DOWNTOWN ZIONSVILLE HAS long been a charming destination for its many locally owned shops, galleries, restaurants, and small-town hospitality. But what happened in the early morning hours of July 10 has left many in the community rattled, sad, and anxious for answers.
The former Kogan Antiques and Lighting on South Main Street was heavily damaged after someone set fire to an Israeli flag (which hung alongside an American flag) on the building’s exterior. The flames spread quickly through the vacant 114-year-old cedar shake building, causing at least $150,000 in damage.
Liz Esra, who owns Cobblestone Zionsville on Main Street, says, “I walked over the next morning, saw the building, and was literally sick to my stomach.”
Drew Kogan, who died in 2022, had owned the two-story property. It was home to his business and where he lived with his mother, Helen, for many years.
“Everyone knew them,” Esra says. “They were fixtures in this town for decades. It’s horrible.”
Was it a hate crime? An act of antisemitism? Zionsville mayor John Stehr hopes not but adds, “Buildings don’t just spontaneously combust. At the very least it appears to be an act of arson, but that also feels like an attack on everyone in town.”
Linda Pendleton, owner of wine store Grapevine Cottage, calls it “tragic in so many ways … An incredible historic structure has been damaged,” she says. “But, mostly, it’s just there’s no room for that type of mean behavior in a community like this or anywhere … It’s just hard to understand why anyone would do that.”
When asked for his thoughts, Robert Goodman of Robert Goodman Jewelers didn’t mince words. “It’s a building on Main Street. It’s been there a long time. It’s what some people would call an iconic space, and if you didn’t feel unsettled by what happened, what kind of human being are you?”
Zionsville police chief Mike Spears says while investigators can’t yet say with certainty what sparked the fire, “it’s certainly suspicious and extremely unusual. We’re working hard to solve it.” And with offers of help from the FBI if needed.
As unsettling as it is, there’s hope the perpetrator will be found and charged. Spears says tips are coming in and nearby surveillance video is being reviewed. Erica Carpenter, who owns Fivethirty Home across the street from the torched building, is grateful for the good Samaritan who saw flames and alerted police.
“The damage could have been a lot greater … they got it contained quickly,” she says. Carpenter also hopes to help the Kogan family, possibly with a community rebuild day. “I think it could be healing for them,” she says, and perhaps it could be therapeutic for the community as well. “We’re a close-knit group. There’s some great camaraderie with the business owners, and I know many would be willing to help … just as they have in the past.”
