herr2ck: September 2026

October 2025.

Old North, the neighborhood I lived in during my final two years in Columbus, is a quieter place compared to the rambunctious University District. The neighborhood was settled as its own separate city, North Columbus, before its annexation into Columbus in 1871. It has some pretty interesting architectural landmarks, many of which I’ve visited. It hasn’t really been hit by gentrification like German Village or Olde Towne East, either. This post covers the stretch of High Street between Lane Avenue to the south and Tompkins Street to the north.

History

I’m omitting the history of Old North here to save space. If you want to read it, see my larger Old North post.

Photos

As usual for these “dump posts,” this post covers a greater distance in less depth. Other places I have covered in more detail in this area include the North Columbus Commercial Historic District, North High Street Carhouse, and Engine House No. 13.

The Horseshoe (Alhambra/World/Roxy Theatre)

An early advertisement for the theater. (University District History)

Lacking the Renaissance Revival gilding of its contemporaries, what is now The Horseshoe country bar was built as the Alhambra Theatre in 1913. It is a Commercial style design with fireproof construction, along with a 500-seat auditorium and a Wurlitzer Orchestrion, a type of organ that could imitate various orchestral instruments. It was the earliest movie theater in the area.

With the rise of television in American homes, this meant neighborhood movie theatres like the Alhambra suffered declines in business, since people no longer had to leave their houses to watch a movie or show. In an attempt to introduce a novel new draw to the theater that patrons couldn’t get at home, the Alhambra changed its name to the World in 1947 and began to show foreign films.

Unlike American movies, foreign-made ones were more avant-garde and occasionally featured nudity (gasp!). However, this soon resulted in the establishment of a film review board in 1961, which went on to raid the World Theatre in 1962, arrested its manager, and confiscated copies of Les Liaisons Dangereuses. A second raid in 1967 was targeted at Swedish film I, A Woman, which censors deemed “a celluloid chronicle of sin and skin,” but recent Supreme Court decisions regarding film as a medium for free speech ultimately resulted in the case being dropped. A final battle over a taping of a play called Oh Calcutta!, a sleazy 1970 Broadway show full of nudity and risque humor, was instigated by the mayor of Columbus. Once again, times had changed, and the case was again dropped.

The World Theatre was home to avant-garde film productions such as Underground Cinema 12 in the 1960s and 1970s, and it also became a concert venue. However, by 1977, it resorted to showing adult films and operating as a sex shop. Yet again, new technology did the theater’s business in, and in 1985 the World renamed itself to the Roxy. At that time, it was the only operating movie theater near campus. The Roxy would ultimately close in 1988, and its last showing was June 2 of that year.

Google Maps does a good job documenting the recent history of the former theater. In 2011, it was the Tipsy Bar and Grill, and another short-lived bar was open there by 2012. Chop Shop, a burger restaurant, opened by 2015 and operated until about 2021. The current tenant, The Horseshoe, has been open since 2022.

Library Bar (2169 North High Street)

One of the rapidly dwindling number of brick Commercial-style buildings on High Street is host to the Library Bar, which as of late probably holds the candle as Ohio State’s oldest. According to the county auditor’s website, the building was completed in 1926, and based on the Sanborn maps it replaced frame stores (including a “Chinese laundry”).

Snippet of the 1921-1961 Sanborn map showing the building. (Columbus Metropolitan Library)

Although Library opened in 1971 (according to one source, although another claims it opened before 1950), bars have reportedly operated here as early as 1950. The 1921-1961 Sanborn map just labels the four storefronts as “S” for stores, noting that one was boarded up. Library was owned by David Shaw from 1986 to 2020, who started by working as a bouncer there in 1978. The interior layout, wood finishes and booths, and even the beer selection have not changed much since the bar opened. Although Library is extremely popular today, that wasn’t always the case--my girlfriend’s dad graduated from OSU and claimed that it was bottom-of-the-barrel back then. Famous guests have included Huey Lewis and the News, as well as Bob Seger.

Library was the first bar I went to with my fake ID as a freshman. I didn’t go there much after sophomore year, but I did do the odd mug night here and there. Beat the Clock, where you can start as early as 2pm, was very popular with my girlfriend and fraternity brothers, but I rarely went because I was detained in studio until 5pm on Fridays. My favorite drink there was probably the Little Hug “fruit barrels” which were spiked with vodka.

Little Bar (2195 North High Street) [demolished]

Ohio State’s most recent gentrification casualty (right after Bier Stube) was Little Bar, another mainstay of the north campus scene. Although the bar opened in 2006, the building itself is an older A-frame style design from 1966. It had fun balconies with treacherous spiral staircases, and it reminded me of an alpine ski lodge. Little Bar was demolished in March 2026, postponed from January for the construction of (what else but) a luxury apartment building.

Sign:

A better view from closer up:

I got a couple phone photos of the bar immediately prior to and following its demolition, too:

I didn’t go there much, but it’s always tough to see a beloved campus institution reduced to rubble.

Waterbeds ‘n’ Stuff (2194 North High Street)

This is part of an apartment complex known as Alhambra Court, named after the nearby theater mentioned previously in this article. Waterbeds ‘n’ Stuff, heavy emphasis on stuff, is a fine local establishment selling certain, shall we say, paraphernalia.

2198-2202 North High Street

Another Commercial style building, this one was built in 1928. It has lots of stone accents and intact glass prism windows over Kung Fu Tea’s storefront. KFT was my favorite boba place as a student.

Threes Above High (2203 North High Street)

I guess I never got a picture of Threes on its own…oops.

Threes is another popular campus bar. It was the successor of Too’s Spirits Under High, a dive bar that was one of many victims of gentrification on campus. Threes opened at this location in 2017.

Threes is pretty well known for their frequently-rotating sign:

I noticed a historic photo of the building inside from the 70s or so, when it was Gordon’s Ice Cream Parlor:

I went to Threes probably more frequently than the other north campus bars, but even then it was never all that often. They have a little patio area with roll-up windows in the corner, and the bar itself takes up about three storefronts and extends into the building next door. There is a stage in the middle for karaoke or Jon White Noise to do his guitar covers of popular songs, and the bar is known for offering 40s and bottles of champagne. The walls are plastered with those Jack labels, which could be purchased at the bar and written on. Threes’ signature drink is a “tidal wave” shot, where the bartender throws a cup of water at you while taking it.

Northwood-High Building (2231 North High Street)

This Postmodern building, according to the auditor’s website, was built in 2003. That seems a little late to me, but I have no indication of it being older. It stands on the site of the Northwood Elementary School, which was an Italianate design built in 1879 by Levi Scofield and had an addition in 1888. The school stood until 1985, when it suffered a fire and burnt down.

1922 photo of the school. (Columbus Metropolitan Library)

Kafe Kerouac (2240-2250 North High Street)

This circa 1990 Postmodern building has Kafe Kerouac on the left two storefronts, a combined coffee shop, bar, music venue, bookstore, and record store. My girl and I had our second date here (which lasted like 6 hours total). It is super popular with local queer and alternative folks, as local bands will often have shows in the performing area. It is also a common study spot off-campus during the day. One of the most interesting things to me was the men’s bathroom, which was covered in graffiti:

Everything from Sharpie tags to actual artwork on paper.

Pavey Square

These unique houses were built circa 1910, which are mostly rented out as private residences today. However, the southernmost house at 2259 North High Street was once home to Charles Pavey II, who graduated from the OSU College of Medicine at just 20 years old in 1926. He lived until 2004. A street sign with Pavey’s name still graces the house today.

A similar sign with High Street on it was removed, but Pavey’s is still there:

Weird nook between it and the apartments:

This New Traditional apartment complex was built to the south of Pavey Square from 2017 to 2019, which is known as The View on Pavey Square:

I don’t hate it, but if I recall correctly the architecture firm had to be convinced to design the apartments in this style, and they weren’t thrilled about it.

2282-2284 & 2288-2290 North High Street

These two very elaborate American Foursquare houses are probably leased to students today, but they have lots of fun details such as bay windows, large dormers, and unique roof shapes.

Cazuela’s (2321 North High Street)

One of two locations on campus, “North Cazzy’s” is stricter than its southern counterpart and is not as amenable to sneaky freshmen. It consists of a converted American Foursquare house and a large patio that spans two front yards. (I think the rightmost house is still a private residence.) Interestingly, they were located in a smaller storefront at the corner of Northwood and High until its demolition for The View on Pavey Square.

Fives Up High (2375 North High Street)

This building was, until recently, home to Fives Up High. Fives was another campus bar (probably the northernmost bar regularly attended by students) owned by the owners of Threes, which opened in 2022 but closed in 2025 so that the owner could focus his attention on reopening Too’s near campus. Fives was the nearest bar to my house, but I didn’t go there much, other than bar crawls and my final date party as a student.

These buildings immediately south of it are similar Commercial designs:

2380 North High Street

This mid-century building isn’t really a looker, but I liked its two columns of decorative cinder blocks.

Rutherford Funeral Home (2383 North High Street)

This funeral home appears to be located inside a converted house (in the rear), which has had an addition tacked onto the front of it with a portico. Rutherford’s own website actually goes into some detail about its history--it was founded as the P. E. Undertaking Co. by Perry Rutherford and his wife Ruth in 1923. They were originally located at High and Frambes but moved to this location in 1925. The company has since expanded to different locations in the Columbus metropolitan area.

I think most of the house’s alterations date to the 1950s, but they could be earlier than that. The doors, window grilles, and sign are all very mid-century.

I dig this 1950s sign, which appears to be unaltered:

The Maynard (2407-2409 North High Street)

High Street used to be lined with Commercial-style buildings such as this one, which were all named with a “The” prefix. Many near campus have been lost, but I guess The Maynard is far north enough to have escaped the gentrification. According to the auditor’s website, it was built in 1913, and it has the characteristic elements of the style (and Columbus rowhouses, too) such as the brick corbelling, parapet, and corner battlements.

As you can imagine, it is named after nearby Maynard Avenue. It is currently home to a boutique clothing store and a hair salon.

Whoever lives on the second-floor apartments has some pretty sweet balcony space:

2413-2415 North High Street

This one is a mirror of its neighbor but seems to have been built separately due to the seam in the brickwork. The tattoo place has since closed and is now a sex shop. Campus Printing has been around since 2007 or earlier, and its artwork of a snarling Brutus Buckeye holding a decapitated wolverine has always made me giggle as I walk by.

2417-2435 North High Street

2417-2419 North High Street, home of Dick’s Den.

Along with three of these buildings that face the street (2417-2419, 2425, and 2433-2435), there is also a row of apartments in the rear courtyard formed by them. This was a common scheme of apartments on High Street built between 1900 and 1930 like these. Although most of them have unremarkable tenants, the southernmost building at 2417-2419 N High is home to Dick’s Den, perhaps the most authentic dive bar on Ohio State campus.

Older photo of Dick’s Den. (Columbus Monthly)

Dick’s Den is the epitome of a dive bar. Its neon sign and hanging wooden blade sign proclaim “Why Not?”, and the interior is a mixture of the original tin ceiling and fixtures along with 70s wood paneling. It was founded in 1964 by Dick Warren and has continued to operate since, with live bands frequently performing in the rightmost room. Prior to the current bar’s ownership, two brothers operated a bar and pizza shop on each side of the building. Warren expanded the bar into the other storefront and mainly founded it to watch Ohio State football with his friends. Early on, the bar had a reputation for roughness, which cost Warren his eye. He eventually sold the bar in order to keep his political career.

In the spirit of a dive bar, Dick’s Den didn’t serve cocktails at first (“if you shake it, we don’t make it”), and the bar was cash-only until very recently. Although the bar has cleaned up its reputation from the early years, it is still patronized by many locals and regulars, and normal Ohio State students will get a bit of a side-eye when visiting. I personally can attest to seeing the bar already lined up with the regular crowd right when it opened.

A peek at the apartments set back from the street:

The central building is now a realty company, and it has been altered:

2433-2435 N High, which is the same as Dick’s Den but mirrored:

I got my hair cut at Old North Barbershop and they always got me right. I miss it already.

Blue Danube (2439 North High Street)

Advertisement for the Blue Danube’s opening. (University District History)

The Blue Danube is most likely the oldest restaurant near campus, having been open since 1940 (although there was a brief hiatus from 2018 to 2025). When it opened, it seemed to have a focus on Hungarian food and other foreign cuisines, although it later expanded to Greek and American food. Early on, wandering musicians entertained patrons, and later in the 1940s a Hammond organ was installed and played.

Historic photo of the Blue Danube’s exterior. The decor is very of its time and I wish it could be restored. (Columbus Neon)

The Blue Danube became popular with students in the 1950s, largely due to its low prices and late opening hours. Undoubtedly to serve this new crowd, steak and pizza were eventually added to the menu in the 1960s. The “Dube” eventually became known for hosting local musicians having a post-show meal after they performed at nearby bars in the 1970s.

A photo of the restaurant with its now-missing sign and mural on the north side. (Columbus Underground)

The restaurant remained popular through the new millennium, even sporting a new set of painted ceiling tiles from the 1990s. However, it ultimately closed in 2018, and the tiles were auctioned off. The building was purchased by new owners and acquired liquor licenses in 2024, and the Blue Danube went on to reopen in April 2025. Although the interior has been renovated, most report that the new restaurant is very similar to the old one.

Although the brick Commercial-style building is older and dates to circa 1920-1930, the snazzy, modern blue facade contrasts nicely with it. It would be even better if the neon signs could be restored. I had always told myself I wanted to visit before I graduated, but I never got around to it. Maybe I will on a future trip back to Columbus.

Blindingly bright north facade: