Any bustling neighborhood likely would welcome award-winning 18th Street Brewery, but the company chose the near east side for its first Indianapolis location.
Drew Fox, 18th Street’s founder and president, said he scouted sites in fashionable Fountain Square, Mass Ave. and Irvington before placing a tap room near the intersection of 10th and Rural streets — an area “that doesn’t get much love or hasn’t had much love,” he said.
The near east side “felt more like home,” said Fox, who opened a brewpub in Gary in 2013 and then a production facility and brewpub in Hammond in 2016.
Beyond hops and malts and profit margins, Fox said 18th Street strives to transform communities with its gathering spots devoted to craft beer.
“If you know anything about our history, we are looking at neighborhoods that want to change and want to grow with us,” Fox said. “We’re not shy about it. We’re not afraid to take the risk. And we’re pretty good at it.”
In 2019, a USA Today readers’ choice survey designated 18th Street’s Hammond site as “Best Brewpub in the United States.”
To learn more about the 10th Street corridor, an area that received a boost toward revival from the 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee, Fox said he consulted residential development organization Near East Area Renewal.
"18th Street has a national reputation, so we’re hoping new people will discover our neighborhood," said Susan Vogt, economic development director for Near East Area Renewal. "But it’s for our neighbors, as well. It’s that balance point between serving the neighborhood and bringing additional consumers to our community."
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Vogt said the tap room, which opens Feb. 1 at 2829 E. 10th St., kicks off a month in which two art venues debut along the 10th Street corridor: Re:Public, 2301 E. 10th St., opens Feb. 12; and 10 East Arts Hub, 3137 E. 10th St., opens Feb. 15.
Fox said he's eager for 18th Street to play a positive role in a neighborhood frequently associated with abandoned houses and economic challenges.
"It’s really an organic process," Fox said. "If you look at our Gary location, for example, everyone said that was a pipe dream. It was never going to happen. It took me nearly two years to educate the city, educate the neighborhood to make sure that wouldn’t be the case."
How 18th Street spent the past 10 months
After a teaser sign ("Did you hear? 18th Street Brewery is coming here!") appeared in the window of the future tap room in April, no details were revealed until mid-December.
Fox said 18th Street did its homework before unveiling official plans for the former home of Love Handle restaurant.
"It’s easier to come into a community and just throw yourself into it without knowing all the facts and what the needs are," Fox said. "But we wanted to dive in to see what their needs were."
Fox said to watch for 18th Street partnerships with other business, churches and schools in coming months.
Tap room details
Billed as 18th Street Indy, the new tap room has a 40-person capacity. Murals by Indianapolis artist Shane Brown accent two walls with imagery of skeletons and spooky characters.
A turntable holds a place of honor behind the bar, where heavy metal favored by Fox and other styles will spin on vinyl.
"Music is part of our culture," Fox said.
Beer, ranging from saisons to double IPAs to double milk stouts to sour and brett styles, will pour from 20 taps.
18th Street produced about 10,000 barrels of beer in 2019, making it the second largest brewery in Northwest Indiana, behind Munster-based 3 Floyds Brewing Co.
On the bar's opening night, 18th Street will share the spotlight by hosting a tap takeover by Granger-based Bare Hands Brewery.
Fox said the evening will serve as a logical after-party for the Winterfest beer event at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
Menu options at 18th Street Indy include tacos and burritos, general manager Ty Patterson said.
A personal touch
Patterson said the tap room experience should be preferable for customers who otherwise buy a four-pack of 18th Street beer at an Indianapolis liquor store or drink a pint at a different bar.
"Even if somebody is our biggest fan down here, they don’t get the ambiance, they don’t get the conversation with Drew or myself," Patterson said.
"We want to be in front of the customers," Fox added. "This puts us in front of the customers in Indianapolis."
And Indianapolis often will have an edge when it comes to 18th Street rarities.
"We have an opportunity to experiment with beers that we didn’t have before," Fox said. "We have about 12 tap lines in Hammond and about 10 in Gary. We have 20 here. That's more freedom to produce some beers we normally would not produce."
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Contact IndyStar reporter David Lindquist at dave.lindquist@indystar.com or 317-444-6404. Follow him on Twitter: @317Lindquist.
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18th Street Brewery is coming to Indianapolis. Here's why the owners chose 10th Street. - IndyStar
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