The lure of tapas

How strong is it? The owners of a new BARcelona Tapas restaurant think it’s strong enough to overcome a risky downtown location at the northeast corner of Delaware and Ohio streets. The 3,800-square-foot restaurant is slated to open in May just down the street from Wheeler Mission, in an area without much foot traffic at night. The restaurant owner says the location wouldn’t work for a traditional restaurant or steakhouse but will for BARcelona. “With us having an innovative concept nowhere else in Indianapolis, we will draw people,” said Frank Schmitz, CEO of St. Louis-based BARcelona LLC. Schmitz said he was drawn to the Indianapolis location by a great rent rate and is confident the restaurant can overcome a stigma in the area. Already, IndyGo has agreed to relocate a bus stop that would have greeted diners. Check out the menu here.