Maybe it’s a sign of getting older, but I felt genuine excitement walking into the new Grocery Outlet in Columbus. Not mild, polite enthusiasm. Actual excitement.
Located on Bethel Rd, the place is bright, spotless, and shockingly well organized. Prices? All over the place in the best way. Sure, not everything is a screaming deal. But there were enough surprising discounts on organic snacks, fancy skincare, produce, meat, you name it, to make it feel like a smart shopper’s treasure hunt.
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This is the first Grocery Outlet in Central Ohio, independently run by Leonel Galeano and Wendy Tabora-Galeano.
At the ribbon-cutting, they donated $1,000 to The Open Shelter. The first 100 shoppers got gift cards with surprise amounts, from five bucks up to $500. It was a busy, high-energy opening with a friendly staff who seemed genuinely happy to be there. That’s not nothing.
Through the end of opening week, shoppers get a free reusable bag with purchase, and if you download the Grocery Outlet app and set this location as your home store, you’ll get a $5 coupon toward a $15 purchase. There’s also a $1,000 grocery giveaway running through August 8.
If you’re used to bouncing between stores for good deals and quality products, this spot is worth adding to your rotation. It’s clean, it’s got great deals, and it might surprise you—in the way that makes you text a friend and say, “You need to come here.”
Grocery Outlet is located at 749 Bethel Road, Columbus, OH 43214. For more info, you can head over to groceryoutlet.com.
