New power on Africa Road - Celebrating wine and food anniversaries Uptown
Westerville installs switch, seeks bids for Africa Road underground power work
Westerville has installed a new electric switch at County Line and Africa Roads and is seeking bids for underground conduit work along Africa Road as part of a project to route power underground to the East of Africa development.
The switch and conduit work are part of a broader effort to connect the development to the city’s power grid and expand underground electric service in the area. Plans call for all utilities on Africa Road to be moved underground.
At the same time, the city has opened bidding on the underground conduit work that will carry the new power line south along Africa Road through the project area. Bid documents show the work is being coordinated with the larger East of Africa roadway, site development, and utility improvements.
As crews built the pad and installed the switch, they unearthed bricks from the farmhouse that once stood at the corner. The bricks were returned to the site, where they now sit atop the gravel base inside the pad structure.
The East of Africa development is expected to be completed this summer.
Meza Wine Shop and Asterisk Supper Club Celebrate Big Anniversaries.
Two ribbon-cutting celebrations will take place in Uptown Westerville this weekend. The events will honor two women-owned businesses that have become integral to the Uptown community.
Meza Wine Shop is celebrating 18 years in business. Tatjana and Jason Brown opened the shop in April 2008. Meza was the first wine shop in Uptown Westerville. It was also one of the first businesses to get a liquor license after Westerville’s long history as a dry town.
The idea for Meza began during the Browns’ honeymoon in Napa Valley. They wanted to bring that same warm and friendly wine experience back to Westerville. The name “Meza” comes from a Serbian word that means small bites before a meal. It reflects Tatjana Brown’s Serbian heritage and the shop’s focus on pairing wine with food.
Over the years, Meza has changed and grown. It first opened as both a wine shop and a wine bar. Today, it is a retail-focused boutique known for wine, pantry items, delivery service, charcuterie boxes, and large grazing tables for events. The business has also helped the community by raising money for local schools and groups.
Asterisk Supper Club is celebrating 10 years in business. Owner Megan Ada opened the restaurant in April 2016 at 14 N. State St. Asterisk is a themed restaurant known for afternoon tea, comfort food, and craft cocktails.
The restaurant has a cozy, library-style setting that invites people to slow down and enjoy their time together. Megan Ada designed Asterisk to feel like a childhood tea party. She used her father’s antique books to help create its special look. Inside, guests will find crystal chandeliers, tall bookshelves, menus tucked into books, and checks placed in library pockets.
Asterisk also honors Westerville’s past. The city was once called the “Dry Capital of the World” because alcohol was banned there for many years. To reflect that history, the restaurant features a hand-carved 1890s bar and a warm supper club feel. The building itself is historic. It once housed the Williams Grill from 1927 to 1975.
Both ribbon cuttings are sponsored by the Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce. Together, the celebrations recognize two longtime businesses that have helped make Uptown Westerville a special place to shop, eat, and gather.
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