Happy birth month to us 🎂

CBUStoday celebrates one year since launching in Columbus

Thanks for reading along last year + cheers to 2023. | Photo via Canva

It’s a new year, and for us at CBUStoday, we’re celebrating more than that — it’s our birthday.

Well, technically, it’s our birth month and that’s how we like to do things. As the clock ticked down on 2021, CBUStoday was launched. That means the start of this month marks one year of bringing you hyperlocal news + events from the best city in the world.

So, City Editors Hanna + Mitch wanted to spend a moment to highlight our favorite stories and social posts to celebrate the occasion. Thanks for reading, Columbus.

CBUStoday one year.png — City Editors Hanna + Mitch celebrated with some coffee from Stauf’s Coffee Roasters in Grandview. | Photo by CBUStoday

Hanna in hindsight

The first year of CBUStoday has been a blast. From interviewing locals to trying out funny trends with the Columbus Clippers team, I’ve loved getting involved with the community. I’ve also enjoyed sharing stories with you all, like:

Food superlatives — Whether it was sushi or pizza, it was fun to share a delicious option for everyone.
Q+A’s — I had the chance to interview some amazing people this year, including former No. 1 NBA draft pick Greg Oden and social media star Mitchell Pehlke.
New openings — I sampled some new dining spots this year, including nights at FYR and Privé Members Lounge.

Memories from Mitch

I’ve loved digging through Columbus’ past, including the 100+ year history of the Elevator Brewing building. But, if I had to choose my favorite stories from last year, it would look something like this:

ComFest is one of my favorite yearly events, so we dug into its history to learn more about this 50 year old tradition.
Tony Hawk’s dad helped design the Dodge Park Skate Park which we discovered after the skateboarder made a quiet visit to Columbus last year.
The Wordle craze of 2022 inspired us to create “Crossed Words” — a mini local word game.

Click here to have your event featured.

Thursday, Jan. 5

Think Outside the Brick: The Creative Art of LEGO | Thursday, Jan. 5-Friday, Feb. 24 | 10 a.m.-9 p.m. | Columbus Museum of Art, 480 E. Broad St., Columbus | $0-$18 | Celebrate the 10th anniversary of this tradition that showcases the possibility of LEGO bricks.
Cookie Decorating with Plenty O’Smile | Thursday, Jan. 5 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, 1777 E. Broad St., Columbus | $53-$58 | Learn how to decorate cookies from an expert while sipping a glass of wine.
Ohio State Men’s Basketball vs. Purdue University | Thursday, Jan. 5 | 7 p.m. | The Schottenstein Center, 555 Borror Dr., Columbus | $11-$48

Friday, Jan. 6

Hike with Hot Cocoa | Friday, Jan. 6 | 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Scioto Grove Metro Park, 5172 Jackson Pike, Grove City | Free | Meet at the Arrowhead Picnic area for hot chocolate before going on a two-mile guided hike.
J Arnez | Friday, Jan. 6-Sunday, Jan. 8 | Times vary | Columbus Funny Bone, 145 Easton Town Center, Columbus | $37-$47 | Catch this stand-up comedian known for his impressions and witty outlook on life.

Saturday, Jan. 7

Owls of Darby Creek | Saturday, Jan. 7 | 5:30 p.m. | Batelle Darby Creek Metro Park, 1775 Darby Creek Dr., Galloway | Free | Join a park naturalist as she attempts to lure in various owls native to the area.

Sunday, Jan. 8

Karaoke With Ace | Sunday, Jan. 8 | 8 p.m. | Eldorado’s Bar, 4968 N. High St., Columbus | Free | Finish off your weekend with some late night karaoke hosted by a local DJ.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

This billion-dollar startup wants to help you retire

Portrait of businesswoman standing against a wooden wall in office.

SmartAsset’s no-cost tool makes it easy to find vetted financial advisors who serve your area. | Photo by Dean Mitchell

This Princeton grad’s startup raised $161 million to help people plan for retirement. 👀

If you’re one of the whopping 110 million Americans over age 50 — or a wise Millennial looking to get ahead — SmartAsset’s no-cost tool makes it easy to find vetted financial advisors serving our local area.

In just a few minutes, you can get matched with up to three financial advisors, each legally bound to work in your best interest. Now that’s service.*

TRY THE FREE TOOL

Weather

46º | Mostly cloudy | 20% chance of rain

Biz

The owner of Latitude Five25, apartments located on the east side of Columbus, has agreed to sell the property. The building, which is in need of multiple repairs due to unsafe living conditions, will be the subject of a compliance meeting on Monday, Feb. 13. (The Columbus Dispatch)
Amy Hauk, brand CEO of Victoria’s Secret which is based in Reynoldsburg, announced she will be stepping down from her position on Friday, March 31. Amy did not announce her next plans. Current CEO Martin Waters will fill the position after her departure. (Columbus Business First)

Civic

The Franklin County Board of Commissioners welcomed in Erica C. Crawley to the board as the first elected female African-American commissioner. Erica is a veteran from Youngstown and brings with her a Master’s degree in public administration from Walden University.

Open

Kroger shoppers in Clintonville and Dublin will be able to stop by Mixed Food Hall next week as the new concept is set to open two more Columbus locations. The Clintonville location will open on Tuesday, Jan. 10 while Dublin’s food hall will open on Wednesday, Jan. 11. 🍔 (NBC4)

Closed

The downtown Tim Hortons location on Broad Street and High Street is now closed. The popular Canadian coffee company had resided in that location for 11 years, and was previously a Dunkin Donuts. Don’t worry — you can use our guide to find local coffee instead. ☕️ (Columbus Underground)

Outdoors

They’re back. Columbus Metro Parks has restocked its winter hike ornaments, and you can find them hanging in trees at different parks around central Ohio. Check out spots like Prairie Oaks, Sharon Woods, and Scioto Audubon to grab one before they’re all gone. 🌲

Pets

Dogs want to have fun, too. And that’s why you should bring your pup to Dog Day at the Schottenstein Center on Friday, Jan. 6 + Saturday, Jan. 7 when the OSU men’s hockey team faces off against Michigan State. Find more details + tickets. 🐶

Travel

How does Scott’s Cheap Flights work? Sign up for free, follow up to five airports, and Scott’s will notify you when flights are 40-90% off. Bonus: You can browse deals immediately after signing up (like a $300+ round trip to St. Croix). 🌴*

Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

A plant-powered competition 🌱

Vegan competition show filmed in Columbus will be streaming in 2023

The eight contestants span from home cooks to private chefs to local restaurant owners. | Photo via Top Vegan

When it comes to the top vegan chef, there can only be one — and it’s going to be decided according to Columbus standards.

“Top Vegan” is a new competition cooking show featuring eight chefs vying for a cash prize, business mentorship, and the title of Top Vegan. The show was created by Chad Goodwin, owner and co-founder of 4th & State, where he and a handful of local chefs will stand as judges for the competition.

The show recently released its cast of competitors, so let’s take a look at a few:

Chloe Graffeo, founder of The Little Kitchen (now closed)
Rhea Adkins, owner of Vegan It Iz Eats
Home cooks like Jeff Beach and Teressa Stone

While an official release date hasn’t been released yet, you can find more details in the future by following the show on Instagram.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Mitch.

Editor’s pick: It’s been so fun putting together this newsletter over the last year, but I’m sure I missed a few more favorite moments. Do you have any? Let us know — we love to reminisce.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Get a recap on the Ohio State football season.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Mitch Hooper, Hanna Williford, Josh Kranzberg, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Ana Gibson | Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

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