Noblesville Magazine February 2021

FEBRUARY 2021

MAGAZINE

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LOCAL LOVE

Supporting Area Restaurants Is More Important Now Than Ever

CICERO CARAMEL COMPANY Local Law Enforcement Officer Has a Taste for the Caramel Biz

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FEB RUARY 2021

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Local Love: Supporting Area Restaurants Is More Important Now Than Ever

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Erika’s Place: Owners of Local Comfort Food Concept Open Noblesville Location

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The Nesst Steakhouse: New Eatery Serves Up Classic American Fare and European Selections

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The Choo Choo Cafe: It’s All Aboard for Flavor at Atlanta-Based Eatery

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Cicero Caramel Company: Local Law Enforcement Officer Has a Taste for the Caramel Biz

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Tourism Spotlight: Check Out These New Restaurants In Hamilton County

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What You Need to Know about Diabetes and your Heart RiverBed WoodWorking: Father-Son Duo Operate Cicero-Based Company

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Northern Hamilton County Chamber Spotlight: Come Grow With Us

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Yoo Direct Health: Local Practice Provides Patient-Centered, Integrative Care

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Business Spotlight: Noblesville Chamber of Commerce

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The Thin Line: Noblesville Resource Officer Matt Johnston K E Y CO N TRI BU TO RS

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LOCAL LOVE

SUPPORTING AREA RESTAURANTS IS MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided

Bru Burger

Aspen Creek

It’s been a difficult year for everyone, but those who make their living in the restaurant industry have been hit especially hard during the pandemic. In the spring of 2020, area restaurants were forced to shutter for months and owners had to temporarily lay off staff. Adson Franco, owner of Matteo’s Ristorante Italiano, recalls that moment as the hardest day of his life.

“We are like family here,” Franco says.

That’s why his happiest day was the day he got to call everyone back to work.

When they reopened in May, the outlook was tenuous as life still felt so uncertain.

“We didn’t know which way this was going to go - whether we would be busy or not,” Franco says.

Hiring back his entire staff was a chance he

was willing to take since he knew they were struggling financially.

“Servers make just $2.13 an hour, so pretty much all of their revenue comes from tips,”

4 / NOBLESVILLE MAGAZINE / FEBRUARY 2021 / atNoblesville.com

Grindstone Public House

Livery

Franco says.

Not only were restaurant owners happy to reopen their doors, but customers were also eager to walk through them again. After weeks of home-cooked meals, many patrons were delighted to enjoy a dining experience outside of their home. Customers were welcomed with open arms, grateful hearts and a promise to do everything possible to keep them safe. This included following the CDC as well as state and local guidelines, such as adding hand sanitizing stations and touchless soap dispensers, sanitizing booths and tables, and rearranging dining rooms to accommodate for proper social distancing.

Leaders at many spots like Matteo’s also began requiring reservations to ensure better control of customer flow in dining areas. Many restaurants have suspended water service and no longer keep silverware or menus at tables.

“Since March, we’ve had to be creative in ways we didn’t think we ever would,” says Kim Kercheval, owner of Jan’s Village Pizza.

Some elderly and immunocompromised patrons still want to partake in yummy food, but are reluctant to dine in. Therefore, many restaurants have stepped up their game when it comes to online ordering and delivery services. Restaurant owners appreciate customers who utilize these services directly rather than app-based delivery services, because what many people may not realize is that such app-based services take a portion of each restaurant’s revenue - anywhere from 25% to 40%.

“That’s a big bite out of our profits, so it’s

helpful if customers can come in and pick up the food themselves,” Franco says.

Kent McNall, owner of Pasto Italiano, notes that if a customer places a $100 carry-out order with an app-based service, he only gets 70% of it.

“It’s best for customers to call and pick up the food themselves,” McNall says. “Not only does the money go straight to the restaurant rather than a third-party vendor, but also the food is fresh.”

Many restaurants, like Jan’s Village Pizza, offer contactless delivery.

“Whether you call the pizza shop, order online, or order through our app, all of our menu items are available for delivery,” Kercheval says.

Convenient curbside delivery enables customers to place an order, park outside the establishment, pop their trunk, and have staff members place the food there.

Kercheval is delighted to see her customers, even if just briefly when they pop in to pick up a carry-out order.

“When you order carry-out, it gives us an opportunity to safely interact with our amazing customers,” Kercheval says.

“Whether you come inside to pick up or we bring it out curbside, we love seeing you.”

Michaelangelos

operations for Clancy’s Inc., which operates Grindstone Public House, Grindstone on the Monon and Michaelangelo’s Italian Bistro. “Every little bit helps.”

Fogelsong notes that his company sold about $40,000 in gift cards over the holiday season.

Franco saw an uptick in the purchase of gift cards as well, and many customers have told him they won’t use them until things are back to normal.

“When you buy gift cards, you are also helping to support a small business,” Kercheval says.

“Buying gift cards lets us know that we are a favorite to so many people.”

Gift cards helped restaurants remain buoyant during a holiday season that took a huge hit. Franco reports that he lost 70% of private-event business in December compared to the prior year.

“It was definitely not the December we are used to,” Franco says. “If the vaccine rollout goes smoothly, however, community members may be itching to get back out there to enjoy their favorite eateries. We hope so. I just want to thank our customers for their support. Without them, we would not have made it so far.”

Purchasing gift cards is another way to show your love for local establishments.

Fogelsong also wishes to acknowledge his company’s loyal patrons who helped them endure a rough 2020.

“Those gift cards help us in the shortterm get through this rough patch until the vaccine is widely distributed,” says Blake Fogelsong, owner and director of

“Thank you for supporting all of the restaurants in Hamilton County,” Fogelsong says. “We look forward to having a better 2021.”

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Matteos

Nesst

Kercheval is also thankful.

Stone Creek

“The entire crew at Village Pizza would like to thank the community for all the support during this unpredictable time,” Kercheval says. “We thank you for staying loyal.

Without you, we’re just dough.”

had to be removed for distancing.

“We have a nice, casual fine-dining experience, with dark tablecloths and cloth napkins,” McNall says. “We have instrumental jazz on Wednesdays and a piano player on Fridays to create an intimate atmosphere.”

your local restaurants, share a comment, photo or video on the social media pages you are engaged with, and tag the restaurant.

If you happen to have a negative experience, contact the management directly so that they may address it and do their best to remedy the situation.

McNall, who is proud of the dining atmosphere at Pasta Italiano, looks forward to the day when he can add back tables that

Considering the difficult year we endured, we could all use an extra dose of positivity, so if you have a great experience at one of

We humbly thank all local restaurants for keeping our tummies happy and our hearts full. We support and appreciate you.

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ERIKA’S PLACE

OWNERS OF LOCAL COMFORT FOOD CONCEPT OPEN NOBLESVILLE LOCATION Writer / Megan Arszman Photographer / Kerch Creative

If you are looking for Hoosier home cooking in Hamilton County, there’s a good chance you would head to Erika’s Place, with locations in Cicero and, until recently, Westfield. The restaurant closed its doors at State Road 32 and Union Street in Westfield in December of 2020. In mid-January the owners opened new doors in the former Courtney’s Kitchen location in Noblesville.

The restaurant leaders celebrate their tenth way to bring comfort food to their friends year serving the citizens of Cicero this year, and family members. as they kick off their first year in Noblesville.

“When people ask what we serve, we say it’s Erika’s Place is the brainchild of longtime Indiana comfort food,” Cecil-Flanders says. friends Erika Cecil-Flanders and Cheryl “It’s food that’s going to fill you up.”

Hunter-Pettijohn. The two first met when Cecil-Flanders started working at a truck The most popular dishes ordered at either stop in Westfield that was owned by Hunter- location tend to be biscuits and gravy Pettijohn’s parents. Later the two decided for breakfast, breaded tenderloins, fried to open the first Erika’s Place in Cicero, as a chicken and beef Manhattan at lunchtime.

atNoblesville.com / FEBRUARY 2021 / NOBLESVILLE MAGAZINE / 7

dining, and Cecil-Flanders says business never seemed to bounce back. This, coupled with the uncertainty of the State Road 32 widening project, made it seem to the owners like it was time to find a new place for their restaurant to continue serving the citizens of Hamilton County.

Everything is made from scratch in the kitchen. Cecil-Flanders feels that Erika’s offerings will be similar to Courtney’s Kitchen, so she hopes the patrons from Courtney’s will give Erika’s Place a chance to win them over in the heart and the belly.

“Our menu is similar to Courtney’s,” she says. “I think that’ll be a big draw for the patrons.”

When asked what she’d fix for herself from Erika’s kitchen, Cecil-Flanders doesn’t hesitate.

“I love our breaded tenderloin,” she says.

“What makes our tenderloin different from other restaurants is that we actually buy the loin, and hand-cut and hand-tenderize it ourselves.”

Business at the Westfield location had slowed down since restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic limited in-person

daylight in the summer means that the restaurant will see additional hours of operation, and Erika’s will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. from Monday through Saturday during the warmer months.

The increase in hours stems from the opportunity the owners see with the new location on the Noblesville square, because “We didn’t want to leave Westfield, but when the opportunity to lease the restaurant of the increase in traffic from people visiting with a purpose, instead of simply driving on Logan Street came, it seemed like an through. There will also be an increase in opportunity we couldn’t miss,” CecilFlanders says. “We are super excited to have serving capabilities, with seating for 65 this Noblesville location, and judging by the patrons on the inside and seating for 30 to response we’ve received on Facebook, so are 40 people on the attached patio when the weather allows. most of our customers. It gives us so many more opportunities to serve our customers, “It will be such a draw to have outdoor from better parking to more seating and seating, especially if COVID-19 is still better handicap accessibility.” around this summer,” Cecil-Flanders says.

The Noblesville eatery will follow the Those familiar with the Westfield location Cicero location’s all-day schedule: 6 a.m. will find the decor similar in the Noblesville to 8 p.m. from Monday through Saturday, location, with a few location-specific touches and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. Additional

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here and there, and an overall aesthetic that Cecil-Flanders is excited about.

“I love it,” she says.

The kitchen and serving staff members have made the move from the Westfield location to the Noblesville location. The staff has been together for almost 10 years, and there was no question that they would stay on with Erika’s Place after the Westfield closure.

“Everyone has worked together to clean, organize and decorate the new restaurant,” Cecil-Flanders says. “The staff is just as excited to start serving Noblesville.”

If you want to grab a bite to eat, you can visit the new Erika’s Place at 654 Logan Street in Noblesville. For more info including menu details, visit erikas-place.com.

atNoblesville.com / FEBRUARY 2021 / NOBLESVILLE MAGAZINE / 9

THE NESST STEAKHOUSE

NEW EATERY SERVES UP CLASSIC AMERICAN FARE AND EUROPEAN SELECTIONS

Owners Sladan and Brandy Stanisic

Writer / Julie Yates Photographer / Kelli White

features dishes from the Balkans, Stanisic’s homeland. There are also other Eastern European and Italian options.

ith years of restaurant experience behind him, and a deep love and respect for the community, Sladan Stanisic and his wife Brandy recently opened The Nesst a steak-house in downtown Noblesville. Located at 917 Conner Street, the eatery offers guests a cozy yet upscale atmosphere. Opening a new business in the midst of a pandemic might seem like a bold move to some, but Stanistic’s faith in local receptiveness is pay-ing off.

“It caught us off guard that people are loving everything on that part of the menu so much,” Stanisic says. “A lot of the dishes come from my mom’s recipes. People love the sarma which is stuffed cabbage rolls. We make them in small batches so they are always fresh.”

W

After the military conflicts in Yugoslavia, Stanisic came to the United States in De-cember of 1998. He was thrilled to find his first job as a dishwasher at MCL Cafeteria and by 2001, he settled in Noblesville. From 2002 to 2017, he worked his way up from bussing tables to General Manger for Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. In 2017, Stanisic left Ruth’s Chris to be a managing partner of Capri Italian Restaurant in Indianapolis where he stayed until September of 2020.

“Having my own restaurant was a long time coming for me,” Stanisic says. “When I presented the idea to my wife, I didn’t know if she would think I was crazy for wanting to open a restaurant during these times, but I have lived in Noblesville for years and felt the community always wanted this. I am genuinely thankful for how supportive they have been. From November 1, the first day we opened our doors, we have never had an empty restaurant.”

“Wow!” is the common reaction people have when entering the restaurant. When en-tering, customers are greeted by an exposed brick interior accented by wood and con-temporary lighting. To the right is a lounge and bar with tables, and to the left is a din-ing area called The Miller’s Room. Straight ahead is a large dining room with a fire pit in the middle. Paintings for sale by local artists adorn the walls.

The concept of the restaurant is classic American steakhouse, but guests are offered the chance to experience something different.

There is a section on the menu labeled “Get Out of Town,” which

The rest of the menu features traditional steakhouse items from appetizers to desserts, but there are some surprises. Shrimp cocktail, $15, is served with homemade horserad-ish sauce, and also available are fried green tomatoes, a favorite from the kitchen of Brandy’s grandmother, with a creamy roasted red pepper sauce for $9. Sharable sides, $8, include Brussels sprouts, broccolini, asparagus and sautéed wild mushrooms. Baked and mashed potatoes are available as well.

The restaurant serves high-quality meats and seafood. Aged, allnatural and non-GMO steaks are shipped to the restaurant six days per week. Prices range from $24 for a six-ounce filet to $35 for an 18-ounce T-bone. Double-bone, 16-ounce pork chops for $26 are sourced locally from Fischer Farms. Rounding out the selections are a 16-ounce veal chop for $30, blackened scallops for $25 and Brandy’s favorite, two chicken breasts in portabella mushroom cream sauce for $19. With fish of the day always at market price.

The dessert menu has several choices running between $6 and $8.

There is the steak-house constant, cheesecake, but this is with a Greek yogurt twist. The biggest seller has become the $7 baklava made from Stanisic’s mom’s recipe. Also included are cakes, peanut butter mousse pie, and ice cream or sorbet.

“We feel that everything that comes out of the kitchen is excellent and is a great price for the quality people are getting,” Stanisic says.

“It’s an experience that people can enjoy and not break their wallet.

We want people to get what they deserve for their money.”

Stanisic has been careful to slowly develop the restaurant by only taking on the level of business he can handle, in order to make

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sure each diner has a fantastic experience. Reservations are recommended, especially on weekends. In the future, Stanisic hopes to open for lunch service when the weather turns warm enough to cultivate some charming outdoor seating.

“I think Noblesville is a wonderful community and it deserves to have a restaurant like this,” he says. “It is family friendly, but it can be a place to discuss business. It’s some-thing positive we all need. Sometimes I watch everyone enjoying themselves, and I am continually thankful for all the community support.”

The Nesst is located at 917 Conner Street in Noblesville. For more info, call 317-214-7137 or visit TheNesstOfNoblesville.com.

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NORTHERN

MAGAZINE

THE CHOO CHOO CAFE IT’S ALL ABOARD FOR FLAVOR AT ATLANTA-BASED EATERY

Co-Owner Liz Nelson

Writer / Matt Keating Photographer / Jason Graves

L

iz Nelson, co-owner of the Choo Choo Cafe in Atlanta, Indiana, says her restaurant started because people were looking for a place to eat near another business she co-owns - the popular MrMuffin’sTrains.

“My husband Steve Nelson, who is also known as Mr. Muffin, and I officially got started on the Choo Choo Cafe because we had so many people who wanted some food here in Atlanta after looking at all the trains,” Liz Nelson says. “As I like to say, the number-one question we got after, ‘Are you people crazy?’ was, ‘Is there any place in town to eat?’”

Nelson says MrMuffin’sTrains has a fairly large, operating O-Gauge twin-train layout, and a model train collection that is open to the public. They also sell model trains.

“When we purchased our nearby cafe building at the location of the former Fletcher’s restaurant, the building had been vacant for over 10 years,” Nelson says. “The kitchen was an add-on to the building that was put in some time in the building’s history.

It was in terrible condition, so we tore it down and built a new kitchen. We renovated the original building ourselves, and the dining room now seats about 40 people.”

The Nelsons received assistance from local residents and others to get the cafe, which was officially renovated in 2018, off the ground.

“We were very fortunate with response to our crowdfunding campaign to help with the cost of the restaurant’s addition, and restaurant equipment,” Nelson says.

The Choo Choo Cafe has garnered a large following. “‘The Choo,’ or ‘The Chew,’ as it’s nicknamed, is special as an unexpected cafe,” Nelson says. “Our feedback is often people telling us they are surprised at the quality of food in such a small-town diner.

We also have a bakery, and we bake to order.

We also have our bakery staples.”

Nelson says the deserts and sandwiches are very popular.

“We are becoming known for our cheesecake, including having a cheesecake wedding cake, and for ‘bruffins,’ a pullapart muffin filled with cinnamon and pecans, with a pecan streusel topping and a maple glaze,” Nelson says. “Our tenderloin sandwich is also popular.”

Nelson says community support has been terrific.

FEBRUARY 2021

“We have become a destination for many from our northern towns,” she says. “Our dinner business is gaining more and more followers looking for our next red-plate special.”

Nelson adds that the cafe has so far weathered the COVID-19 pandemic.

“When we reopened in late 2020, we closed

due to the pandemic and we looked for someone to come in and operate the restaurant for us,” she says. “We hired Lilly Roberts and Jeremiah Jones, who are doing an excellent job of running the Choo Choo Cafe, and providing great food and service to all our customers.”

Nelson says regulars at the cafe already have their favorites.

“I would say our favorite menu item is the Atlanta Sampler,” Nelson says. “The Sampler is a breakfast for the hearty appetite, or enough to share. It’s two eggs your way, with bacon, sausage, hashbrown casserole, a roasted Parmesan tomato, a half order of biscuits and gravy, silver-dollar pancakes and baked cinnamon apples. The second most popular would be our cheeseburger, or any of our desserts.”

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Owner Brian Niec

outside of his own immediate circle would be interested in his product.

“Fox 59 called then, and Lindy Thackston did a story on me,” Niec says. “It just organically blew up into a business, when I had no intention of making it a business whatsoever.”

Niec describes the process of making his caramel flavors as a science rather than an art.

“Once I figured out a recipe that I could make my own, I started thinking about how I could challenge it and make it different,” he says. “You can go anywhere and get caramel, but you can’t go anywhere and get Chocolate Flaked Java caramel or a German Chocolate caramel. That’s kind of how I tried to differentiate myself. The biggest thing that makes us different is the artisan flavors.”

CICERO CARAMEL COMPANY

LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER HAS A TASTE FOR THE CARAMEL BIZ Writer / Jon Shoulders Photographer / Jason Graves

Cicero Caramel Company arose out of Owner Brian Niec’s casual interest in finding a creative outlet to enjoy when not serving the community as a 17-year veteran law enforcement officer.

“It was almost a complete fluke,” Niec says. “In 2018 my son had just been born, and I was trying to think of something to do that was not law enforcement related whatsoever. I’ve always been kind of a kitchen person and a baker, and I come from a family of bakers.”

Niec began tinkering with caramel recipes and presented a batch to the owners of Cicero Coffee Company, with whom he is friends.

“They told me that I should sell it at their coffee shop,” Niec recalls. “I was surprised but they were ready to do it. After that, on a whim, I made the Cicero Caramel Company Facebook page thinking it would be for family and friends.”

After returning to his job when his baby leave ended, Niec made a few more caramel batches made a post about it on his Facebook page, which was quickly shared more than 280 times. He was pleasantly surprised, and began to realize that people FEBRUARY 2021

Niec also built his concept around offering large quantities, for those interested in taking unique caramel flavors to a party or family gathering. He offers approximately 15 to 20 flavors through the official Cicero Caramel Company website at any given time, including Triple Chocolate Pretzel, Milk Chocolate Peanut Caramel, Pecan, Caramel Punkin Spice Roll and more.

Orders are available to be shipped, or for delivery in most parts of Hamilton County.

“I can arrange a pickup spot with you if you email me as well,” Niec adds. “We try to do things people want and will be excited about. People like Butterfinger candy bars, so we’re going to be doing a caramel with Butterfinger, and we do things like a caramel popcorn in July as a special.”

Niec is able to make vegan versions of any flavor on his menu.

“The Delectable, which is the milk chocolate pretzel, is probably my most well-known flavor,” he adds. “The Chocolate Flaked Java is up there too as one of my most popular, and even people who don’t like coffee go for that one. I also do a Double Decker, which is basically like an inside-out Twix bar.”

As far as Niec’s own favorite flavor, he gravitates toward his caramel popcorn

almost as long as he can remember.

“In second grade when you fill out those questionnaire forms with your dog’s name and what you want to be when you get older, I put a police officer and just never changed my mind,” says Niec, who officially became a lieutenant with the Hamilton County Sheriff ’s Office in December.

and the Chocolate Pretzel flavor - but he’s quick to add that he usually stays away from enjoying his own creations too much.

“I put the Butterfinger caramel in Christmas tins this year and everybody really liked it,” he says. “It’s always the plan to come up with ways to challenge myself and figure out “I honestly don’t eat a lot of it, because that what the clients want. Usually somebody opens up Pandora’s box,” he says with a laugh. will say, ‘Can you do this flavor, because I’d love to try it and would buy it,’ and that’s Niec also plans to add an M&M flavor, what I try to do next.” and make his Butterfinger caramel a more regular offering.

Originally from Columbia City, Indiana, Niec had a desire to work in law enforcement

After obtaining his bachelor’s degree from Valparaiso University, Niec moved to Hamilton County and has grown to appreciate the area ever since.

“Being able to serve the community here in law enforcement, and now doing the caramel business here and offering something to the community in that way, is great - I enjoy it here,” he says.

For more information on Cicero Caramel Company and to place an order, visit cicerocaramelco.com.

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TOURISM SPOTLIGHT HAMILTON COUNTY, INDIANA

CHECK OUT THESE NEW RESTAURANTS IN HAMILTON COUNTY Amidst the challenges 2020 has brought the local restaurant community, Hamilton County’s food scene continues to grow.

Restaurants and cafés have quietly opened for business – and many to rave reviews.

Here is a list of noteworthy new businesses that opened during the COVID-19 pandemic that you may have missed.

meats the old-fashioned way on a smoker with aged hickory and cherry wood. Visit the charming black and white shack on State Road 32 in Westfield – but note that Ben’s BBQ Shack is only open on Fridays and Saturdays.

DARK SIDE COFFEE HOUSE 110 W. Jackson St., Cicero Dark Side is a specialty coffee roaster based in Cicero with a new brick-and-mortar coffee shop. Owners Matt and Vanessa had their first date at a coffee shop (how sweet!) and began roasting at home before turning their hobby into a business.

THE NESST OF NOBLESVILLE 917 Conner St., Noblesville Noblesville’s newest eatery is The Nesst, a highend steakhouse with steaks and seafood. Or, take a global adventure and try international dishes like Greek moussaka, Austrian wiener schnitzel or cevapi from the Balkans.

Bica Café – Yelper Megan M.

BICA CAFÉ Ben’s BBQ Shack – Yelper Christopher C.

BEN’S BBQ SHACK 124 E. Main St., Westfield As Ben’s website says, “Good things come to those who wait.” Here, they barbecue

933 Conner St., Noblesville New to the Historic Noblesville Square is Bica Café, a European bakery and café specializing in Portuguese and Italian sweet and savory baked goods, lunch fare and small plates. Customers love the pastels de nata, a classic Portuguese egg tart.

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One Trick Pony – Yelper Niki B.

ONE TRICK PONY 9713 District N Dr., Fishers You might know Chef Neal Brown from his iconic local restaurants like Pizzology

Craft Pizza and Pub. His newest concept STACCO HOUSE BY inside Fishers Test Kitchen, One Trick Pony, MAMMAMIA focuses on hot, fresh, smashed burgers that 834 W. Main St., Carmel are diner style, made to order and pressed The owners of Mammamia Gelato in on a hot griddle.

Carmel have transformed the gelato shop into a larger concept store, featuring Italian REMNANT COFFEE SHOP foods and specialty items. Stacco House 101 W. Main St., Arcadia serves sandwiches, meatballs, lasagna, In 2019, the owners of Remnant pastries, breads, coffee, wine, olive oils, transformed the old Hedgehog Music Hall specialty meats, cheeses and more. building into a welcoming coffee shop on Main Street in Arcadia. In addition to coffee, TITUS BAKERY AND DELI Remnant Coffee Shop serves breakfast AT REYNOLD’S FARM sandwiches and bakery items. Plus, they EQUIPMENT give back: all tips go toward their current 1451 E. 276th St., Atlanta service project.

Known for its delectable donuts like the

Pershing, Titus Bakery and Deli opened its third central Indiana location inside Reynold’s Farm Equipment on US-31 in Atlanta in the space formerly occupied by Combine Café.

UNION JACK PUB WESTFIELD 110 S. Union St., Westfield This British pub has opened a second location in the former Grand Junction Brewing Co. space on Union Street. The Union Jack menu includes pub favorites like Fish & Chips, Double Decker BLT, Battalion Tenderloin Sandwich and Patty Melts.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOT AND NEW RESTAURANTS IN HAMILTON COUNTY, GO TO VISITHAMILTONCOUNTY.COM AND FOLLOW US ON

DEAR NEIGHBORS Pasto Italiano Restaurant would like to say

to the local community for their support through these ever-changing times! Thanks to your patronage we have been able to maintain our locally-owned business. We look forward to continuing to serve our classic Italian dishes.

Come enjoy live music on Wednesdays and Fridays.

—Kent and Patsy McNall, OWNERS

FEBRUARY 2021

3150 East State Rd. 32 Westfield, IN 46074 (NW corner of SR32 and Carey Rd.) Sunday - Thursday: 4 PM - 9 PM Friday & Saturday: 4 PM - 9:30 PM DINE-IN AND CARRY OUT AVAILABLE

Call for Reservations 317-804-2051 FIND US ON FACEBOOK

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DIABETES AND YOUR HEART is damaged blood vessels and nerves that control your heart. Along with high blood sugar, diabetics are also more likely to have other conditions that increase their risk for heart disease such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high triglycerides and obesity.

Your primary care provider can perform a simple blood test to check your cholesterol and triglycerides.

PREVENTION AND TREATMENT A healthy lifestyle is one of the best ways to prevent your risk of diabetes and heart disease. Exercise helps lower blood pressure, cholesterol and control your weight. Try to aim for 30-minutes of exercise a day. To reduce your sugar and high-saturated fat consumption, make healthy swaps to add more veggies and complex grains into your diet. Lower alcohol consumption to prevent fluctuations in your blood sugar levels. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for American Adults suggest up to one standard drink for women and two drinks for men per day. One standard drink includes approximately 14 grams of pure alcohol, which is 12 ounces of regular beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits.

Dr. Ali Iqtidar, cardiologist at IU Health Saxony Hospital

According to the American Heart Association, adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to die from heart disease than adults without diabetes. With heart disease being the leading cause of death for men and women, it’s important to understand how diabetes can increase your risk for heart disease.

EFFECTS ON HEART HEALTH While diabetes is treatable, a long-term effect of high blood sugar

Along with preventing your risk for diabetes and heart disease, an overall healthy lifestyle can also help treat and reduce the symptoms of diabetes and heart disease. Make sure you’re eating a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, protein and whole grains. Your primary care provider is the best person to talk to about treatment plans to get you healthy again.

RESOURCES Learning more about diabetes and heart health will help you avoid health complications down the line. Consult with your primary care provider, cardiologist or diabetes care specialist to get the support and solutions you need to prevent or manage your health conditions.

FEBRUARY 2021

Owners Chris and Tyler Stupp

RIVERBED WOODWORKING

FATHER-SON DUO OPERATE CICERO-BASED COMPANY Writer / Renee Larr Photographer / Amy Payne

A father-and-son duo has taken their passion for woodworking and turned it into a thriving business called RiverBed WoodWorking. Chris and Tyler Stupp of Cicero create custom wood tabletops from live-edge wood slabs.

The idea for the business came in the form of a Christmas gift for Chris.

“I grew up on the job site with my dad, so I’ve been around woodworking my entire life,” Tyler says. “I started seeing these tables other people were making so I decided to try and make one for my dad as a Christmas gift. I didn’t have a lot of tools so I used what I had. It took me about two months to make it in my garage. I gave it to him and he loved it.”

cabinets, and installs interior trim for newly constructed homes.

“We started considering the idea about three years ago but it really kicked off about two years ago,” Tyler says. “We can make staircases, beams, bookshelves, bars - really anything in woodworking.”

Adding live-edge slabs was a natural for the Chris suggested to Tyler that they needed to pair. start making tabletops and marketing them.

The pair now also builds countertops and “If you take a piece of wood and cut it FEBRUARY 2021

vertically instead of horizontally, it creates wavy edges where no part of the wood is straight,” Tyler says. “The log is cut into slabs and the entire slab is used, leaving the natural edge.”

The Stupps found a supplier of exotic wood in Central America, and became a licensed importer for exotic woods. They sell 12 different types of hard-to-find wood including purpleheart, monkeypod, gavilan, tigerwood, teak and more.

“Many of the other people who create tables like us don’t have access to the types of wood we can sell,” Tyler says. “The difference is these types of wood are much larger. Many other woodworkers can only get their hands on domestic trees like maple, walnut and hickory.”

name for a business can be difficult. They took inspiration from what they know.

“We started out making river tables, so we knew we wanted water to somehow be included in the name,” Tyler says. “To create a river in a wood tabletop, we take a full slab and cut it down the middle, then flip the ends around so the live edges are pointing towards each other in the middle of the table. That essentially creates a valley that we fill with resin and pigment. The water part came naturally. It took us a while to decide on RiverBed WoodWorking.”

Each piece is a one-of-a-kind, custom creation. The duo has found that buyers want to be involved in the design process.

“We like to get people out to the shop as much as possible so they can get a visual Monkeypod is often found in Hawaii. on the wood, because pictures don’t do it justice,” Tyler says. “They’re normally “We had someone call us who used to live in really surprised about what they see, and Hawaii and wanted to get his hands on some a lot happier we’re walking them through monkeypod,” Chris says. “We were able the process in person. We’re showing them to sell him the monkeypod that he missed the exact wood that we’ll be using to create from his time in Hawaii.” something beautiful for them.”

Chris and Tyler realized coming up with a

Buyers are required to put down a 50% FEBRUARY 2021

deposit to cover the cost of materials before the process starts. The time it takes to create each piece varies.

“Some people come in and buy a slab, and want a finish put on it,” Tyler says. “That would only take a few days. If someone wants a large tabletop, that’s going to take a week or two.”

They don’t just build furniture. They also sell slabs of exotic wood.

“We want to provide slabs for people who want to come here and take it home for their home project,” says Tyler, adding that he and Chris strive to make sure potential customers know the company is an importer for exotic wood. “We get a lot of other woodworkers and do-ityourselfers who are looking for different types of wood. They can just shop for wood here without us creating anything for them.”

TAKING CARE OF PEOPLE WHO DRIVE EUROPEAN CARS

The pair have worked together for many years, and have more than 30 years of combined experience designing, planning and building furniture, built-ins and liveedge designs.

“We do enjoy working together,” Chris says. “We’ll have our differences in opinion like anyone else, but we do enjoy the time together.”

RiverBed WoodWorking is currently open by appointment only. For more information, call 317-457-2567 or visit riverbedwoodworking.com.

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NORTHERN HAMILTON COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 70 North Byron St. Cicero, IN 46034 (317) 984-4079

chamber@northernhamiltoncountychamber.com

Serving the communities of Arcadia, Aroma, Atlanta, Bakers Corner, Boxley, Cicero, Deming, Millersburg, Omega, Sheridan, Strawtown, and Walnut Grove.

WELCOME

The Northern Hamilton County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to introduce our newest Chamber members. Please welcome them by visiting their website, sending an email, or stopping by to introduce yourself.

COME GROW WITH US

If you are looking for new ways to market your business, seeking out more local or industry-based connections, and grow, your greatest resource is right here in your own backyard. The Northern Hamilton County Chamber of Commerce (NHCCC) offers opportunities to connect with local business owners, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders in the greater Northern Hamilton County area and beyond. The Chamber enhances economic prosperity throughout the community by significantly boosting the reputation and image of members’ businesses. Members of the Chamber play an important role in the future of the area and gain benefits from resources for businesses large and small. We invite you to join the Chamber and grow with us in the year ahead.

NEW!

The Town of Arcadia has rolled out a fresh new logo.

Arcadia has a total area of 0.6 square miles with a current population of over 1,500. It is home to Hamilton Heights School Corporation. Arcadia - Where Small Town America Still Exists!

Christ Covenant Orthodox Presbyterian Church Pastor Tim McClymonds 6070 N. 900 E. (Northwest corner of State Road 47 (Strawtown Rd) and County Road 900 E.) Sheridan, Indiana 46069 (479) 799-2227 www.facebook.com/CCOPC6070 www.cc-opc.org/

FEBRUARY

11

NHCCC Meeting HHSC and SCS Business Students The Remnant, Arcadia, IN 11:30 a.m.

Selective Intelligence Mike Harding, Owner 12400 N Meridian St, Ste 150 Carmel, IN 46032 317-937-6562 mike@selectiveintelligence.com www.selectiveintelligence.com/services www.linkedin.com/company/ selectiveintelligence/

MARCH

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NHCCC Meeting CCH+A on Taxes and Insurance Sheridan Library, Sheridan, IN 11:30 a.m.

APRIL

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NHCCC Meeting Swayzee Communications Corp.

Embassy Suites, Noblesville, IN 11:30 a.m.

Get involved with Cicero Kiwanis today.

Serving children of the greater Cicero community for more than 40 years. @CiceroKiwanis

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YOO DIRECT HEALTH LOCAL PRACTICE PROVIDES PATIENT-CENTERED, INTEGRATIVE CARE

Haley Cook and Lexi Yoo atNoblesville.com / FEBRUARY 2021 / NOBLESVILLE MAGAZINE / 29

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photographer / Brian Brosmer

For 10 years Lexi Yoo worked in large hospital networks, and during that time she continually saw that the traditional health care model was not serving patients well.

“Patients were in and out with the doctor within five minutes,” says Lexi, a double board-certified nurse practitioner in the areas of family and pediatric medicine.

“There was really no sit-down explanation.”

body. Gut health involves balancing out the ecosystem of the gut, looking for infection, reducing inflammation and feeding the body what it needs.

“If your gut isn’t right, your immune system won’t be right, your sleep won’t be right, your thyroid won’t be right,” Yoo says.

“When we fix the gut, a lot of other things get better.”

Yoo, born and raised in northwest Indiana, graduated from Purdue University, received her master’s degree from IUPUI, and Three years ago, she set out to break the completed her post-master’s work at the mold of traditional medicine by opening University of Massachusetts Boston. The Yoo Direct Health, a kind of concierge gold standard of functional medicine is the medicine practice that focuses on functional Institute for Functional Medicine, and that’s and integrative medicine. where Yoo is trained.

“We do a lot with gut health, thyroid health and hormone therapy,” says Lexi, noting that a big part of what they do falls into antiaging and preventative medicine.

After a tremendous first year of patient growth, Lexi needed help in order to accommodate the expansion of her practice. Some of these key staff members include Haley Cook NP, a board-certified Lexi emphasizes that gut health in particular Family Nurse Practitioner. She brings is critical to good health, as the gut is the her experience in family medicine and is center of the universe when it comes to the

currently training in the School of Applied Functional Medicine. She is also trained in BIOTE method.

Another face patients have come to know very well is Stacy Rawlings. She is a certified health coach and is another key individual in the functional medicine model. She works specifically on nutrition and lifestyle recommendations made by the providers.

She helps the patients make goals in order to see long-term sustainable success.

Yoo Direct Health not only practices functional medicine but also provides extensive non-surgical aesthetic options.

Carmen Puckett is one of the certified nurse injectors who is not only trained in injectables but also performs a wide range of services to include HydraFacial’s, chemical peels, microneedling, and IV Vitamin Therapy. She is also a certified Zo Skin Health consultant which is medical grade skin care that is considered one of the top of the line in the aesthetic community. The front office staff includes Skylar Rawlings, Janet Blumling, Leanne Wheeldon, Debbie

30 / NOBLESVILLE MAGAZINE / FEBRUARY 2021 / atNoblesville.com

Mohn and assisting the providers in the back are Erin Lung MA, Jamie Owens RN, and Mindy Shupe RN.

“We capture that population who doesn’t really have a health care advocate for them,” Lexi adds.

A good portion of Lexi’s clientele is made up of health-conscious individuals who want a more personalized approached to their health care. Rather than treating symptoms, Lexi focuses on the root cause by doing a thorough workup, coupled with an individualized plan of care to include diet, lifestyle and alternative options.

Lexi co-owns Yoo Direct Health with her husband Min Yoo. Together the couple has three children, twins Diego and Delilah, 11, and Ella, 3. Min joined Lexi this past year to help with all of the business operations so she can focus more on patient care. He runs the day to day operations, financials and future expansion of Yoo Direct Health. He brings experience in finance and accounting, as a certified project manager, and holds a Master’s in Business Administration.

According to Lexi, she sees varied pockets of patients, including those with autoimmune conditions and also what she calls “the lost women’s population.”

“Unfortunately, the traditional model of health care for women is either, ‘You’re pregnant and having babies,’ or, ‘You’re done with that phase of your life,’” Lexi says.

“There is a huge population of women who do not fall under either of those categories and they need somewhere to go with their problems. That’s where we shine.

“I love that we can put both of our passions in the same business and build something amazing that we can both be proud of,” Lexi says.

Yoo Direct Health does not take insurance, but that doesn’t mean it’s not affordable. An individual will pay an annual membership fee of $125, and a family will pay $200. A general follow-up visit is $75. The directaccess pay model gives patients membership

to the practice and grants them access to advanced testing, more diagnostic workshops, and specific tests that aren’t available in a traditional practice. It also provides them with access to medical-grade supplements.

In addition, Yoo Direct Health offers a number of aesthetic services such as injectables like Botox, filler, hydrafacials, microneedling, platelet-rich plasma therapy, and PDO thread procedures, which are similar to non-surgical face liftings.

A patient’s initial appointment is extensive, so that Lexi may gather their entire health history as well as their health goals.

“I ask them what the top three things are that they hope to achieve with me,” Lexi says. “We set clear expectations of each other.”

It’s personalizing medicine and customizing it to what the patient needs and wants to get out of their health care. Lexi also educates her patients through social media

atNoblesville.com / FEBRUARY 2021 / NOBLESVILLE MAGAZINE / 31

by posting educational videos via YouTube and Instagram. For instance, following a diagnosis, Lexi will go over the patient’s labs with them and then provide a link to her podcast that has all the info they’ll need to know.

“They can Google their condition and will be flooded with information that will only serve to overwhelm them,” Lexi says. “This way they have access to a 20-minute video that will supply them with what they need to know. It saves a lot of time.”

who came from Fort Wayne. When the patient walked in, she said she felt like she knew Lexi because she had been following her on Instagram for a full year before making the appointment.

The patient declared, “You’re exactly what I’ve been looking for.”

Right out of the gate, this patient knew she wanted her hormones checked as well as a gut check, plus she was interested in booking a consult for a PDO thread.

Patients can go home, listen to the brief podcast, and come back into the office later to talk about it.

One service Lexi offers is bioidentical hormone pellet therapy. In fact, Yoo Direct Health is one of the busiest BIOTE pellet practices in Indiana.

and I’m still blown away by some of the results I’ve seen,” Lexi says.

Patient feedback is overwhelmingly positive.

The phrase Yoo most often hears is, “I haven’t felt this good in years.”

If you’re hoping to look and feel your best at any age, set up a consult with Yoo Direct Health.

Yoo Direct Health is located at 10400 Pleasant Street, Suite 180 in Noblesville.

For more information, call 317-523-9160, email info@yoodirecthealth.com, or visit yoodirecthealth.com.

“The patient is directing their health and I’m just helping them make that happen,” says “I’ve been doing this for three years and Lexi, who recently met with a new patient have done about 3,000 pellet procedures,

32 / NOBLESVILLE MAGAZINE / FEBRUARY 2021 / atNoblesville.com

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NOBLESVILLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 1 Library Plaza Noblesville, IN 46060 (317) 773-0086 noblesvillechamber.com

FEBRUARY IS THE MONTH OF LOVE… AND WE WANT TO SHARE OUR LOVE FOR OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS! As we continue to navigate these challenging times together, our Chamber, like most businesses, has found itself shifting and pivoting and re-prioritizing our work.

What has been constant throughout is our commitment to support and serve our Noblesville businesses and organizations.

(ADD PERIOD) What also has been constant is the support of our Corporate Partners for our work. Our ability to support

local businesses during this critical time has been made possible by these civic minded businesses.

LEGACY PARTNERS

EXECUTIVE PARTNERS

Along with solidly supporting the Chamber’s work during this pandemic, our Corporate Partners have tended to their own COVID-19-impacted organizations. (ADD S) Some literally have been busy saving lives and others busy saving businesses.

We cannot overstate the positive role these businesses.

On behalf of the hundreds of businesses served by the Noblesville Chamber of Commerce, we thank our Corporate Partners for investing in our Chamber and our community. Together we accomplish what none of us can individually.

PRESENTING PARTNERS

LET US HELP YOUR BUSINESS!

CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP BRINGS YOU

Now is the time for you and your business to join with us! Start your 2021 strong with an investment in your company and in your community. We have practically made it free. Join the Chamber in the month of February and our gift, courtesy of this magazine, is a $350 gift card for print, digital, or social media promotion with Noblesville Magazine.

CONSULTING & RESOURCES The Chamber solves problems. Just ask NETWORKING & RELATIONSHIPS Leverage the collective power of a Chamber connection COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Build your Noblesville connection ADVOCACY & PUBLIC POLICY Let us stand up for you Interested? Call us 317-773-0086 or email- info@noblesvillechamber.com

34 / NOBLESVILLE MAGAZINE / FEBRUARY 2021 / atNoblesville.com

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THE THIN LINE:

NOBLESVILLE RESOURCE OFFICER MATT JOHNSTON

“We are police officers, but there is a triad concept within the schools,” Johnston says. “Not only do you have your officer role, but you’re also a teacher and a counselor.”

Writer / Peyton Gigante Photography Provided

When you picture a school resource officer, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Do you think of your son’s football coach, or a person your child talks to when they start to feel anxious at school? Or perhaps someone that’s going to be there when your student’s safety is threatened?

Officer Matt Johnston has been working for Noblesville Schools for 17 years as a school resource officer, and he’s all of those things confidant, friend, coach, teacher. But he’s also a police officer.

“I’m currently working in Noble Crossing Elementary School, but I still go frequently to the high school,” says Johnston, whom some alums refer to as “OJ.” Officer Johnston is one of 10 resource officers in the Noblesville district, with each school having its own officer, and there is a supervisor in the high school. These 11 officers are hand-picked, and train through the National Association of School Resource Officers.

As a teacher and counselor, Johnston recently introduced Project Truth to Noblesville Schools, a program similar to D.A.R.E. but different in a unique way. It’s specifically tailored to the Noblesville community.

“We were able to modify the program so that we could teach kids about what’s going on inside our community, and outside our community,” Johnston says.

From peer pressure to vaping to how your student is feeling emotionally, the program Johnston designed gives participants the freedom to reach and connect with more students.

“We did all of that to hit just Noblesville, and then in the high school and middle schools we focus more on the digital citizenship, media, and laws and the constitution,” he says.

This isn’t the only program Johnston has helped to implement in the schools. He helped bring ALICE Training, an active shooter response program, to Noblesville Schools, and canines to sniff out drugs, bombs and ammunition.

36 / NOBLESVILLE MAGAZINE / FEBRUARY 2021 / atNoblesville.com

“We are there to protect, but also to serve,” Johnston says. “We are there to try to help these kids, not only from a protection level, but we’re there to help serve and give them that support.”

Johnston says building relationships is the most rewarding part of the job.

“I work with the Unified Sports program, and have been coaching in that and the football program for years,” he says. “Making a connection with these kids and then also seeing them as adults is

vso rewarding.”

The officers are in the art rooms, on the sidelines and in the classrooms, connecting every day with students to forge longlasting relationships with law enforcement.

“We are safe to come to, and we are someone we want them to come to,” Johnston says. “I don’t want us to be seen as just a security guard. If your child needs support, we are there for them.”

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