In a high-stakes game day tradition, several Columbus bars are upping the ante for the Ohio State vs. Michigan showdown, with offerings ranging from covering bar tabs to a nostalgic last call for a long-time campus watering hole. The owner of Euphoria bar, perched near the OSU campus, is essentially gambling on a Buckeye victory, pledging to pay for patrons' bar tabs if the team faces defeat, as long as they're present by the end of the game's first quarter, according to ABC6.
Adding to the spirited promotions, Eupouria, a self-serve draft beer hub also located near campus, is promising up to four free servings from their draft wall per person if the Buckeyes don't come out on top, with co-owner Benjamin Morgan telling 10TV, "I’m looking at a potential loss here of around $10,000" and "If Ryan Day and our boys don’t get this win, I don’t know if I can pay rent next month." Meanwhile, amid the fervent promotions and stakes being raised, the beloved Little Bar is hosting its final game day before its impending closure makes way for a new apartment building, capturing nostalgic Buckeye fans for one last celebration. Tricia, a bar-goer, expressed her sentiment to MyFox28, saying, "I’m so sad they’re closing. It’s an institution, and we’re going to miss it a lot."
As the prepared game day events span across multiple venues, with Homefield Icons Sports Bar also joining in the festivities, manager Eric Faix is gearing up for "madness in all the best ways" and the Pint House announces $5 touchdown shots, the stakes for owners and patrons alike are tangibly high, setting an electric anticipation that blankets the city in a mix of hope and final farewells to establishments like The Little Bar, the calm before Saturday's high-energy kickoff.
