Will Short North businesses close early? Many still wrestling with choice
Close early and comply with Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther's wishes to combat gun violence or stay open beyond midnight for patrons like any other weekend?
That was the question business owners and managers in the Short North were still wrestling with Thursday evening and Friday morning after Ginther earlier Thursday asked businesses in the popular entertainment district to voluntarily close by midnight this weekend and for at least the immediate beyond.
Many of the businesses didn't seem to have the answer yet.
Short North: Mayor Andrew Ginther asking Short North businesses to close at midnight to curb violence
The Dispatch spoke with managers or other employees at more than a dozen bars, restaurants or other businesses. Seven businesses said they were still undecided and their owners were still gathering more information.
A spokesman for United Dairy Farmers, which has a 24-hour convenience store at 900 N. High St. in the Short North, said Friday morning that the Cincinnati-based company was trying to get more information about the mayor's request and had no further comment. UDF operates four other stores along North High Street, three of which close at 1 a.m. (1680, 2094 and 5370 N. High) and one at 8480 N. High that closes at 11 p.m., according to hours listed online.
Two businesses — The Lincoln Social Rooftop lounge and Seventh Son Brewing Co. — told The Dispatch that they will comply with Ginther and shut down at midnight on the weekends.
Several businesses told The Dispatch they had no plans to comply with Ginther's request and would remain open as normal.
Businesses worry closing early will hurt profits and employees
Managers for some of the businesses who plan to remain open said closing early would hurt profits and their employees. They said they believe the city should do more to protect the area and enforce existing laws instead of placing the burden on people trying to make a living.
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"The corporate office made the decision to stay open and closing early would hurt business a lot," said Vic Dunahee, manager of the Union Cafe, a focal point for gay nightlife in the city in the heart of the Short North. "It wouldn't just hurt the business overall, but hurt our servers and bartenders individually who would be losing wages and tips. My bigger concern is the lack of police presence down here. It's been going on a while. That's more important than closing early."
Gun violence in the Short North
Ginther's request follows two consecutive weekends of gun violence in the Short North.
This past weekend a 21-year-old man was shot and killed in the neighborhood — known for its art galleries and night life — after a fight escalated to gun violence. An arrest warrant has been issued for a suspect in that shooting.
A May 6 shootout on North High Street left at least 10 people wounded and resulted in police firing their own weapons and seizing 11 guns.
That chaotic shooting spree, which left the Short North cordoned off for hours by crime scene tape, sent bullets through glass windows on store fronts, careening off buildings and ricocheting elsewhere. Even more than a week later, the resulting damage remained evident, with shattered glass and bullet holes still visible in many Short North shop fronts.
City taking steps to try to make Short North safer
At his press conference on Thursday Ginther said the request — which is for Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays — will likely remain in place for "as long as it takes" until the violence begins to abate in the neighborhood located just north of Downtown.
Additionally, Ginther said he is signing an executive order mandating that food carts in the Short North close at midnight as well, which he said City Council is expected to codify into law at its Monday meeting.
In the wake of the gun violence, Columbus police Chief Elaine Bryant said that beginning this weekend, between the hours of 8 p.m. and 4 a.m., officers will have an increased presence in cruisers, on bicycles and on foot in the Short North. Extra lighting will be placed in certain areas, she added.
Street parking between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. also will be prohibited on Friday and Saturday on North High Street between East Goodale Street and West Fifth Avenue, Bryant said. That means ride share drivers will only be able to use the curb lanes and Central Ohio Transit Authority bus lanes to pickup and drop off passengers.
What businesses are saying
Katie Lundy, a spokesperson, for Cameron Mitchell restaurants, which owns the Lincoln Social Rooftop confirmed they would close the lounge at midnight to comply with city's request. But Lundy said she didn't have more information on how or why the decision was made. The restaurant group's other establishments in the Short North regularly close before midnight.
Seventh Son Brewing simply posted a notice on social media that its business would be closing at midnight starting on Friday.
Mike Eickemeyer, manager of Bernard's Tavern, said his business plans to remain open until it's normal closing time of 1:45 a.m. this coming weekend.
Eickemeyer said they will wait and see how things go this weekend before deciding whether it may close the business in the future.
"Our business was certainly hurt last weekend with all that has happened, but I'm not sure asking businesses to close early will do much good," Eickemeyer said. "I hope the city figures out how to make real changes to stop what's been going on here and other places in the city. It's a a shame we have reached this point in the world."
mwagner@dispatch.com
@MikeWagner48
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Short North businesses wrestle with Ginther's request to close early
