Columbus is brimming with interesting neighborhoods beyond the borders of Ohio State. Each week, The Lantern will spotlight an area in or around Columbus.
Sure, it has a great public library and a pretty impressive Giant Eagle grocery store, but what else does Grandview Heights really have to offer? Its calm, quiet charm gives the impression of a sleepy residential town, but the area actually has many hidden attractions that are begging to be discovered by Columbus’ youth.
Shop
Lining Grandview Avenue are a number of small boutique shops that have interesting, often local items for sale. Objects for the Home, located at 1392 Grandview Ave., sells a range of furniture and home décor items but also showcases jewelry, stationery and organic personal care products made by Columbus artisans. The store has ties to Ohio State as well, as the owners are alumni.
Thread on Grandview, located at 1306 Grandview Ave., also sells locally handmade jewelry, as well as an assortment of clothing and shoes. The items are casual, yet sophisticated, making them perfect for college women on the go. The shop also holds some special events from time to time, including trunk shows for various clothing and jewelry brands.
Dine
There are plenty of great restaurants along Grandview Avenue to accompany the great shopping, but the Buckeye Hall of Fame Grill at 900 Goodale Blvd. is by far the best place in the neighborhood for an enthusiastic Buckeye to grab a bite. Situated inside the recently constructed Grandview Yard, this restaurant airs many OSU sporting events on its many large TVs. Though the food itself is not that impressive, offering mostly traditional American dishes such as burgers and pastas, the atmosphere makes up for what the menu lacks in creativity. The walls are lined with historic Buckeye memorabilia, including trophies, jerseys and autographed photos from former players. On days with home football games, Buckeye Hall of Fame Grill will even provide transportation to and from campus, though diners must purchase a $20 gift card in exchange for a ride.
Explore
The true entertainment in Grandview Heights can be found in low-key taverns around the neighborhood. The Tree Bar at 887 Chambers Road is the epitome of a dive bar, but it has an endearing quality to it. At the corner of two alleyways, the bar looks rather sketchy from the outside, but has actually hosted a number of familiar names in music, including Kyle Gass from Tenacious D. The interior is small, but still large enough to hold frequent musical performances, including open mic nights on Wednesdays. In fact, the bar’s website rightfully calls itself an “unassuming DIY music club,” though the “club” part is a bit misleading. A very large, very real tree stump protrudes from the floor of the bar’s back room, explaining the establishment’s name.
Woodlands Tavern is another exciting spot to catch some great music acts. In a more visible location at 1200 W. Third Ave., this bar, with its 300-person capacity, is more spacious and lately has been bringing in some bigger names than The Tree Bar. Recently the bar has hosted acts such as Tea Leaf Green and Devon Allman, son of The Allman Brothers Band’s Gregg Allman. Woodlands Tavern also holds open mic nights on Wednesdays and regularly spotlights local musicians, including Columbus-based girl band The Salty Caramels. On April 13, the bar is scheduled to host an event called “William the Accountant’s Back Tax Musical Festival” at 7 p.m., which includes performances by Columbus-based artists William the Accountant, Karate Coyote, The Saturday Giant and Post Coma Network. Admission is $10.
