Oldfield’s rich history lingers on, despite the tapering south campus bar scene.
Located on the corner of both Chittenden Avenue and North 4th Street, Oldfield’s remains a campus bar, even though Campus Partners has torn down much of the south campus for the University Gateway Center.
Oldfield’s Bar and Grille has been residing in the area for more than 50 years.
During the late ’60s and early ’70s, it was located in the heart of the jazz scene. At the time, Oldfield’s – along with its neighbor, the Sugar Shack – welcomed many innovative artists, such as Bob Seger and Linda Ronstadt.
Many lawyers and judges visited Oldfield’s for steak dinners back when the previous owner, Florence Oldfield, was still running the bar.
“This area used to be more of a neighborhood, with a pharmacy and a barbershop across the street, and factories all around. Oldfield’s was a swanky place, but there were still the occasional college kids,” said Beth Bice, owner of Oldfield’s Bar and Grille. “Oldfield’s is the only thing left from that era.”
When most Ohio State undergraduates were in grade school, Oldfield’s was just beginning to blossom into the campus bar it is today. The Ark Band, a reggae group, played at Oldfield’s every Sunday for a year and a half.
“There has always been a mix of college students and regulars, but in the ’90s there were just more regulars,” Bice said. “The Ark Band began making it a college bar.”
Now, Oldfield’s is not only an OSU campus bar, but it also is a memorable milestone for many alumni.
“A lot of students come in and tell me that their parents tell them stories about coming here when they attended OSU,” Bice said. “Some alumni even drive by or stop in to tell me they can’t believe we’re still here, and that it looks exactly the same as they remembered it.”
Most of the bars on and around OSU’s campus cater to the typical college student’s budget and lifestyle, and Oldfield’s is no exception. Monday nights features a free two topping pizza with the purchase of any pitcher, and Tuesdays feature a free Mexican buffet.
“It’s a good laid-back atmosphere,” said Lisa Schneider, a senior in marketing. “And Monday night pizza night is one of the best nights around here.”
Steve Siefker, a senior in marketing, said that even though Oldfield’s is not located in the center of the campus bar scene, it should not be overlooked.
“It feels like this bar could be right in the middle of the north campus bar scene,” Siefker said. “You don’t even feel like you’re this far south.”
