Chain Store Age

By: Steiner + Associates

Restaurants have long served as critical components in the experiential equation of Steiner + Associates town centers. “Eating out is in,” said Yaromir Steiner. “Whether it is a chef-driven concept or a fast-casual restaurant, dining is an inherently social activity that elevates the destination status of a community, drives traffic and captures coveted discretionary dollars.

It is a synergy evident in many of the restaurant concepts that call Steiner + Associates’ projects home, as exemplified by The Northstar Café. Northstar offers an imaginative and carefully crafted menu of new American cuisine with a healthful emphasis on organic, locally sourced ingredients. Two of Northstar’s four locations are in Steiner projects, one at Easton Town Center in Columbus, Ohio, and the other at Liberty Center in the Cincinnati/Dayton Metroplex.

Northstar favorites include a signature burger made with organic brown rice, black beans and beets, house-made granola with Ohio state maple syrup, and crisp pizzas featuring hand-made wheat and spelt crusts and fresh vegetables. Each location has an in-house bakery and fresh juice bar, coffee service featuring organic, direct-trade varieties, and a lineup of favorite local beers. “Northstar is responsive to the preferences and priorities of today’s consumers, offering great food in an inviting contemporary space — all with a sustainable eco-friendly approach: meals that are good for you and good for the globe,” said Steiner. “The Northstar business model is not just about value, but values. Northstar treats its employees with respect and consideration, and backs up its commitment to sustain-ability by supporting non-profits like the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association and the Ohio Environment Council. To date, Northstar has donated more than $100,000 to those and similar organizations.”

Northstar recognizes that its decisions impact the health of the community on a local and global scale, and it works hard to make responsible and conscious choices about everything from its takeout containers to the organic clothes worn by its employees.

The result is a popular and profitable business model with a menu and a perspective that resonates with diners and serves as yet another defining destination within Steiner’s mixed-use environments.