Columbus' nightlife is bouncing back
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Columbus, you like to party.
Driving the news: About 27% of bar and restaurant transactions across the city using Square have occurred between 7pm-4am so far this year, per data from the point-of-sale company.
Why it matters: That figure surpasses pre-pandemic transactions, which is a good indicator that our nightlife has recovered from the shutdowns and curfews of 2020.
The intrigue: Among 30 Axios Local cities across the U.S., Columbus was one of just three with a 2023 figure that ranked highest since 2019, along with Detroit and Philadelphia.
Zoom in: Square's data aligns with indicators we've reported on — such as cellphone activity and restaurant reservations — showing that our area has rebounded nicely since the pandemic's early days.
- Major concerts, sporting events, festivals and fundraisers like the biannual 614 Restaurant Week are drawing large crowds that clearly aren't worried about staying out past their bedtimes.
Between the lines: The Wall Street Journal ranking Ohio State as the country's No. 18 party school this week probably doesn't hurt, either.
The big picture: There are some signs that we're becoming a "nation of early birds," as the WSJ recently put it, in part because the pandemic shifted how we spend our time.
- One contributing factor to going to bed earlier? Going out earlier, with "hybrid and remote workers itching to leave the house as soon as they close their laptops."
- Yet, other indicators suggest the late-night scene is alive and well across America, which suggests that people are still burning off pent-up demand for social time.
Of note: Square can't capture all transactions across all venues in a given city — it only knows about those made using its platform and tech.
- Still, its use is widespread enough for its data to point to broad trends.