Columbus: Not to be Overlooked

Not to be Overlooked

Forget what you think you know about this former cowtown. Columbus is one of the fastest growing metro areas in the Midwest and is the 15th largest city in the country. With Midwest values and a reasonable cost of living, this varied and much-growing city has a lot to offer the young professional crowd.

On the economic front, Columbus has the best economy in Ohio and the 7th strongest economy in the nation. This is according to a 2006 study done by Policom Corp., which determined the rankings of the nation’s 361 metropolitan areas by analyzing standard of living, income, job availability, unemployment conditions and other economic factors.

Just to name a few of the major players that help invigorate this city’s economy, Columbus serves as the headquarters for Cardinal Health, Limited Brands, Nationwide Insurance, American Electric Power and Battelle (the world’s largest private research institution). Two great places to start a job search in Columbus are columbus.careerboard.com and columbusjobs.com.

But it’s not just the economy that helps fuel this city. Columbus has many lively neighborhoods with their own unique offering of restaurants, pubs, coffee houses and specialty shops.

One of these popular areas is the Short North (theshortnorth.com). Located just north of downtown, most of the action can be found along High Street. The first Saturday of every month offers the perfect opportunity to grab a couple of friends and explore this part of town, when the art galleries and shops stay open late for Gallery Hop. Be prepared for a crowd however, since not even inclement weather can keep hoppers away from the galleries, restaurants and bars.

Another highlight of the Short North is the North Market. This indoor shopping market is filled with independent merchants and artisans who offer everything from fresh, local produce, fish and free-range meat to kitchen gadgets and a custom framing store. Also found in the North Market is Jeni’s Ice Creams. Signature flavors like salty caramel, dark cocoa gelato and Thai chili have helped to put this shop on the map. In fact, in 2005, owner/operator Jeni Britton was named a Tastemaker by Food & Wine magazine, an award given to “top young talents who’ve changed the world of food and wine by age 35.”

Bordering the Short North is the Arena District (arena-district.com). This is the site of Nationwide Arena where Columbus’ NHL team, the Blue Jackets, play. In addition to many restaurants and a movie theater, the Arena District boasts several bars and a few clubs. For cheap drinks it’s hard to beat It’s Brothers Bar and Grill (aka Brothers), Gaswerks or The Lodge Bar. All are within walking distance of each other and offer generous happy hour specials. If looking for a more fashionable scene or someplace to dance, check out Sugar or its sister club Spice.

On the other side of downtown Columbus lies German Village (germanvillage.com). Brick streets run through this historic section of the city situated primarily between Livingston Avenue and Greenlawn Avenue east of South High Street. There are numerous restaurants in German Village, but one that can’t be missed is Thurman Café, known for its humongous burgers and hefty portions. The wait can be long even on weeknights, so be sure to arrive early and before you are hungry.

For an after-dinner treat check out The Book Loft also located in German Village. It’s a 32-room bookstore that is unparalleled. Maps are provided for visitors at the front door, but each room is clearly labeled, so feel free to wander.

While these three downtown locations are quite trendy and offer plenty of places to patronize, they can be quite pricey for living. To help your rent or mortgage payment go further, living in the suburbs is a great solution, and downtown is never more than a 20-minute (or less) drive away. To get a clearer picture, check out an illustration of surrounding neighborhoods on the Columbus Chamber of Commerce Web site (http://www.columbus.org/lifestyle/neighbor.aspx). Clicking on the neighborhoods in the illustration will open a PDF with information specific to that area. Because of their locations and easy access to downtown, I’m partial to Upper Arlington and Grandview in the near West vicinity and Hilliard and Dublin in the Northwest.

But this city isn't just a great place to live. With events like the Columbus Arts Festival, it’s also a great place to visit. Kick-off summer along the Downtown Riverfront at this four-day street festival when over 300 nationally acclaimed artists display their work. In addition to the artwork, there’s also gourmet fare from local restaurants as well as live performances to enjoy. Then in July, return to the Riverfront when 500-700 thousand people flock to downtown to taste award winning ribs from around the country and to listen to live music performances at the Jazz and Rib Fest.

Columbus may not be a booming metropolis, but it certainly isn’t a cowtown. It’s a growing city that somehow has kept its small town-feel, and there lies its charm. Ready to take a closer look? For additional information on Columbus, check out the detailed article on Wikipedia.com at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbus,_Ohio.



Lezlie Grubb is an Account Executive at GSW Worldwide, a pharmaceutical advertising agency in Columbus, Ohio.