NEW BOOT GOOFIN’ Duke’s (2352 S. West St.) welcomes new owner/operator Patrick Kennedy. The southside honky tonk haven will close temporarily in January to “ensure a smooth transition,” but will reopen with a refreshed menu, the same beloved staff, and of course, the music.
CLEAN CUP In a small northside shop, Sun Bean Roastery is flipping the script on traditional coffee roasting, using an electric roaster and solar energy to power its entire operation. It joins only a few others in being one of the very first 100-percent solar-powered roasteries in the country, and it uses single-origin beans from Ethiopia and Costa Rica and compostable packaging. It offers single orders or subscriptions via its web store.
THAT’S A MOUTHFUL World champion Joey Chestnut and other top-ranked Major League Eating (MLE) contenders will return to compete during the 10th annual Big Ten Tailgate Town on South Street on Saturday, December 2. The event will begin at 3 p.m. as part of the 2023 Big Ten Football Championship Game weekend festivities.
B-BALL BREW Upland Brewing Company has released a new limited edition beer called Courtside Indiana Pale Ale in collaboration with the Indiana Pacers. This is the first-ever Pacers-branded craft beer. “Living in Indiana, basketball is almost as much a part of our identity as craft beer,” says Brent Ducker, Upland’s director of sales and strategic accounts. The Pacers and Upland Brewing Company first took the court together in late 2022 when Upland became an official sponsor of the Indiana Pacers
FAIR FUNCTION Cunningham Restaurant Group will host a career fair on December 4 and 5 to fill nearly 200 jobs in its latest development, Commission Row. Commission Row is a CRG partnership with the Pacers and includes 30,000 square feet of dining and entertainment space in downtown Indianapolis.
NEIGHBORHOOD NOSH The Wolfpack Restaurant Group opened its newest Wolfies Grill (710 W. State St., Pendleton) last week. Departing from its classic neighborhood pub feel, the new Wolfie’s is a modern-day family-style eatery serving favorite Wolfies dishes alongside some new and refreshed fare.
A SAD LOSS Nathan Finney, president and owner of Finney Hospitality Group, and his flight instructor, Warren Bruhl, died aboard a small single-engine plane that went down near Fairland on Wednesday evening. Finney Hospitality Group is the parent company of several chain restaurants, including The Tap, Social Cantina, and Slim Chickens.
