Where do teens like to spend time these days?
Back in my day, it was the mall. And far more recently, when Z was a tween in middle school, she also enjoyed hanging at the mall with her friends.
We spent many afternoons and evenings at Polaris Fashion Place – her walking and shopping with friends, me lying low at Starbucks or the massage chairs while waiting to drive her home. (Side note and pro tip: the massage chairs at Polaris mall are the bomb!)
Lately though, the mall does not seem to be a preferred destination for our teen and her friends. It’s too “middle school.”
She was seeking a more sophisticated place to meet up and have fun with friends, and we found it recently in the charming downtown area of Delaware, Ohio known as Main Street Delaware.
The “main street” area of Delaware is actually along historic Sandusky Street. There are multiple coffee shops where teens (and parents!) can grab a beverage and hang out. There are also book shops, record stores, an antique mall and myriad other cute, aesthetic spots to explore, grab a bite, spend time and spend money. It’s a total vibe on a sunny day!
I dropped Z and her friend at Coffeology, where they were going to get some beverages and hang out for a few hours. I parked nearby and nearly squealed with excitement when I saw that I had stumbled upon the most amazing vintage/reclaimed mosaic art wall I’d ever seen. It is located behind Restoration Brew Worx and is actually part of the Delaware, Ohio Mosaic Art Tour.
Since I’m a huge fan of mosaic art, I totally geeked out and spent some time admiring it and taking photos. Then, I wandered through a small alley and found myself at another coffee shop, Choffey’s Coffee & Connections. I didn’t stay long as it’s also a chocolates and candy shop and I didn’t want to be tempted at that moment in time.
Instead, I wandered on and found myself at Cocinamos Bakery & Bistro, where I absolutely fell in love with the elevated, gorgeous design and open spaces. This was the cafe I’d been searching for! I ordered a chai, took a seat and read my book for at least an hour in blissful, aesthetic peace. I’ll admit, I ended up buying a pastry because they looked so tempting – and all the other food smells were making me hungry. Their Bavarian cream pastry was divine.
It gets even better. I went to the back of the restaurant to use the ladies room, and out the open door, what did I spy but the other side of that epic mosaic art wall in the parking lot. I had only photographed the front of it and hadn’t even realized the design went around the corner! Naturally, I had to sneak out the back door of Cocinamos to take some more photos of the other side of that amazing mosaic.
I checked in with Z via text and found that they had been enjoying themselves nearby at the Delaware Antique Mall, where she bought some old glass and had fun taking photos with her friend in the cool old building. Between the architecture, the shops and the cafes and restaurants, you could easily spend a whole day in charming Delaware, Ohio.
And don’t even get me started on their adorable summer-through-fall downtown farmer’s market and the upcoming Delaware Arts Festival. In short, Delaware, Ohio rocks! If you haven’t spent time there yet, you owe it to yourself to check it out.
