The Little Palace will close its doors for the final time on Wednesday night after 15 years of service in downtown Columbus. Credit: Jack Like | Lantern Reporter
In its last few days of operation, small crowds formed outside Little Palace to get their final meals from the locally beloved restaurant.
Formerly located at 240 S. Fourth St., the diner-style restaurant aimed to offer guests a homey atmosphere for the 15 years it operated, owner Tina Corbin said. However, the building that housed Little Palace was a historic structure in need of repairs, and she said costs became too steep to keep the eatery running.
“The management company is not extending us a fair lease,” Corbin said. “The new lease that we were offered, we’d be responsible for a lot of the repair expenses, and we’re just not on for that.”
The Lantern contacted the management company in question, The Equity Group, for comment. In response, the company said it’s “not making any further comments” regarding Little Palace at this time.
Corbin said the decision to close her business has stirred up several emotions.
“It was a brutal decision; it was very heartbreaking,” Corbin said. “We have so many loyal guests and customers, and just a lot of people that have made this their home and their go-to spot downtown. It was difficult, but at the end of the day, it just came down to not a heart decision, but a financial decision.”
Corbin said the restaurant has received a significant amount of support in the days before it closed. Marquise Lovejoy — bartender and host at the Little Palace — said though many customers feel disappointed by the closure, they still chose to rally around the restaurant and its staff.
“People are disappointed, people are sad, but it’s a community that we’ve built around here,” Lovejoy said. “People want to help us and build us up, and they’re coming in to support us now.”
Lovejoy said in addition to its extensive drink menu, the Little Palace’s staple offering was its sliders.
“They’re amazing,” Lovejoy said. “And then, we always [had] different drinks that [were] local for the beer. We always [did] a different cocktail for the different seasons.”
Beyond providing food and drink, Corbin said she has felt a strong attachment to the Columbus community during her time as owner of the Little Palace, which made the decision to close all the more difficult.
“There’s been a lot of first dates here, a lot of proposals. People that just moved to Columbus became our regular customers,” Corbin said. “Our food is amazing, and people are gonna miss it. We’ve been here for 15 years; I’ve met and talked to a lot of customers that have come in for the very last time.”
Lovejoy agreed the local connection from customers has rubbed off on Little Palace employees over the past 15 years. He also said he considers many of his coworkers to be “family.”
“I’m going to miss working here a lot — this is my family and my second home,” Lovejoy said. “It’s a great place. It’s warm, it’s homey. We got everyone to help you out because It’s more family-oriented, especially being a family-owned business.”
Though Corbin acknowledges Columbus is a rapidly growing city with an influx of development, she said she thinks Little Palace’s closing is still an unfortunate blow to the city’s overall character.
“Columbus is losing its historic identity,” Corbin said. “I feel like losing this business is something the community is really bummed about.”
