Grammy-winning musical artist pays visit to Columbus arcade and bar

Eight time Grammy-winning musician Janelle Monáe performed in front of a packed Wexner Center Mershon Auditorium on Sept. 15, but her evening in Columbus didn’t come to an end when the music did.

According to owner Ben Morgan, Monáe paid a visit to the Old North Arcade, the popular combination bar and arcade concept located at 2591 N. High St. late Friday night.

Morgan said that, while Monáe came in later in the evening, many staff members and patrons recognized her, although they were respectful in keeping their distance.

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“That’s the thing, I think basically when someone that well known comes in, we sort of let them dictate: Do they want people to know, or are they just trying to have a good time out like normal people,” Morgan said. 

Monáe and her group stuck around the Columbus arcade until around 3:30 a.m., although the bar had to stop selling alcohol at 2:30 a.m., when Old North Arcade typically closes on the weekend. Morgan said the group left once staff members told them they were going home for the night.

“It’s cool that she chose our venue,” Morgan said. “It’s a little bit of a testimony about why the [bar and arcade combinaation] is such a fun concept.”

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