Jana Wiersema | The Republic The new Orange Leaf is shown in The Commons on Friday, Sept. 23, 2022.
The Orange Leaf at The Commons has reopened, after closing for nearly three years due to the pandemic.
The local franchise is now under the management of BW Smith, LLC. The company has two principals, Brandy and William Smith. The couple own and operate an Orange Leaf in Seymour.
The Columbus Redevelopment Commission voted in April to begin negotiations with the Smiths to lease and reopen the Orange Leaf shop. Redevelopment Director Heather Pope said in July that the Smiths had been given a two-month rent abatement in order to “get things cleaned up,” and their rent would start in August.
She mentioned at Monday’s commission meeting that the shop had a “soft opening” phase and was open in early September during the JCB concert series.
“They tried it that night,” said Pope. “She (Smith) said things are going great.”
Columbus’ first Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt opened in May 2015 at The Commons. The restaurant filled the vacant space left by Snappy Tomato Pizza, which was evicted in January of 2014 after going a year without paying its rent.
In November of 2021, the commission approved a resolution authorizing Devoar, LLC, doing business as Orange Leaf, to terminate its Commons lease effective at the end of 2021. According to commission attorney Stan Gamso, franchise owner Andy Russell had said the store still faced expenses despite its closure.
The center’s other interior restaurant tenant, Subway, began formal negotiations about ending its lease in January of 2021 and left in July of that year, according to city officials.
The Commons was largely closed to the public amid the COVID-19 pandemic, except as an event space. Orange Leaf and Subway closed in March of 2020 and were granted ongoing rent relief by the commission due to their inability to open, as they had no external entrances (unlike Bucceto’s and Luciana’s).
City officials said Orange Leaf’s inability to reopen was also tied to the status of the James A. Henderson playground, which reopened in March of 2022 after seeing delays with its renovation project.
