From Eddie George’s Grill 27 and the Drexel Gateway Theater to Ugly Tuna Saloona and Lave, South Campus Gateway appears to have a little bit of everything. Additionally, McFadden’s Restaurant and Saloon and the Sunflower Market will be added to the Gateway in autumn.
McFadden’s Restaurant and Saloon, which will be located at 1576 N. High St., will encompass a multitude of activities.
Steve Sterrett, spokesman for Campus Partners, said it will be considered an entertainment venue that will include a dance floor, live music and high-definition televisions, as well as a late-night menu.
McFadden’s grand opening will be on July 27. Johnson said the festivities start in the evening with a party hosted by the Columbus Alive!
“They are very traditional Irish pub looking,” said Jerry Johnson, marketing director for the South Campus Gateway. “Their tagline is: ‘This isn’t your grandfather’s pub.'”
Sterrett said that although most of McFadden’s other locations are in major cities with “an eclectic urban mix,” such as Boston, New York, Chicago and Philadelphia, he said Columbus was selected because it is the home of an extensive university campus.
Johnson also said a heavy focus on sports is a critical element of the restaurant.
The Sunflower Market, to be located at 18 E. 9th Ave., will also be joining the Gateway in the upcoming months. Sterrett said the organic supermarket is slated to open Sept. 15.
“The idea for Sunflower Market is organic natural foods at lower prices,” Sterrett said.
Sunflower Market is a part of the SUPERVALU chain, which opened its first Sunflower Market in Indianapolis in January 2006. While Gateway’s will be the first in Columbus, four or five more Sunflower Markets will be built in the area during the next few years, including at the Olentangy Plaza on Bethel Road.
Sterrett said it will not be a large grocery store, but about one and one-half times the size of a Trader Joe’s. He also said it will include a full range of foods such as produce, dairy and meat sections, a bakery with fresh-baked goods and prepared foods for students.
The unique part about this supermarket, Johnson said, is the produce section. It will feature a walk-in cooler located at the front that will be viewable from High Street.
Students are beginning to see a grocery store so close to campus as a positive addition.
Brittney Souslin, a senior in early childhood education, said the close-to-campus location might save her a couple bucks on gas money, as opposed to driving to Wild Oats in Upper Arlington.
“I think it’ll be used by a lot of people who care about their health,” Souslin said.
As far as any other future tenants for the Gateway are concerned, both Johnson and Sterrett are remaining quiet.
Sterrett said the main focus has been on personal services, such as a hair salon, in addition to items such as clothing and shoes.
Johnson said the Gateway is in negotiations with some retailers and intends to make an announcement about a series of openings sometime this fall.
