If you were to ask a small business owner two years ago about the hardest period their business ever had to go through, there’s a 90% chance they would have said the pandemic without missing a beat. But according to Columbus chef and James Beard Award nominee BJ Lieberman, that story has changed.
On The Columbus Chronicle Podcast, he put it this way:
“This is the hardest period of time. I thought the pandemic was hard. Like, this is the hardest period of time that I think we’ve ever had to go through.”
If that quote doesn’t make your stomach drop, I don’t know what will.
The reality is this. Columbus restaurants and mom and pop shops are hurting in a way we have not seen in decades. Higher food costs. Lower foot traffic. Surprise equipment failures with no help from manufacturers. Rising rent. Even the threat of eviction from properties they have called home for 30 to 50 years. The list goes on.
And none of this is their fault.
So instead of sitting around feeling helpless, I wanted to pull together a running list of the Central Ohio spots that need our support right now. If enough of us show up, even once or twice, it can genuinely change the outcome for these places.
Here are the small businesses that need us the most.
If you know of a small business that is struggling and should be included on this list, please contact us here!
Shop Small, Shop Local!
Honey Dip Donuts and Diner, Iacono’s Ristorante, DeSantis Florists, and Health Markets Insurance
4480 Kenny Rd, Columbus, OH 43220
This one breaks my heart. These four family-owned Columbus staples have been hit with a nightmare situation. Their landlord fell into receivership, which means a court-appointed receiver quietly moved to package and sell the entire property to developers.
No warning. No chance to buy the buildings they have occupied for decades. No say in what happens next.
If redevelopment moves forward, Columbus loses:
- Generations of family-owned shops
- Local jobs
- Neighborhood identity
- Community history
A petition calling for community input and fair options for the tenants blew up so quickly that Columbus City Councilman Chris Wyche got involved. He has already set up a meeting with the businesses and said, “We will respect the wishes of the businesses.”
That is good news, but the fight is not over. Keep sharing the petition. Keep raising your voice. It really does help.
Artisan Pizza Cafe
91 E 5th Ave, Columbus, OH 43201
Artisan Pizza Cafe has lived roughly ten years of chaos in the last 4 months.
They opened earlier this year. They got a HUGE bump from Dave Portnoy’s pizza review. Then their oven died out of nowhere, forcing them to close until a replacement is installed.
The silver lining is that Portnoy, known as El Presidente, stepped up and bought them a brand new oven. Again, love him or hate him, this is a massive win for a small business in crisis.
They are still closed until the oven arrives and is installed, so follow their owner Jasmin Mj on Facebook for updates. We are also in direct contact with her, so keep an eye on our socials too. Once they reopen, we’ll be the first to tell you to go get a pie. Or six.
Bexley Natural Market
508 Cassady Ave, Columbus, OH 43209
Bexley Natural Market has been around for nearly 50 years. It is the only remaining community-owned cooperative grocery store in Central Ohio. This place has supported local farmers and small food makers long before it was trendy.
Right now, they are having trouble paying overdue bills and keeping shelves stocked. Food costs are up. Foot traffic is down. And the grocery store that has served its community for half a century is fighting for its life.
If you live anywhere near Bexley, please work them into your weekly grocery run. Even small purchases make a real impact. The business is slowly dying, and we cannot let that happen, especially since it does so much good for the community!
Ray Ray’s Hog Pit (Granville)
1256 Columbus Rd, Granville, OH 43023
Less than a week after asking their Granville community for more support, Ray Ray’s Hog Pit closed two locations without warning. Johnstown and Marion are gone. Linworth closes at the end of the month.
Ray Ray’s helped build the BBQ scene in Central Ohio. They are as Columbus as it gets. But the economy has dealt them a brutal hand. Rising costs. Shrinking disposable income. Fewer people eating out.
If you love this place, now is the time to show it. Their Granville, Westerville, Clintonville, and Franklinton locations are still open, and a single visit from you genuinely matters.
How You Can Help Right Now
Helping small businesses does not have to mean spending a ton of money. Here are simple ways to support them today:
- Visit once a week or even once this month
- Leave a positive Google review
- Share their posts on social media
- Buy gift cards
- Tell friends and family
- Comment on their updates so the algorithm boosts them
- Sign petitions when they pop up
Small actions add up. Especially right now.
Closing Thoughts: Time to Act!
Columbus is built on small businesses. They give our neighborhoods personality, flavor, history, and charm. Losing any of these places would hurt. Losing all of them would change our city forever.
So let’s show up. Let’s be loud. Let’s support the places that make Central Ohio feel like home.
And who knows. The visit you make tomorrow might be the one that helps a business survive this wild year.
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