The Continent & French Market (Winter, 1988) Columbus, Ohio

[@CarieEvans]

🤣🤣The amount of time and film spent on that statue's dong. Love this. My mom used to work at Houlihans right about this time.

[@reedyd]

2:10 You can definitely tell my gf was running the camera.

[@jeffflaig362]

My brother who just passed worked at steak escape until he graduated from Worthington highschool in 89. I saw steak escape for a second made me feel like a kid again.

[@cpman1987]

I remember the very first time, I visited "The Continent" & "French Market" back in 1980. I was in the 5th grade I was 12 years old. we went there on a field trip to see "The Empire Strikes Back!" I remember seeing it with my class, at the now-defunct movie theater " The Screens At The Continent" on the corner across from the fountain. There was an "Alien" movie poster framed in the lobby, from the previous year, it was still playing. I remember they had an awesome assortment of video games and pinball machines!! Believe it or not, I did not visit The Continent again until some 14 years later, in 1994!! I went there to see one of the most boring movies ever made: "The Shadow" starring Alec Baldwin, I fell asleep in the first 25 minutes and literally started snoring so loud, I ended up going straight home to bed! I went there with this girl, I stupidly moved in with and ended up having a child with her a year later! She turned out to be a slut and a real bitch, but that's another story. Anyhow, after that and after she kidnapped our child and moved to Utah, to become a Morman, I started going there on the weekends, I remember partying and dancing at the "Yucatan Liquor Stand, ( Sadly, in May of this 2017, a shooting happened at that club, which seems to have closed permanently just a couple of weeks later)."Crazy Louie's" was another club/bar I used to frequent and the "Patio" was another hot spot back in the heyday of this shopping center. There were several restaurants there like "Schmidt's Sausage Haus" (I used to work at their Ohio Center downtown location, back in 1987). And "Damon's the Place for Ribs" and "Houlihan's." I put Columbus, Ohio in my rearview mirror over 20 years ago for good! I now live and work in Boston, Massachusetts. But The Continent & French Market" remains an indelible part of my early life and adulthood! It's so sad to see this once glorious and vibrant place turned into a "Ghost Town!" R.I.P. The Continent & French Market.

[@CarieEvans]

Sorry for your loss! (I lost a brother too so I understand). I also watched this and got very sad and nostalgic. This video was 3 yrs after my grandpa died. Him & my gma used to take me to the french market as a kid. We would just walk the halls. I never left that place without one of those giant lollipops they used to sell. This video brought back a lot of wonderful memories.

[@CherRN88]

I love this video! Spent so much time there as a kid and then my first job at 15 years old was at Zee’s Hamburgers (the place with the green awning in the video). SO many memories there, I can’t even tell you. Such a perfect time. And yes, notice the ZERO cell phones....just living. ♥️

[@rcc019]

Where are you at now? You still in Columbus?

[@jordonwhalen5132]

I bet that video is a trip, I know it is for me.

[@sprkl5d]

Heart breaking seeing this. Was such a nice, fun and beautiful place. So hard to believe what it is now. Unless a person has seen this place in its hay day they'd never believe it based on its current status. So sad.

[@OmeedNOuhadi]

I know, I still see the sign and have a feeling like that place use to be popular. Have you been there within the last couple years? It looks like a strip mall with an indoor mall? Kind of like how Northland mall started? These are questions more than facts.

[@SooSmokie]

My dad worked at the Turman club hotel across the street for years. Boy has this area died.

[@Scooter4Ever]

Would always go to The Toy Box to get a puzzle for my Christmas present to my Dad.

[@whazzuphere]

Thanks for the look back in time. I remember when The Continent was a "happening" place, with Friday after work parties and all. The apartments there were much sought after by young singles. At the time of this video, however, the place was, as you pointed out, already in decline, as was much of the old 161 corridor. Good times though, from when I was also one of those late 20s - somethings. Thanks again for posting.

[@MattBroskie]

Nice to see that all of the letters on the sign have never worked at once.

[@theheartofablackbird2109]

This was also home to Sunsports. We did a lot of skateboarding there in the 80's/90's.

[@mintghost]

I love this video! I used to hang out here in high school in the mid to late nineties, but we went a few times in the eighties. SO MUCH NOSTALGIA! I went on my first date here, we ate at the Italian restaurant and saw Romeo and Juliet at the theater.

[@bkolanko]

Poignant. I love the small scenes you captured. And isn't it strange, as a modern viewer, the lack of cell phones?

[@D2SProductions]

Definitely a lack of cellphones, but not completely missing. I used to bus tables at The French Market back then, it was my first summer job as a kid, my boss had a cellphone, mainly as a bragging right to show how rich he was, he'd often talk about how expensive the bill was, $50.00 / minute for a call on a cellphone back then.

[@craigoutdoors30]

Smart phones killed human interaction.

[@jonnyvictorio5343]

Yes there’s also a lack of literature being read, and also if you notice, there’s no dinosaurs either!

[@brainspin7518]

Thx 4 sharing Reedyd! They use to have a Just Sweats store in the mall area.This was of course before the whole murder scandal envolving the owners story broke! Damons ribs also resided in the continent for sometime as well. If you where a high schooler on the north end of town during this time frame...This was the place to be on friday and saturday nights.

[@bruth6138]

Holy moly! Great post.

[@chrisschmitt3126]

Attended Otterbein from 1987 to 1991......this was always a fun place to hang out.

[@mitzic3598]

I attend otterbein now and go through this place on my commute. I long for the existence of such a cool place

[@vgall7308]

Even thought I moved to Cbus in 2002 we still hung out there for a bit. I see how nice it was before that, such a bummer.

[@JohnSmith-gi7jw]

This is like a time capsule of my past. So crazy!

[@stpmscaitlin]

This was our hang out from 82' to 89'....Does anyone remember the Arcade near the Movie theater?

[@D2SProductions]

Laser One, they eventually got a 2nd Laser One inside The French Market in 89. That was my first summer job, bussing tables at The French Market, I spent my breaks at one of the two Laser One arcades.

[@Ian16545]

It was replaced by Silver Ball sometime later.

[@josephmichaelong4576]

YES!! Used To Walk To That Arcade Thee Time When I Was six.

[@gunnergunn6230]

yep hung out there all the time

[@bruth6138]

D2SProductions Totally! Went there all the time then used to pay phone right out front to collect call my mom to pick me up because I spent all my money at Laser one.

[@pressedsteel7463]

I still live by the Continent....Anyone remember the real cool " toy store " ???? Think it closed in 1998-99 ?

[@julzy20032000ify]

Pressed Steel yes! had an upstairs and a downstairs???

[@D2SProductions]

It was called The Toy Box, they show the outside of it in this video, one of the places I'd hang out after work when had my summer job bussing tables in The French Market.

[@baritonebynight]

Larsons.

[@jodajipe]

My boyfriend, Joe, was the owner of The Toy Box from 1985 until it closed. That store was/is the “love of his life”. Part of what made it such a great store, he said, was the employees...everyone who worked there took pride and saw it as their own. In a lot of ways, it was so much more than just a store. Many people-customers and employees-have shared fond memories of The Toy Box with him.

[@suprchickn7745]

Thanks for sharing this, I just watched a video showing what has been become of this unique experiment. Too bad the neighborhood went downhill soon after this was filmed.

[@Zoetropeification]

This was cool place. I was in high school in the late 70's in Westerville. The Continent was a great place to hang. Remember couple of older friends had an apartment there. That was where everyone wanted to live.

[@briankelly9347]

Was it safe ish

[@whazzuphere]

Yes, it was back then.

[@wilburross9709]

Wow-The Continent Theater! Saw "Apocalypse Now" there in 35mm, Dolbe stereo surround sound etc etc. Also saw "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" there and they showed "Heavy Metal" at the midnight movies. That was all a few years before this but great times for sure!

[@Doomzdayxx]

Just went there today. It's sad, empty and depressing. The french market building has been gone for atleast 15 years. All of the stores are vacant. the apartments look like something out of a 3rd world country.

[@jehster]

What was the popular bar on the corner called? It was several different places over the years.

[@michduck6172]

R&R, and then In Cahoots

[@pennypokey]

There was also Crazy Loueys, Yucatan Liquor Stand, Bombay Bicycle club, &Elephant Bar

[@MultiMcdude]

Made in the USA, Houlihan's, Funny Bone comedy club.

[@cpman1987]

@@pennypokey I used to pick up the finest women in Columbus back then, at every single one of those clubs you named,!! I remember when back in 1997, "The Notorious B.I.G.'s" hit song 🎵 "Mo Money, MoProblems" came out! They used to blast this song at the " Yucatan Liquor Stand" and all the sexy , "well built" girls would scream and dance with me and my friend , Barry! 💃 Good Times!! Great Memories!!

[@cwize]

I was the DJ at RnR USA from opening in 87 until mid 89 - then I moved to spin at ClubLand in Detroit (now the Fillmore Detroit). RnR held 900+ and Clubland was in a 3,000 seat 1920s movie house, The State Theater, next door to the Fox Theater. Was live on the air from RnR Friday nights on WNCI. Good times!

[@BM-nd8gy]

Drove through there today as I saw it during it's hayday.... It's sad what it's become, definitely no sane person would seek it out other than go reminisce

[@laurenmccullough8838]

Up until about '04 this was a decent place. I used to party at the Yucatan liquor stand and in the 90s in high school lived the Chinese restaraunt they had. My first boyfriend and I used to walk here in the 90s. 😂❤

[@erinm3567]

Haha we found the same video

[@marctravismba]

Ha! I worked there at the theater and the Buckeye Corner, circa 1990.

[@catherinemcclelland7664]

My Senior year in high school.

[@erichevilsizor1699]

The bar was Hooligans

[@brainspin7518]

lol...Work ther one summer after high school in the 90s.

[@brainspin7518]

*there

[@bethpowell85]

Did you mean "Houlihan's?"

[@jdsjstudio]

@@bethpowell85 I worked at Houlihan's (old place) from '87-'89 when I moved down from Cleveland. The Continent was the place to be back then.

[@CooleyT8TimPrewitt]

Worked at the Continental Athletic Club 87-88… good times. Sad how it looks now

[@KronosIV]

OMG! Marty McFly's son from 2015 walked by the camera at 13:34!

[@ColsUnderground]

Nice!

[@reedyd]

Glad you like it.

[@eandrewstanczak]

Does anyone remember the name of the tobacco shop that was there? They had a peach dip that was fantastic. Havent found it since. 1989-1992?

[@cpman1987]

The "Tinder Box" was the name. They were actually a huge national chain until the "The Evils and dangers of smoking Tobacco" were realized. Good luck finding this store anywhere on the planet today!! R.I.P. "Tinder Box!"

[@tomchristensen2914]

I actually worked at the black olive as well as Italian delights around that time

[@baritonebynight]

I lived there right after the French Market was bulldozed. The rubble was right next to the building that I lived in. God Rest its soul.

[@Zendoggers]

I worked there as well.

[@willfosterhaze]

What was the name of the burrito place next to the Black Olive?

[@stpmscaitlin]

Since it seems like we all grew up in the 80's what HS did you attend?

[@TheRealSuperJ]

I would’ve gone to Northland. HS, but we moved to Medina in 1984. I rode a bus from near Karl and Morse to Champion Middle School on the near east side prior to moving.

[@willfosterhaze]

Beechcroft for one year

[@adkinsaaron60]

At 18 seconds you're right next to my apartment lol. Wonder how many people have lived in here. If only the walls could speak.

[@MajesticHarmony]

Thank u

[@cwize]

This must have been shot on a Sunday or Monday night. The big nightclub, RnR USA would have been hopping otherwise. Looks like it was in the video for a second but was dark. I was the DJ there - the Continent was still busy then, this looks like a very dead night.

[@reedyd]

Don't recall but as working twenty-somethings we probably went out on the weekend, so Sunday seems the most likely.

[@jeremyyoung7713]

Cool video. Thanks for posting. I grew up in the Cleveland area, but we used to visit Columbus with my Dad on business in the '80s. Used to stay at the Residence Inn that was near the French Market. From what I could find on the Internet, it looks like there are apartments there now. Have all the shops closed?

[@gobluebuckeye]

Oh yeah, some hung around even up till the 2000's but its mostly a poverty zone now. Very sad, my childhood in this area was amazing.

[@jeremyyoung7713]

Bummer, sorry to hear that. Yeah we enjoyed going there when I was a kid.

[@benni1023fm]

I remember going here several times with my mother and my husband (may they RIP). There used to be a Schmidt's Sausage Haus there, but apparently it had gone by the time this film was made.

[@Petelaosound]

Love old vdo

[@hozzydaemon2021]

Good memories💕

[@Girlsquadyea]

Me and my buddies used to terrorize this place LOL I remember when Bradford business school was there we used to hang out at the dorms All Summer Long

[@mastertek383]

Never been there but it looks like it was built for me. POTATO KING!!! Hell yes

[@dougmurray7684]

Brings back many good memories. Rapallo's restaurant was next to the Funny Bone. Bought a few fish from the aquarium store. A much better time for the Continent, Columbus and our country in general. That area is nothing but a third world country now.

[@ay1313ay]

amk ben bu videoya nasıl geldim ya