Westerville started as a small, farming community that was regarded as a district of Columbus containing a hotel and tavern, a general store and a Methodist church. This changed when The Blendon Young Men’s Seminary was bought by the United Brethren Church in 1846, which then became Otterbein College. This eventually well-respected college, and later university, brought cultural and economical changes to Westerville, leading the village to put in three-story commercial buildings in the area that is now known as Uptown Westerville.
Uptown Westerville business owners continue the tradition of being a town of small businesses inside of a city with a population of about 36,000. The businesses of Uptown Westerville sell everything from antique clothing to smoothies to furniture and pizza. These businesses are constantly adjusting to the developing city, slowly changing from a small collection of shops selling a few quality goods to a one-stop shop for residents, non-residents and Otterbein students alike.
Debbi Bennati, owner of “A Gal Named Cinda Lou,” an antique store in Uptown Westerville, and president of the Uptown Merchants Association, is one of those modern Uptown business owners who notices the changes. “Uptown Westerville businesses support each other daily and with help from the Visitor’s Bureau, Chamber, Otterbein and the city,” she said. “It is a great place to have a business.”
Bennati, as part of her leadership position, said she looks forward to the coming years in Uptown. During events, Bennato said she is hoping to see more street and musical performers. She also explained that she is confident in the high quality of goods found at Uptown businesses compared to larger business.
“Grow a business instead of have a business” she said.
A new vintage clothing store will be filling the spot left behind by Encircle, which was an art gallery and gift shop before it closed this year according to Bennati.
Amish Originals is a furniture store that had been firmly established inside the old state theatre building at 8 N. State St. until the owners moved it further down the road to 38 N. State St. The store, now trying to shed its image of featuring mostly simple furniture, now has a larger variety of furniture, including more modern goods.
There will soon be a new brewery supply store in Uptown Westerville, Buckeye Brewcraft owned by Jim Downing, who also works as a freelance lighting manager for Major TV shows such as Sherlock and The Good Wife, has recently opened on North State Street next to Captivating Canines and features kits and supplies for making beer, pop, and wine.
A new addition to Uptown Westerville this year will be a Northstar Café in a vacant space next to Jimmy V’s. Northstar is part of a small chain of restaurants based in the central Ohio area that exclusively serves “locally grown, organic, and artisan produced foods.” The cafe will be coming to Westerville next summer.
A full brewery is also in the planning process. It is a combination deli and micro-brewery, opened by the owner of Jimmy V’s, Jimmy Velio. The Deli will be the third restaurant owned by Velio after his purchase of the Westerville Grill in 2011.
A spot directly next to Graeter’s Ice Cream is visibly under construction. This location will become a Greek restaurant, Opa Panini, with high-end apartments on the top floors.
David Meadows, an economic development specialist for Westerville, said there are plans to build on a spot left vacant by a recently demolished Japanese tea house into a functioning tea house in the coming years.
Meanwhile, the owners of the former theater building at 8 N. State St. are considering many options for its remodeling according to Meadows.
“The State St. Theatre is a Westerville landmark, and has been the centerpiece to the character of the historic Uptown district since the late 1920s,” he said. “We know there is a high level of community engagement project. We are looking forward to working with the new property owner on future development of the property.”
Part of the city’s initiative to improve uptown business, the facade improvement program enables Uptown businesses to improve the fronts of their stores while the city matches the money required to do this.
“The City of Westerville recently awarded the second of two rounds of funding under the Uptown Facade Improvement Program,” Meadows said. “This two-year competitive program provided grant funding for up to 50% of the total project cost, not to exceed $15,000 for one facade. Eighteen projects were awarded funds under the initiative.”
Businesses that have already participated include, Old Bag of Nails, Dave’s Barber Salon, Salamaria Deli and Flowers by Doris.
