Nestled in Greene County, Ohio, away from the hustle and bustle of cities like Columbus and Cincinnati, is Yellow Springs A village dedicated to arts, music, and people, Yellow Springs boasts some of the quaintest architecture and stores in central Ohio.
Named after a babbling spring, Yellow Springs now provides a home to much more than just running water Small businesses, record shops, restaurants, and local artists now run the village and provide some of the best entertainment around
Along the main street of the town lie shops like Urban Handmade, an art and clothing shop that boasts the slogan “Power to the Artists!” And power to the artists they give! Urban Handmade holds an eclectic assortment of colorful art, clothing, and jewelry, all sourced locally from over 70 artists and makers. The store’s mission is to support their artists and to bring local merchandise to the forefront of the town The rest of the quaint small businesses that sit along the main street of Yellow Springs provide similar missions, and give the visitor a quick trip back into the 1970s. Within the vibrant stores are wrap shirts and skirts in bright paisley prints, jewelry made from Yellow Springs silver, and even handmade musical instruments! Anyone wandering the streets is invited to take part in the diverse culture of the village. What is that culture? Well, you might call it hippie culture The flowy clothing options and bright blue, pink, and yellow storefronts certainly lend themselves to that description
Another green storefront, though perhaps not quite so quaint, provides a home to Yellow Springs’ most famous record shop, Toxic Beauty Records Within the doors of Toxic Beauty, you can find boxes upon boxes of records You can stay in the past and look at the vinyls of The Beatles, or the Beach Boys, or you can come back to the present and look for modern day artists like Harry Styles or Halsey Music is perhaps the single most important ingredient in the lifeblood of Yellow Springs. There are often, if not constantly, musicians playing on the streets and music being played in every single shop. Walking past the open doors and the street performers, Yellow Springs offers up a brilliant array of auditory experiences It is also home to a music festival in the fall and winter months, where many artists are invited to play and to promote their creations The Yellow Springs music festival is one of the biggest draws to the village, as the population is only around four thousand people Musicians are outsourced from both inside and outside of the state. While Yellow Springs certainly holds an open mindset, the theme of the 70s holds true in the style of music that is most often awarded and enjoyed in the music festival
One of the most popular places to hear live music are the restaurants that are dotted among the rest of the stores and experiences in Yellow Springs Cafes and small hole-in-the-wall places serve food better than any fancy bistro or fast food chain could offer. The Sunshine Cafe has a mix of breakfast options and desserts, allowing the visitor to choose between a stack of pancakes and an omelet and a slice of cherry pie Or the best choice, both! The Greene Canteen is a restaurant with a mission to provide locally sourced food while leaving a smaller carbon footprint Behind the bright green and orange painted walls, the Green Canteen has a rotating menu updated every week to keep up with their mission to provide locally sourced, in-season food. Additionally, they strive to provide adequate gluten and dairy free options so that every visitor can enjoy their food Nearby, and almost worth its very own article, is Young’s Jersey Dairy One of the biggest ice cream shops that Central Ohio has to offer, Young’s Dairy has over twenty rotating flavors from the classics to the bizarre. Customers can eat in, take home, or simply stand inside and smell the delights that stay there Beyond just the ice cream, Young’s Dairy has a minigolf course and putting cages for visitors who are inclined to golf During the winter, Young’s stays in operation in order to allow the residents and visitors of Yellow Springs to enjoy a cold treat on a frosty day
There is no better place in Yellow Springs to visit, however, than the various small artist’s stores that are just a sharp left turn off of the main road Past that left turn are two handmade jewelry shops. Both are private small businesses whose jewelry truly comes from the heart and is of genuine high quality Next door is a fairy garden store (Little Fairy Garden), where patrons can go to add a little bit of magic to their gardens. Inside are various decorations, fairies, and other plants Visitors can also choose to take a class where they learn how to put together their own fairy garden using materials found in the store! All of these stores, alongside other pop-up shops and tents, sit around a grass courtyard where local art is shown year-round. Across the street from the Yellow Springs arts park is the Epic Book Shop, Yellow Springs’ main road bookstore Inside are both used and unused copies of classic literature, the same as could be found in any book store, alongside more art from local artists. Epic Book Shop also doubles as a metaphysical store, carrying a large collection of crystals and tarot decks The store is also the hub of Yellow Springs’ active pride community, which is also a focal point of the diverse culture of the village. At Epic Books, you can find pride flags, stickers, and information about events to be held For those interested, there is also a resident bookstore cat and dog The art in Yellow Springs is not just confined to the page however, as the village contains two small tattoo parlors with various artists working out of them! One is located only a minute walk from the end of the main street and accepts numerous walk-ins every day It also doubles as an art gallery, where the resident tattoo artists can show off other work that they have done. For visitors willing to drive a few minutes, John Bryan Pottery is a must-visit The pottery studio offers a wide range of glazed and unglazed mugs, plates, and other clay decorations, as well as offering pottery classes to anyone who is interested. The shop is located just outside of the main run of Yellow Springs, and allows visitors to see some of the beautiful scenery in both summer and winter months among the natural rocks, trees, and sloping hills.
For anyone who is interested in an out-of-the-ordinary downtown experience, Yellow Springs is an excellent visit The culture of the small village is inviting, diverse, and wholly interesting. Not to mention the beautiful storefronts and otherwise gorgeous paved roads and flying banners Visitors interested in art have a plethora of small art shops, tattoo parlors, and jewelry stores to visit, all supporting local artists Music enthusiasts can visit the record store and the bookshop for vintage and modern delights. If you’re interested in learning something new, you can learn pottery skills at a local shop or learn how to add a little bit of magic to your garden And of course, any person who visits can find a wonderful place to get a great meal So, if you ever find yourself in central-southwest Ohio with nothing to do, Yellow Springs might be the place for you to spend a day