Honda's Next Big Move Could Affect Dublin

Local News

Here's a slightly different reason to head to Bridge Park this Saturday.

PupArt is coming to Brick House Blue, and it's an art auction with a pretty wonderful purpose: helping sick and injured dogs at the Franklin County Dog Shelter.

The event is organized by Friends of the Shelter, a volunteer-run nonprofit that needs about $200,000 each year to cover medical care for shelter dogs.

On Saturday evening, you can browse artwork, bid on your favorites, and enjoy drinks, appetizers, desserts and music. And every dollar raised goes toward helping those dogs get the care they need.

The party runs from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door, with a drink ticket and food included.

And you don't even have to attend to help. The online auction opens today and runs through Monday evening. You can get your tickets and check out the online auction here.

Local News

Here's something you might not expect from a small history museum on South High Street.

In just two years, the Dublin History Museum has welcomed more than 10,000 visitors from 46 states and 35 countries. That's quite a reach for a museum dedicated to telling the story of our city.

The museum opened on October 19, 2024, after the Dublin Historical Society spent decades collecting local photographs, documents and artifacts without having a permanent downtown space to share them. And while the museum is turning two, the Historical Society itself is celebrating 52 years of preserving Dublin's history.

There's something new to see for the anniversary, too. Today, the museum opens “Hometown Heroes: Dublin Athletes on the World Stage,” a new exhibit celebrating local athletes who've competed internationally. It follows this year's exhibit about the Memorial Tournament's 50-year history.

If you haven't visited yet, you'll find the museum at 35 S. High Street, open Friday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free, with donations welcome.

You can learn more about the Dublin Historical Society here.

Local News

Chances are, most of us know someone who works at Honda. The company has been a major employer in central Ohio for decades, and we've talked before about the Japanese companies that have established operations here partly because of Honda's presence.

And now that connection could become even more significant.

According to The Columbus Dispatch, Honda has filed environmental paperwork for a possible new factory near Marysville, on about 300 acres it already owns.

And this would be a massive expansion.

The proposed plant could employ around 3,000 people. To put that into perspective, Honda's existing Marysville factory employs roughly 4,500 people. So we're talking about a new facility that could add the equivalent of two-thirds of that workforce.

The investment could be just as impressive, with estimates ranging from $1.9 billion to $2.5 billion. Construction could begin in 2027, with production potentially starting in 2030.

And while those new jobs would be outside Dublin, an expansion of that size could create opportunities for our neighbors who work at Honda or want to, as well as local companies like DENSO, G-TEKT, Hidaka USA and Dublin Technical Systems that have connections to its manufacturing operations.

There's just one important catch. Honda says it hasn't made a final decision to build the plant.

So nothing is guaranteed yet. But with 3,000 potential new jobs and billions in investment, Honda could become an even bigger part of Dublin's economy.