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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowDuos Kitchen, which grew out of a food truck into a standstill, lunch-only eatery in Midtown Indianapolis in 2012, is set to close permanently after lunch Friday.
The owners of the restaurant, 2960 N. Meridian St., announced the decision Thursday on Facebook.
“We are sad to say that Duos will close forever after lunch tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 25,” the announcement said. “Over the last few months, we’ve witnessed the dominoes of near and dear restaurants falling, afraid that we would join them—but hopeful, because that’s who we are. But we’ve finally had to face the reality that because of the pandemic and our inept government, staying open is no longer an option. We’d hoped we could give you more notice, but unfortunately, closing after lunch tomorrow made the most sense.”
Duos also operates a location at Eskenazi Health, 720 Eskenazi Ave., that has been limited to filling online orders during the health crisis, and a spot in the Indianapolis City Market that has remained closed during the pandemic.
The restaurant is co-owned by chef Becky Hostetter and husband David Hostetter, who operated Essential Edibles in the 1990s.
Becky Hostetter shares executive chef duties with John Garnier, who has worked at some of the area’s top restaurants since the 1980s, including the Glass Chimney in Carmel, Z Bistro in Zionsville and Illinois Street Food Emporium.
The business was launched as food truck Duo’s Slow Food Fast in 2010 before moving into the International Medical Group building in 2012.
The Hostetters, who are both in their 60s, gave praise to their landlords for working with them during the pandemic. Becky told Indianapolis Monthly earlier this year that the business was having trouble making ends meet due to the health crisis despite a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan.
“We’re devastated,” the owners said in their Facebook post. “We’re also angry, on our own behalf and for the many more small businesses who aren’t going to survive into a post-pandemic world.”
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By “inept government”, I assume they mean our loony tunes Mayor, The damage to our small local businesses and local economy that we are seeing is just the tip of the iceburg. It will get worse, and may never come back. If anyone has not been downtown, you should know that it is a disaster zone. Buildings still boarded up, businesses gone, homeless, drug deals, and trash everywhere. 30 years of hard work undone by a single inept Mayor.
Yeah, this comment is patently false.
I am down there all the time… Are we going to the same city?
Did you time travel to 1997 downtown Indy? or 2004 Detroit?
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I was down there last weekend. Very lively along Mass Ave. Saw one boarded up CVS downtown along Illinois, which has been on the chopping block for CVS for some time. Even the Circle was doing brisk business and was looking good.
Also what could the mayor do? He can’t solve COVID. The buildings are empty not because of two nights of some riots from several months ago, but due to COVID.
+1
Should have correct to +1 Don… Many of my friends’ businesses gone all for a politically driven hoax.
I live downtown, and things are relatively back to what they were pre-pandemic. Obviously less foot traffic since many businesses are working from home, but only a few businesses are still boarded up. Mostly the ones that went out of business due to the pandemic. Never have I felt unsafe to walk downtown. The people that call it a disaster area need to actually step foot downtown before fabricating stories.
Don, your axting like the protests and destruction was last night….it’s been cleaned up. Businesses themselves have said IMPD has done much better about the homeless and drugs during this time. I love how everyone was quick to jump on mayor when our Governing, just now allowed capacity again but is still pushing on with the mask mandate as well. Where is the disdain for him and his leadership. Yes, the Mayor was first to institute the masks but then guess who followed with the whole state needing masks and continues to do so. This just isn’t the Mayor.
The masks should have started in March. Its the people causing these issues, not the government. Mask up, keep your distance, and we can get back to the new normal.
Restaurants will need to re-invent themselves. No more jamming as many tables into a small space. Better food safety. Better carry out and curbside procedures. Some restaurants are having their best days due to pivoting instead of placing blame. We are all in the same boat. No one has been singled out.
They are missing foot traffic from the IMG building, Children’s Museum and other mid-town offices working from home. Has nothing to do with mayor, but mishandling at the federal level and lack of additional stimulus from Congress. If you have ever eaten there, as I have every week since they re-opened to try to keep them open, you would know they have PLENTY of space to socially distance people even at 50% capacity. They could serve hordes if the foot traffic was there.
Guessing everyone here defending Pothole and his health “expert” has never been told to live on 50% of their income and they are “lucky” it’s not 25.
I remember when I went to a zoning meeting in support of Essential Edibles for their location at 49th and Penn. People were against it due to parking .
I enjoyed their booth at the City Market a few times. I’m sorry they have to close, but being in their 60s it may be about more than this issue. Too bad the phrase “inept government” was so non-specific as to cause confusion. The ineptness started at the federal — the top — from where the fish rots — head first.