For my last local travel column, I decided to go to nearby Xenia. Called the “Bicycle Capital of the Midwest,” Xenia is the third largest city in Greene County with about 25,000 residents.
While I had not heard of Xenia before coming to Witt, the city got national attention after its deadly tornado in 1974. Thirty-four people died, 1,150 were injured and, with nearly half of the town’s buildings destroyed, 10,000 people were left homeless.
Despite its history of tornadoes (it was hit again in both 1989 and 2000), Xenia has always bounced back, and today, it has a cute and close knit downtown, which includes the Greene County Court House building.
Due to a torrential downpour and one unprepared journalist, I limited myself to the blocks around the Main and Detroit intersection so I didn’t have to walk too far in the rain without an umbrella. In that area, I discovered a delicious coffee shop and bakery, a few thrift stores and even a boutique.
I started my afternoon at T. Lane Designs, Limited. This shop has a lot of cute homemade goods, such as hair clips, infinity scarves and reusable lunch bags. They also sell some refurbished things: I bought a painted picture frame with an illustrated Audrey Hepburn quote.
They also sold other furniture items. And while the outside view of the store has a lot of garden-themed decorations, inside, the stock is much more varied. I would definitely stop back here if I needed small gifts for friends or was looking for unique trinkets.
Next, I stopped in at a few thrift stores. One was called Mary’s Odds and Ends, and was a mix between a hair salon and supply shop, as well as a thrift store. The front half of the store is dedicated to hair supplies and the back is more of a thrift store. I looked around, but didn’t find anything, so I went to the next thrift store.
This store was a more traditional thrift store with clothes, accessories and shoes. The prices were fair and there were some nice things, but nothing I really needed. If you’re in search of some new clothes, definitely stop in.
My last stop was to the Harvest Moon Bakery to get a quick snack for the road; I ended up with a jasmine green tea and two scones: blueberry and ginger. For a local coffee shop, prices are fair and the scones were delicious. I would definitely stop in again, but would probably try a different kind of tea.
If you want to check out Xenia, hop on US-68 S or take OH-72 S to Wilberforce-Clifton Road and then turn onto US-42 S to take you right into downtown. Xenia is about 30 minutes away from Springfield and definitely offers a local getaway. Happy adventuring!
