Southern comfort-style eatery coming to Mass Ave

The Cincinnati-based restaurant group that operates Bakersfield on Massachusetts Avenue plans to open another eatery next door in space that Stout’s Shoes is vacating as part of a store downsizing.

The Eagle, which features a Southern comfort-food-style menu, should start serving its signature fried chicken there by the end of summer.

Selecting Indianapolis for a second Eagle—the only other one is in Cincinnati—seemed like a natural fit, said Joe Lanni of the Thunderdome Restaurant Group.

“It’s right next to our [Bakersfield] location,” he told Property Lines. “What could be a better spot than that?”

Besides Mexican restaurant chain Bakersfield and The Eagle, Thunderdome partners Lanni and his brother, John, along with Alex Blust, operate Kreuger’s Tavern in the Queen City.

Thunderdome officials were already familiar with Stout’s owners when they discussed making a deal for the additional space because Stout's is the landlord for Bakersfield. Stout's has operated in the building in the 300 block of Massachusetts Avenue since 1886.

“I don’t know if we would rip apart Stout’s for anybody but these guys,” company president Brad Stout said. “They’re a great bunch of guys.”

The Eagle opened in Cincinnati in December 2013 and was honored last year by Cincinnati Magazine as one of the city’s best new restaurants.

The restaurant will take about 5,000 square feet on the first floor and in part of the basement, leaving Stout’s with 1,200 square feet of showroom space and most of the now-empty basement for shoe inventory.

Stout's has other retail locations in Carmel and Brownsburg.

The smaller Stout’s store will carry the same shoe brands and styles but it will feel less cavernous, Stout said.

“We’ll have the same inventory and a showroom that is nicer and more intimate,” he said. “I’m not looking forward to losing the old feel, but it’s going to be great for everyone involved.”