A Little Bit Of Something For Everybody In Brownsburg
SNACK
It took five years for the owners of Popakernel, a Black-owned business, to perfect their candy caramel corn. With more than 15 available flavors, you’ll want to grab one, two, or a few free, pre-packaged samples on your way out. It might be your only chance to try mac and cheese popcorn. Ever. 1630 S. Green St., 317-531-3369, popakernel.org
SHOP
Women of all ages can find the latest trends at Ella Mae’s Boutique. The cozy, modern shop carries sizes up to 3X and specializes in comfortable, affordable apparel—$40 cardigans, $30 lounge pants, and $8 leggings. Participate in live shopping shows each week by asking to join the private Facebook page. 19 N. Green St., 317-939-0151, ellamaes.com
INDULGE
Grab a well-rounded breakfast (i.e., a Danish or a filled doughnut) at Hilligoss Bakery, which has been making fresh rings daily since 1974. Use the pick-up window if you don’t trust your willpower. 804 E. Main St., 317-852-7451, facebook.com/hilligossbakery
DINE
No joke, people have driven two hours (one way) to eat at Rockstar Pizza. The keto menu includes build-your-owns, tenderloins, and oven-roasted subs like chicken bacon melts. For the super-hungry, there’s the Rockstar 30 Pizza Challenge—45 minutes for two people to finish a 30-inch pie. The prizes: a covered tab, $50 in gift cards, and tees that won’t fit for a while. 922 E. Main St.,
317-858-1188, rockstarpizza.net
PLAY
Erase boredom with a visit to Press Play Gaming Lounge, a Black-owned, all-ages fun house that opened in June. An all-day pass for $65 gets you access to NERF Foam Wars, a three-point basketball challenge, virtual reality, and Beam interactive floor projection games, which sneak in exercise with fun time. You can also reserve a TV pod, play Xbox, and order cheese fries from the cafe. 1004 E. Main St., 317-939-2987, pressplaylounge.com
BROWSE
You never know what you might find at Gizmo’s Galleria. It’s what George W. Bush would call “ek-uh-lek-tick.” Antiques, collectibles, handmade items, swords, knickknacks, and leather chaps make their way to this upscale resale shop with more than 140 vendors. It’s like a weatherproof garage sale that’s open seven days a week. 1012 E. Main St., 317-350-2399, facebook.com/gizmosgalleria
STOCK UP
The Hayloft is to Brownsburg as Wildwood Market is to Fountain Square. This farm-to-table grocery works directly with Indiana producers to stock fruits and veggies, eggs, grass-fed beef and other meats, and favorite edibles from Scholars Inn Bakehouse, Tell City Pretzels, Mathoo’s Eggrolls, and Zionsville’s Zombie Joe Coffee. 1016 E. Main St., 317-939-2957, thehayloftfarmtotable.com
TOUR
Don Schumacher Racing is the winningest organization in NHRA drag racing history, and the team is on the road for some 20 races each year, coming home in September for the sport’s U.S. Nationals at Brownsburg’s Lucas Oil Raceway down the road. Until then, check out the shop—there are lots of race-themed shirts, gear, and accessories for sale. 1681 E. Northfield Dr., 317-858-0356, shoeracing.com
PERSONALIZE
If you don’t yet own a personalized cheese slicer, MRC Wood Products is the place to go. The company specializes in handcrafted family name signs and can put a moniker, monogram, or message on so much more, too, like cutting boards, wall decor, picture frames, and clocks. You can custom-design a piece on a kiosk. 8945 Motorsports Way, 317-939-2062, mrcwoodproducts.com
INDULGE
Paige Barnhart was 23 years old when she opened Sweet Paige’s in 2019. In addition to making custom cakes, she keeps a case stocked with cookies, cupcakes, and macarons in creative flavors like lemon blueberry, piña colada, and Cadbury Creme Egg. 405 E. Main St., 317-306-9561, facebook.com/sweetpaigescakes
