>> WE'RE HERE WITH THE PEANUT SHOPPE DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS.

WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE PEANUT SHOPPE A LITTLE BIT.

GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH US.

>> THANK YOU.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> TELL ME ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THIS PEANUT SHOPPE.

>> THIS WAS ORIGINALLY A PLANTER'S PEANUT SHOP.

PLANTER'S OPENED STORES BEGINNING OF THE TURN OF THE 20th CENTURY, AND AT ONE POINT WHEN PLANTER'S SOLD EVERYTHING TO STANDARD BRANDS, THERE WERE OVER 300 STORES LIKE MINE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.

STANDARD BRANDS WHICH WAS BOUGHT BY NABISCO WHICH SOLD PLANNER IT'S TO RJ REYNOLDS WHO SOLD PLANNER IT'S TO HEINZ KRAFT FOODS, AND THEN LAST -- ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, HEINZ KRAFT SOLD PLANTER'S TO HORMEL.

LUCKILY FOR US, TWO GOLF BUDDIES FROM THE AKRON/CANTON STORE SOLD IT AND MY HUSBAND AND I BROUGHT IT FROM THEM.

WE'RE CLOSE TO BEING WHAT THE OLD STORE WAS.

>> WHAT MADE YOU REALLY SAY PEANUT SHOPPE IS A GOOD INVESTMENT FOR US TO GET INTO?

>> IT'S A FUN STORY.

IN 1972 -- I KNOW OVER 50 YEARS NOW, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT -- MY HUSBAND GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL, AND HE NEEDED A JOB TO TAKE ME ON DATES TO BURGER KING.

SO FOR $1.50 AN HOUR, HE WORE THE PEANUT COSTUME THAT WE HAVE IN THE CORNER.

HE WAS TALL AND THIN THEN.

NOW HE SAYS WE'VE WASHED THAT COSTUME SO MANY TIMES IT DOESN'T FIT WHEN, IN FACT, IT'S CLOSE TO 50 YEARS OF MY COOKING THAT IS THE ISSUE.

WHEN MY MANAGERS RETIRED, THE OWNERS, AS MIKE MANAGED THE STORE, HE DID FOR A FEW YEARS.

SIX YEARS LATER THE OWNERS WANTED TO SELL IT AND OFFERED IT TO US, AND WE BOUGHT IT OUTRIGHT.

WE'VE SEASONED THE STORE SINCE JULY OF 1996, BUT IT'S BEEN A PART OF OUR LIVES SINCE WE WERE KIDS.

>> TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT THE SIGN.

THAT SIGN HAS BEEN THE ATTRACTION FOR YEARS.

>> THAT SIGN IS AMAZING.

IT'S TRULY ONE OF A KIND.

THERE ARE NO OTHERS IN EXISTENCE LIKE HIM.

THE SIGN CAME WITH THE STORE IN 1936.

HE'S BEEN IN EVERY PICTURE OF ALL THREE LOCATIONS THAT I'VE EVER FOUND OVER THE YEARS.

>> YOU SHARED WITH ME A STORY BEFORE WE START GOOD FORMER PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER YEARS AGO.

>> YEAH.

>> TELL US ABOUT THAT.

>> YEAH.

FOR THE MAY PRIMARY BEFORE THE GENERAL ELECTION IN 1976, JIMMY CARTER WAS GOING TO HOLD A HUGE RALLY ON THE STATE HOUSE LAWN.

AND IT WAS PACKED.

WHEN YOU HAVE A CONTENDER FOR PRESIDENT COMING, IT PACKS THE LAWN.

THE CARTER PEOPLE CALLED THE LOCAL DEMS AND SAID IS THERE ANY WAY TO TIE IN THE PEANUT FARMER ASPECT.

THEY SAID WE'VE GOT THERE COLLEGE KID THAT WALKS AROUND DRESSED LIKE AN EIGHT-FOOT MR. PEANUT.

THEY SAID, GET HIM.

IF YOU CAN.

THEY CALLED MIKE'S MANAGER AND SAID HE, SURE, NO PROBLEM.

I TOOK THE AFTERNOON OFF WORK, PICKED UP MICHAEL AT SCHOOL.

HE WAS GOING TO COLUMBUS STATE.

BROUGHT HIM DOWNTOWN.

HE PUT ON THE PEANUT COSTUME.

WE GOT CLEARED THROUGH SECRET SERVICE, AND THE FIRST PERSON TO GREET JIMMY CARTER AS HE STEPPED OUT OF THE BIG BLACK TOWN CAR WAS MY HUSBAND IN THE PEANUT COSTUME.

AND MIKE HANDED HIM A ONE-POUND BAG OF FRESHLY ROASTED PEANUTS JUST LIKE WE ROASTED YESTERDAY.

SO WE HAVE PICTURES OF MIKE WITH JIMMY CARTER GIVING US THAT BIG JIMMY CARTER GRIN.

>> I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS YOUNG MY GRANDMA I WOULD COME DOWNTOWN, SHE WOULD RUN ERRANDS.

I THINK THE PEANUT SHOPPE WAS DOWN FURTHER NORTH AT THAT TIME THAN IT IS NOW.

BUT SHE WOULD COME OUT OF THE -- THERE WAS A WOOLWORTH'S ACROSS THE STREET, A SODA FOUNTAIN.

WE WOULD COME OUT OF THERE.

AND IF I ACTED LIKE -- AS SHE WOULD SAY, IF I ACTED LIKE I HAD SOME SENSE, THEN WE'D COME ACROSS THE STREET TO THE PEANUT SHOPPE, AND I'D GET SOMETHING FROM THERE.

>> YOU PROBABLY WENT TO OUR VERY FIRST LOCATION WHICH WAS AT 5 SOUTH HIGH.

PLANTER'S OPENED THAT STORE IN 1936.

WE WERE THERE UNTIL 1978.

THAT STORE WAS TINY.

I MEAN, THEY ACTUALLY HAD TO TAKE THE STOCK IN THROUGH THE SIDEWALK AND OPENING IN THE SIDEWALK AND STORE IT IN THE BASEMENT.

IT WAS VERY SMALL.

IN 1978, THE HUNTINGTON BANK BOUGHT ALL THREE LITTLE BUILDINGS BETWEEN THE BANK AND BROAD STREET.

SO WE HAD TO MOVE.

OUR SECOND LOCATION WE MOVED ONE BLOCK NORTH, WAS AT 46 NORTH HIGH STREET.

ON THIS SIDE OF THE STREET.

AND WE WERE THERE FROM 1978 UNTIL 2014 WHEN WE MOVED DOWN HERE AT 21 EAST STATE STREET, AT THE CORNER OF STATE AND HIGH STREETS.

ALL THREE LOCATIONS HAVE BEEN GOOD AT DIFFERENT POINTS IN TIME.

THIS LOCATION IS PARTICULARLY GOOD BECAUSE OF OUR PROXIMITY TO THE OHIO THEATER AND THE STATE OFFICE WORKERS.

AND AN INTERESTING STORY, TOO, IS YOU MENTIONED THAT IF YOU ACTED LIKE YOU HAD SENSE YOUR GRANDMOTHER WOULD BRING YOU TO THE STORE.

>> YES.

>> I HEAR SIMILAR STORIES ALL THE TIME.

I'VE HEARD STORIES ABOUT SCHOOL CHILDREN COMING IN TO OR FAMILIES COMING INTO COLUMBUS TO DO SHOPPING FOR SCHOOL CLOTHES, AND IF THEY BEHAVED WHILE THEY WERE IN LAZARUS, THE PEANUT SHOPPE WAS THEIR NEXT STOP.

IF THEY DIDN'T, THEY DIDN'T GET TO THE PEANUT SHOPPE.

WE'VE BEEN USED AS BRIBERY AND PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE.

AND I LOVE HEARING THAT.

I LOVE HEARING THE CONTINUED HISTORY.

I LOVE IT WHEN SOMEBODY COMES IN AND SAYS, "THIS IS MY GRANDDAUGHTER, AND I'M BRINGING HER HERE BECAUSE MY GRANDMOTHER BROUGHT ME."

SO IT'S -- WE'RE PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

>> AN OLD ROASTING MACHINE.

IS THAT -- ARE YOU STILL USING THAT?

ARE YOU USING THE OLD ROASTING MACHINE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S A WONDERFUL MACHINE.

OUR PEANUT ROASTER WAS ACTUALLY MADE TO BE A COFFEE ROASTER.

IT WAS MADE BY THE ROYAL ROASTER COMPANY.

IT'S THEIR NUMBER 5 MACHINE.

THE ONLY THING THAT PLANTER'S DID TO CONVERT IT TO A PEANUT ROASTER IS THEY TOOK THE ART DECO DESIGNS OFF THE CORNERS AND PUT MR. PEANUT ON THE MACHINE.

SO IT'S A VERY SIMPLE MACHINE.

THIS ONE ACTUALLY CAME WITH THE STORE IN 1936.

IT TWIRLS LIKE CLOTHES IN A CLOTHES DRYER, PEANUTS DO.

AND AFTER ABOUT 40 MINUTES, THEY'RE PERFECTLY DONE.

NO ADDITIVES, PRESERVATIVES, PURE PEANUTS.

>> WHAT IS YOUR DAILY OPERATION?

HOW DO YOU GET STARTED THESE DAYS WITH PEANUTS?

>> OH, FIRST THING WE DO WHEN WE COME IN IS TURN ON THE COOKER, AND THEN SEE WHAT'S LOW -- WHAT DO WE NEED TO TO COOK FOR TODAY.

AND VERY OFTEN PEOPLE WILL COME IN AND SMELL THE SMELL THAT YOU SMELLED AND ASK US WHAT'S HOT.

OH, THE MAMMOTH CASHEWS ARE HOT.

PECANS ARE HOT.

THEY SELL LIKE HOTCAKES AT THAT POINT.

>> YOU HAVE BAGS READY TO GO RIGHT THERE, TOO.

>> WE DO.

>> BEHIND YOU.

>> AS SOON AS WE ROAST THE PEANUTS, WE BAG THEM IN DIFFERENT SIZES.

THERE'S POUND, HALF POUND, QUARTER POUND, AND TWO OUNCES.

AND WE PUT THEM IN A WARMING BIN SO THEY STAY WARM ALL THE TIME.

SO MAYBE I ROASTED YESTERDAY, BUT WHEN YOU COME IN THE STORE AND YOU BUY THE PEANUTS, YOU'RE GOING TO CARRY THEM OUT WHILE THEY'RE STILL WARM.

>> TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT SOME OF YOUR TOP SELLERS, WHAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER.

>> SURE.

WHEN IT COMES TO CHOCOLATES, CHOCOLATE PEANUTS AND PECAN TURTLES ARE KING.

SO ALL THE OTHERS ARE EXCELLENT.

WE STILL HAVE A LARGE SELECTION OF DARK CHOCOLATE COVERED NUTS AND CANDIES, AS WELL AS THE MILK CHOCOLATE.

OLD FAVORITES, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WERE A KID AND YOU'D GO TO THE MOVIES AND GET BOSTON BAKED BEANS OR FRENCH PEANUTS, YOU'D STILL GET NUTS.

YOUNGER PEOPLE COMING IN LIKE THE SWEDISH FISH AND GUMMY BEARS, THINGS THAT WEREN'T AROUND WHEN I WAS A KID.

BUT I EAT THEM NOW, THAT'S FOR SURE.

WHEN IT COMES TO THE NUTS, ANY PEANUT IS POPULAR.

A HARD WHITE PEANUTS, SPANISH PEANUTS, RED-SKINNED PEANUTS.

WE HAVE ALL THREE.

WE DO CARRY UNSALTED AS WELL AS SALTED NUTS TO MEET DIETARY NEEDS OF FOLKS.

CASHEWS, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST CAN'T BEAT THEM.

>> I KNOW THAT DOWNTOWN HAS CHANGED.

WHO ARE YOUR KBHE CUSTOMERS NOW?

>> THE REGULARS STILL COMING INTO THE OFFICE BUT MAYBE ONLY ONE OR TWO DAYS A WEEK.

DOWNTOWN HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF RESTAURANTS THAT DEPEND ON LUNCH TRAFFIC ARE SIMPLY CLOSING OR REDUCING HOURS.

IT'S HARD.

IT'S HARD TO ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT.

BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, WE'RE SEEING A HUGE DROP IN WALK TRAFFIC.

>> PEANUT SHOPPE IS HERE, DOWNTOWN HAS CHANGED A LOT, LOT OF BUSINESSES ARE GONE.

>> YES.

>> BUT YOU'RE STILL STANDING.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE FUTURE IS FOR PEANUT SHOPPE?

>> I THINK THE PEANUT SHOPPE WILL BE AROUND FOR AS LONG AS PEOPLE WANT IT TO BE.

MAYBE NOT UNDER MY CONTROL OR CARE, BUT I THINK IT'S A VIABLE BUSINESS.

AND THE REASON IT HAS LASTED SO LONG -- MY STORE WAS OPEN IN 1936.

WE'RE GOING INTO OUR 87th YEAR.

IT'S BECAUSE WE CAN ADAPT AND ADJUST.

>> A LOT OF HISTORY, LOT OF NOSTALGIA, AND GOOD -- >> GOOD PRODUCT.

>> GOOD PRODUCT.

>> EXCELLENT PRODUCT.

>> PAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.