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A day-and-night concept in dining and drinking is expected to open in December at the former location of Pearings Cafe & Frozen Yogurt a block from Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis.
Arden Cafe & Cocktail Lounge, 6 W. Washington St., will feature decor of bold floral displays whether a customer visits during breakfast and lunch hours from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. or for nightlife hours.
“It’s like a garden oasis,” said John Rowe, Arden’s operations manager. “When you walk in, it takes you to a different place. It gets you out of that rush of the big city. Our goal is for you to come in and be wowed and your problems go away.”
Rowe said the Arden’s vibrant color scheme, previewed at ardenindy.com, was devised by founder Romeo Gerson.
Gerson previously was a co-owner of downtown restaurant Michael’s Soul Kitchen, 115 E Ohio St., which operated from 2018 to 2022. Rowe is a former franchisee of Tijuana Flats Tex-Mex in Fishers.
Initially, Arden will launch daytime service with the nighttime component planned for a January debut, Rowe said.
“It’s a dual concept place,” he said. “We’re going to do a cafe in the morning and then lunch. Then we’ll shift gears for dinner and a lounge. We’ll have live music on the weekends and different theme nights throughout the week.”
Also planned for 2025: An expansion from Arden’s 2,400-square-foot space into part of the former Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery next door. Rowe said his business will tear down a wall and add 1,000 square feet.
Arden and a portion of the former Rock Bottom (which opened in 1996 and closed during the pandemic) are part of the eight-story H.P. Wasson & Co. Building, 2 N. Meridian St.
Illinois-based Government Investment Partners purchased the Wasson building as well as 20 W. Washington St., and 24 W. Washington St. for a total of $13.6 million in 2023. Rock Bottom also occupied 20 W. Washington St. Taco Bell Cantina opened at 24 W. Washington St. in 2023.
Before Arden took over the spot occupied by Pearings, which served frozen yogurt from 2013 to 2020, Plaid & Pearls Coffee Lounge debuted as a pop-up during February’s NBA All-Star Weekend.
Plaid & Pearls subsequently announced plans to open full-time at the storefront, but that did not materialize.
Attempts to contact Plaid & Pearls were unsuccessful. The coffee shop was to open with assistance from “In the Mix,” an initiative focused on Black-owned businesses coordinated by cultural development firm GangGang in partnership with Downtown Indy Inc.’s Rebuilding and Recovery Committee.
Catherine Esselman, a project manager for In the Mix, said the initiative had no involvement in placing Arden Cafe & Cocktail Lounge at 6 W. Washington St.
Arden’s weekday menu will include pastries, sandwiches, soups, salads, coffee drinks and boba teas.
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Um, that design concept is hideous. I feel like those colors, rather than making “your problems go away”, would induce an anxiety attack. It’s giving me very roller rink / Rainforest Cafe vibes.
Wow that’s a very negative comment and it speaks volumes to why outsiders say Hoosiers are so backwards in their mindset on things. Indy considers itself a major city amongst its peers yet the locals haven’t learned to accept things that are different from the norm and bland cookie cutter establishments. Indy needs a fresh hip look from the stale generic look
Better get rid of the homeless who hang out in front of Rock Bottom. It’s always a mess around there with trash unfortunately. Hopefully something will go into the Rock Bottom space soon.
This won’t last.