Axios Columbus

December 02, 2024
Happy Monday! Are you still working through your leftovers?
☁️ Today's weather: Cloudy with a chance of flurries, high of around 31.
🎶 Sounds like: "I Wish It Was Christmas Today" by Julian Casablancas.
ICYMI: Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law a controversial bill banning transgender students from using school bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity.
- Equality Ohio executive director Dwayne Steward says the law "puts vulnerable trans youth at risk for abuse and harassment."
Today's newsletter is 920 words — a 3.5-minute read.
1 big thing: Brassica eyes growth after Chipotle investment
Fast-casual Mediterranean chain Brassica has become a Columbus favorite, but a recent investment from Chipotle signals change on the horizon.
Why it matters: Brassica's owners acknowledge the investment might make local diners nervous, but hope to prove that continued growth won't sacrifice quality.
The big picture: Brassica opened its original Short North location in 2015 as the most recent venture from brothers Kevin and Darren Malhame, owners of Northstar Cafe and Third & Hollywood.
- Now, there are five more locations in Bexley, Easton and Upper Arlington, as well as Cleveland suburbs Shaker Heights and Westlake.
Driving the news: Chipotle announced the investment in October through its $100 million early-stage investment venture fund, Cultivate Next.
- Kevin Malhame declined to share with Axios the specific amount, but did say it was a minority investment.
Context: Brassica hopes to avoid the fate of Hot Chicken Takeover, another popular local chain that sold to an investment company in 2021 and subsequently faced "brutal" criticism, the Dispatch reports.
- Hot Chicken Takeover was sold again more recently and is now openly asking former fans to give it another shot.
What they're saying: When news of the investment broke, fans and skeptics alike shared concerns over Brassica's future in Columbus Reddit threads.
- "Please don't ruin Brassica!" and "RIP brassica" are the top two comments in one thread.
- "Over/under on the first 'Brassica doesn't taste the same' thread is 97.5 days," said another. "What ya got? I'm taking under."
The other side: Kevin Malhame can "completely understand" why Brassica fans might be worried, but says the chain doesn't plan to change.
- He also calls private equity money that can cause a business to decline "totally unappealing" to the brothers.
- "That story replays itself over and over and over again," he says. "It is the story of our industry: emerging brands that have something special end up on some sort of fast-growth trajectory with an outside investor, and the next time you know it's not worth eating at or it's lost its magic."
2. 🍗 We tried the new-look Hot Chicken Takeover
Hot Chicken Takeover's new ownership wants Columbus to "try the food like it's a new restaurant" — so we did.
- It pains us to say it, but the 2024 version is (still) not what it once was.
Flashback: HCT began in 2014 as a mission-driven pop-up window in Olde Towne East, later adding a food truck and its first brick-and-mortar location in the North Market.
- It doubled as a way for founder Joe DeLoss to help reintegrate employees convicted of felonies into their communities.
- DeLoss sold HCT in 2021 to investment company Untamed Brands, which sold the company this May to Craveworthy Brands, led by former Jimmy John's CEO Gregg Majewski.
- HCT has added standalone locations in Clintonville, Easton, Gahanna, Grandview, Lewis Center and Westerville.
🐔 When the first location opened, the menu was limited to fried chicken in four flavors, mac and cheese, cole slaw, banana pudding, tea and ranch.
The latest: The chain's recent rebrand focuses on "Southern flavor" and an expanded menu with a "fresh new look."
- Now, it has five flavors of chicken, sandwiches with black pepper relish and pimiento cheese, chicken fried steak, eight sides, three appetizers, a kids' menu, a salad, seven sauces and even more drinks and desserts.

Our take: It's an unwieldy menu unrecognizable to those who remember the early days.
- We tried tenders, drumsticks, mac and cheese, slaw, baked beans and fried pickles, and it was all … pretty mediocre.
- The chicken is fine, but not good enough to differentiate itself from the many other chicken spots.
- Everyone's favorite mac and cheese is gone — the new version went from "OK" to "gross" as it cooled.
Friction point: Extra sauces (ranch included) are 49 cents. Just make them free and unlimited again!
💭 Alissa's thought bubble: I was overwhelmed when I walked in and saw the expanded menu. I think focusing on doing one thing well appeals to people for the simplicity — like Just Chicken, which I recently reviewed.
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3. 🏈 We're at a loss, folks
These were the perfect conditions to end a rivalry losing streak: A home game against a lackluster Wolverines squad with a trip to the conference championship on the line.
- And still, defeat.
State of play: Saturday's 13-10 loss was followed by a minor on-field brawl spurred by Wolverines planting the M flag at midfield.
- A few Buckeye players didn't react kindly, nor did campus police, who used pepper spray to break up the mayhem.

Reality check: The loss — OSU's fourth in a row to TTUN — fuels longstanding criticism that head coach Ryan Day racks up easy victories with a talented roster, but can't win the "big games."
- Fans might clamor for change, but it's hard to imagine a coach with a .868 winning percentage being in the hot seat.
Worth remembering: The Buckeyes are likely still headed to the expanded College Football Playoff. The final list will be announced Sunday.
- OSU beat Michigan eight times in a row before this ignominious streak. Stuff happens.
Yes, but: People don't follow football, especially not college football, to gain perspective.
- With OSU's roster, NIL advantages and team history, it's win or else.
Lately, it's been a lot of "else."

4. Nutshells: A student news roundup
🌷 Denison University groundskeepers overcome bad weather, fungi and plant-loving deer to keep the campus beautiful. (Denisonian)
🤖 Kenyon College is weighing new AI usage policies after some students were caught plagiarizing. (Kenyon Collegian)
💊 An international student group is working to make live-saving medicine more affordable, like a blood cancer drug developed by OSU researchers. (Lantern)
Thanks to Tyler Buchanan for editing today's newsletter.
Our picks:
✌️ Alissa is out this week.
😕 Andrew truly misses the Hot Chicken Takeover of old.
👀 Tyler is browsing Cyber Monday deals.
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