TOP THREE
Jeff's Running Man sculpture dedication
CONCERT
Stevie Wonder coming to KFC Yum! Center
A News and Tribune Publication
MARCH 26, 2015 — Issue 58
e r i f n o still s ar ye 30 r te af ng ro st g in go rg bu rs lle Se in Fireside Bar & Grill
LISTINGS The Mad Taxpayers at Wick's Pizza
2 SoIn
March 26, 2015 Publisher Bill Hanson Editor Jason Thomas Design Claire Munn P H OTOG R A P H Y Ty l e r S t e w a r t
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Celebrating a Southern Indiana staple
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On the Cover:
Neil and Patty Smith, owners of Fireside Bar & Grill, are pictured behind the "Gourmet-to-Go" counter near the lobby of their Sellersburg restaurant. The restaurant will celebrate its 30th anniversary next month. | Staff photo by TYLER STEWART
NEXT SOIN ISSUE:
• Find out the direction of Southern Indiana's newest boutique.
Jason Thomas, Editor
JerryLou and MaryLou enjoy visiting Fireside Bar and Grill in Sellersburg, where everybody knows their names. Consider them the “Norms” of Fireside. Lots of people feel right at home at the restaurant, which celebrates 30 years in business April 15. Thirty years.
That’s SoIn. As Gary Popp writes in today’s cover story, Fireside’s secret to success — other than its good food — is the philosophy of owners Neil and Patty Smith treating customers like family. Nothing is more important than family. That hit home on the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Where do you go when you feel lost amid unspeakable tragedy? Home. Family. Friends.
Many businesses across the country suffered after the attacks. Fireside welcomed friends with open arms. “We felt like we survived something together,” Patty told Popp in today’s story. “This isn’t just about the food here. It is nice to feel like you are nurturing people in a different respect.” The Smiths have missed out on a lot of family events. But experiencing milestones with customers — birthdays, grieving a loss — has filled in that gap. Thirty years. That’s a long time to be in business. The fires are still burning for Neil and Patty. They’re seeing new generations visit Fireside. Even their children are involved with the restaurant. A regular best summed things up. “I hope they are here for 30 more,” JerryLou said. — Jason Thomas is the editor of SoIn. He can be reached by phone at 812-206-2127 or email at jason. thomas@newsandtribune.com. Follow him on Twitter: @ScoopThomas.
upcoming concert
Wonder years at Yum What: Stevie Wonder concert
When: 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 27
Where: KFC Yum! Center Info: Cost: $149.50, $79.50, $59.50, $39.50; visit kfcyumcenter.com for tickets
Legendary singer, songwriter, musician and producer Stevie Wonder has announced an extended run of dates for his Songs in the Key of Life tour due to popular demand, according to the KFC Yum! Center’s website. Wonder will bring the critically-acclaimed performance, which is a live adaptation of the iconic “Songs in the Key of Life” album, to more than 10 U.S. cities, including a stop in Louisville.
Musician Stevie Wonder will be performing at the KFC Yum! Center on March 27 as part of his Songs in the Key of Life tour. Wonder will be singing numbers from his new album and travel to more than 10 U.S. cities | submitted photo
Produced by Wonder Productions and Live Nation and promoted by Live Nation, the tour
will include a performance at the KFC Yum! Center on Friday, March 27.
1
March 26, 2015
3 To Go
3
Broad brush strokes What: Public art events
When: Monday, March 30 Where: Jeffersonville Info: Visit cityofjeff.net or citycanvas.net The events begin with the dedication of the “Jeff” sculpture created by R. Michael Wimmer on the berm, at Mechanic and 10th streets, at 4:30 p.m. Immediately following the dedication is a public art masterplan kick-off at Jeffersonville City Hall, 500 Quartermaster Court, from 5 to 7 p.m.
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Or sCan this qr COde with yOUr smartPhOne Celebrate super women
What: ‘Remarkable Women of Indiana’ with Kristina Kimmick, Culbertson Mansion State Historic Site When: 6 to 7 p.m. tonight, Thursday, March 26 Where: Carnegie Center for Art and History, 201 E. Spring St., New Albany Cost: Free Info: carnegiecenter.org “Remarkable Women of Indiana” will highlight the history of some of Indiana’s most important women, according to a Carnegie news release. This statewide program spotlights the women who broke gender barriers and led the fight for equal rights.
3
2. runway walk
What: Third annual fashion show Where: Galatian Missionary Baptist Church, 2020 Maryland Ave., New Albany When: 11 a.m. Saturday, March 28 Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for children 12 and under which includes a salad buffet lunch and door prizes. For information and tickets call 812-948-1409.
Gotta Go: Interested in seeing your event in our 3 To Go?
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Keeping the
home fires burnin
Fireside Bar & Grill celebrates 30 years of business in Southern Indiana’s Sellersburg
BY GARY POPP gary.popp@newsandtribune.com ELLERSBURG — She’s a Boston native who still omits the letter “r” at the end of words when speaking, even though she’s spent three decades in Southern Indiana. He’s a Sellersburg native with an easy smile and a big laugh. Together, Neil and Patty Smith are preparing to celebrate 30 years as the owners of Fireside Bar & Grill on Ind. 311 in Sellersburg. The couple said their business plan has always been to not only serve good food, but to provide a comfortable, family-friendly atmosphere with a community focus. “We don’t want to be SO yOU KNOw • whErE: 7611 Ind. 311, a ‘bah’ that serves food,” Sellersburg Patty said, with that Boston accent. “We want to be • PhONE: 812-246-5456 a restaurant that happens • wEB: fireside-sellersburg. to have a really nice, beau- com tiful place to come have a fireside bar & Grill will celebrate its 30th anniverdrink.” Neil said he has always sary april 15. throughout the month, the restaurant avoided promoting the will recognize the anrestaurant through gimniversary with live music micks that can go in and and dishes from its original out of fashion. Good 1985 menu. owners Neil conversation is a key to and patty Smith will thank longevity. their long-time guests and “We just wanted a place employees during an open where you could have a house from 2:30 to 7 p.m. conversation,” he said. wednesday, april 15. “That trend is consistent.” The couple followed the footsteps of Neil’s grandfather who established The Wheel Café in Sellersburg in 1926, and his father who later took over the business, which closed in 1980. On April 15, 1985, Neil and Patty opened Neil’s Place, which later became Neil and Patty’s Place before the establishment was renamed Fireside Bar & Grill during a remodel. “We enjoy it for a lot of reasons. We love the business aspect, the entrepreneur aspect,” Neil said of keeping the business open for more than a quarter century. See FIrESIDE, paGe 8
s
TOP: Fireside Bar & Grill owner Neil Smith shares a laugh with customers at the bar as they exchange stories Sunday afternoon in Sellersburg. LEFT: Fireside Bar & Grill owner Patty Smith shares a family video with Bob and Liz Van Cleave, Clarksville, as they finish up Sunday brunch at the restaurant in Sellersburg. | Staff photoS by tyler Stewart
ng
Eggs Florentine, sautĂŠed spinach over a grilled English muffin, topped with a poached egg and hollandaise, is paired with a fresh fruit salad and chilled bloody Mary as part of the featured weekend brunch menu, served from 8 a.m. through 2 p.m. | STaFF PhOTO By TyLEr STEwarT
6 Entertainment
Country act to rock Waterfront
What: Thompson LOUISVILLE — You’ve Square at KDF Waterfront seen them on Leno, Kimmel Jam with A Thousand and Conan, now you can see Horses Thompson Square perform live When: 8 p.m. Friday, at the Waterfront Jam PresentApril 24 ed by the John R. Elliott HERO Campaign. The free concert is Where: Kroger’s Fest-aFriday, April 24, at Kroger’s Ville at Waterfront Park Fest-a-Ville. Special guest A Cost: Free with PegaThousand Horses will open the sus Pin show at 8 p.m. Thompson Square has taken the country music industry by storm with a trio of hit singles including “I Got You,” “Glass,” and the No. 1 double-platinum-selling “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not,” according to a Kentucky Derby Festival news release. The married musical duo, Keifer and Shawna Thompson, have received two Grammy nominations and toured with the likes of Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum, and Luke Bryan. Thompson Square offer fans an intimate concert experience that “Just Feels Good” and is sure to delight. A Thousand Horses has an undeniable energy, fueled by smooth vocals and compelling lyrics. The Nashville-based band is a fresh fusion of classic sounds — that of Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Rolling Stones, and the Allman Brothers with a distinct blend of country, rock, soul, and blues. Following the success of their chart topping single, “Smoke,” which set a record for the highest debut by a new act when it opened at No. 28 on the Country Aircheck radio chart, A Thousand Horses is set to release its first studio album, “Southernality,” in June. The concert is sponsored by the John R. Elliott HERO Campaign, a non-profit organization that seeks to prevent drunk driving by promoting the use of safe and sober designated drivers.
Community FoCused. Community minded. No other news source brings you the important local information you want to know like the News and Tribune.
MOVIES: March 20
é “Home”
“Get Hard”
March 26, 2015
t.v. premieres: March 20
books: March 24
é “Human” by Three Days
é“At the Water’s Edge” by Sara
“Kintsugi” by Death Cab for
“The Patriot Threat” by Steve
Grace
a Cutie
Gruen
Berry
upcoming concert
Leaping into piracy What: Pirates of Penzance
When: 3 p.m. Sunday, April 12
Where: Paul W. Ogle
Cultural and Community Center on the IU Southeast campus, 4201 Grant Line Road, New Albany Info: Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, $5 for students; available at the Ogle Center ticket office, by calling 812-9412525, or online at oglecenter.com NEW ALBANY — The Music Department at Indiana University Southeast will present the IU Southeast Concert Choir, Comthat he was born on Feb. 29, Stanley will be Aaron Lundy, munity Chorus, and Orchestra and so, technically, he only has director of choirs at IU Southeast. in “The Pirates of Penzance;” or, a birthday each leap year. His The role of The Pirate King will “The Slave of Duty,” according to apprenticeship indentures state be sung by IUS voice instrucan IUS news release. that he remains apprenticed to tor, Rick Rebilas, and the role of The story concerns Frederic, the pirates until his 21st birthday, WHAT’S IN STORE Mabel will be sung by IUS voice Scan this QR code with FOR 2013? who, having turned 21, is reand so he must serve for another SPORTS, PAGE B1 instructor, Amanda Boyd. your phone to visit the leased from his apprenticeship to 63 years. The role of Frederic will be News and Tribune's a band of tender-hearted pirates. Bound by his own sense of sung by Sam Soto, the role of website. He meets Mabel, the daughter of duty, Frederic’s only solaceEmployee is Ruth will be sung by Maggie injured in Jeff Major-General Stanley, and the Schwenker, and Alex Redden will that Mabel agrees to wait for him liquor store shooting two young people fall instantly sing the role of the Sergeant of faithfully. in love. Police. Dr. Joanna Goldstein will For the IUS performance, singFrederic finds out, however, conduct.Help when it’s ing the role of Major-General newsandtribune.com
News and Tribune WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 2, 2013
Red Carpet Liquors employee gives account BY GARY POPP
Gary.Popp@newsandtribune.com
JEFFERSONVILLE — An employee of Red Carpet Liquors in Jeffersonville was shot during an attempted robbery Saturday night. Jeffersonville police reported Patel Kamleshkumar, 41, of Jeffersonville, was shot multiple times about 8 p.m. Kamleshkumar was shot by the
masked gunman, said another employee, Loretta Banister, of Clarksville, who witnessed the incident. Banister said she and Kamleshkumar were both working when the gunman entered the business on Crestview Court and 8th Street. She said she was in the back of the business retrieving several bottles to stock when she heard the doorbell that rings when the front
door is opened. As she came from the storage area to the front of the business she saw the gunman with his arms stretched over the counter pointing a firearm at Kamleshkumar. “I ducked down so he didn’t see that I was there,” Banister said. She said she never got a good look at the suspect during the incident, but she could see from her crouched position his arms holding a gun pointed at her co-worker. SEE SHOOTING, PAGE A6
75 cents
Jeffersonville firefighters Mark McCutcheon, Rick VanGilder and Travis Sharp recently spent two weeks in the city of Long Beach in New York aiding in Hurricane Sandy relief.
STAFF PHOTO BY C.E. BRANHAM
needed most
March 26, 2015
Entertainment 7
Local SoIn Happenings Feeling left out? Send your establishment’s and/ or organization’s upcoming events/new features/ entertainment information to SoIn Editor Jason Thomas at jason.thomas@newsandtribune.com
mation call 812-738-1130. [corydonjamboree.com]
Ross Country Jamboree
Where: 31 Wardell Street, Scottsburg When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday Saturday, March 28: Natalie Berry, Billy Nett, Maisy Reliford, Nick Newlon General Admission $10; children 6-12, $6; under 6, free. For reservations, directions or any other information call 866-573-7677. [rosscountryjamboree. com] Saturday, Feb. 7: Christy Miller, Donald Strickland, Mike Boughey
Lyrical gangsters at Derby Dinner Live on State at Wick’s
Where: Wick’s Pizza Parlor, 225 State St., New Albany When: Friday and Saturday Friday, March 27: Full Contact Karaoke; Saturday, March 28: The Mad Taxpayers [wickspizza.com]
Live music at Big Four Burgers + Beer
Where: Big Four Burgers + Beer, 134 Spring St., Jeffersonville When: Friday and Saturday Friday, March 27: The Strays; Saturday, March 28: Eric and Kenny [bigfourburgers.com]
Live music at Charlie Nobel’s
Where: Charlie Nobel’s Eatery + Draught House, 7815 Ind. 311, Sellersburg When: Friday and Saturday Friday, March 27: Aquila; Saturday, March 28: Kelsey and Rachel
Live music at NAPH
Where: New Albany Production House, 1736 E. Main St., New Albany Info: naproductionhouse.com Friday, March 27: Two Sly Deuce, Hanoi Jane, The Waves and Approaching The Unreal, 6:30 p.m., $8, all ages.
Corydon Jamboree
Where: 220 Hurst Lane, Corydon When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday Saturday, March 28: Greg Perkins, Allison Bray from “The Voice,” Donnie Strickland General Admission $10; children 6-12, $6; under 6, free. For reservations, directions or any other infor-
What: ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ When: Through March 29 Where: Derby Dinner Playhouse Info: Call 812-288-8281 or visit derbydinner.com Note: Due to adult themes and images, “Bonnie & Clyde” is recommended for ages 15 and up.
Dine with a view
What: Thunder Over Louisville at Bristol When: 3 p.m. Saturday, April 18 Where: Bristol Bar and Grille, 700 W. Riverside Drive, Jeffersonville Cost: $180 per seat inside or $110 per seat on the covered patio. Limited view tables and bar seats can be reserved for $130 Info: 812-218-1995; bristolbarandgrille.com A feast of seafood, barbecue and Mexican accompany prime seating for Thunder Over Louisville at the Jeffersonville Bristol Bar and Grille Saturday, April 18. Doors open at 3 p.m. just in time for the start of the air show. The appetizer buffet begins at 4 p.m., followed by dinner stations at 6 p.m. All are available until 8:30 p.m. Dessert trays will be served to each table with a coffee station open from 8:30 to 11 p.m.
Thunder Over Louisville Celebration
When: noon to 10 p.m., Saturday, April 18 Where: Flat12 Bierwerks,130 W. Riverside Drive, Jeffersonville Cost: $75; 21 and over Info: Email Shanna Henry at shanna.henry@flat12werks.com or call 812-590-3219 Web: www.flat12.me Flat12 Bierwerks will host its inaugural Thunder Over Louisville Celebration at the Jeffersonville taproom Saturday, April 18. A $75 VIP Experience ticket includes the first two pints, light snacks throughout the day, one dinner entree, all-day private access to the taproom and covered patio, seating, free water, indoor restrooms, in and out privileges, plus a unique variety of craft beer on tap.
8 SoIn
March 26, 2015
FIRESIDE: Owner says business carries community fellowship CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 Patty said there have been times over the past 30 years that were difficult, including the 2008 economic downturn. “You do question yourself and think, ‘Maybe, we should do something different,’” but time and time again, Patty has come back to the same simple conclusion, “This is what I do.” Neil said the constant demands of operating the restaurant have forced Patty and him to miss many events that their friends and family enjoyed in their absence. However, because of the business, the couple has been part of many more special occasions. “We have shared a lot of different, personal events over 30 years with people on a very intimate level,” Neil said. “We have really enjoyed and embraced that.” The restaurant has hosted countless celebrations for birthdays, anniversaries and baptisms. Many families have also come to the restaurant to grieve the loss of a loved one after a funeral service. “My family wasn’t here, so this kind of became my family,” Patty said. “You get to know people on an intimate level. You may not know their names, but you know everything about them. You become entwined with them. I see a lot of the same people, over and over and over.” Patty said that during a recent dinner rush, she knew everyone in the restaurant, except for a group seated at one table. She found out the group was traveling from Wisconsin and had stopped for a night of rest at a nearby hotel. Patty said she often takes the time to talk with customers from other parts of the country who are traveling through Sellersburg. “I can’t tell you how many times they will make a point of stopping here the next time because they feel what we are
This is the piéce de résistance of restaurants. It is fantastic. The food, the drinks, the camaraderie. Most of the people know each other that come in here. It is a place that you want to be. We love it.”
— MaryLou Carroll, 81, Sellersburg
A Fireside Bar & Grill dish features tomato basil soup, mixed vegetables and chicken fingers. The restaurant will celebrate its 30th anniversary next month. | staff photo by tyler stewart trying to project,” she said. Neil and Patty unexpectedly became even more aware of their business’ value to the Sellersburg community during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon. They said for weeks after the tragedy area residents came to watch television coverage, discuss news reports and support one another. “They came here as a community,” Neil said. “That was great to witness, to see that, to feel it. We weren’t just a restaurant. We were a place for the community.” Patty said sales dropped off for many restaurants during the weeks after 9/11, but business at Fireside Grill increased. “We felt like we survived something together,” Patty said. “This isn’t just about the food here. It is nice to feel like you are
nurturing people in a different respect.” Neil said their approach to business carries on a tradition of community fellowship during a time when personal relationships with neighbors were more prominent in people’s lives. “In the time that we grew up, you knew your pharmacist. You knew your gas station attendant and you went to a couple of restaurants,” Neil said. “Growing up, those places were very important in your life. “We still are holding on to that. We are a place that is important to people and, now, we see new generations coming in. To be a part of that ongoing culture is nice.” JerryLou Hendrickson, 82, Sellersburg, said she has enjoyed Neil and Patty’s food and friendship since they first opened their restaurant.
“We bring a lot of friends, and we know a lot of people that come in here. The food is wonderful,” Hendrickson said. She said it has been a pleasure for her to have been able to patronize the business for the past 30 years. “I hope they are here for 30 more,” she said. MaryLou Carroll, 81, Sellersburg, has also been a regular customer of Neil and Patty’s since 1985. “This is the piéce de résistance of restaurants. It is fantastic,” Carroll said. “The food, the drinks, the camaraderie. Most of the people know each other that come in here. It is a place that you want to be. We love it.” Carroll said she has gone to establishments in other countries, but never found a restaurant more enjoyable than Neil and Patty’s Fireside Grill.
“I have been in a lot of bars around the world, but, I’ll tell you, this place is super,” Carroll said. “A lot of it has to do with the people. ” Patty said their children, now ages 26, 28, 30, grew up in the restaurant. The family even had a booth designated just for them. She said the restaurant had a profound impact on their children’s development. “This place really instilled incredible work ethics and social skills,” she said of their three children, one of whom, Lauren VanCleave, has become the business’ bar manager. Neil and Patty said they no longer have to keep their business open to pay their mortgage or their children’s college tuition. And while keeping a successful restaurant operating day after day takes a lot work, the couple just seems to be having fun. “Neil and I have worked for 30 years together,” Patty said. “We have always worked very well together.” She said people often come together for a meal whether in joy or sadness. “People look at our restaurant as that place they can come for that camaraderie, and we are thankful they have allowed us to be as successful as we have,” Patty said. “It would not have been that way if it wasn’t for them.”