Columbus is brimming with interesting neighborhoods beyond the borders of Ohio State. Each week, The Lantern will spotlight an area in or around Columbus.

With multiple cycling shops and bike paths, Clintonville is arguably one of the most bike-friendly areas of Columbus. It also values using in-state food sources, as well as the recycling and repurposing of once-loved items, from records and furniture to entire buildings. So instead of taking to the trails, cyclists (or pedestrians, for that matter) need not do more than take a casual stroll along High Street if they want a taste of Clintonville’s true passion for preservation.

Shop

While known to some as an inexpensive option for finding a creative Halloween costume, Rag-O-Rama at 3301 N. High St. is a great place to sift through an assortment of recycled clothing on any given day. Visitors can buy, sell and trade wardrobe items at this Clintonville thrift store, and instead of opting for a bag to carry out purchases, customers can choose to receive a five cent token to donate to one of the three charities supported by the store. 

For recycled records, Lost Weekend Records is one of the best places in the city of Columbus to still find vintage vinyls, along with a variety of used tapes, CDs and DVDs. Located at 2960 N. High St., the community-oriented small business puts great stock into being knowledgeable on all things music-related.

Boomerang Room at 3274 N. High St. can be described simply as vintage chic, right down to the retro furniture positioned in the storefront window. The store’s name is no accident – the Boomerang Room is a fun, funky place to find dated items looking to come back in style. The store sells a range of products, from larger furniture pieces to jewelry, dishes and novelty items. 

SoBo Style at 3282 N. High St. is another destination for repurposed furniture, selling cabinets of different shapes and sizes made from the salvaged wood of rustic barn siding. There’s also Elm & Iron at 3475 N. High St., an up-and-coming home decorating store with a seemingly endless flow of creativity showcased through what would otherwise be just reclaimed junk.

Dine

There are a few tasty options for eating out in Clintonville, but the best option for a sit-down dinner is the upscale Sage American Bistro at 2653 N. High St. The restaurant sources its chicken, pork and beef from within Ohio, giving diners a rare, yet reassuring sense of just where their food is coming from. Many of the entrees are fairly pricey, but it’s likely because of the fresh, local ingredients used, as well as the artful presentation that goes into each dish.

For anyone with a sweet tooth, one of the greatest aspects of Clintonville is the wealth of sweets shops lining High Street. Colonial Candy Shoppe at 3519 N. High St. has been serving Columbus’ chocolate lovers since 1966, selling chocolate-covered nuts, creams and other sweet treats. Many of the chocolates are made in Ohio, giving the sugary snacks a local flavor. Pattycake Bakery, located at 3009 N. High St., is an all-vegan bakery that brings a healthy twist to baked goods, using whole grains and organic, natural ingredients and leaving out milk, eggs, bleached flour and sugar and hydrogenated oils. The store makes wholesale deliveries by bike in an attempt to reduce its “ecological footprint,” and packaging is eco-friendly as well – Pattycake reuses cardboard boxes from a local food co-op for larger orders, and even uses vegan glue to seal it all together. Mozart’s Bakery and Piano Café at 2885 N. High St. is another sweet spot, offering an Austrian take on baked goods and, as the name suggests, occasional piano performances focusing on classical music.

Explore

To get some quality local produce, Clintonville has one of the best farmers’ markets in the city. All of the foods and plants sold in the market are grown in Ohio and sold by the producers themselves. April 13 marks the last weekend for Clintonville Farmers’ Market at its winter location at 3400 Calumet St. before transitioning to its outdoor market along High Street on April 27. The weekly market is currently open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays, but once it hits High Street it will be open from 9 a.m. to noon through Nov. 23.

Another outlet for entertainment is the truly unique Studio 35 Cinema and Drafthouse. Instead of the overpriced, more industrialized movie experience sweeping America today, Studio 35 offers a more personalized take on catching a flick in the theater. Located at 3055 Indianola Ave., the cinema was renovated last spring but still maintains much of the charm garnered by its past seven decades of operation. The cinema is cozy with just one auditorium for viewings, but the outside bar area is fairly spacious and offers a large selection of local brews on tap. But don’t be worried about the potential noise while watching a film – with the renovation came the sound-proofing of the auditorium, so moviegoers can enjoy each screening in peace.