Her success and loyal following in Grandview has much to do with her fair pricing as well as the large variety of boutique labels she carries in limited numbers. Woljevach travels to Los Angeles and New York every six weeks and hand-picks everything from wholesalers. “I’m not looking to become a millionaire. I love it that people get so excited about finding great trendy, fun clothing. It’s excellent quality, but I keep my prices as low as I possibly can.” The Emperor’s Newest Clothes is open 7 days a week. Call 614-221-6600 for hours and information.
The year 2007 ended on a sad note with the passing of Louis Stevenson, 61, an attorney for the U.S. Small Business Administration, who died unexpectedly of a heart attack on December 22, three months after retiring. A regular patron of the Short North Tavern, Louis was greatly admired by his colleagues and friends for his positive, gracious manner and his love and dedication to his family. According to Charles Loutzenhiser, Louis was a good man who never had a bad word to say about anyone. “He was a true gentleman.”
©2007 Short North Gazette, Columbus, Ohio. All rights reserved.
Return to Homepage www.shortnorth.com