The nice thing about downtown Oberlin is that most of it is in one central area, down one central street.
Ratsy, the owner, is also a really sweet and funny person who will be happy to strike up conversation with you when you walk in - and if you go in often enough, as I do, she’ll recognize you when you say hi. I sometimes like to go just to see what’s there, because as a vintage used-clothing store, the variety changes often. From super cool jackets (during orientation week, I found a rad 90s windbreaker) to 80s dad sweaters, funky socks to handmade dinosaur earrings, if you want something even a little bit odd, you’ll find it at Ratsy’s. Ratsy’s holds all of the weird, fun, eccentric, and cute vintage things you can imagine. Now walk a bit farther down the same street, and you’ll come up on a quirky little store called Ratsy’s. One of the coolest things about visiting multiple times is that sometimes you get to see the kittens grow up! Sometimes when you go in, you can’t pet certain kittens as perhaps they’re sick or haven’t gotten their vaccinations yet, but you’ll visit a few weeks later, and they’re twice their size and playing and jumping around for you to play with them. Just to give you an idea, here are two kittens cuddling in my roommate’s lap from the last time we visited. This is really helpful for stressful finals week, a motivator to get through the week, or just a really nice, calm, and cuddly environment. Whenever Ginko is open, you can go into the back and pet, cuddle, and love on the kittens and cats in a little boarded-in area. I always find myself picking up a fun new pen or two in the front, and then making my way to the back, through a swinging door, to greet a dozen cute, mewing kittens. That’s right - Ginko isn’t just a gallery, they also foster kittens and cats. It’s part art gallery, part art store, part adorable-kitten-snuggling-heaven. Now that you’ve gotten the things you need (and, let’s be honest, some things you probably don’t need, but will definitely benefit from), let’s go somewhere fun! From Slow Train, you’re going to head back the way you came, and turn left at the Huntington Bank, then walk down until you get to a place called Ginko Gallery. Some places, like the Slow Train Cafe, will offer discounts for people who provide their own dishes or bags. In a few places, there are some glowing bulbs that will show you how much energy the building is using by flashing green, orange, or red.
(Don’t worry, they’ll still give you a plastic one if you forgot.) Just like in this list, all over Oberlin you’ll see reminders of energy and resource conservation. Pick up a chocolate bar and a pack of ramen for later for a couple of bucks, grab an old book (because you can never have too many books), and check out!ĭon’t forget to bring your reusable shopping bag to help reduce the amount of plastic bags in our landfills. There’s a used book shop in there too! Mindfair Books has cozy shelves tucked together with all kinds of genres, new and old, for the young and the elderly. Ben Franklin always has everything you need.and if you don’t need anything, you’ll find something you do need somewhere on the shelves.
It’s important to get the necessities out of the way. Here's the cup that I usually bring with me (sporting my Harry Potter pride, of course) to the cafe, whether I'm going to sit down or be on the road - it's a Tervis cup! I love these because they can be cups or travel mugs, and can hold hot and cold drinks! Highly recommend them if you're looking for a reusable cup to help save the environment! Bring along a reusable mug to get a discount as an appreciation for your contribution to saving the environment. Their fresh-baked goods and delicious hot drinks are a staple of any visit to downtown Oberlin. Not only do they have the best chai lattes in town, but their blueberry muffins are to die for.
#Venture forthe downtown full
Here’s your guide to visiting downtown Oberlin, chock full of my favorite things to see and do.įirst stop, the Slow Train Cafe! As I’m writing this, it’s January, and a cold one at that, so getting a warm drink before you head off on your Oberlin adventure is oh-so-important. Yes, in retrospect, it’s pretty tiny but sometimes the smallest places can hold the sweetest hidden gems. Oberlin isn’t just a great college, it’s a great town, too! A blue dot of liberal small-town vibes in a sea of red Ohio, Oberlin is about as charming, woke, and cozy as they come.
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