The Garage at Bottleworks

Housed in the former Coca-Cola Bottling Plant, The Garage is a food hall located in the historic Bottleworks district. This iconic landmark of Indianapolis, built in 1931, began redevelopment in 2017. Beloit, Wisconsin-based Hendricks Commercial Properties envisioned a mixed-use district to celebrate commerce, history, and art all while preserving the character of this iconic space. Bottleworks is one of many historic and boutique properties in the growing portfolio of Hendricks Commercial Properties.

The Garage was not only intended for casual dining, but for weddings and large corporate events. The furniture needed to be stackable and moveable for ease of reconfiguration. A variety of heights and sizes were also desired, to accommodate the different types of events that could be held in the space. There was an area for live music, so it was additionally important to be aware of sightlines to the stage. On top of all of this, they wanted to maintain the historic look and feel of the district while still providing durable furnishings for guests.

Henricksen suggested a number of furniture solutions that provided a rustic, industrial, or vintage look to keep with the historic space. The final selections allowed for variety in seat height or posture, as well as guest capacity at each table. These selected ensured maximum flexibility and versatility throughout the food hall.

Because the project was completed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, some additional challenges were presented during installation. Henricksen had to be conscious of clearances and flow for areas where people would be ordering and waiting for food. Even during installation, the layout had to be altered based on restrictions from the state and the city to address health and safety concerns.

In the end, the client was so happy with the furniture selections that the chosen aesthetic spilled over into the other hospitality projects around the district like the Bottleworks Hotel and the Blue Collar Coffee Co. Hendricks Commercial Properties’ positive experience with Henricksen at the Bottleworks district resulted in a continuing relationship with Henricksen. The companies continue to collaborate on boutique hotel, food, and beverage spaces across the country.