Updated: August 10, 2026
This is where I am mentally:
Given that reality, let’s take a minute and stroll down memory lane for a look at Wendy’s and its long relationship with Columbus.
First of all, here’s how these solariums looked from the outside (a somewhat modern example):
Where was the first Wendy’s?
The original Wendy’s opened in November 1969 at 257 E. Broad St. in downtown Columbus and served customers there until it closed in 2007. A historical marker stands at the site today, and the Dublin flagship keeps a museum’s worth of memorabilia if you want the full nostalgia tour.
| The First Wendy’s At A Glance | |
| Opened | November 15, 1969 |
| Address | 257 E. Broad St., downtown Columbus |
| Closed | March 2, 2007 |
| Historical marker | Erected 2007, still out front |
| The building today | The Catholic Foundation, home of the Museum of Catholic Art and History |
The “1st Restaurant” sign and that curved corner:
Who remembers the original location in downtown Columbus, across the street from the old COSI?
A sight for sore eyes:
Those newspaper tables!
East Broad Street in 1973, Wendy’s sign and all:
A little hard to spot? Here’s the zoom:
Unfortunately the original Wendy’s closed in 2007 (but it lives forever in our hearts.) This photo was taken on the last day of operation:
The message to customers on the final day:
Historical sites get historical markers:
The flagship Wendy’s in Dublin, Ohio is a great place to go today to take in some Wendy’s history:
The bronze Dave Thomas outside the flagship, Frosty in hand:
The man himself, at his desk in Columbus:
And when we’re talking about Wendy’s history, there’s a whole lot. Like Arnold Schwarzenegger repping the brand back in the ’70s.
The eternal question
And the answer – Arnold found the beef!
Remember Wendy’s salad bars?
Does anyone remember these animated ads from the ’70s?
Did yellow Wendy’s hit a little different?
The yellow Wendy’s design is like stepping into a time machine:
The old signs hung on for decades. Roadside photographer John Margolies caught these in 2003:
Some made it deep into the 2020s! This one in Fairfax, Virginia was still going strong in 2021:
