‘Heavy-hearted.’ Rosehill Seafood owner explains why Columbus restaurant closed
Saturday’s closure of Rosehill Seafood, 2621 Hamilton Road, wasn’t a sudden decision after serving Columbus for 53 years. It was a “long time coming,” owner Jeff Lunsford told the Ledger-Enquirer on Wednesday.
The reality of the closure hit Lunsford four days later because Wednesdays are the first day of the week the restaurant and fish market opened. But both are now permanently closed.
“I’m heavy-hearted,” Lunsford said. “I got up this morning at 6:30 a.m., like I do every morning, and got in front of that door. It didn’t really register until today that we’re supposed to open. I’ve been knowing it all weekend, but it hit home today. It’s bittersweet.”
Lunsford cited staffing issues as the main reason he closed the restaurant and market. He said staffing became an issue during the COVID-19 pandemic and has not improved since.
“Ever since the pandemic, everything has changed, staffing and problems,” Lunsford said. “You have to have so much help to make it run. I’ve had a lot of good help, but we can’t do it all.”
Lunsford made the decision to permanently close Saturday after realizing he didn’t have the 30 employees needed to keep the restaurant’s doors open. “It was time,” he said.
“When you start having customers telling you it’s time, it’s time,” Lunsford said. “It’s been coming.”
With over 50 years of experience, Lunsford said the hardest part of running his restaurant was consistency. From the quality of the product to hospitality, Lunsford strived to keep the experience at Rosehill the same for every customer.
“That’s with any product,” Lunsford said “Being consistently the same when people walk through that door, they know what they’re getting. Service is part of that and the quality of what you sell. That’s the most important thing about running a restaurant. If you can keep them too, you can be successful no matter what you sell.”
He is interested in selling his restaurant and offering to train the next successor of the business. No offers have been made as of the publication of this article.
Rosehill Seafood customers react to closure
The sudden news of the restaurant and market’s closure shocked customers. Many of them flooded Lunsford’s Facebook closure announcement post with stories about its longstanding legacy in Columbus.
“My grandmother, Phyllis, was so proud of being a waitress there and working for your dad (Mr. Bill she called him) and you and your family,” Angela M. Cook wrote. “Growing up, she used to tell us stories about her customers all the time and how much she loved and appreciated them for taking such good care of her. Because of her job there and her faithful customers, she helped my single mother support us growing up all the way through Middle and High School. To some people waitressing seems like an unimportant job, but to her she felt like a celebrity and it gave her something to be very proud of.”
Another customer, Kirkland Clason, wrote, “Jeff, I cannot imagine Columbus without Rosehill. I’m 80 and first went there as a young child when it was down closer to the Medical Center. You have truly been an institution in this town.”
Lunsford said he has been reading the comments and is grateful for the outpouring of support.
“I really appreciate the years, and I will miss [the customers] dearly,” he said.
Lunsford plans to enjoy his retirement by spending valuable time with his family, visiting long-time fish suppliers and starting to travel around the country. His dream destination is Yellowstone National Park.
“The man I’ve been buying catfish from for 40 years,” Lunsford said, “I’ve talked to him on the phone. I’ve never met him. [Today] I’m going to shake his hand and spend the day with him.”
This story was originally published May 7, 2025 at 3:08 PM.