‘Slow down and celebrate.’ New restaurant replaces Columbus State bookstore

Veronica and Terry Hutchinson, the franchise owners of Graze Craze Columbus, brought their storefront downtown.

Graze Craze, part of the United Franchise Group, headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida, is a specialty shop known for its arranged charcuterie boards, featuring a variety of meats, cheeses, fruits and other treats. The company has 100 locations across the United States, with seven locations in Georgia.

After operating in Main Street Village for three years, the Hutchinsons decided to move their Graze Craze franchise to Broadway, in the former Columbus University Bookstore at 1008 Broadway. They were attracted by the energetic Uptown Columbus vibe and the potential for improved walk-in traffic.

Veronica Hutchinson told the Ledger-Enquirer that their goal was to create a space where groups can gather, share food and enjoy meaningful moments together.

“We just like the Uptown feel,” she said. “Up in Main Street Village, we were having a hard time with walk-ins. We like being down here, being in the hustle and bustle of everything.”

They opened their new location in November. The official grand opening is scheduled for the end of January, Veronica said.

Opening their Graze Craze franchise was more than just another business enterprise for the Hutchinsons. It was a passion project born out of their love for good food and good company.

Before venturing into the charcuterie business, the couple ran Indoor Solutions, an HVAC company, for 23 years. As their children grew up, Veronica began looking for a fresh way to stay busy and inspired.

“Once my kids started getting kind of grown and didn’t need me anymore, I was like, ‘Oh, I need something to do,’” she said. “And here we are.”

The opening of this new location marks a significant expansion for Graze Craze Columbus.

Unlike their previous spot, the new space includes not only their traditional charcuterie offerings but also a dining room, event space and the opportunity to serve new menu items. Veronica said they plan to introduce more cooking classes, open their in-door dining space and start selling wine and beer, as well as themed flights of both, to accompany their boards.

“We didn’t have the dining room up at [the location in] Main Street, so we couldn’t really sell other foods,” she said. “It was only charcuterie. There wasn’t room for interesting classes, like building boards. We could only do it in our kitchen, which was very inconvenient and kind of tough to do. We wanted a bigger space, where we could do the classes and where we could serve other foods.”

The Hutchinsons are also committed to fostering a welcoming customer experience focused on slowing down and celebrating smaller moments in life.

Terry told the Ledger-Enquirer that their vision goes beyond dining, aiming to cultivate community through board-building classes, event rentals and even games and trivia.

“In Columbus, dinner is a rush,” he said. “You got to get a table. You got 45 minutes because somebody else is coming. … And that’s kind of the feel we want to bring, just to slow down and celebrate being together. To enjoy being together.”

For new customers, Veronica has a personal recommendation: She highlights the wine pairing board and sweet boards as her favorites on their menu.

“Our sweet board is really good, like our brownies are to die for,” Hutchinson said. “Now, my favorite board is the wine pairing board. It comes with different cheeses than what we’ve normally carried, and then we also have a little booklet that kind of tells you which cheeses and meats and wine go well together.”

Graze Craze Columbus is active on social media and maintains a loyalty program for returning guests.

Updates about new menu offerings, event booking and more will be available on the Graze Craze Columbus website, their Facebook and their Instagram.

This story was originally published December 30, 2025 at 5:00 AM.