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Party Brander

Beyond lining up the logistics, Kate Berglund of KB Design has made a name for herself by branding social and corporate events with an identity- (even a logo) that carries through from invitations to goodie bags. For one client’s birthday, a girls’ getaway, guests received a beach bag and flip-flops printed with the party’s emblem. Berglund has been tapped for several Super Bowl events, including the Owners’ Party. 523-6362, kbdesignllc.com

Bike Service

Indy set a new pace for cities racing to become bicycle-friendly when the Indy Bike Hub YMCA opened at City Market in September. The commuter center offers 148 secure parking spots inside, vented lockers big enough for several suits, a repair desk, and a workout area with tons of natural light. City Market, 612-3083

Open Sew

If only you had access to a sewing room as bright and cheerful as Crimson Tate, the Mass Ave base of stitching queen Heather Givans—why, you’d whip up quilts and pillow covers every season. So what are you waiting for? On select Saturdays, Givans plays perky hostess during open-sew times in her studio and shop. Bring a project, use her cutting tables, watch the Cultural Trail traffic cruise by, and gab away the afternoon. It’s free—as is Givans’s expert advice. 845 Massachusetts Ave., 426-3300

Secret Art Source

The local arts scene wept when one of its pioneers, art dealer Mark Ruschman, closed his 25-year-old gallery in 2009. But Ruschman continues to work with a large catalog of top regional artists from his home and a quiet office in the downtown architectural firm Artekna. As the guy tapped to organize an art pavilion associated with the Super Bowl, he remains one of the most connected dealers in the city. 321 E. New York St., 626-3458
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*READER’S CHOICE*

>> BEST LAWNMOWERS: Monaco Mowing, serves north side and north suburbs, 408-2180

“Chris Blair rocks, and he leaves your lawn like velvet.”

—Maureen Estes, Carmel
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Food-Prep Space

If the lack of a bakery-depth convection oven is standing between you and your cupcake-food-truck dream, pack up your hotel pans and head to Indy’s Kitchen. Already, dozens of caterers, bakers, food-truck operators, and farmers-market vendors have used the 24/7 facility (where rates start at $14 per hour) to launch a culinary business. With 2,360 square feet of fully equipped commercial space and separate catering and pastry kitchens, all that’s missing is the Top Chef film crew. 2442 N. Central Ave., 690-9089

Party Photographer

Your inhibitions may survive a few drinks, but they are no match for Greg Perez, the prop-loving, infectiously fun photographer behind Flash Scene. Just ask those who cut loose with stethoscopes and syringes at a recent party for a local hospital, or the elder lady who did the splits in the heat of the moment. 508-8393

Self-Serve Dog Wash

Leave it to a Geist-area business to turn dog-washing into a treat. The bathing stations at Healthy Hounds are canine luxe, with roomy tubs, air dryers, brushes, spray-on deodorizer, ear wipes—and, the ultimate tail-wagger, “Hydrosurge” sprayers that combine water with suds such as “Lemongrass-Scented,” “Organic Herbal,” and “Oatmeal Apple.” Your best buddy never smelled so good. 9809 Fall Creek Rd., 585-9663

Cell-Phone Repair

You won’t have to explain to the folks at Indy Cellular Repair how your phone ended up in a bowl of granola. They’ve seen worse. Mostly, though, they see broken screens, which they can usually fix while you wait for around $80. And unlike most shops, this one can handle other repairs just as readily—a speaker fix cost us $35 and was done in about as many minutes. 6251 Winthrop Ave., Ste. 2, 253-1404

Pet Rescue

Who could ignore the adorable dogs and cats in this unassuming adoption center located, unusually, in a mall? Turns out, not many. The state’s first such facility, reTails in Washington Square, proved that the storefront concept works by placing more than 900 pets in new homes in its first year. The volunteer-run shop, open on weekends, also offers low-cost services like vaccine clinics. 10202 E. Washington St., 536-3227

CSA

The super-fresh fruits and veggies from Green B.E.A.N. Delivery have, for the most part, been handled only by the hardworking farmers (many of them Hoosiers) who raise them and the folks who load up the neatly packed plastic bin that arrives on your porch. No comical surplus of arugula here—subscribers can customize their weekly orders and tack on such Indiana foodstuffs as Capriole goat cheese, Chef Tony’s Homemade Pasta, Joseph Decuis American Wagyu Beef, and other choices far too numerous to list. 7503 Crews Dr., 377-0470

Pillow Cleaners

The city’s top boutique for fine linens sends its customers to Weston Cleaners for expert care of down pillows—and it did so even before the business added state-of-the-art equipment and environmentally friendly cleaners to its operation after a recent fire. Pillows are freshly fluffed (or re-stuffed by an out-of-town service, if requested) and returned in a comforter bag, and nearly everything shy of a mattress fits in the 24-hour drop box. 4000 W. 106th St., Carmel, 733-8121

Wedding-Dress Cleaner

As any bride can attest, those pristine dresses don’t always hold up to a few Funky Chickens. Using a patented process known as MuseumCare, Classic Cleaners restores gowns by removing dirt and stains, tightening loose buttons and beading, wrapping dresses in acid-free tissue paper, and returning them in an archival box. Multiple locations

Photography by Tony Valainis.

This article originally appeared in the December 2011 issue.