If you’re looking for a place to go shopping after this upcoming payday, Beavercreek is definitely the place to go. Less than 30 minutes from campus, Beavercreek offers many opportunities for shopping, whether it’s stores on Fairfield Road or The Greene Town Center.
Some of my favorite stores to go to are TJMaxx, Plato’s Closet, Home Goods and Target. Since we don’t have most of these stores in Springfield, I’m fine with making the drive out to see what they have. I’ve bought cute clothes, room décor, jewelry and more. These stores also tend to offer cheap finds, which is always good for the college-age shopping enthusiast on a budget.
You can also hit up either The Mall at Fairfield Commons or The Greene Town Center (a few exits further on I-675). Whether you have specific things in mind to buy or you just feel like window shopping, both malls offer fun shopping and delicious mall food. There’s also a Starbucks right outside the Fairfield Commons.
If you’re short on cash, stores like Plato’s Closet and Buybacks Entertainment will also buy your clothes, shoes, accessories or books and media items and pay you cash on the spot. If you’ve got old things taking up space in your room or closet, why not clean them out for the new year and get some money back to boot? Plato’s usually looks for in-season clothes, and while they will not always pay much for clothes, I’d rather have the money and be able to clean the clothes out of my closet.
After a few hours (or a full day, who’s to judge?) of shopping, you’ll probably be a bit hungry. Luckily there are a lot of great restaurants mixed in with stores. My favorites are near Fairfield Commons and Wright State’s campus: Tik’s Thai Express and Jeet Indian Restaurant. I love spicy food and eat a lot of Thai and Indian food when I’m home, so it’s nice to find local places that offer the same great dishes.
Average dishes at Tik’s Thai are about $10, with $4-$5 appetizers. I love their Pad Thai and curries, but they have other noodle options as well. Tik’s is tucked into a mini mall across the street from Wright State’s Nutter Center; to get there, you get off at exit 17 for North Fairfield Road, then turn right. Take a left turn on Colonel Glenn Highway, and the restaurant is about two blocks down.
Jeet’s is located right on Fairfield Road, a few stores down from the Plato’s Closet. While they offer a buffet, I usually order the vegetarian thal, which is a mixed platter with small portions of many different dishes. If you haven’t had Indian food before or don’t have a favorite dish, this is a great option. The vegetarian version is $14.50 and the non-vegetarian version is $17.00. If the prices are a bit too steep for you, you can definitely split the platter as long as you’re not super hungry. The portions are generous, and the food is filling. Add on a mango lassi for a sweet yogurt-like drink and you’ll get the full Indian-food experience.
