Street Savvy: Fountain Square

This historic downtown district is a cradle of urban cool. Here, the perfect spot for every whim.

[1] Treasure Hunting

Every other month, The Inventorialist pop-up shop offers lovely curiosities—from vintage nautical maps and retro desk fans to cigar boxes and typewriter keys. Next one: Aug. 3–4. 1046 Woodlawn Ave., theinventorialist.com.

 

[2] Lazy Saturday

Stake out a shady spot by La Margarita’s walk-up bar, right on the Cultural Trail, and settle in with muddled-strawberry ’ritas. 1043 Virginia Ave., 384-1457, lamargaritaindy.com.
 

+ Wise Guy +

“Fountain Square has an excellent mix of old and new. The juxtaposition of the Murphy Building and the Fountain Square Theatre Building with the Cultural Trail provides a sense of place and movement. Our neighborhood is becoming a major node for working, playing, and living.” —Michael Bricker, People for Urban Progress

  [3] Indy-centric Gifts

The nonprofit People for Urban Progress uses material from the RCA Dome roof and Super Bowl signs to make shower curtains, totes, wallets, and iPad cases. Local boutiques carry these hip products, but it’s more fun to buy them where they originate: in PUP’s studio, open weekdays, plus evenings during First Friday gallery walks. 1043 Virginia Ave., 508-6380, peopleup.org.
 
[4] Jam Sessions
At the Murphy Building’s new music venue, Do317.com Lounge, a group of chairs near the stage and old church lights over the bar give performances the feel of worship services for music-lovers. Shows were originally invitation-only, but now a handful of coveted tickets are given away on Do 317’s website. 1043 Virginia Ave., Suite 215, do317.com.

[5] Girls’ Day Out

High-heeled rockabilly hotties peddling retro candy greet you at Harloh’s Vintage, where every article of “pre-loved” clothing for men and women is cleaned and mended before making it to the rack. 1110 Prospect St., 635-5397.
 
[6] First-Friday Meet-Up
Beer geeks with chemistry backgrounds make for alchemic suds recipes. At Fountain Square Brewing Co., head brewer Skip DuVall mixed Peeps into one batch at Easter. 1301 Barth Ave., 493-1410, fountainsquarebrewery.com.
 

[7] Long Lunch

Newcomer B’s Po Boys serves fried oysters and pulled pork stuffed between French bread shipped straight from a New Orleans bakery. So what if the bocce-ball courts go off-theme? 1261 S. Shelby St., 916-5555, bpoboy.com.
 

La Margarita photo by Tony Valainis; all other photos by Meredith Cohen

This article appeared in the August 2012 issue.