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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe owners of Union Jack Pub in Broad Ripple plan to open their second establishment—in downtown Westfield.
Jay and Chelsey Wetzel, who have owned the 40-year-old Broad Ripple business since 2013, said they had hoped to open the new spot at 110 S. Union St. in Westfield on May 1, but had to delay things because of the pandemic.
A new opening date isn’t set in stone, but the owners are looking at August as a strong possibility.
The new operation, called Union Jack Westfield, will be similar—but slightly smaller—than the flagship operation at 924 Broad Ripple Ave.
The 5,000-square-foot Broad Ripple site has two kitchens, 22 taps, a family dining room and a bar area with a combined occupancy of 160 patrons.
The 3,500-square-foot Westfield location was previously home to Grand Junction Brewing Co., which closed in October after nearly six years in business.
The new site will have one kitchen, one bar with 18 taps, and an open floor plan with more lounge-style seating. It will be able to accommodate about 110 patrons.
Two of their four pizza ovens from the Broad Ripple location will be moved to the new site. The restaurant serves deep-dish and thin-crust pizza, fish and chips, and a full menu of pub food.
The Wetzels plan to hire about 25 employees at the new establishment. If necessary, the business might start with just carryout and reduced occupancy, depending on the coronavirus situation this summer.
The owners started thinking about a second location 18 months ago. They did so, Chelsey Wetzel said, because a lot of their customers outgrow their Broad Ripple bungalows and moved outside Indianapolis. Their food truck has been successful in the suburbs. And when they toured the Westfield location, they had a gut feeling that that was the right place to open.
She said nothing will change about the Broad Ripple location.
“Beyond the food, it’s a community for us,” she said of opening the new restaurant, which will be close to Grand Park Sports Campus. “It’s bringing people together between soccer matches, birthday parties, engagements. It’s a community gathering spot and that’s really why we do it.”
Union Jack is among several pub style restaurants founded locally by restaurateur Rick Rising-Moore, who previously owned the now-closed Elbow Room and still owns Aristocrat Pub & Restaurant Indianapolis.
Another Union Jack in Speedway, which opened in 1981 at 6225 W 25th St., remains under ownership of the Rising-Moore family.
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With Jan’s Village Pizza next door with only a wall between them is going to be interesting on which business survives.
I think Union Jacks and Jan’s can both survive as they serve different target markets. I’ve only been to Union Jacks once but enjoyed it. Looking forward to their Westfield arrival.
Both serve pizza and beer but UJ’s got the beer side hands down with the taps.
I can see a pub/lounge vs family atmosphere but per and how the demographic of the area is comprised mostly of family residential that favors Jan’s.
Just wish UJ’s had a more different food mainstay as Grand Junction did.
I hope and pray success to both!
That’s a relief. When I first saw “Union Jack’s” in the title, I was thinking it was another article about a restaurant permanently closing. Thankfully, quite the opposite! Great restaurant with quality food and employees.