Game-Changing, Open-Air 'Lifestyle Center' Turns 20 in Columbus

An article by Jim Weiker credits Easton Town Center with changing the face of Ohio retail, 20 years after the project first opened in Columbus.

L Brands and development partner Georgetown Company opened the open-air shopping and "lifestyle center" 20 years ago, making the decision to leave some shops open to the elements and position the development away from the highway to create a town center. The project was modeled on projects like CocoWalk in Miami, and the Irvine Spectrum in Southern California.

Weiker provides a lot more history on the project before digging into the successes of Easton in 2019: "Easton proved far more than a local shopping destination. With its blend of entertainment, restaurants and hotels, it has served as a get-away spot for guests far outside Columbus."

Despite all of its success, some of the early anchor tenants, like Planet Movies Planet Hollywood, and a Virgin Megastore, failed. According to the article, the second phase of development raised the bar on an already revolutionary concept and solidified the development's position as a regional retail destination.

The big feature article includes several sections, historical images, a "slider" to compare Easton then and now, and a video, embedded above.