By 1808Delaware
Two nationally known brands are preparing to join Tanger Columbus, adding both a family-oriented shopping experience and a familiar pizza name to the Delaware County outlet center.
Build-A-Bear Workshop and Sbarro are headed to the shopping complex at 400 S. Wilson Road near the I-71 and U.S. 36/State Route 37 interchange, Columbus Business First reported Thursday.
A New Place To Build A Bear
Build-A-Bear will add something somewhat different from the fashion-heavy lineup traditionally associated with outlet centers. The retailer allows customers to choose, stuff and personalize stuffed animals, complete with clothing and accessories. Tanger already has Build-A-Bear Workshop Outlet locations at several of its centers around the country.
There are clear signs that preparations for the Columbus-area store are well underway. Recent employment postings seek a store manager, assistant manager, sales leads and sales associates for what Build-A-Bear calls its “Tanger Warehouse Store” in Sunbury. The location will expand Build-A-Bear’s presence in Central Ohio.
Sbarro Brings Pizza To The Mix
Sbarro, meanwhile, is a particularly fitting addition for Central Ohio. Although the chain traces its beginnings to a Brooklyn Italian grocery opened by Carmela and Gennaro Sbarro in 1956, its corporate headquarters are now in Columbus. The company is marking its 70th anniversary this year and says it has grown to more than 850 restaurants in 35 countries. Its specialty remains the oversized New York-style pizza slice, with locations concentrated in high-traffic settings including shopping centers, airports, universities and travel centers.
Sbarro also appears to be staffing up in Sunbury. Recent job postings include a restaurant general manager and shift supervisor, another indication that the Tanger opening is moving closer.
The new restaurant also arrives during a period of significant expansion for Sbarro. The company opened more than 100 restaurants worldwide in each of the past four years, including 101 during 2025.
More Than 80 Brands Already In Place
Tanger Columbus opened in 2016 and has grown into an open-air shopping destination with roughly 355,000 square feet and more than 80 brands. The current mix includes Nike Factory Store, Coach, Under Armour, Old Navy Outlet, Adidas, J.Crew Factory, Columbia Factory Store and numerous other national retailers. Food choices currently include Starbucks, Subway and two Auntie Anne’s locations, among other options, making Sbarro another step toward expanding the center’s dining component.
Tanger says the center draws from a trade area of about 3.3 million people and 1.3 million households. Its location immediately off I-71 places it between Columbus and the rapidly growing communities of southern Delaware County.
No firm opening dates for Build-A-Bear or Sbarro had been publicly posted as of Friday morning. But with both companies already recruiting in Sunbury, the newest additions to Tanger Columbus appear to be moving beyond the announcement stage and toward opening their doors.
Keep reporting on the Tanger Columbus expansion
