Columbus Monthly / June 2011 / Savvy Shopping

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Savvy Shopping

 

Columbus’s retail scene offers something for everyone—from deluxe shopping complexes with exclusive designer boutiques to quaint neighborhood shops. Here’s a look at some of the major destinations that make Columbus a shopping mecca.

 

TOP SHOPPING STOPS

One of the most popular tourist destinations in Central Ohio is Easton Town Center, located about seven miles northeast of downtown Columbus. Built around an outdoor town square, Easton features more than 200 retail, dining and entertainment venues, including the Apple Store, Burberry, Tiffany & Co., Crate & Barrel, LEGO, Nordstrom, North Face, Madewell, Coach, lululemon, C.O. Bigelow, Sur La Table and the Diamond Cellar. Easton’s unique village setting also includes a 30-screen movie theater, the Funny Bone Comedy Club and more than 30 restaurants. Call 337-2200 or visit eastontowncenter.com.

On the western edge of Easton Town Center is Easton Market, featuring big-box stores such as Kittle’s Furniture, T.J. Maxx and Dick’s Sporting Goods. On the north side of Morse Road are Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Sam’s Club, among others.

Polaris Fashion Place is a major shopping destination in Central Ohio. A variety of premier stores—including Von Maur, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sephora, Swarovski, J. Crew, Express, The Limited and Accent on Image, where you’ll find Vera Bradley designs and Pandora bracelets—make this two-level mall a bustling shopping attraction. A $45 million outdoor lifestyle area was added in 2009. Anchored by Barnes & Noble, Destination Maternity and an expanded Forever XXI, the lifestyle area also features dining and entertainment at Benihana and Dave & Buster’s, with patio dining available at The Pub, Cantina Laredo and the Cheesecake Factory. Call 846-1500 or visit polarisfashionplace.com.

 Stores continue to spring up in the area surrounding the mall, including a sprawling DSW Shoe Warehouse and a Birkenstock specialty footwear shop. Across the street from the Fashion Place is Polaris Towne Center, with big-box stores such as Target, T.J. Maxx and Old Navy and specialty stores including World Market and Arhaus Furniture.

In the Short North Arts District, on both sides of High Street just north of downtown Columbus, is the city’s largest concentration of commercial art galleries and funky shops. One of the most recognized arts districts between Chicago and New York, the Short North also features such eclectic shops as Global Gallery, a nonprofit enterprise featuring gifts, jewelry, toys and clothes created by Third World artisans; Rivet, an art gallery that also sells limited-edition toys; On Paper, which carries a wide array of stationery, gift wrap and cards; Jacob Neal Salon, which in addition to styling services offers a signature line of beauty products and Kérastase Paris items, and GrandView Mercantile Co., Collier West and Grid Furnishings, where you’ll find one-of-a-kind furniture and home accessories. Other not-to-miss shops include Rowe boutique for designer attire; Adore House of Bloomsbury Loft for handmade jewelry and other treasures, and Europia for gourmet food, beer and wine.

 

HITTING THE MALLS

The Mall at Tuttle Crossing, on the city’s northwest side, features nearly 150 stores and restaurants, including anchors Macy’s, Sears and JCPenney. Tuttle also has a host of niche stores, including locally owned shops such as Simply Rr’s, a gift boutique, and Kissi Cakes-N-Sweets, with gourmet cupcakes. Other stores include Men’s Wearhouse, Finish Line, Build-A-Bear, Bare Escentuals, The Limited, Ann Taylor, Aveda, Pottery Barn and H&M. The mall also boasts a food court and a kids’ play area with a space exploration theme. The mall is located south off Tuttle Crossing Boulevard just east of I-270. Call 717-9300.

Older, regional Eastland Mall continues to serve its customers on the east side of town, despite being upstaged by newer, fancier retail counterparts. In addition to anchors Macy’s, JCPenney and Sears, this extensively renovated mall is home to retailers such as Aeropostale, Victoria’s Secret Beauty, Foot Locker and Finish Line. Eastland is on South Hamilton Road, about a mile south of I-70 in southeast Columbus. Call 861-3232.

On the north side of town is the Shops at Worthington Place, just south of I-270 at North High Street and Wilson Bridge Road. The mall, which is undergoing renovation by its new owners, features shops such as Talbots, Ann Taylor and White House Black Market. Call 841-1110.

The Shops on Lane Avenue in Upper Arlington, about five miles northwest of downtown Columbus, is an upscale shopping strip with such stores as Whole Foods Market, Bed Bath & Beyond, Coldwater Creek and Larson’s Toys and Games. Call 481-8341.

 

NEIGHBORHOOD & SUBURBAN SHOPS

Shoppers in the downtown area have some unique options. The Greater Columbus Convention Center, 400 N. High St., houses retailers offering convenient shopping. Merchants include Nielsen’s Convenience Store, the Buckeye Connection, Krema Nut Company, Mischief, SegAway Tours of Columbus, Repair Express and Heroes and Games.

Some of downtown’s popular tourist spots, including the Ohio Statehouse, also offer shopping opportunities. The Statehouse Museum Shop is full of items handpicked from Ohio artisans. Located on the ground floor of the Statehouse annex, it can be reached through the main Statehouse building. Farther east at 480 E. Broad St., the Columbus Museum of Art gift shop offers a variety of art-oriented books, prints and gifts. On the west side of the Scioto River, at 333 W. Broad St., COSI has educational toys and games in its popular Science2GO! gift shop.

In the Arena District, in the northwest corner of downtown, you can buy an authentic NHL game puck or hockey jersey at the Blue Line, the Blue Jackets’ official team store inside Nationwide Arena, or browse baseball-related gear at the Clippers Cargo shop in Huntington Park, home to the Columbus Clippers. And head for the North Market nearby to browse extensive merchandise sold by 35 permanent vendors, from top-name cookware, homemade salsa and exotic flowers to hand-dipped chocolates, gourmet popcorn and artisan ice cream.

In the mostly residential Clintonville area, just north of the Ohio State University campus, a growing list of shops on North High Street includes So^-bo^- Style and Euro Classics to outfit your home; Wholly Craft! for colorful handmade goods with a fun, funky spin; Pearls of Wisdom for New Age items; Cover to Cover for a vast selection of children’s books; Lottie Da Baby Boutique for quirky toys and kids’ apparel, and Rag-o-Rama, a well-known source for trendy secondhand clothes. A bit east of Clintonville, gardeners can find an abundance of plants and other garden essentials at Oakland Nurseries, which also has locations in Dublin and Delaware County.

In the historic downtown area of Dublin, about 15 miles northwest of downtown Columbus, visitors can find all things Irish, as well as small antiques, golf, gift and toy shops. Options in Old Dublin include Ha’penny Bridge Imports of Ireland, an Irish imports store, and MJ’s Candy Bar, where sweet treats range from the newest novelty items to nostalgic childhood classics. Some of the shops near High and Bridge streets are in buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. Just up the road in the Dublin Plaza is Le Flair Boutique for unique women’s apparel.

Elsewhere in the not-so-old Dublin area is the Morgan House Gift Shop for traditional furniture, gourmet foods, clothing and jewelry. Just east of Dublin proper is the ultrabusy intersection of Sawmill Road and Rt. 161. Among that area’s myriad destinations for shoppers are Filene’s Basement, DSW Shoe Warehouse, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Stein Mart and the Diamond Cellar, where you can peruse everything from an exclusive collection of official OSU Buckeye jewelry to top brands such as Rolex and David Yurman, along with a great selection of engagement rings.

Gahanna, just a short drive northeast from Port Columbus International Airport, features a fun area to browse, with shops such as Upscale Resale Furnishings, with new and secondhand furniture and accessories, and Happy Hostess House, which carries baking and candy-making supplies. The Creekside development off Mill Street includes Casabella Accents and Design, Jewels & More and The Wine Guy Wine Shop. The nearby StoneRidge Plaza strip mall has restaurants, a cinema and stores such as Music Go Round, with new and used instruments.

German Village, south of downtown and east of High Street, is a charming historic neighborhood built by German immigrants. Books, quilts, antiques and more, including deli and baked goods, can be found while meandering through the area. Quaint brick streets lined with refurbished 19th-century homes have a mix of shops, including the Book Loft, which has 32 rooms crammed full of books; Pistacia Vera, with delectable macaroons and other sweet treats, and Franklin Art Glass, which has kept Central Ohioans supplied with stained glass for more than 70 years. Caterina Ltd., European Housewares, Art and Gifts, housed in a 130-year-old brick building, boasts a gallery on its upper level and features international art treasures and other art-centric ceramics, linens, glassware, furniture and body care items. The area has several other art galleries, such as Helen Winnemore Craft, a labyrinth of rooms filled with functional art, and a number of antiques shops, including the Greater Columbus Antique Mall on South High Street, which attracts shoppers from throughout the Midwest.

Grandview, a suburban community just a few miles northwest of downtown Columbus, offers good shopping and dining along Grandview and Fifth avenues. Among the plethora of “gently used” clothing shops and other retailers in the area, you’ll find Stauf’s Coffee Roasters, featuring a wide variety of fresh-roasted blends; Second Chance Consignment Boutique for stylish, discounted designer clothing; Earth Elements for bath, body and aromatherapy products, and Fortin Ironworks on West Fifth, with high-quality ironworks and unusual accouterments for the home.

Just east of Grandview is Lennox Town Center, off Rt. 315 west of the OSU campus. This open-air complex is marketed toward the OSU crowd, though it draws customers from all over Central Ohio. The center features a popular 24-screen movie theater, several restaurants and retailers such as Old Navy, Target, World Market, Barnes & Noble, Beauty First and Bath & Body Works.

If you keep heading east from Easton, you’ll eventually hit the small village of New Albany, where new Georgian mansions coexist with older establishments. Shops here include Prairie House for home and gift items, Three French Hens for antiques and Tailfeathers Boutique for designer women’s and junior’s clothing.

The Ohio State University campus area is the place to go for Buckeye memorabilia. On High Street across from campus, SBX Student Book Exchange is an authentic OSU bookstore with an extensive array of souvenir items. On West Lane Avenue at the campus’s north end, Conrads College Gifts and College Traditions are two more OSU-oriented shops. The college crowd finds cool clothes and home accessories at Urban Outfitters, and the hip Wexner Center Store offers a variety of contemporary art items, jewelry and books. The city’s best used-record shops are located along High Street in the campus area, too: Used Kids and Johnny Go’s House O’ Music. Barnes & Noble and Finish Line are part of South Campus Gateway, which features a mix of stores, restaurants, nightclubs, apartments and a seven-screen movie theater in the area around High Street and 11th Avenue.

Powell and southern Delaware County are rapidly growing areas about 20 miles north of Columbus. Downtown Powell is an oasis of antiques shops and country chic retail, with stores such as A Certain Charm, The Collection, Powell-Liberty Antique Mall and Cute as a Button, which carries handcrafted gift and home décor items. Downtown Delaware has interesting specialty stores such as Fundamentals Parent Teacher Store, with educational toys, books and art supplies, and DPS Antiques & Collectibles Mall.

Westerville, a historic community about 15 miles northeast of downtown Columbus and just north of I-270, has some interesting shops in its uptown area, along State Street just a stone’s throw from the Otterbein University campus. There’s an abundance of gift, antiques and craft stores, plus Captivating Canines for cool dog accessories, Amish Originals for handcrafted furniture, Outside Envy with unique items for gardens and patios and Foul Play, a book shop specializing in mysteries.

Worthington, about 10 miles north of downtown Columbus on High Street, is a New England-inspired suburban community that carefully preserves the colonial look of its Old Worthington business district. Specialty shops here include Fine Lines stationery store and Fritzy Jacobs for quirky home décor. An upscale retailer with an unusual name is Damsels in This Dress, a boutique with art-driven women’s apparel and accessories. Its selection includes clothing by Alberto Makali and Art of Cloth, ornate handbags by Mary Frances and unique jewelry by Teresa Goodall. In good weather, you may find a farmers’ market or festival on Worthington’s Village Green.

 

OUTLET & DISCOUNT SHOPPING

Bargain-hunters can head to the Eddie Bauer Warehouse and Outlet Store and its Salvage Store at 4599 Fisher Rd., close to I-70 on the far west side of Columbus. The stores always offer steep discounts. Call 278-9281.

About 45 minutes southwest of Columbus, along I-71 at exit 65, is Prime Outlets Jeffersonville and its more than 100 outlet stores, including Banana Republic, Coach, Adidas and Nike Factory Store. Call (800) 746-7644. P