BuffaLouie’s, a longtime favorite among Indiana University students in Bloomington, is returning to the Region.
Developer Jay Lieser of 1st Metropolitan Builders, an IU alumnus and Buffalo native, plans to open the Buffalo wing-themed restaurant and sports bar at his new Maple Leaf Crossing development at the northwest corner of Calumet Avenue and 45th Street in Munster.
BuffaLouie’s started in Bloomington in 1987 on 17th Street. Named after Lieser’s grandpa Louie, who’s featured in the logo smoking a cigar, BuffaLouie’s moved to the historic Gables Building, a landmark Spanish Colonial building just north of the IU campus where the legendary jazz composer Hoagy Carmichael composed “Stardust” and that was long home to the Book Nook bookstore.
It claims to offer “the world’s best wings” to “the world’s best college.” USA Today named it one of the top 10 wing joints in the country.
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It’s long been a popular hangout of IU students as it is right across from the Sample Gates and a short stroll to get to after class. (This columnist recalls taking part in spirited Indiana Daily Student editorial board meetings there, walking from Ernie Pyle Hall across Dunn Meadow to the restaurant to solve the world’s problems over shared pub fare.)
BuffaLouie’s offers both traditional and boneless wings with barbecue sauces, specialty sauces like honey garlic, Korean Q and rasta jerk, rubs like Memphis BBQ and Montreal steak, and Buffalo sauces like hot, TNT, volcanic and Lou’cifer. They come in a variety of sizes from orders of 10 to buckets of 50.
The menu also includes salads, chicken tenders, fish, burgers, subs and sandwiches like a Buffalo meatball sandwich. Menu items often have IU references like the Big Red Italian, Hurrying Hoosier and Cutters Club, a reference to the townie team that pulled an upset in the Little 500 in the the classic sports underdog film “Breaking Away,” which was penned by the Oscar-winning screenwriter Steve Tesich from East Chicago.
Sides include mozzarella sticks, tomato cheesebread, curly fries and loaded tots.
BuffaLouie’s is opening a second location in downtown Carmel with the partner Yogi Ferrell, the popular point guard who repeatedly led IU to the Sweet 16 and was the first Hoosier to lead the team in points and assists in back-to-back years since Isiah Thomas. The fan favorite, who also had a brief career in the NBA, is one of just five IU players in history to amass 1,000 career points, 400 career assists and 300 career rebounds.
BuffaLouie’s briefly had a restaurant at 2124 45th St. in the Porte De L’eau Plaza in Highland. Lieser said the new Munster location should appeal to nostalgic IU alumni and be a popular place to watch IU sports like basketball and football. It also will feature a live music stage.
Lieser, whose sons Evan and Ethan Lieser play in the band Apollo Serene, said he hopes to regularly host live music at the venue, including performances by students of the nearby School of Rock that’s also planned at the Maple Leaf development, which will feature cutting-edge container architecture to host smaller businesses like florists, coffee shops and boutiques once it’s fully built out.
Construction on the restaurant is expected to start later this year.
For more information, visit buffalouies.com.
Open
Also in Buffalo wing news, Wingstop has landed in downtown Hammond.
The 1940s aviation-themed Buffalo chicken wing restaurant opened its latest Region location at 31 Sibley St. in Hammond, right by the Calumet City border. It also operates another eatery a few miles north in Hammond’s Marina District, also right by the state line a short skip from Chicago city limits.
The suburban Dallas-based chain sells chicken wings, chicken tenders and chicken sandwiches with a variety of sauces of varying spice levels to the point where they’ll sear your tongue and clear your sinuses. Unlike its sports bar rival Buffalo Wild Wings, it focuses on the carryout business.
Wingstop is one of the fastest-growing restaurants in the country with more than 1,800 locations. It’s been growing through franchising, adding 400 locations last year alone.
Wingstop also has restaurants in Lansing, Highland, Merrillville, Gary and Hobart. It’s also opening soon in Valparaiso.
For more information, call 219-332-2220.
Coming soon
Katie Rose Boutique has been selling the latest women’s fashions in Munster’s tony Centennial Village since 2021.
Now the upscale boutique, which is named after owner Monica Branchik’s daughters Katelyn and Emma Rose, is expanding to a second location just off the Old Lake County Courthouse square in downtown Crown Point.
Katie Rose Boutique plans to open at 218 S. Main St. on March 15. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. Branchick will offer attendees a store tour with light bites and refreshments.
“I’m enthused about the opportunity to expand the reach of the Katie Rose brand with this second location,” she said. “Hopefully, the new Katie Rose will be an exciting addition to the popularity of the downtown Crown Point destination as a shopping experience.”
Katie Rose Boutique carries high-end brands like Kendra Scott, Hatley, Renuar, Charlie B, NIC + ZOE, Bishop and Young, Liverpool Los Angeles and JAG. It aims to offer a curated selection of the latest trends in a bright and inviting space.
The store offers a variety of fashions, including professional ware, as well as complimentary gift wrapping like the department stores used to have.
It stocks designer jeans, casual dresses, tops, sweaters, accessories, jewelry, purses, designer L’or de Seraphine scented candles, scarves, Spongellé brand bath products, gloves and luxury dog apparel and toys. Branchik’s golden retriever Buddy and her daughters often hang around the store, adding to the family business feel.
Katie Rose Boutique will open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 11 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, visit www.katieroseboutique.com or call 219-515-0489.
Open
EC Cafe & Restaurant has reopened in East Chicago.
The acclaimed chef Uli Gomez started the restaurant at 4435 Indianapolis Blvd. in East Chicago. He previously ran the celebrated Spanish restaurant Tapas Cafe, a longtime restaurant that amassed a loyal following after more than a decade in business but that hopped around from Merrillville to Crown Point to downtown Griffith over the years.
He was forced to shut down his new venture in downtown East Chicago, which has some of the same food, due to prolonged road construction.
“As soon as I opened this location, the City of East Chicago abruptly closed down Indianapolis Blvd for renovations and put me out of business,” Gomez said. “It was over a year of struggling. So, finally, I am able to reopen. I never give up from Covid or this unfortunate event.”
EC Cafe & Restaurant serves barbacoa tacos, empanadas, quesadillas, smoked chicken legs, ahi tuna, barbacoa ramen, a chicken Parmasan pita and a paella he calls Spanish rice.
“I have something different for the EC community,” he said. “It is out of the ordinary.”
EC Cafe & Restaurant is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
For more information, call 219-427-8759 or search for Tapas Cafe on Facebook.
Coming soon
Get ready to get to work on that long-delayed home renovation project.
Harbor Freight Tools is coming to Valparaiso.
The California-based tool and equipment retailer filed plans with the city to open a store in an existing storefront in the Porter’s Vale outdoor shopping center.
Harbor Freight Tools also has locations in Schererville, Portage, Michigan City and Hobart across from the Southlake Mall. It typically employs 25 to 30 workers per store.
Founded as a mail-order business by an enterprising teenager 40 years ago, Harbor Freight Tools now operates 1,200 stores across the country. The privately owned company aims for value, striving to offer consumer discount prices on in-house brands like Chicago Electric, Drill Master and Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Pro.
It rolls out hundreds of new tools and accessories a year, investing millions in lab tests and factories so it can make its own tools. It claims its products can be up to 80% cheaper than name brands.
The chain has grown to more than 1,400 stores across the country, serving an estimated 75 million customers. It caters to both professional contractors and construction workers and home DIYers.
For more information, visit www.harborfreight.com.
Relocated
Fitness Premier 24/7 Clubs relocated its south suburban Beecher gym.
The fitness franchise moved to a larger building at 500 W. Indiana Ave., where it’s added more gym equipment and recovery suites.
“The biggest thing was the wait and anticipation from the community that has been going to the old gym for seven years. The space was smaller and darker, and a lot of the equipment needed to be updated,” said Mike Orwig, vice president of people development at Fitness Premier 24/7 Clubs. “Now, we have way more space, it’s brighter, we’ve added in a Relax and Restore room, doubled the amount of space we have for group classes and added in almost $100,000 worth of new equipment. The community has needed and deserved this for a long time, so we’re super excited about it.”
Fitness Premier 24/7 Clubs, which also has a location in nearby Cedar Lake, has been rolling out recovery suites with amenities like cryotherapy, HydroMassage, sauna and Theragun at all its locations. In Beecher, it’s added more strength and cardio equipment, including treadmills, ellipticals and bikes.
“We’ve seen positive feedback from members so far,” said Kurtis Mraz, operator of the Beecher location. “Some people have questions about other amenities that might be added. They have that natural curiosity, and they’re super excited. This community has deserved something like this for a long time, and it’s great to finally be able to give that to them.”
The gym plans a grand reopening celebration in March and will raffle off prizes from local vendors from Monday through March 9th.
“It’s always been important to us to open up businesses in smaller communities,” Orwig said. “We’ve been in the market now for seven years, but tying this celebration and growth to other businesses in the community allows us to nurture those relationships and really bring that value full circle.”
Beer Geeks, one of the Region’s first, most beloved and most influential craft beer bars, closed after more than a decade and is being reimagined as a new concept.
The landmark 88-year-old castle-shaped White Castle in Whiting is coming down to be replaced with a newer, larger, more modern White Castle restaurant.
A longtime staple in downtown Crown Point poured its last drink.
The longtime Westforth Sports gun shop is closing.
The Silver Line Building Products plant at 16801 Exchange Ave. will be shuttered permanently.
Brewfest in Highland will close in what’s been called “an end of an era.”
David’s Bridal filed for bankruptcy and could close all stores if no buyer emerges to save it.
The 88-year-old Whiting White Castle will be remembered with displays at museums in two different states.
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For years, the “millionaire’s club” met every morning in the corner booth of the historic 88-year-old White Castle at Indianapolis Boulevard and 119th Street in downtown Whiting. The landmark restaurant served its final slider Tuesday.
One of Northwest Indiana’s most popular and enduring hobby shops is looking for a buyer after the longtime owner died.
J&L This N That Consignment Shop, a popular thrift store, closed in downtown Whiting after a run of several years.
A Calumet Region institution, Calumet Fisheries on the far South Side of Chicago, is temporarily closed after failing a city health inspection.
Just days after reopening after city health inspectors shut it down, Calumet Fisheries suffered a major fire.
Pepe’s Mexican Restaurant is no mas in Valparaiso.
Beer Geeks in Highland rebranded as B-Side Bar & Lounge and then closed within a few months.
Troubled retailer Bed Bath and Beyond will permanently close its Valparaiso location as it shutters more stores nationwide as it looks to restructure and shrink its footprint to save the struggling business.
Peoples Bank has shuttered its branch in downtown Hammond.
Viking Artisan Ales will soon pour its last craft beer at its Merrillville taproom.
Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom is closing after 15 years at one of Northwest Indiana’s most prominent highway interchanges.
Walmart is closing its big-box store in Homewood.
The Chicago Auto Show, the nation’s largest auto show, returns to McCormick Place Saturday, running through Feb. 19.
If you would like your business to be included in a future column, email joseph.pete@nwi.com.
