Where to Locate?

When one opens their own business, there really are two questions to ask: what and where?

Over the last three years in deciding to open restaurant, the question was never so much what, but more so where? In building one independent restaurant, or many concepts, I want to be in good company. I want to open where people want unique and original, not uniform and cookie cutter. Indianapolis is not exactly known as being fertile ground for independent restaurants, and has more than its fair share of chains.

So my wife and I sat down to discuss where we might like to move, that would be an ideal launching point for the Barrelhouse concept. A few cities I like that she dismissed almost instantly for various reasons - Portland, Austin, Seattle, New York, San Francisco, Denver.

But, there were so fantastic finalists in the discussion -Chicago, Charlotte, Louisville, Columbus, Charleston, Savannah, Pittsburgh. All unique in their own right and desirable for entrepreneurs and aspiring restaurateurs. All could be considered restaurant towns and have great support for local business. All could potentially be home to a Barrelhouse concept.

But, my thinking kept bringing me back to Indianapolis. Sure, there are A LOT of chains here. And, to be honest, there is not a lot of support or encouragement for local business as other cities have. (Louisville, Columbus, Charlotte for example). Also, there are some great local restaurants in Indianapolis, and some fabulous restaurateurs such as Craig Huse, Scott Wise, Neal Brown, Martha Hoover, Brad Cohen, Hal Yeagy, and others I am leaving out.

My thought is, that together with these other great visionaries, Indianapolis can be a great restaurant town. First, we need great restaurants and great leaders. Second, we need a strong campaign supporting and promoting local business.

Independent restaurants should feed off of each other, not compete. The real competition that threatens our existence are chains and lack of education for our citizens who spend their money in the community.

For this reason, I am choosing to stay here to launch my first restaurant. I challenge all takers to try us our when we open, as well as to try someplace local that you've never been. I recommend this blog - http://indyrestaurantscene.blogspot.com -as a guide if your curious of local dining destinations.

Till next sign,

Ryan