Cafe Phenix is set to bring its drink-focused café concept to Downtown Columbus at 39 E. Gay St., taking over the former 39 Below FroYo space.
According to a report from Columbus Underground, Cafe Phenix planned to open at the Gay Street location in spring 2016. The café was expected to offer a menu centered around coffee, tea, smoothies and milkshakes, with customers able to customize their beverages with a variety of syrups and flavors.
The 39 E. Gay Street space previously housed 39 Below FroYo before the frozen yogurt concept relocated to Olde Towne East. Cafe Phenix was subsequently listed among the new businesses that opened Downtown in 2016.
The café’s menu also included baked goods and light food options. A 2016 review from Columbus Underground noted that Cafe Phenix offered baked goods, sandwiches, soups, customizable smoothies and milkshakes, along with an extensive selection of coffee and tea.
The business was founded by Brittney Barnhart and Gary McConnell, who were also identified as the owners of Cafe Phenix and later Phenix Bistro. The original Cafe Phenix operated at 39 E. Gay St. before the owners expanded the concept to a second nearby space at 51 E. Gay St. in 2019.
The 39 E. Gay Street location has since been associated with the Cafe Phenix concept, although current information about a potential reopening or new plans for the space remains limited.
What Now Columbus reached out to Cafe Phenix for additional information about the location but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
