Situated in the middle of the ever-growing north campus bar scene lies a discrete watering hole that is overflowing with history.
When Dick’s Den opened its doors in 1964, it was both a student hot-spot and a hideout for the locals in the area. Years later, in the mid-70s, Dick’s Den began its signature event – “The Norwich Marathon.”
While a few broke college students initially created the marathon in attempts to throw a cheap St. Patrick’s Day party, years of tradition allowed it to evolve into an annual event that only recently came to an end.
The marathon was about eight miles, but the twists and turns of the event were what made it unusual.
Participants began the marathon at Dick’s Den by drinking two shots and two beers. Next, they raced to the old Graceland Shopping Center liquor store to purchase a bottle of Irish whiskey. To finish the marathon, the runners had to return to Dick’s Den, with the unopened and unbroken bottle of liquor and finish a pitcher of beer before confirmation of their completion.
The winner of the race received personal satisfaction and the knowledge that his or her own bottle of whiskey would be saved for the St. Patrick’s Day bash.
Although hundreds of marathon photographs still cover the walls at Dick’s Den, last year marked the 30th and final official year of “The Norwich Marathon.” Some people, however, choose to keep the tradition alive and run it on their own.
“It was a fun day, but it just got too big,” said Nan Raach, manager of Dick’s Den. “We quit partly because of liability.”
Dick’s Den prides itself on its recurrent customers and drink specials. Jazz bands play at the bar every Thursday through Sunday, which is a trait that has continued throughout the bar’s history.
“For a long time, it was the jazz place in Columbus,” said Walter Striplin, former bartender at Dick’s Den. “You couldn’t hear jazz anywhere else.”
On Game Day Saturdays, Dick’s Den offers Budweiser and Bud Light buckets of five beers for $8. The 4-9 p.m. Happy Hour is still popular among students and local regulars to the bar.
The welcoming ambiance of the bar is what attracts patrons of all ages, Raach said.
“Dick’s Den reminds me of the small jazz clubs in Chicago,” said Kim Conner, a recent OSU graduate. “I like the comfortable feel of the bar and how the people and bartenders welcome everybody.”
Whether entering or exiting Dick’s Den, the faces of devout patrons can be seen. Over the years, many of the bar’s regulars have died, and Dick’s Den chose to remember them by displaying their photographs.
“It’s always been good friends who take care of each other no matter what,” Raach said. “It’s kind of a family here.”
