Local Business News

THIS JUST IN: Mass Ave businesses push back over street closure
The city’s plan to close Mass Ave to vehicular traffic as a way to both spur business and thwart further spread of the coronavirus has met with significant opposition from at least 22 Mass Ave businesses. The city had announced on Tuesday its plan [Read More...]
COVID-19 UPDATE: Three new developments amid the pandamic
Report 1: City makes transition to electronic public meetings and hearingsReport 2: Indy Pride Festival postponed, with new date yet to comeReport 3: Kroger partners with city and IPS to offer free virus testing 1: City makes transition to [Read More...]
COVID-19 UPDATE: Four more items to help during the shutdown
Report 1: A coronavirus story from Garfield Park tavern ownerReport 2: Boner Centers offers link to help Near Eastsiders cope with pandemicReport 3. Kroger to accept SNAP benefits for pickupReport 4: Library and YMCA team up to help parents with [Read More...]
Kan-Kan: More than independent films
By BILL BROOKS Urban Times editor & publisher Filmmaking mecca can transform neighborhood A group of neighbors go to a thought-provoking movie; or perhaps just an entertaining one. Outside, the friends end up standing outside the restroom, [Read More...]
This just in: Bottleworks food hall list just keeps growing
The owners of two popular Downtown coffee shops and an Irvington tiki bar continue to expand their options – this time in the soon-to-open food hall in the Bottleworks District. The new venture will be called Certain Feelings Coffee Co., brought [Read More...]
THIS JUST IN: The Best Chocolate in Town has closed
Twenty-one years after founding The Best Chocolate in Town as a wholesale operation in Edinburgh and 13 years after opening a retail store, Elizabeth Garber is calling it quits on her chocolate career. The final day of business for her shop on the [Read More...]
THIS JUST IN: Fountain Square Library nears closure – while Indy Reads Books poised to fill the void
The branch library occupies a strategic location on Fountain Square’s main square, just across Prospect Street from the landmark Fountain Square Theater Building. Tuesday night’s vote by an Indianapolis Public Library committee has moved the Library [Read More...]
This just in: Downtown pizzeria under new ownership
This is an amended version of a report posted earlier. George Stergiopoulos grew up in New York eating thin-crust pizza by the slice, so Giorgio’s Pizza became his go-to pizzeria when it opened in 1990 just off Monument Circle. That’s how his [Read More...]
Calvin Fletcher’s tips now fund a true Foundation
Since the coffee house opened as a not-for-profit in 2009, all tips have gone to other not-for-profit organizations, a process being more formalized by the Foundation. Calvin Fletcher’s Coffee Co. became an instant Fletcher Place landmark when it [Read More...]
This just in: Downtown chef enters world of holistic health care
Many fans of the Moroccan cuisine served at Saffron Café are aware of Anass Sentissi’s skills as a chef who lets the concepts of holistic health drive his recipes. What they might not know is that Sentissi has taken that passion a step further by [Read More...]
This just in: Historic livery to become Taxman Brewing Co.
When Buckingham Companies designed Phase 2 of its expansive CityWay development, the decision was made to preserve the historic livery building, which dates to the mid-1800s and was historically home to horses and carriages. Now relocated just a few [Read More...]
Make Art. Buy Art. Be Art.
Back for it’s eighth year, Art Squared is September 15th, 2018 from 11am to 8pm Art Squared is a one day event which incorporates four neighborhood events: Masterpiece in a Day, Art Fair, Art Parade, and the 901 Block Party. The Fountain Square [Read More...]
Fountain Square announces Pioneer Plaza Sponsor for 2018/19 event season
The Fountain Square Merchant’s Association has partnered with TKW as Pioneer Plaza sponsor for the 2018-2019 event season. TKW has been a heavy contributor in the Fountain Square neighborhood for nearly a decade through their investment in the [Read More...]
City Market hosting Wednesday events once again
Cold weather is making way for warmer days, the sun is rising earlier, farmers are making their way into the fields to prepare for another growing season, and the 21st season of the Original Farmers’ Market at the Indianapolis City Market is almost [Read More...]
Whole Foods enters Downtown grocery scene
Whole Foods opened its long-awaited store at 320 E. Market St. on Wednesday, March 21, in the newly completed 360 Market Square. The 40,000 square foot grocery includes the Market Square Taproom, with 20 taps of beers from Indiana brewmasters at [Read More...]
Hedge Row is poised to open
The culinary community has been buzzing ever since late-2016, when it was announced that Colorado entrepreneurs Kimball Musk, Hugo Matheson and Jen Lewin would open one of their farm-to-table eateries in the new Marietta building at Mass Ave and [Read More...]
New program to show off restaurants along the Cultural Trail
By Sarah Frey, Indianapolis Cultural Trail The Indianapolis Cultural Trail is launching a new program – Indy Cultural Trail Food Tours. Partnering with Jolene Ketzenberger of Eat, Drink Indy, the Cultural Trail has put together a well- curated food [Read More...]
Buy, or make your own, scented candles at Penn and Beech
Candles with over 92 scents await folks who walk into Penn and Beech Candle Co. But if they choose, customers can make their own custom fragrance scent and make their own natural gourmet soy candles. And if they choose to pour their candle [Read More...]
This just in… Santorini Greek Kitchen to close March 31
Taki and Jeanette, owners of the Fountain Square restaurant announced the closing and offered an explanation to their followers on Facebook recently. They also laid out some plans to continue offering Taki’s food through Santorini Greek [Read More...]
A symbolic return of the name, Das Deutsche Haus
One hundred years after the building at the corner of Michigan and New Jersey streets lost its original name because of anti-German sentiment caused by World War I, a plaque now stands bearing the Athenaeum’s original name: Das Deutsche Haus. The [Read More...]
Peace Water Winery is now open
Wines from California’s Napa Valley are featured at Peace Water Winery, which hosted its grand opening Feb. 9 at 747 N. College. The enterprise is owned by Scott and Laura Burton, whose original Peace Water Winery is located in the Carmel Arts and [Read More...]
St. Joseph Hall now hosting
The partners who operate Chatham Tap, Ralston’s and the St. Joseph Brewery and Public House have branched out into the events business. They have purchased the historic St. Joseph Hall at 617 E. North St., being operated by a company called North [Read More...]
Love Handle completes move to Mass Ave
What is very possibly the most unique sandwich menu in the city can now be found on the walls of 877 Mass Ave, where Love Handle has re-opened following its move from the Near Eastside, with the other significant change being an expansion into [Read More...]
Smash Social
Friday, Feb. 2, was a big night for Smash Social, which hosted its first ping pong tournament in conjunction with its formal grand opening at 600 E. Ohio St. The unique enterprise, which is a combination coffee shop and ping pong bar, is accessed [Read More...]
Business in Brief …
Square Cat Vinyl, a unique record store and performance space in the heart of Fountain Square, has added another dimension: morning coffee and pastries. The shop at 880 Virginia Ave. is now open at 7 a.m. Monday through Friday, serving Tinker Coffee [Read More...]
Updating past reports …
An April opening is now envisioned for Hedge Row, a farm-to-table restaurant to be located in the new Marietta building at the southwest corner of Mass Ave and Vermont Street. The restaurant is part of a small chain headquartered in Boulder, Colo., [Read More...]
Cinema just part of Windsor Park project
Two father-and-son teams – Tom and Ed Battista, and Sam and Ben Sutphin – are renovating the former Christian Unity Missionary Baptist Church at the corner of Commerce Avenue and Windsor Street, across the street from the Spades Park Library. [Read More...]
Taichi Asian Grill House serves entrees, buffet too
The space occupied by the recently closed Best Taste China Buffet in Lockfield Commons has reopened, retaining the Asian theme. But that’s the only thing Taichi Asian Grill House has in common with its predecessor. The space adjacent to Ransom Place [Read More...]
Firm moving to Lockerbie
One of the city’s most venerable advertising agencies will be relocating soon to Lockerbie Square. Caldwell VanRiper, now headquartered on Monument Circle, has purchased the office building at the southeast corner of New York Street and College [Read More...]
Family issues to result in demise of Arts a Poppin
Jill Kinsinger and Lorri Potter plan to close their Mass Ave store, Arts A Poppin, in the next couple of months, citing the health problems of their elderly parents. “We have decided that it is time to redirect our focus so that we can support [Read More...]