Mon., June 23, 2014

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IDS MONDAY, JUNE 23, 2014

INDIANA DAILY STUDENT | IDSNEWS.COM

Arts Fair on the Square , page 3

PHOTOS BY TIM FARIS | IDS

Crowds of people swarmed Taste of Bloomington Saturday at the Shower’s Common. Local food vendors spiced up the variety of selections and served signature items for attendees to enjoy. A lineup of local bands and artists took the stage to provide live entertainment throughout the day.

Community sinks teeth into Bloomington BY BRIAN SEYMOUR briseymo@indiana.edu @briseymo

People came from near and far to try food at this year’s Taste of Bloomington festival, but there was more than just local food. The 32nd annual Taste of Bloomington festival took place this Saturday at Showers Common in downtown Bloomington and offered attendees the chance to try food from several restaurants in the area. “The restaurant scene in Bloomington is just so different,” Taste of Bloomington co-director Ron Stanhouse said. “A lot of these local restaurants have been here for 20 or 30 years.” Restaurants were accepted into the Taste of Bloomington on a first-come, first-served basis and there was an application fee, Stanhouse said. The event acted as a fundraiser for several organizations, including, but not limited to, the Community Kitchen and the Bloomington Independent Restaurant Association. Taste of Bloomington received positive reactions, especially from Bloomington native and IU graduate Claire Kruschke. “Seeing the whole town come together was amazing,” she said. “It really gave you the opportunity to see the community at its best.” Kruschke, who had never be-

fore attended Taste of Bloomington, said she felt the event portrayed a “microcosm of Bloomington life and culture.” The festival’s goal was to showcase the independent restaurants of Bloomington, Stanhouse said. The 45 participating restaurants sold signature items in miniature portions, and at modest prices. Restaurant chains have the upper hand in marketing, Stanhouse said. Taste of Bloominton is a means of getting smaller, independent names out. “Taste of Bloomington is just sort of a way to level the playing field,” he said. Hartzell’s Ice Cream owner Hilary Martel said she agreed. Student congestion and the parking meters have been a deterrent for county residents to visit the downtown area where Hartzell’s is located. A lot of potential consumers didn’t know of the small ice cream shop or its whereabouts, Martel said. “There was a great turnout this year,” she said of Hartzell’s third consecutive appearance at the festival. “It really allowed us to market ourselves to people who have never even heard of us.” While the majority of restaurants were local, restaurant giants like Texas Roadhouse and Noodles & Company also made appearances. In the past, Bloomington officials have discussed the issue of local versus chain restaurants

in the community. Recently, city council amended the standardized business ordinance, which places restrictions on chain restaurants seeking property in the downtown area. Local restaurants, tied closely to the community and with few locations, are able to cater to consumers in many ways, Martel said. One drawback of chain restaurants is they often can’t mold their style or business around the consumer because it would mean deviating from their business model. But Hartzell’s has a sugges- Shelby Hughes watches while Clementine Strasler helps her brother, James, tion box for customers to re- sample local pizza and get a taste of Bloomington. quest changes or additions to whole, it doesn’t mean much to said Sunday. “We really give our the business. customers more bang for their The most prominent issue in the individual consumer. Because they often buy buck.” the local versus food chain resAnd though they can’t alter taurant debate is keeping money cheaply in bulk, chain restaurants are able to keep prices their business model to fit indilocal, Martel said. “Whatever county you spend lower than most local venues vidual needs like a local restauyour dollars is in is where your and offer extravagant deals to rant, chains can bring in community involvement. taxes go,” she said. “Local restau- customers. Texas Roadhouse, a chain “We do fundraising and have rants oftentimes buy local products to keep their money within restaurant in Bloomington, of- several community involvement fers free meals to children every events a year,” Thompson said. their borders.” The idea of local versus She said chains often buy Monday, Texas Roadhouse store supplies in bulk from wherever marketer Jordan Thompson chain restaurants in no way hindered the efforts of the festival. is cheapest. If a chain in Bloom- said. They were even able to bring Members from both sides were ington buys its supplies from Orange County, Calif., then that those deals to Taste of Bloom- pleased with the marketing opmoney is then displaced from ington with their massively pop- portunity Taste of Bloomington gave them. the community. Local business- ular half-gallon sweet tea. “Anyone who bought a half“The Taste of Bloomington es don’t usually have to worry gallon of sweet tea from us last was awesome, and I can’t wait about that. The debate doesn’t totally night can bring in their jug any to be a part of it again next year,” favor local restaurants, though. Friday this summer and get an- Thompson said. While the idea of keeping money other one for free an unlimited local aids the community as a number of times,” Thompson

Sam Travis makes professional baseball home debut BY TORI ZIEGE vziege@indiana.edu

LOWELL, Mass.—Six days after being drafted by the Boston Red Sox, IU first baseman Sam Travis took his first steps on the Green Monster. Peering up at 13 American League Pennants, past Pesky Pole and out into the grand stands, Travis got his first taste of the “show,” and the road it would take to get there. On Friday night, he began paving that road, making his home debut with the Red Sox Class A affiliate — the Lowell Spinners. It was a rough night for the former Hoosier standout, going 0-for4 at the plate. “There’s so much history behind this ballpark,” he said of Fenway Park. “I’m just glad to be a part of it.”

A second-round draft pick, 67th pick overall, in the MLB draft, Travis said he has embraced his new role in Bean Town with relative ease. The 2014 Big Ten Player of the Year made his departure from Bloomington official this past Monday, signing a contract that is reportedly worth $846,000. “It took some getting used to, but now that I finally signed and I’m settling in, I’m starting to get the swing of things,” he said. “I’m making the adjustment pretty well I think.” No stranger to the state of Massachusetts, Travis participated in the Cape Cod Baseball League after earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors at IU. The team he was recruited to play for also went by the Red Sox moniker, the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.

“It’s good to be back,” Travis said of the Massachusetts area. “I guess it was meant to be.” Setting aside the familiar, Travis said the biggest adjustment is simply resisting the urge to hit the snooze button. “You have to come to the ballpark a lot earlier here than you do in college, but that’s about it,” he said. “It’s just playing baseball and having fun, and that’s how you have to approach the game.” One thing is certain: the move to the pros has done little to deter Travis’ resolve. Now more than ever, he said he feels there is something to prove. “I definitely always have a chip on my shoulder,” he said. “I’m not really the tallest, ideal first baseman. I’m a right-handed hitter and guys usually like lefties. “But I’ve been proving people wrong my whole life.”

TORI ZIEGE | IDS

First baseman Sam Travis awaits a pitch during a game Friday. Travis went 0-for-4 in his home debut with the Lowell Spinners.


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