North Indy Magazine September 2023

For advertising information, contact:

PUBLISHERS

MICHAEL & LINDSAY DURR michael@townepost.com

630.853.1142

TOWNE POST NETWORK, INC.

FOUNDER/CEO

TOM BRITT tom@townepost.com

317.496.3599

PRESIDENT

JEANNE BRITT

jeanne@townepost.com

317.810.0011

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

ERIN TURK

CREATIVE DIRECTORS

TONI EADS

VAL AUSTIN

COPY EDITORS

JON SHOULDERS

NATALIE PLATT

5

BUSINESS FURNITURE + CO. CELEBRATES 100 YEARS

The Furniture Business Also Specializes in Custom Designing Spaces for K-12 Education, Higher Education and Health Care

12

THIS IS ILLINOIS STREET

SCAN TO LISTEN NOW!

EPISODE 5: NEALE JOHANTGEN

THEATER MANAGER - IMAX THEATER

AT THE INDIANA STATE MUSEUM

EPISODE 6: DAN "HANDSKILLZ"

THOMPSON LOCAL ARTIST AND MURALIST

15

FLAVORFUL FIXTURE

Illinois Street Food Emporium Is Much More Than Just a Deli

19

SIX-STRING SENSATION

Tommy Baldwin Reflects on a Life Full of Music

CONTACT THE PUBLISHER

Have a story idea or suggestion for the magazine?

TOWNE POST NETWORK, INC.

8800 North Street, Suite 117

Fishers, IN 46038

Phone/Text: 317-810-0011

#THISISNORTHINDY

FOR FRANCHISE INFORMATION, VISIT franchising.townepost.com

Original Poster Art by Nick Badman

KEY CONTRIBUTORS

ALESHA MCCARTY / SETH JOHNSON

RENEE LARR / DANIEL WOODY / NICK BADMAN

JOHN OVERTON / ASHLEY WITTMER / SARAH BROWNING

Recorded at Round Table Recording in Broad Ripple Village Sponsored by Guggman Haus, Black Circle and MotorEV

BUSINESS FURNITURE + CO. CELEBRATES 100 YEARS

THE FURNITURE BUSINESS ALSO SPECIALIZES IN CUSTOM DESIGNING SPACES FOR K-12 EDUCATION, HIGHER EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE

Business Furniture + Co. recently celebrated 100 years of providing local businesses with quality furniture solutions, design services and workplace research and strategy. During its tenure, the company and its associates have learned a thing or two about the importance of a wellcurated work environment.

“We just celebrated our 100th year in business, and we’re heading into 101st year,” Amanda Clark-Wahl says, Vice President of marketing and workplace strategy. “We spent all last year celebrating our history. Now we’re on

to our next chapter, which is what led us to open the first hybridfocused office space in the city. Our new showroom has been completely revamped to meet the needs of the new hybrid worker.”

The company partnered with Steelcase and researched the new post-COVID needs of the workplace and workers. The research indicated four essential space types needed to support different kinds of work. Those include

Writer / Renee Larr

Photographer / Ashley Wittmer

personal space, collaboration spaces, social spaces and learning spaces. Clark says the research concluded 56% of meetings are held virtually or need virtual access.

“We found that with so many companies

facing the challenges of the hybrid workplace and trying to make that work with half their teams working from home, it required a new kind of flexibility for employees,” Clark-Wahl says. “So, our revamped showroom now meets those technological needs. People need hybrid

collaboration spaces where in-person and remote participants can participate fully.”

Clark says they’ve moved away from assigned seating or assigned desks to a more open concept broken into what they call a community, complete with

A shot in the arm can take a load off your mind.

Anyone from 6-month-olds to seniors can get COVID protection with safe vaccines and boosters that are free whether you have insurance or not. Find an Eskenazi Health Center near you at EskenaziHealth.edu/FreeVaccines

neighborhoods including the city, the suburbs and the countryside. The neighborhood idea came from a sense of belonging that every person needs. Clark says neighborhoods have a range of public and private spaces, so the newly renovated showroom highlights those areas.

“So, the city is where the salespeople work,” Clark-Wahl says. “It’s a social setting with meetings and collaboration happening. Our operations team needed a little more space to spread out, so their space is the suburbs. Our finance needs a quieter area to focus and concentrate, so they work in the countryside.”

Clarks says the overall look and feel of the workplace is vital to attracting new talent to a business. She says Business Furniture + Co. assists their clients in creating aesthetically pleasing spaces that help in the organization’s overarching goal.

“We don’t mandate how many days a week

our employees come to the office,” ClarkWahl says. “So, we intentionally designed our showroom, where we also work, to entice our employees to want to come to the office. It’s dual-purpose. We believe it’s an important piece to drive the results we want. That translates to what we offer our clients, as well.”

Clark describes the overall vibe of the showroom as a hip and trendy coffee shop rather than a sterile office. She says it contains several ancillary spaces with sofas, flexible seating and comfy chairs. Even the artwork on the wall is personal to each Business Furniture + Co employee.

“The wall art is pictures of each employee’s dog,” Clark-Wahl says. “Those little touches

of home reflect our company culture and make our employees feel like they have some equity here.”

Business Furniture + Co. also specializes in custom designing spaces for K-12 education, higher education and healthcare. Clark-Wahl says gone are the days of desks and chairs in classrooms but relatively agile and flexible learning spaces. She says these spaces help children who have trouble focusing. In addition to their newly revamped showroom, they have locations in Fishers and Dayton, OH.

“Currently, our Fishers showroom is transforming,” Clark-Wahl says. “That space transitions every year or so to something new. It will be our learning mindset headquarters, so the focus will be all educational furniture.”

Mary Beth Oakes and Suzanne Bentley own Business Furniture + Co. In 2008, Oakes created a sister company, Choreo, focusing on change and move management. Choreo studies a business, helps them discover its culture and goals, and then provides guidance to have better protocols with its team when reworking a workspace.

“Something as simple as changing where a person’s desk is located can be very emotional for an employee,” Clark-Wahl says. “We help them to choreograph that change so the disruption to employees is as minimal as possible so they can focus on results rather than the nitty-gritty, mundane parts of a move.”

Business Furniture + Co. is located at 8421 Bearing Dr., Suite 200, Indianapolis. For more information, visit businessfurniture. net or contact the office at 317-216-1600.

SKIN SAVVY SERIES SUN PROTECTION: NOT JUST A SUMMER FLING

Ah, the last few weeks of summer…enjoying warm evenings on the patio, garden-grown vegetables, and packing away the pool floats, flip flops, and sunscreen. Wait…not the sunscreen!

While the temperatures are cooling off and with fall lingering around the corner, sun protection is still important. The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays are strongest in mid-June at the time of summer solstice, but UVA and UVB radiation are present year-round, even on cloudy and rainy days. Many people remember to wear sunscreen when they are going to be partaking in outdoor activities in the summertime, but do not realize that daily application of sunscreen has benefits. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. Excessive UV exposure and sunburns increase the risk of developing skin cancer. In addition to the risk of skin cancer, ultraviolet radiation also accelerates the rate of skin aging: brown spots, laxity, and wrinkles will appear at a faster rate.

What can you do to protect your skin year-round?

• Wear sunscreen of SPF 30 or more on your sun exposed areas – face, neck, backs of your hands – every single day, rain or shine. “I always tell patients to find a sunscreen you actually like putting on, because then you are more likely to want to use it. I prefer the physical/mineral sunscreens, which contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. I also tell all of my patients they should own a wide-brimmed hat and wear it even if they are just walking to the mailbox!” says local dermatologist Dr. Janelle Nassim.

• Limit mid-day sun. The sun is strongest from 10am to 4pm. “If you are a runner, walker, or cyclist, get in the habit of going in the morning or evening hours. It will pay off over the years.” Dr. Nassim advises.

• Cover up. Sun protective clothing is widely available for children and adults. Sunglasses reduce eye damage from the sun, and wide brimmed hats help shade the scalp, ears, face, and neck, which are all common locations for skin cancer.

Janelle Nassim, MD, FAAD is a dermatologist with IU Health and Assistant Professor with the IU School of Medicine. She practices in Carmel. She moved to Indy from Boston after completing her residency at Harvard in 2021. Follow her on social media @drjanellenassim.

Health Coverage Made Easy

As your health insurance broker, we can help with all of your health insurance needs including Medicare, individual coverage on or off the Health Insurance Marketplace/healthcare.gov, small group plans, dental and vision coverage. Our services cost you nothing and are available to you anytime of the year.

Angie Mercer Matthew Kubal Matthew Mundy

The corner of 56th and Illinois streets has been a thriving neighborhood with a deep community connection since the early 1900s, when Haag drugstore opened. A variety of other businesses have flourished there, like the Butler firehouse, built in 1932, Kincaid’s Meat Market, established in 1936, a filling station on the corner of Illinois and Westfield, as well as a lunch counter.

The Stonebreaker family opened Huddle Restaurant in 1965. The 24/7 diner served as a home base for third-shift workers, latenight Butler student study sessions, and weekend brunches. The restaurant served breakfast all day and was connected with the drugstore to the east of the diner.

Despite the constant traffic and steady customer base, Huddle eventually closed around 1976.

Writer / Alesha McCarty Photographer / Michael Durr

On June 19, 1979, the former Huddle diner at 5550 North Illinois Street became the Illinois Street Food Emporium, a bakery and casual restaurant opened by the Kobets family. They served breakfast, lunch, dinner and pastries. The space became a beloved neighborhood spot by residents and locals like the Farris family. Vivian Farris remembers visiting her grandmother, also named Vivian, who lived at 49th and Penn, and spending time at the former diner. After nearly 35 years, Ernie and Sue Kobets were going to hang up their aprons and the sought alternative plans for the much-loved neighborhood diner.

Farris, now grown up, has been immersed in the industry was planning on having her own restaurant. She grew up in her family’s eatery, Farris Cafe in Anderson. Farris herself pursued a life in the industry, and managed places like the Talbott Street nightclub and Malibu Grill, but she wanted a space of her own. A friend originally proposed the space at 5550 North Illinois, but she thought the space was too big to invest in at the time. Six months later her broker proposed 5550 North Illinois Street. Amused, she took it as a sign and decided to buy.

Farris purchased the building on August 12, 2014, and has owned and operated it for the last nine years. Many customers wanted to ensure their favorite neighborhood spot didn’t change. She says her response was, “The only thing I’m changing is the paint color.”

Farris was dedicated to the history of the Illinois Street Food Emporium and what it meant for the neighborhood. To this day she has remained true to that promise, other than adding some new delicious, tasty treats to the menu. Nothing has been removed.

Lots of businesses, government officials and regulars frequent the diner, but she insists they are dedicated to creating a place where everyone feels welcome.

The culinary chef, Amanda BoucherFegley, offers a wide variety of menu options with something for everyone. They always have a couple of soups, salads, sandwiches and breakfast options. A popular item is the Meridian Kessler Melt - albacore tuna or chicken salad, lettuce, tomato, and Colby cheese on whole wheat bread. The breads are all baked in-house. They also offer a variety of sides like mac and cheese, potato salad, fruit, pasta salad and coleslaw. Locals

brag about the chicken salad croissant sandwiches and the Cobb salad, which are fresh, delicious and healthy.

The bakery offers in-house, freshly baked pastries by head baker, Zach Hawkins. Treats like their pecan rolls, croissants, cookies and brownies are available. Julian Coffee Roasters, a local business, supplies the coffee with their very own blend, 56th Street Thunder, a dark roast that is rich and complex. They also offer cakes and bulk pastries.

Their grab-and-go case has continued to be a staple for busy patrons, offering an easy but delicious dinner option. The meatloaf dinner is popular, as well as the soups to go.

In an ever-changing economy, a restaurant that can maintain and grow is a rarity. Farris says their key to success is loyal patrons and five streams of revenue - the in-house bakery, deli counter, grab-

and-go section, catering business and wholesale business. They cater everything from weddings and parties to corporate events. Wholesale opportunities from places like Butler University and Safeway grocery store also provide opportunities for stability. They’ve put very little into advertising and rely heavily on word of mouth and a loyal customer base, which often brings in family members and friends.

They boast quite a few local products from businesses like Circle Bev, Julian Coffee Roasters, Sun King and Metazoa Brewing Company. They also occasionally feature local art in the dining room.

Farris’s go-to lunch is an avocado BLT on rye, a Cobb salad, and a slice of double Dutch chocolate cake, and she boasts that the best place to enjoy your lunch or early dinner is on their patio, outfitted with beautiful new umbrellas and seating. The patio is the perfect place to watch the

of the neighborhood, and witness a community with a deep history of growth and support.

Illinois Street Food Emporium is located at 5550 North Illinois Street in Indianapolis. For more info, call 317-2539513 or visit eatincarryout.com. Also visit them on Facebook and Instagram.

Uptown Carmel

2271 Pointe Parkway (116th west of Keystone)

Uptown Noblesville

809 Conner Street (On the Courthouse Square)

Uptown Indy

6404 Rucker Road (64th & Binford)

Sunrise Fishers

9767 E 116th Street (116th & Cumberland )

Uptown Market

Enjoy our house-made items at home. Purchase breads, biscuits, muffins, rolls, salads, sauces, dressings, condiments, and more online at: www.uptowncafes.com/shop.

SIX-STRING SENSATION

TOMMY BALDWIN REFLECTS ON A LIFE FULL OF MUSIC

Whether he’s playing one of Indy’s local clubs or up on stage in Los Angeles with some of rock and roll’s best, Indianapolis musician Tommy Baldwin never takes a gig for granted.

“No matter how big or small the gig is, always cherish it,” says the 27-year-old guitar phenom. “Always cherish the journey. Never take any experience for granted.”

At a young age, Baldwin was baptized into the world of music.

“My mom was a full-time singer for a band called Double Exposure back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and they were the premier wedding band in Indianapolis,” Baldwin says. “My dad was a singer-songwriter as well, so I was just surrounded by it all the time.”

Despite growing up in this environment, however, Baldwin wasn’t really drawn to the guitar until the age of 8.

Writer / Seth Johnson Photographer / Michael Durr

“I

“I went to a buddy of mine’s house, and his brother-in-law had this guitar in the closet that he smashed because he had seen somebody somewhere do it as a rock star or whatever,” Baldwin says. “It only had three strings on it, and it was just destroyed. I picked it up and started messing with it. They were playing Xbox and all of this stuff, but for some reason I just couldn’t let go of this guitar.”

Thus, Baldwin’s lifelong guitar obsession began. Later that year he would receive a guitar for Christmas, and it was game over from that point on.

“I played by ear, so I’d watch YouTube and look at people’s hands,” Baldwin says. “At that time I really got into Green Day, Fall Out Boy and all that stuff. I’d just watch their hands, and I figured out how to play barre chords and power chords.”

As he continued to hone his craft, Baldwin’s parents would regularly take him to Guitar Center to fuel his passion. In November 2006 they bought him an Epiphone SG like the one Angus Young of AC/DC played. One month later, though, Baldwin’s father unexpectedly passed away, leading him down the path he’s been on ever since.

“After he passed away I just remember

holding that guitar and saying, ‘I am going to do this for you. I’m never going to stop playing. I’m just going to put my heart and soul into this,’” Baldwin says.

In the years that followed, Baldwin would grow out of his pop-punk phase, instead embracing the blues rock sound of Stevie

Ray Vaughan.

“When I found Stevie Ray Vaughan, that changed my whole life,” he says. “I watched him play ‘Voodoo Child’ live at El Mocambo over and over again. I was like, ‘That’s exactly how I want to play guitar.’”

DON’T HAVE A NUMBER-ONE RECORD OR ANYTHING. I’VE JUST GOTTEN TO BE PART OF SOME REALLY AMAZING THINGS. YOU’VE GOT TO REMAIN HUMBLE, KEEP YOUR HEAD ON STRAIGHT AND WORK TOWARDS THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY.”

- TOMMY BALDWIN

Tommy Baldwin, playing Carmel Jazz Fest with his mother Lisa Baldwin-Breitwieser and drummer Elijah Pollard

In particular, he recalls a man by the name of Sir James Simmons as the individual who helped lead him down the bluescentric path that he’s still on today.

“From ages 13 to 18, Sir James Simmons would come over every single Wednesday and we’d have guitar lessons,” Baldwin says. “He taught me guitar stylization. It was all about, ‘It’s not what you play, it’s how you play it.’ Without him, I wouldn’t have my sound.”

Throughout high school Baldwin headed up a trio, getting regular gigs at venues like Kingston’s Music Showcase and the Slippery Noodle. After graduating from North Central High School, he eventually took a trip out to Los Angeles to attend the National Association of Music Merchants show, where he met a man by the name of Doug Pinnick. Best known for his work in the band King’s X, Pinnick took a liking to Baldwin and his playing style - so much so that he offered Baldwin an opportunity to play on a project honoring the great Jimi Hendrix.

“He was like, ‘I have something in the works right now that I’d love for you to be a part of. It’s actually a Jimi Hendrix tribute record that’s approved by the Hendrix estate, and I’d love for you to be the guitar player for it,’” Baldwin says.

In the years that have followed, Pinnick has continued to serve as a best friend and mentor to Baldwin, inviting him to jam sessions in Los Angeles with music legends like Jonathan Moffett (drummer for Michael Jackson), Kenny Aronoff (drummer for John Mellencamp and John Fogerty) and more. To bring it all full-circle, Pinnick also produced and played bass on Baldwin’s debut album, “Phases.”

Now married with three children, Baldwin is stationed back in Indianapolis, where he regularly plays around town once again. While he’s certainly lived an eventful life at just 27 years of age, Baldwin remains modest while keeping it all in perspective.

“I don’t have a number-one record or anything,” he says. “I’ve just gotten to be part of some really amazing things,” he says. “You’ve got to remain humble, keep your head on straight and work towards the next opportunity.”