Panel outlines strategy to reactivate downtown Columbus ground-floor retail

At a Columbus Metropolitan Club forum in downtown Columbus, a panel of city and private-sector leaders on Monday discussed efforts to revive downtown retail by activating ground-floor commercial spaces, expanding residential amenities and improving public infrastructure.

Columbus City Council member Nicholas Bankston said the conversation about “retail” in downtown is really about activating the ground-floor commercial layer: “When we talk about retail and particularly in a place like downtown, really what we're talking about is ground floor commercial activity,” he said, adding that experiential, local and unique offerings are more resilient than traditional big-box retail.

The panel described a multi-part approach to boost foot traffic and make retail sustainable. Amy Taylor, president of Downtown Columbus Incorporated, outlined the city’s Ground Floor Growth program, a curated pairing of landlords and small tenants that combines lease support, city grants and technical assistance. “We’ve approved five tenants,” Taylor said, and named businesses in the first wave: 3 Bites Bakery; Black Kahwa Coffee (recently opened at Broad and High); Quality Wellness on Long and Gay; Evolvery (clothing) slated for Q1 2025; and a home‑goods store expected in Q2 2025. Taylor said the city is participating in leases and providing grant support to help tenants through the early years when turnover is most likely.

Jimmy Merkel, CEO and cofounder of Rockbridge,…