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Multiple retailers, restaurants and other businesses recently opened or began planning new locations in the north suburbs of Indianapolis. Here’s a rundown:
GR Brands headquarters
NTT IndyCar Series driver Graham Rahal this month opened his new $20 million automotive headquarters at Zionsville’s Creekside Corporate Park.
The headquarters, which will also house a steakhouse and coffee shop off West 106th Street, is west of the team headquarters of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, which is owned by his father, Bobby Rahal.
The primary building at the 115,000-square-foot GR Brands headquarters houses his businesses Graham Rahal Performance, Rahal Ducati Indianapolis, Rahal Paint Protection and Rahal Precision Tint. The facility also has offices for staff for all GR Brands companies and a spot for Rivet Coffee, which is scheduled to open in September.
A second building that will open in September will host another motorcycle dealership, Rahal Piaggio Indianapolis, and a dedicated car storage facility. This fall, Bowdie’s Chophouse will open on the western side of the building, while WheelHouse, a members-only social club, will be upstairs.
Bowdie’s Chophouse, founded by Scott Bowdish, is a high-end steakhouse and bar with three restaurants in Michigan and locations in Savannah, Georgia, and Hilton Head, South Carolina.
“It has been a long road to get to this point, and a relief to see the hard work of so many pay off,” Rahal said in written remarks. “While this just marks the beginning of the next chapter in our book, we are excited to begin writing the next several chapters to not only bring future success to our brands but also help support the local economy of Zionsville, a town that I’ve grown to love.”
Rahal’s headquarters was developed by Carmel-based Studio M Architecture and Planning and Indianapolis-based Dillon Construction Group.
Rahal founded GR Brands in 2017 when he established Graham Rahal Performance, a high-performance car service center and dealership. He also started the Rahal Ducati Moto racing team and owns a second Rahal Ducati motorcycle dealership in Cleveland.
The $20 million, 115,000-square-foot RLL Racing team headquarters opened in 2022 on three lots at the corner of West 106th Street and Creek Way. The facility houses Bobby Rahal’s Brownsburg-based NTT IndyCar Series team and his Columbus, Ohio-based International Motor Sports Association WeatherTech SportsCar operation.
Graham Rahal previously operated Graham Rahal Performance at 499 Southpoint Circle in Brownsburg.
Hamilton Town Center openings
Four stores are preparing to open this fall at Hamilton Town Center in Noblesville.
Seattle-based Nordstrom Inc. is preparing to open a 25,000-square-foot Nordstrom Rack at the outdoor mall, while JD Sports (which acquired Finish Line in 2018), specialty sports retailer Rally House and bath, body and home products seller The Soap Factory will also open.
Nordstrom operates one other Nordstrom Rack in Indianapolis, a Rivers Edge shopping center store that opened at 4036 E. 82nd St. in Indianapolis in 2011. Nordstrom also has a full department store at the Fashion Mall at Keystone, 8702 Keystone Crossing.
Other stores that have opened this year at Hamilton Town Center are furniture retailer Lovesac, denim retailer Buckle and Hawaii Fluid Art, which offers art classes, retail shopping and an art gallery.
Hamilton Town Center, at Interstate 69 and Campus Parkway, is co-owned and managed by Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group.
Wayback Burgers
Wayback Burgers opened Aug. 16 at 13588 Bent Grass Lane, Suite 101, near State Road 37 and East 135th Street, in Fishers.
The restaurant’s menu offers single-, double- and triple-patty burgers, and for ambitious eaters, a “triple-triple” with nine hamburger patties.
Wayback Burgers also sells chicken meals (buffalo chicken and chicken BLT sandwiches, chicken tenders and buffalo chicken tenders), cheesesteaks, chili cheese hot dogs, sides and milkshakes.
As of 2023, Wayback Burgers had more than 170 restaurants in 35 states, including two in Evansville.
Wayback Burgers in Fishers is open 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Melt N Dip
Melt N Dip opened Aug. 12 at 9840 E. 116th St., Suite 100, in Fishers.
The Bridgeview, Illinois-based restaurant offers a range of crepes and waffles with Belgian chocolate and gelato ice cream.
The Fishers shop is Melt N Dip’s first location in Indiana. The company has four locations in Illinois, three in Wisconsin, one in Florida, and international shops in Canada, Iraq and Lebanon.
Melt N Dip in Fishers is open 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday-Thursday and noon to midnight Friday-Sunday.
First Watch
Breakfast, brunch and lunch spot First Watch has filed plans to open a 6,500-square-foot restaurant at 16725 Mercantile Blvd. in Noblesville.
O’Charley’s Restaurant + Bar most recently had a restaurant at the location before it closed a year ago.
Bradenton, Florida.-based First Watch has restaurants in Avon, Carmel, Greenwood, downtown Indianapolis and two more on the north side of Indianapolis. The restaurant chain founded in 1983 has more than 500 locations in 29 states.
Savvy Sliders
Farmington Hills, Michigan-based Savvy Sliders opened a 1,600-square-foot restaurant Wednesday at 2004 N. Lebanon St., about a mile north of Lebanon’s courthouse square along State Road 39.
The restaurant “will be the first of many planned for the Hoosier State,” the company said in a press release.
Savvy Sliders’ menu includes slider-style sandwich options with certified Angus beef, English cod, chicken and a falafel vegetarian option. The restaurant also sells hand-breaded chicken fingers, custard shakes and sides such as fries, cheese curds and onion rings.
The menu also features combo deals, and Savvy Sliders has catering options that offer up to 96 sliders.
Benge’s Ace Hardware
Benge’s Ace Hardware opened Aug. 17 at 2425 Harleston St. in Carmel.
The store, open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, offers brands that include Benjamin Moore, Big Green Egg, Blackstone, Craftsman, Dewalt, EGO, Jonathan Green Midwest Fasteners, Milwaukee, Scotts, Traeger and Toro, and Weber.
Pickle on Penn
Pickle on Penn, a “pickleball country club,” opened last month at 11575 N. Pennsylvania St. in Carmel.
The 23,500-square-foot facility opened by Steve and Kelly Bodner and managed by pickleball coaching professional Ryan Atkinson features eight regulation-size pickleball courts, a pro shop, locker rooms and a storage area on the main level.
Pickle on Penn will host tournaments, clinics, classes, leagues and social events. Individual and family members, guest passes and free pickleball 101 classes are available. Reservations are made through the Court Reserve app.
Next month, The Kitchen at Pickle on Penn, led by executive chef Carlesa Smith, will open with a 90-seat restaurant and bar on the second floor.
iFlex Stretch Studios
iFlex Stretch Studios, which provides stretch therapy sessions, opened Aug. 9 at 11170 E. 146th St., Suite 110, in Noblesville.
The Noblesville location is the fourth studio for iFlex, which also has spots in Arizona, Florida and Texas.
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