INDIANAPOLIS — You'll soon have one less place to eat and drink in Broad Ripple.
A popular brewery and restaurant is closing for good before the end of the month. Safety in that area is a big reason why.
Sun King is closing its tap room in Broad Ripple. The business will close its doors for good at the end of business on Dec. 19.
Loyal customers like Katy Elliott are disappointed to hear about the closing.
"I just will miss them greatly and wish them all the best," she said.
The brewery has been a popular place for locals to come to eat and drink.
"The service is impeccable. Everyone's really nice and professional," said Elliott.
Sun King marketing director Elizabeth Belange-Hood said closing this location was a tough decision, but there were some key factors that they couldn't ignore, including their lease being up, a rent increase, an upcoming street closure for construction and the biggest factor - crime.
"We want to be fun. We don't want you to worry about going out to your car and your car being vandalized, or someone being on your car, or around your car. That's not what you signed up for," said Belange-Hood.
But that's exactly what's been happening in their parking lot. Troubling activity has led them to restructure their hours of operation and close earlier in the evenings and even hire security.
"We had people who were partying in our parking lot, setting up mini tailgates. They were breaking bottles and doing things they shouldn't be doing," said Belange-Hood.
To help decrease violence and make people more comfortable, IMPD said they have added officers to patrol the Broad Ripple area on most Friday and Saturday nights and other evenings where increased crowds are expected.
Many of the Sun King employees will transfer to Sun King's five other locations. Belange-Hood said even though they are closing this location, they are still committed to the Broad Ripple area.
"Anything and everything we can do to keep Broad Ripple thriving is something that Sun King is very passionate about doing. We want to make sure we are still very much a part of the community," said Belange-Hood.
The sun might be setting on that location, but it could rise again in Broad Ripple in the future.
"We are really excited about what the future may hold. Who knows we may be back in a couple of years? We are just saying goodbye for now," said Belange-Hood.
A Sun King spokesperson told 13News in a statement Tuesday the brewery's other locations will remain open.
"We appreciate the patronage of all of our loyal fans. We remain committed to Broad Ripple through community development efforts that donate beer, volunteer time and proceeds from a portion of sales to organizations in the area and throughout Indiana."
Sun King has been at the Broad Ripple location since 2019.
While Sun King announced the closure of its Broad Ripple tap room, it also announced the opening of a tap room in Mishawaka. That location will be at The Mill at Ironworks Plaza neat Beutter Park.
The new Sun King Mishawaka Tap Room is projected to open in the summer of 2022. The 5,000-square-foot facility will be family friendly with the exception of the bar area. It will be the brewery's sixth tap room opened in Indiana.
"I grew up in neighboring South Bend, and my family and friends from the area have been asking me for years when Sun King will open a location in northern Indiana," said Dave Colt, Sun King co-founder and owner. "We are excited to expand access to our delicious beers to our great fans up north and to be a part of the Mishawaka community and The Mill at Ironworks Plaza."
The tap room in Mishawaka will have a food hall-type concept.