10 Popular Things That Don’t Exist in Ohio Anymore

1. Geauga Lake & Wildwater Kingdom

Once the premier destination for roller coaster enthusiasts, this Bainbridge/Aurora landmark was a titan of the amusement park industry. At its peak as "Six Flags Worlds of Adventure," it was the largest theme park in the world. After a decline and eventual closure in 2007, the land sat vacant for years. As of early 2026, the site is finally being reimagined as a public lakefront park, but the screaming coasters are long gone.

2. Big Lots (The Original Version)

While "Big Lots" was a household name nationwide, its heart was always in Columbus. In 2026, the brand reached the end of its storied run following a total bankruptcy wind-down. For Ohioans, this wasn’t just a store closing; it was the loss of a hometown corporate giant that had anchored strip malls across all 88 counties for decades.

3. SeaWorld Ohio

Long before it became part of the Geauga Lake complex, SeaWorld Ohio in Aurora was the only place in the Midwest where you could see Shamu. It provided a unique coastal experience in the middle of the Rust Belt. The park was sold and rebranded as part of the Six Flags expansion in 2001, effectively ending the era of marine life performance in Ohio.

4. Value City Furniture & Department Stores

Value City was an Ohio institution headquartered in Columbus. While the furniture arm survived longer, the massive department stores—famous for their "treasure hunt" atmosphere and basement-level bargains—disappeared years ago. In early 2026, the remaining furniture outlets also began their final liquidations, marking the total exit of this iconic Ohio brand.

5. The "Real" Rax Roast Beef

In the 1980s, Rax was the king of the "fancy" fast-food experience, boasting solarium windows and an extensive salad bar. While a tiny handful of locations still exist (like in Lancaster and Chillicothe), the massive 500-store empire that once dominated Ohio is a thing of the past. The days of the "Uncle Alligator" kids' meals and the "Endless Salad Bar" are now just a memory for most.

6. Geauga Lake’s Big Dipper

While the park itself is gone, the Big Dipper deserves its own mention. Built in 1925, it was one of the oldest wooden roller coasters in the country and a designated ACE Coaster Classic. Despite several attempts by fans to save it after the park’s closure, the historic structure was eventually demolished, taking a century of Ohio history with it.

7. Forest Fair Mall (Cincinnati Mall)

Once a 1.5-million-square-foot retail paradise with an indoor Ferris wheel and miniature golf, the mall became the poster child for "dead malls" globally. By 2026, the "Ghost Mall" era officially ended as demolition crews began clearing the site to make way for a light industrial park, permanently erasing a major I-275 landmark.

8. Rite Aid (The Entire State)

After decades as the primary neighborhood pharmacy for many Ohioans, Rite Aid completed its total exit from the state in 2026. Following years of bankruptcy struggles and hundreds of store closures, the final handful of shops in Northeast Ohio turned off their lights this spring, with prescriptions being transferred to competitors like Walgreens.

9. The Original Max & Erma's (German Village)

While the brand still exists in a diminished capacity, the original 1972 location in Columbus’s German Village—famous for its quirky decor and telephones at every table—closed its doors in recent years. It was the birthplace of a national chain, and for many, the newer versions never quite captured the magic of the South Third Street original.

10. Ameriflora ’92

In 1992, Columbus hosted Ameriflora, a massive international horticultural exhibition to celebrate the quincentenary of Columbus’s voyage. It brought millions of visitors and the stunning "Son of Heaven" Chinese artifacts to Franklin Park. While the Franklin Park Conservatory remains a gem, the massive, state-fair-sized international festival was a once-in-a-lifetime event that has never been replicated.