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Welcome back to your regularly scheduled NWI Explored, but a day later. We wanted to give everyone space and time to enjoy the company of loved ones and celebrate the holidays, but we’re returning today with a newsletter. We’ve been compiling every single holiday event we could gather trace of from across all of NWI, and we’re giving it over to you all — the Explorers — very very soon. We’ll have the holiday events that you can look forward to this weekend listed below, but stay tuned for the full event list in the very near future.
🧭 On Today’s issue of NWI Explored🧭
The Events you Need to Know About This Weekend in NWI
A special feature story on a local restaurant and the art of revitalizing historical buildings
The latest from the NWI Explored Instagram
Today in NWI
The Weekend Forecast
What NWI Looked Like for Thanksgiving’s Past
Gary, circa 1908, on Thanksgiving Day
Harrison Park, Hammond circa 1907, November 18
Chicago Ave, East Chicago, Circa November 1910
What is a Historical Tax? Journeyman Distillery and the Price of the Past
Journeyman Distillery’s Valparaiso location restored an abandoned, contaminated factory building into one of the hottest spaces in town.
Recently, over on the Valparaiso News and Local Reviews Facebook group, there was an impassioned discussion about something to do with Journeyman Distillery. A local citizen made a post about the establishment, which went like this:
My friend just ate at Journeyman with her in-laws and they charged them a “historical tax”. Can anyone explain what this is please?…I have not heard (of) any other restaurant (in Valpo) charging (for) this.
Other commenters on the Facebook page threw out some possible explanations, with some people using this post as a sounding page for their frustrations with the business.
“ Its the OWNERS responsibility to upkeep their building.”
“That makes ANOTHER reason I won't go there.”
“ regardless of that, this place is no where near the original one and the service always sucks anytime i’ve been. 🤷🏽♂️”
“Basically they aren't turning enough profit to maintain the building they bought so instead of raising prices directly they have created a fee to try and make you more comfortable with paying more.”
“So instead of raising prices they add a tax for upkeep isn't that what profits are supposed to do !!!”
The comments quickly got out of control to the point that the owners of Journeyman had to come in to quell any speculation. Below we’ve provided an abbreviated version of their response, but will link out to the full post in the interest of not misconstruing anything.
I just wanted to thank everyone for your comments and support. There’s been a little confusion about the 1% historic preservation fee, so I thought I’d clear it up: it’s not a tax…
Maintaining a 100+ year-old landmark is expensive (far more than a standard building). Many historic properties around the country quietly add a 1–3% preservation or restoration fee. We chose 1%, we list it clearly on every menu, and if anyone ever asks us to remove it, we do—no questions asked. It’s simply one small way guests who love the building can help us keep it standing for another century. Many people see the value and happily leave it on the check…
We could have added a 2–4% credit-card fee like a lot of places do now, but we decided we’d rather ask for a little help preserving history than pass along processing fees. The choice was ours, and we think it aligns with our customer base…
Here’s the bigger point I hope we can all agree on: many small businesses are struggling now, especially in the hospitality and distilling space. A quarter of America’s craft distilleries closed in the last year. Restaurants are facing the toughest environment in decades. Yet every day, people like Johanna and me (and 170 teammates in Valpo alone) get up and try to make something great in an amazing space…
We know no good deed goes unpunished sometimes. We’re okay with that. We’re just grateful for every single person who chooses to spend their dollars with a local, family-owned business instead of the usual trillion-dollar suspects. That choice to spend locally is what keeps our downtowns alive, helps Little League teams, and pays for health insurance for the people pouring your whiskey…
We here at NWI Explored thought that this was a very interesting encapsulation of what is so important, and difficult, about life in an area like ours. Northwest Indiana is an area with a rich history, with a lot of these towns having legacies that far precede any of us living here. There are historical buildings in each and every town and the act of preserving them — while making room for new developments and the advancement of technology/society — is truly an art.
Our historic downtowns have a very specific look and feel, with shops and businesses that have called them home for decades on end. These are not just relics of a world long past, but a tether to our history. When new developments pop up or buildings have to be restored, there’s a lot of pushback about creating a mish-mash of the old and the new: of destroying the veneer of what once was and clashing with the more understated architecture of modern developments. Michigan City is dealing with this right now, with these massive, tens of million of dollar investments into building over ten story buildings right in the middle of existing architecture. These things are going to stick out and create a clear demarcation between the old and the new, but one can hope they attempt to make the facades congruent with the downtown area that has always been.
On the other hand, new developments are a good thing (in theory). More housing, more retail space, and a revitalization to these areas that are always in need of love and support. I think what was so striking about Bill and Johanna Welter’s response is how much they really and truly seem to love what they’re doing, what their mission is with Journeyman and it’s maintenance of a historical building. Say what you want about the business itself or their restaurant (I am of the opinion that their food and drinks, while a little pricey, are quite good), but the effort to maintain the Valpo of yesterday and being very upfront about what that effort costs is a somewhat noble one.
We’re growing and changing every single day here in NWI. What our towns looked like 10 years ago and what they look like now are entirely different things, but that’s okay. So long as we have the option to maintain tethers to that old world, to the history that binds us all to the places we live, we’ll be okay. And maybe — just maybe — we can get some good food and drinks in the process as well.
What do you all think? Sound off in the comments or send us an email at [email protected] to give us your opinions.
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Your Event Guide for This Weekend
Bulldog Park, 183 S West St, Crown Point
Recurring daily starting November 28
Stone Run County Park, 9230 E 142nd Ave, Hebron
Nov. 28th, 3:30-5pm
Indiana Welcome Center, 7770 Corinne Dr, Hammond
Recurring daily from Nov 28-30, 9am-5pm
Hard Rock Cafe, 5400 W. 29th Ave, Gary
November 28th: 9pm
Schererville Town Hall, 10 E Joliet St, Schererville
November 28th @ 7pm
Hammond City Hall, 5925 Calumet Ave
November 28th, 4:30pm
Hard Rock Cafe, 5400 W 29th Ave, Gary
November 28th @ 10:30pm
Chicago Street Theatre, 154 W Chicago St, Valpo
Nov 28-30: Recurring Weekly every weekend until December 21st
Miller Beach Arts and Creative District, 540 S Lake Street, Gary
November 28th: 7pm
7611 E Lincoln Highway, Merrillville
Nov 28-30
Memorial Opera House, 104 Indiana St, Valpo
Nov 28-30, Recurring weekly every weekend until December 14th
Indiana Welcome Center, 7770 Corinne Dr, Hammond
Speical start November 28th: Every Saturday and Sunday, from 10am to 3pm until Dec 23rd
9001 E US HWY 30, Merrillville
Begins Nov, 28th, open every Thurs-Sunday
From 4-8pm Thurs/Fri, noon - 8pm Sat/Sun
1315 Capri Lane, Dyer
Nov 28-Jan 4: 5pm to 10pm
294 E 600 North, Valpo
Nov. 28th, 12pm to 4pm
726 Broadway, Chesterton
Nov.29th, 8am to 5pm
1900 N. Main St, Crown Point
Nov. 29th, 10am
7611 E Lincoln Highway, Merrillville
Nov. 29th: 1-3pm
777 Casino Center Drive, Hammon
Nov. 29th, 8pm
5400 W. 29th Ave, Gary
Nov. 29th, 9pm
Tiny’s Coffee Bar, 555 S Lake St, Gary
Nov. 29th, 6pm to 9pm
Main Square Park, Highland
Nov. 29th, 4:45pm
11999 W 93rd Ave, St John
Nov. 29th, 1pm to 3pm
605 E 9th St, Michigan City
Nov. 29th, 7:30pm
Hobart Art Theater, 230 Main St, Hobart
Nov. 29th, 7:30pm
401 W Joliet St, Crown Point
Nov. 29th, 10am to 4pm
Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum, 507 Mulberry St, North Judson
Recurring Every Saturday
775 Meridian Rd, Valpo
Recurring Daily from 4:30pm to 10pm
Festival Park, 705 E. 4th St, Hobart
Nov. 30th, 11am to 3pm
2030 Tryon Rd, Michigan City
Every Sunday from 2pm-5pm
7611 E Lincoln Hwy, Merrillville
Nov.30, 1pm to 3pm
Running Vines Winery, 101 Broadway, Chesterton
Nov.30, 10am start
9660 Wicker Ave, St John
November 30th, 9am to 3pm
Hobart Art Theater, 230 Main St.
November 30th, 4pm to 6pm
Hard Rock Live, 5400 W 29th Ave, Gary
November 30th, 8pm
That will be all for us on this crazy holiday week. We will see you all bright and early on Monday for even more NWIE action. Let us know how you all like the feature piece we tried out for this issue. And, as always…
Happy Exploring,
Eric & Luke
The NWI Explored Team
I used to dream about escaping my ordinary life, but my life was never ordinary. I had simply failed to notice how extraordinary it was. Likewise, I never imagined that home might be something I would miss.
-Ransom Riggs
