Could Blue Danube be making a comeback? Permits hint at a return to Old North

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Blue Danube closed in 2018 after nearly eight decades of business, but the Old North diner appears to be inching toward a comeback.

Also known as "The Dube," the restaurant and bar on the corner of North High Street and West Blake Avenue, just to the north of the Ohio State campus, was open for 78 years before shutting down. Since May, an entity called Old Dube LLC has applied for six liquor permits at the the Blue Danube's former location, indicating it could be gearing up for a return.

The applications Old Dube LLC filed with the Ohio Liquor Control include permits for carryout beer sales until 1 a.m., on-premises beer sales until 2:30 a.m. and Sunday sales of intoxicating liquors. Of those six applications, three were submitted in May, and the other three were submitted in July.

But The Dube's return may not be so simple.

Three of the applied-for permits are designated with a "no opening" status, as Ohio has a population based-quota system. That means Old Dube LLC has a few options: wait for an opening, transfer a permit from another Columbus location or use a transfer to move a permit over from another location.

Opened as a fine-dining restaurant in 1940, the Blue Danube was known as an unconventional hangout spot, according to Columbus Metropolitan Library. In a 2023 social media post, CML said The Dube eventually became a counterculture friendly dive bar, hosting bands such as Donovan and Pearl Jam.

The restaurant's menu included offerings such as sandwiches, gyros and steaks. It is unclear whether the Blue Danube would have the same menu if it returns to its storefront.