Chocolate shop making return to its Mass Ave roots
The Best Chocolate in Town sweets shop will open informally this week in the same retail strip where it served customers from 2007 to 2020.
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Statehouse, City-County Council poised for dogfight over retail sale of pets
The Indianapolis City-County Council Public Affairs Committee voted unanimously Wednesday in favor of restricting the retail sale of dogs, cats and rabbits, days after the Indiana Senate voted in favor of a law that would override such an ordinance.
Made in Indiana: Leather bags by Howl + Hide
History: After noticing a high-priced but shabby leather tote bag in a mall in 2014, Christian Resiak was inspired to try making leather goods by hand in his unfinished basement. In 2015, with just $400 in his bank account, he quit his job at Angie’s List and decided to take Howl + Hide full time. […]
Italian restaurant Vicino to take over former Hedge Row spot
Chris Burton and Gus Vazquez, owners of The Oakmont restaurant and bar, want to open Vicino in the Mass Ave district by mid-April.
Indiana City Brewing Co. announces final business day for tap room
The owner told IBJ he can’t afford to pay increased rent prices at the building where beer first was bottled in 1904. But the landlord said the brewery had been paying below-market rent that needed to be renegotiated.
Retail sales jump as Americans defy inflation, rate hikes
The government said Wednesday that retail sales jumped 3% in January, after having sunk the previous two months. It was the largest one-month increase since March 2021, when a round of stimulus checks gave a big boost to spending.
Subway sandwich chain exploring sale after record-setting year
Subway, one of the most recognizable names in the industry, has more than 20,000 U.S. locations, making it the largest by store count in the country, dwarfing even McDonald’s.
Discount retailer Tuesday Morning files for bankruptcy again
The retailer emerged from its last bankruptcy in January 2021 after closing about 200 stores, cutting its employee head count and slashing debt.
Taco eatery Agave & Rye set to open this month at CityWay
Founded in Covington, Kentucky, in 2018, Agave & Rye Tequila and Bourbon Hall has quickly grown to 14 locations in five states. The Indianapolis restaurant will be its second in Indiana.
IBJ Podcast: He stitched handbags in his Irvington basement, and now it’s a $1M business
In conversation with podcast host Mason King, Howl & Hide’s Christian Resiak details the process of building the business from scratch and his grand plan to become a global brand.
Bed Bath & Beyond to close 5 more Indiana stores, including one in Noblesville
Struggling retailer Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. disclosed this week that it will close 150 more stores in the United States.
Tinker Coffee to open downtown cafe in 360 Market Square building
The cafe, set for a spring opening, will be Tinker’s fourth cafe overall, but its first standalone location.
Doc B’s Restaurant opens at Fashion Mall at Keystone
The 5,600-square-foot restaurant at 8702 Keystone Crossing is Doc B’s first location in Indiana.
Bates-Hendricks bar taps into speakeasy trend
Modern speakeasies aren’t an overnight sensation in Indianapolis, but the trend has accelerated. Unlike speakeasies of yesteryear, these bars are legitimate businesses licensed to sell alcohol.
Pier 48 keeps serving as legal wrangling continues
The saga of disputes among the restaurant’s four founders has a new chapter, with a lawsuit filed last month against one founder by an Indianapolis financial adviser whose allegations offer a different version of events than do previous complaints.
Wabash Brewing to end 8-year run in latest beer-maker closure
Small-batch beer maker Wabash Brewing LLC announced Tuesday its plans to close its location on East 79th Street permanently—the latest exit in a season of tumult for Indy-area brewers.
Indiana bills backed by national pet store chain draw pushback from animal advocates
A national pet brand chain is a driving force behind two Indiana bills that would block local communities from enforcing outright bans on the retail sale of pets. Such ordinances already exist in cities like Bloomington and Carmel
Black Acre Brewing Co. to close all locations
Black Acre’s original tap room, a production facility and a speakeasy-style bar will cease operations in February.
Furniture retailer closing Indianapolis-area stores
The move into the Indy area in 2014 was supposed to the first step in a multi-market expansion for Weekends Only Furniture & Mattress. The whole chain is now slated for liquidation.
Tamika Catchings deepens community ties with tea shops, plans for gym
The former Indiana Fever star—now a business owner, mentor, arts patron, community leader and philanthropist—is opening her third Tea’s Me and partnering with the MLK Center Indy on a neighborhood basketball gym.