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Although West Fork Whiskey Co. closed its cocktail bar in the Kennedy-King neighborhood in September, the Westfield-based distillery won’t lack an Indianapolis location for long.
The company announced plans Tuesday to open a Fountain Square cocktail bar and tasting room in early 2025.
West Fork will occupy a 1,700-square-foot space on the first floor of the Union Square apartment complex, 1233 Shelby St.
Union Square, a 70-unit development by South Bend-based Holladay Properties, opened in 2023. West Fork will be the first commercial entity in the mixed-use building.
“Fountain Square is one of the main places that not just locals but tourists eat and drink when they come to Indianapolis,” said Blake Jones, co-founder of West Fork Whiskey Co. “It’s also important for our company to maintain an Indianapolis presence.”
Jones and his brother, Julian Jones, teamed with David McIntyre to establish West Fork as a distillery in 2015. The company opened its Kennedy-King tasting room at the intersection of 17th and Bellefontaine streets in 2017.
In 2022, West Fork opened a 12-acre campus at 10 E. 191st St. in Westfield. The site includes a restaurant, cocktail bar, event center, distillery and warehouse.
West Fork, known for its Old Hamer Cask Strength and West Fork Whiskey Wheated bourbon varieties, sells its spirits in stores throughout Indiana, as well as in Illinois, Colorado and Florida. Blake Jones said the company plans to expand to six new states in 2025.
The Fountain Square bar will have seating for 30 inside and about 20 on a patio, Jones said. The food menu will feature light snacks and finger foods.
The future gathering spot will be part of a small “cocktail row” emerging on the east side of Shelby Street in Fountain Square. On Monday, the IBJ reported that a New Orleans-influenced oyster bar known as Magdalena plans to open next month north of Union Square at 1127 Shelby St.
To the south of Union Square, Brass Ring Lounge has served mixed drinks at 1245 Shelby St. since 2008.
Crystal Kennard, vice president of brokerage for Tharp Realty, represented Holladay Properties in West Fork’s leasing of the Union Square space.
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