MAGAZINE
NOVEMBER 2018
Good Morning Indiana Anchor Lauren Casey Talks Career, Community & Growing Up on the Southside
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RISE & SHINE: GOOD MORNING INDIANA ANCHOR LAUREN CASEY TALKS CAREER, COMMUNITY & GROWING UP ON THE SOUTHSIDE
The summer following her junior year in college, Lauren Casey interned at WRTV6, then was offered a part-time job as a traffic reporter during her senior year. Soon after graduating, she married her long-time boyfriend Brooks. It wasn’t long before they purchased a house in Center Grove. Today, Casey is the anchor for Good Morning Indiana.
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6 No Slowing Down: CGHS
Sophomore Will Edwards Enjoying First Season In Formula 4 Racing
9 Helping Others Rest Easy: Renee
Austin Hair Studio Hosting Holiday Open House Nov. 30 to Support KIC-IT
13 The Hope Gallery: The Alex & Ali Foundation Opens Southside Boutique Empowering Young Adults With Developmental Disabilities
17 Decorative Desserts: Grafton
Peek Cakery Takes the Cake in Greenwood
21 Rise & Shine: Good Morning Indiana Anchor Lauren Casey Talks Career, Community & Growing Up on the Southside
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CGHS Sophomore Will Edwards Enjoying First Season In Formula 4 Racing Fairgrounds. He subsequently spent two years racing with the Mel Kenyon Midget Series, before deciding to pursue the Formula 4 series, which was founded in As a youngster observing his father Toney 2013 as an entry-level, open-wheel racing restore vintage Indy Cars and accompanying outlet for non-professionals. dad for trips to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Will Edwards began imagining Currently in his first Formula 4 season, what it would be like to race professionally Will has taken to the new experience with and eventually compete in the Indy 500. alacrity and an open mind. While the sharp turns of Formula 4 tracks differ from the Many young racing hopefuls would assume oval format Will is used to from previous the path toward such a goal would begin at experience, and the series consists of a much older age but now, at 15 years old, competitors aged 13 to 50, he’s anything but Will is already well into his racing journey. intimidated and views his first season as a learning experience. From 2013 to 2015 Will, now a sophomore at Center Grove High School, participated “It’s been a lot of fun so far,” says Will, who in quarter midget racing - where kids wears number 28 in honor of his younger aged four to 17 race competitively in cars days playing in the Center Grove Bantam approximately one-fourth the size of full Football League, where his team won the midget racing cars - at the Indiana State Writer / Jon Shoulders Photography Provided By Erin Feldmeyer & Joseph Bierschbach
super bowl during his fourth-grade year under coach Dan Fruits. The Formula 4 season runs from April through October, with races about every two weeks, and ends with a competition in Austin, Texas, where Formula 4 races will take place alongside Formula 1 competition at the Circuit of the Americas facility. “It’s hard though because I’m racing on a road course with people that have been racing go-karts there since they were seven,” Will adds. “You have 34 cars every race weekend and every one of them is really skilled.” Will is no stranger to hard work and competition - in addition to football he played soccer and progressed to state and national competitions as a Center Grove
6 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / NOVEMBER 2018 / atCenterGrove.com
wrestler. He recently decided to forego other sports as an increasing amount of his time and energy is being devoted to racing. “I really enjoyed football, wrestling and soccer but those things and racing started interfering with each other,” he says. “Also, racing was becoming too much of a financial commitment to do the other things, so it got to the point where I had to choose. I enjoy playing golf now though and boating. And I still like helping my dad restore cars when I have spare time.” A typical practice session for Will starts with a racing simulator, followed by a thorough walkthrough of the track he’ll be racing on next with his coach, professional driver and driving instructor Kyle Tilley. Will then takes a spin through the course without anyone on his radio, to further familiarize himself with straights and turn points. “After that I come into the pits and we talk about that session, then I go out again and try to push the car more,” says Will, who plans to race Formula 4 again next season and to attend college within the Hoosier state after high school. “So it’s a constant thing where you run a couple laps and talk about what you’re doing wrong.” Will feels his Formula 4 experiences thus far have helped shape him as a competitive racer and plans to continue his skill progression with an eye toward Indy 500 qualification one day. “Being around the vintage IndyCar racing and going to the Motor Speedway since I was seven has made me want to run the Indianapolis 500,” he says. “It’s early and I’m still learning. Maybe I’ll get there - who knows?” 7 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / NOVEMBER 2018 / atCenterGrove.com
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Helping Others Rest Easy Renee Austin Hair Studio Hosting Holiday Open House Nov. 30 to Support KIC-IT Writer / Julie Young Photographer / Ellie Brown
9 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / NOVEMBER 2018 / atCenterGrove.com
hen Cheryl Cornell opened her Renee Austin Hair Studio in Greenwood last year, she knew she wanted to create a sense of community among her stylists and give back to the community around her. “People have this image that the Center Grove area is one that is very affluent, but there are a lot of people in need and it’s important to try and help them,” Cornell says. On November 30, the salon will hold a fundraiser in conjunction with their annual Holiday Open House to benefit KIC-IT, a United Way organization in Johnson County that provides a network of support and empowerment for youth ages 16-25. KIC-IT hopes to break the cycle of youth homelessness and to promote independence. The event will be held from 6-9 p.m. at 2555 Fairview Place Ste A. “We will have a nice raffle in which we will give away a lot of goodies from the salon and other places who have contributed to the event,” Cornell says. “We are expanding it from the event we held last year and we are accepting monetary donations throughout November and December.” In addition, anyone who donates three nonperishable food items to KIC-IT through the Renee Austin Hair Salon will receive a $25 deep conditioning treatment and scalp massage free of charge. “We want to give our customers something nice in return for their generosity,” Cornell says. Cornell learned about KIC-IT’s mission last year when one of her stylists told her about volunteering for the organization and talking about the number of young people in need. She learned that KIC-IT serves young people who do not have a safe place to sleep at night, may be couch surfing at a friend’s house, living on their own or lacking the essential resources to survive and succeed. KIC-IT provides 10 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / NOVEMBER 2018 / atCenterGrove.com
hot meals, beverages, a food pantry, infant care pantry and other resources such as vouchers, computer access (for job searches and resume creation) and referrals to other support groups within the community.
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“For some of these kids, going home is not an option. KIC-IT helps these kids become self-sufficient and gets them pointed in the right direction so that they have a fighting chance to make it,” Cornell says. Although it is heartbreaking to think about these kids living on their own, Cornell said it is important for them to know that there is a place like KIC-IT to turn to and corporate supporters such as her salon helping to support their mission. Cornell says she has been in the salon business for more than 30 years and has worked in just about every kind of configuration imaginable, but she is proud that her salon is one where stylists can work independently, yet support each other and give back to the community as a unit. “I have always believed in supporting those who need help whether it is through my church or my business,” she says. “I may not be able to do much, but I like to give back where I can. I truly believe in the work KIC-IT is doing and the difference it can make in a young person’s life and I hope our open house and efforts throughout the holiday season will help continue their mission.”
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The Hope Gallery Owners Alex and Jennifer Parker.
The Hope Gallery The Alex & Ali Foundation Opens Southside Boutique
Empowering Young Adults With Developmental Disabilities Writer / Michelle Kaufman Photographer/ Erin Feldmeyer
A Center Grove family is bringing together the talents of their son, Alex Parker, his best friend Ali Callahan and other members of the community into a unique boutique in Bargersville. The Alex and Ali Foundation strives to empower and enhance the lives of young adults with autism and other developmental disabilities by providing opportunities for job skill development, vocational training and meaningful community involvement. The Hope Gallery does just that.
Opened in June at 74 N. Main Street, The Hope Gallery is run by The Alex and Ali Foundation, which was originally founded in 2014. Jennifer Parker, president of the foundation, started the non-profit organization for her son, Alex, who has autism. When he graduated from Center Grove High School in 2015, Jennifer realized there were very limited options for those with developmental disabilities once they graduate high school. “We knew that our son wanted to be SEPTEMBER 2018 / CENTER GROVE / GREENWOOD MAGAZINE
involved in the community. He wants to work, but we just didn’t have a place for him to work,” Jennifer says. “We’ve been working on it for several years — a place for them to be that’s safe, where they can contribute to the community, where they can be a part of the community and where the community can see that they have value.” The boutique features roughly 30 artists and is run by volunteers and young adults with autism and other developmental disabilities. They also partner with companies, like EV Gifts based out of North Carolina, who employ adults with developmental disabilities. This is to teach them all
aspects of running the business including sales, customer interaction, transaction processing, maintenance and stocking shelves. Shoppers can find pieces from local artists as well as items from artists around the world. The Hope Gallery sells art, jewelry, accessories, candles and other unique products ranging from 25 cents to more than $2,000. Team members, as the foundation calls them, are also gaining vocational training and practice by creating products for the boutique, such as jewelry and mosaic artwork. “Wonderfully made, perfectly unique” is The Hope Gallery’s tagline. It describes both the young adults and the products sold there. “Our most recent shipment was a collection of necklaces and other jewelry from a jeweler in France,” says board member Katie Parker. “It’s amazing to see people interested in the boutique from other parts of the world.” Jennifer says the southside community has been incredibly supportive so far and has had those in the community tell her how the gallery fills a need. There are around 10 volunteer employees and they are ready to welcome more. The Hope Gallery is named after Jennifer’s youngest daughter, 11-year-old Hope. Hope has a severe congenital heart defect and cannot speak or use sign language but loves interacting with people. She has her own special item in the gallery — a prayer box. When checking out, customers have the opportunity to fill out a prayer request form. They then drop it in the prayer box for Hope to pray. “She prays for each one of those prayers requests,” Jennifer says. “She does it over and over and she’s diligent, she enjoys it. When she gets a new prayer, it’s like her getting a treat. There’s something about that for her that she truly enjoys.” 14 SEPTEMBER / CENTER GROVE / NOVEMBER 2018 / MAGAZINE atCenterGrove.com 2018 /MAGAZINE CENTER GROVE / GREENWOOD
The Hope Gallery is the first venture of The Alex and Ali Foundation with plans for additional opportunities. “Our goal with The Hope Gallery is that we will continue to find more artists with developmental disabilities and we will display their works,” Jennifer adds. “We will also have more employees with developmental disabilities and that will be producing goods that people will want to purchase.” Jennifer says they are in need of volunteers at The Hope Gallery. The boutique is open Wednesday through Saturday from Noon until 5 p.m. They are additionally looking for volunteers with a skill to share with the team members. If you would like to help or donate, visit TheAlexAndAliFoundation.com or check out @TheHopeGalleryIndy on Facebook and Instagram.
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Grafton Peek Cakery Takes the Cake in Greenwood Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photographer / Erin Feldmeyer
17 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / NOVEMBER 2018 / atCenterGrove.com
W
ho doesn’t love a sweet treat at the end of their meal?” asks Charles Bryant, owner of Grafton Peek Cakery. The people of Greenwood certainly do, and Bryant is grateful for it. Fourteen years ago, before the cakery was even a glimmer of an idea, Bryant partnered with Jason West to open Grafton Peek Catering in old town Greenwood. “We started from humble beginnings,” Bryant says. Their business blossomed and now they do between 125-150 weddings annually. Initially, their brides and grooms were bringing in cakes from other venues, but they often faced issues. The cakes were leaning or they were tasteless or the decorations were sub-par. Such issues reflected poorly on their company so, to protect their image, they started baking cakes themselves.
L to R: Co-owner Jason West, Head Baker Liz Thompson and Co-owner Charles Bryant.
“I’ve always loved both cooking and baking,” says Bryant, who attended culinary school in Portland, Oregon. He also lived in Vermont before moving back to Greenwood in 2000. Though he enjoyed baking, he never studied it professionally so he was thrilled when Liz Thompson came on board at Grafton Peek Catering. She studied at the Chef’s Academy in Indy, and Bryant calls her talents for decorating cakes “limitless.” In May of this year, Bryant launched Grafton Peek Cakery, a custom design shop. It turned out to be the perfect time to open. “I bet we did 75 graduation cakes that month, plus a ton of Mother’s Day cakes,” Bryant says.
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Thompson not only does all of the wedding and banquet cakes but she also bakes breakfast breads and cookies. “She has a real talent for baking and even better talent for decorating and design,” says Bryant, noting that in the two and a half years since she joined the team, she has turned out a number of elaborate designs, including the roulette wheel cake she designed for the Greenwood Education Foundation when they hosted a Monte Carlo event. She also created an intricate cake for WISH-TV when the crew of Indy Style celebrated their 10th anniversary. Thompson fashioned a miniature set, along with figurines of the two hosts. She’s also done everything from a Coach purse to a giant overflowing beer mug to a deep-dish Chicago-style pepperoni pizza.
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Unicorn cakes are popular with the kids, and the most popular flavor is almond raspberry. They grind up real chocolate into their cakes. They also use a real buttercream. They do approximately 20 different flavors, including tiramisu, orange cream and the “classics.”
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“We like to go bold,” says Bryant, who invites customers to come in and taste test during business hours. “We usually have 4 to 5 cakes people can taste on any given day.”
Crafting each “work of art” requires multiple steps and takes between 10 to 12 hours to complete — cutting fondant, making and painting sugar sculptures, plus dry time and assembly. “It really is a process, and it takes someone with patience and extreme talent,” Bryant adds. “Liz has worked her entire adult life honing this skill. We’re happy to give her talents an ability to shine.” When it comes to designing a cake, customers provide parameters about colors, ideas and theme. Thompson then sketches possible designs for the customer to review. “We create what we think the guests will like,” Bryant says. “A lot of times we get home runs. Occasionally, we strike out, but 95 percent of the time folks are pleased with the end result.” Bryant estimates filling 15-20 orders per week and requests a one to two-week lead time for specialty cakes. Customers don’t mind planning as the end result is worth the wait. “Best buttercream ever,” they rave. “We’ll never buy a cake from anywhere else!” “Such comments really warm my heart and let me know we’re doing something that’s good for the community,” says Bryant, who is thrilled to be in the business of making memories. “Cakes are often a focal point to whatever event you’re doing,” he adds. “When you have a beautiful cake that tastes as good as it looks, that really cements the experience for everyone.” Grafton Peek Cakery is located at 410 E. Main Street in Greenwood. For more information, check out their Facebook page at @graftonpeekcakery or give them a call at 317-851-8786.
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Good Morning Indiana Anchor Lauren Casey Talks Career, Community & Growing Up on the Southside Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photographer / Amy Payne
Parents are notorious for encouraging their children to have a Plan B should life’s Plan A fail to materialize. Lauren Casey’s parents were no different. Growing up in Center Grove, Casey loved to dance and in 2007 even helped launch Center Grove High School’s dance squad. She poured her heart and soul into the sport, not only performing on the school team but also dancing competitively.
Plan B. Drawn to news, politics, reading and writing, her mom suggested she pursue a degree in Broadcast Journalism. “I liked following current events, public speaking and performing in front of people,” Casey says. “It was the typical case of parents knowing you better than you know yourself.”
Ultimately, Casey earned a degree from Franklin College. She not only loved the small-town feel of the campus, but she also appreciated being given opportunities she A back injury partway through high school, might not have had at a larger university. however, prompted her to contemplate a For instance, she was asked to write a “I hoped to someday open a dance studio of my own,” Casey says.
column for the newspaper the first week she was there. She also got to work at the statehouse, covering local political issues facing Hoosiers. The summer following her junior year, she interned at WRTV6, then was offered a part-time job as a traffic reporter during her senior year. Soon after graduating, she married her long-time boyfriend Brooks. “We started dating at 16,” she says. It wasn’t long before they purchased a house in Center Grove. Brooks works in industrial sales doing product management
22 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / NOVEMBER 2018 / atCenterGrove.com
Lauren with her husband Brooks.
for Haggard & Stocking, a family-owned business. “He works a normal 9-to-5 job and has hobbies,” Casey says. “Unlike me, who has to nap twice a day because I get up for work at 2 a.m.” Yup. You read that right. As an anchor for Good Morning Indiana, she rises at 2 a.m., is at the studio by 3:30 a.m., reading through scripts and familiarizing herself with the material. After 15 minutes in hair and makeup, she’s on air at 4:27 a.m. The silver lining here is that her commute often takes as little as 20 minutes at that time of day.
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Though the schedule is brutal, she admits to being a morning person who enjoys having her afternoons and evenings free. She also anchors the afternoon show, which airs from 12 ti 12:30 p.m. Essentially, she’s done with work by 12:45 p.m. She often elects to take a nap between 3 and 6 p.m. and is in bed by 9:30 p.m. Despite the wild hours, Casey couldn’t be happier living in her hometown and featuring community stories. She loves meeting people — especially public officials and community leaders who work to bring positive change. “I take a lot of pride in telling stories about Center Grove, Franklin and Greenwood,” Casey says. “There’s lots to offer on the southside, and I want to be sure we cover it properly.” Due to the always-shifting nature of the job, she’s had to learn to roll with the punches. For example, one of her craziest
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days was early on as a traffic reporter when Indianapolis got pounded by an insane amount of snow. “The city was shut down,” Casey says. “They called in whoever was available, and we were on air for 12 hours straight.” Then there are the sad times. Last spring Casey was anchoring when news broke of Deputy Jacob Pickett’s fatal shooting in Lebanon. One of her husband’s best friends had also been killed in the line of duty, causing this news to hit close to home. Casey had to put on her game face as she reported on the tragic incident. “When you have a personal connection to a story, that makes it that much harder to cover but also makes it that much more important to be sure it’s done right,” says Casey, noting that in this profession, you never know what’s going to happen on any given day.
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That, of course, is all part of the adrenaline rush. “You can never have a lazy day in this business,” she says. “You always have to be on your toes.” Every day, Casey brings her “A” game, despite this being her Plan B.
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Co-owners Melissa Stephens and Anne Nolting.
A Real Fixer-Upper Friends Fully Restore 125-Year Old Greenwood Home Now Named The Corner at Broadway Writer / Suzanne Huntzinger Photographer / Erin Feldmeyer
Two best friends drive by a house, fall in love with it and buy it. Well, that’s sort of what happened anyway. Best friends Melissa Stephens and Anne Nolting owned Indianapolis Welding Supply in Indy’s downtown area. After the business was sold, the property was used for event parking. Then the ladies became interested in fixing up vacation homes and long-term rentals. That’s when they began revamping and remodeling homes, including vacation homes in Florida which they offer as rentals through IWS Realty. The properties in Florida were so successful
that the ladies decided to try their hand back home in Indiana. So, two years ago, when the entrepreneurs were on the hunt for a new property and project, something caught Melissa’s eye. The charming, albeit rundown, two-story, white, Victorian style home with inviting wrap-around porches sitting on the corner of Broadway and Madison just seemed to beckon. “We drove by the house several times when it was on the market,” Melissa says. “I grew up in Richmond in old homes, and the charm has always appealed to me, so, I asked Anne what she thought about the house, but she hadn’t even noticed it.” But as best friends who’ve known each
other for 12 years do, they talked about it, consulted a realtor and bought the home. Through the years and their many projects, the business partners had expended plenty of blood, sweat and tears and were no strangers to the many surprises that can arise during a rehab. But they’d never done a full-scale restoration, especially one of this magnitude and age, so, it’s safe to say, these ladies had no idea what they were about to get in to. “It was in really sad shape at 125 years old, and we wanted to restore it to its former glory and preserve its historical integrity,” Melissa says. As they dug in and began to uncover all
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the work that needed to be done, they uncovered something else about the home that stole a piece of their hearts forever. The home has a rich history with countless stories about the owners and their neighbors. Melissa discovered much of the house’s history through maps and newspaper clippings. The home was built for David and Fannie McGuire Foster in 1891. They were one of the biggest horse team dealers in Greenwood. But when Mrs. Foster decided she wanted a house in town, they called upon builder Isaac Reed. When the house was complete, it became a boarding house. David passed away in 1920, at which point Fannie decided to build an addition. After the 1920 addition, it became a hotel. “I discovered that coincidentally, Fannie added on about the same time the community center was being built right across the street,” Melissa says. “At the same time we were rehabbing the house, the community center was being redone and it became the Cornerstone, while our house became the Corner at Broadway.” As the project progressed, Melissa continued to uncover more interesting facts about the house. After Mrs. Foster passed away at age 100, the house was sold to the Day family, and it became the Day hotel. Then when the Day’s daughter married into the Tucker family, they bought it and named it the Broadway Hotel. In the 80s, it was a baseball card shop. “It was an amazing journey of historical discovery,” Melissa says. “I’ve always had a passion for history and now a passion for remodeling, and this was the perfect blend of both.” During the two-year process, Melissa and Anne restored the exterior wood and painted it a historical soft blue color, sanded and refinished hardwood floors, peeled wallpaper and restored and painted plaster walls, restored fireplaces and revived the glorious wraparound porches, adding plenty of seating and a porch swing. The final result is a breathtaking 4,200 square foot home with a large gathering room and dining 27 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / NOVEMBER 2018 / atCenterGrove.com
room, a modern, fully equipped kitchen, 7-bedrooms, two guest baths, a laundry room, an upstairs lounge area and movie room. Though the seven separate bedrooms are set up to provide for private access, the entire home can be rented through their IWS Realty service for a minimum of two days up to a maximum of 30 days. Four of the seven bedrooms are master
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suites with an ensuite bathroom. Each master is tastefully decorated while still preserving as much of its original form as possible. The rooms come adorned with modern appointments like a smart TV, Xbox or blu-ray player and phone charging stations. Melissa and Anne were able to restore original clawfoot tubs for three of the master baths and the two guest baths, but they installed a walk-in shower in the first ground floor suite to accommodate guests who may need disabled access. The other three guest rooms are equipped with bunk beds, which are great for families with kids, but they’re big enough and comfortable for adults to use too. The lounge area is wonderful for guests to gather to play cards or games. Right behind the lounge is a movie room with an enormous, comfortable couch, where you can pull up a movie on the T.V. which comes pre-loaded with a whole library of films, pull the blackout drapes shut and enjoy. The Corner at Broadway celebrated its grand opening with a wildly successful Open House July 6-7. Local businesses brought housewarming gifts to Melissa and Anne, and guests entered drawings for prizes. Reservations for the house opened in June and have already started coming in steadily.
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“Guests can rent this entire house for company visiting for a family reunion, wedding or holiday. But it can be used for wedding or bridal showers or even a girls’ weekend. It sleeps up to 18 people,” Melissa says. “But companies rent it too for training or other company celebrations. You can bring in your own food and prepare it in the kitchen or have it catered and delivered.” Recently, they have added Murder Mystery Nights to their repertoire. Guests can rent the home in groups of 8-12 through Dec. 3. The group will receive information in advance about their character so they can dress in costume and get into character for the event. The night includes gourmet appetizers, dinner and desert. Prizes are
28 / CENTER GROVE MAGAZINE / NOVEMBER 2018 / atCenterGrove.com
awarded at the end of the night. Murder Mystery guests can book for just the evening or choose to spend the night and have breakfast in the morning. The Corner at Broadway is also gearing up for Christmas/holiday parties. Businesses, families, and groups of friends are all invited to celebrate holiday cheer at this historic home. Catering is available enabling guests to fully enjoy magical moments this holiday season. Melissa and Anne have already heard from many local residents who have shared their memories of the house or the area, but they’d love to hear more. So, be sure to visit their Facebook page to share your memories. The Corner at Broadway is located at One North Madison Avenue, Greenwood, Indiana. Visit thecorneratbroadway.com for more details and to make a reservation.
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