COVER STORY
COVER STORY
D E S T I N AT I O N
Shopping story by JULIE CAMPBELL
Take a step inside Two Chicks District Co. with Mina Starsiak Hawk. Plus, the state’s top holiday shopping destinations.
To find the perfect holiday present, Hoosiers don’t have to resort to scrolling endless Internet sites or scouring picked-over displays at a big box store. As the holidays grow closer, there’s no better time to start making memories with your family and friends. Grab your inner Santa, hop in the car, and get ready to feel the holiday spirit as you shop around the state for the most unique gifts of the season. Start planning your next overnight getaway to Indiana’s best shopping areas, local boutiques, special events, and one-of-a-kind gift shops. Since the day it opened around 18 months ago, fans of the hit HGTV show, “Good Bones,” have been flocking to Two Chicks District Co. on the south side of downtown Indianapolis. Owned by HGTV star Mina Starsiak Hawk, the home décor store in the Bates-Hendricks neighborhood carries everything from home furnishings and
HGTV star Mina Starsiak Hawk opened Two Chicks District Co., along with her mom Karen E. Laine, and has also authored a children’s book, “Built Together.” PHOTOS: Gabrielle Cheikh
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gifts to Two Chicks branded merchandise like hoodies and tote bags. The charming shop even includes a bistro and wine bar where fans can grab lunch before browsing to their hearts’ content. “The most surprising aspect of owning the store has been the amount, and variety, of people that have come through our doors,” said Mina. “The fact that people have traveled from all over the country just to visit District Co. is absolutely amazing! It truly means so much to us.” It’s no wonder the store has become a destination. Since the show first aired in 2016, “Good Bones” has been an HGTV fan favorite. Episodes of the show follow Mina and her mom, Karen E. Laine, on their home renovation adventures in the up-and-coming Bates-Hendricks district and the trendy Fountain Square neighborhood, where mother and daughter both live (next door to each other). The two founded their company, Two Chicks and a Hammer, shortly after Mina graduated from Indiana University in 2007. Karen has since retired as a founder, but she still makes appearances on the show. “After I graduated from college, I wasn’t really sure what career I truly wanted to pursue,” Mina explained. “I knew that I didn’t want a desk job,
Two Chicks District Co. (ABOVE) is located in the Bates-Hendricks District, just south of downtown Indianapolis. They carry a wide range of gift items including the popular hammer necklace, (BELOW) handmade by Twigs and Twine jewelry. PHOTOS: Two Chicks and a Hammer
“The most surprising aspect of owning the store has been the amount, and variety, of people that have come through our doors. The fact that people have traveled from all over the country just to visit District Co. is absolutely amazing! It truly means so much to us.”
traveliN travel iN Holiday 2021
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