Mayor Michael B. Coleman opened the 2013 farmers’ market season at Pearl Market with swagger as he drove into Pearl Alley on a John Deere Tractor. 

Joining Mayor Coleman at the intersection of Lynn and Pearl Alleys at noon were Dr. Teresa Long, Health Commissioner for the City of Columbus, and Executive Director Cleve Ricksecker of Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District, which presents Pearl Market. 

This year Pearl Market will offer a one-to-one dollar match for Ohio Direction Card users thanks to a grant made possible by the Puffin Foundation West. Certain restrictions apply and supplies will be limited. For information please contact Pearl Market Manager Adam Schroeder. 

Pearl Market is located in the heart of downtown in Lynn and Pearl Alleys, next to the Rhodes State Office Tower. Market hours are 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesdays and Fridays, May 14 through October 25.

Office supplies might not seem too exciting, but inspiring spectacular is exactly what Robert Mason Stationer and Furniture is all about. Owner and urban pioneer Robert Grimmett is behind the inspiration, and he’s got even bigger plans on his agenda.

Robert Mason Stationer and Furniture opened in February in a pop-up shop right next to Sugardaddy’s. The space may be small, just a little over 200-square feet, but wow, it’s mighty.

It’s hard to describe the first thing you notice when you walk in the store.  Music or the mood or maybe the ever-so-slight, spicy-sweet scent mixed with the smell of tanned leather accessories on the vertical shelves?  Eyes scan and feast on all things within touch. Pencils and pens line the pen bar to test the perfect fit. Sketch pads, note pads, portfolios, wrapping paper, candles  – where do you stop and where do you begin?

Robert Mason can also provide more than 1000 items on sku - all within just 24 hours. The current pop-up store on Gay Street carries a unique assortment of styled accessories from briefcases to small leather-bound notepads to greeting cards, as well as, high-demand things like toner, printer ink cartridges, paper and writing utensils.

This pop-up is just the beginning of a much bigger concept. Robert plans to keep the satellite store on Gay Street to meet the immediate needs of the downtown worker, and then launch a much bigger concept - 10,000 square feet space in the Discovery District – where creativity and local business collaboration will help his customers get inspired.

“Downtown is in a growth spurt. The urban campus of downtown office workers, colleges, residents and transient guests are our demographic sweet spot,” Said Robert. “We are excited to be in the beginning phases of a resurgence of downtown, and I see this as a great opportunity to bring the services and products we offer to the downtown marketplace.”

Mary’s a Columbus convert. She’s not ashamed to admit when she moved to Columbus a while ago, it was not by choice. She’d been an East Coast girl, and she was not thrilled about moving to the Midwest.

But now she can’t imagine ever wanting to leave Columbus.

“Downtown has so much to offer -  phenomenal music, dance and visual arts. We have good restaurants and now the gorgeous Columbus Commons,” Mary said. “Even more important, Downtown is becoming a dynamic center of working and living."

Mary is part of the renaissance.

When Mary decided to open On The Square Yoga, downtown was where she wanted to be, but yoga is on the opposite end of the spectrum from the career she left behind. Mary retired from years working in the legal profession.

Originally, Mary stumbled across yoga when she was looking for a recovery activity on her non-workout days. After practicing yoga for about three years, she began to study with a private instructor, but it wasn’t until she suffered an illness that she saw the profound healing that yoga could bring.

Now she’s ready to be the conduit for others to find its powerful and restorative benefits.

“I worked for several different downtown law firms from 1996-2007. Some of the very best people I have known worked downtown – it’s an amazing community,” she said “Without hesitation, this is where I wanted to open my yoga studio.”

Dr. Matt Snipes: Owner, Capstone Dental

Dr. Matt Snipes opened Capstone Dental with partner Dr. Kristin Piper downtown on the fourth floor of 10 N. High Street just two years ago. It’s a relaxed, modern office. When you walk in, you might just think you are there to hang with some really cool kats for some cozy conversation. Soon, you will even forget any childhood dental horror stories.

The state-of-the-art equipment and continuing education ensures that Dr. Snipes is as good as he is quick and efficient – it’s a long way from the dentist who was at Broad and High 100 years ago.

Dr. Snipes and Dr. Piper use leading-edge technology like intra-oral cameras and digital imaging to help diagnose problems when they’re small and easy to treat. Most visits, you will be in and out of the office in an hour.

Capstone Dental also offers one-trip crowns, one of the few places in central Ohio. Pretty cool that it’s right downtown.

Dr. Snipes knew that he wanted to be downtown because he discovered there was a huge unmet demand for medical and dental services downtown. No one wants to have to take a day off to go to the dentist or doctor so being downtown minimizes the amount of missed work, which downtown employers also like.

“Since I was 13 or 14, I’ve known I wanted to be a dentist,” said Dr. Snipes. “Technology really sets us apart, and I love the different kind of vibe of our office.”